Business Visa

Business Visas

1

Tier 1 (Entrepreneur Visa)

It is no longer possible to apply for Tier 1 Entrepreneur visa from 29th March 2019. However, if you are still on Tier 1 Entrepreneur visa then you can apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain or can extend your current visa.

If you intend to set up or run business in the UK, then you can either apply for innovator visa or start-up the visa.

2

Tier 1 (Investor Visa)

Tier 1 (Investor) visa category enable high net worth individuals to make a substantial financial investment in the UK. The applicant must have access to at least £2,000,000 (£2 million) in investment funds to apply for Tier 1 Investor visa. The applicant can stay in the UK for 3 years and 4 months under this category. There is a possibility to apply for further extension for another 2 years. The applicant cannot rely on public funds under this category.

 

 

Contact our immigration expert for detailed advice.

3

The representative of Overseas Business Visa

This visa category enables a non-EEA national or Swiss national to come to the UK as a representative of an overseas business if the applicant is the sole representative of an overseas company planning to set up a UK branch or a wholly-owned subsidiary for an overseas parent company. The applicant can also enter the UK as an employee of an overseas newspaper, news agency or broadcasting organization posted on a long-term assignment to the UK

The applicant must meet the following eligibility requirements:

i) Applicant must apply from outside the UK
ii) The applicant must have enough money to support himself without relying on public recourse.
iii) The applicant must meet the English language requirement.

If the applicant is coming to the UK as a sole representative, he must:

i) be recruited and employed outside the UK by a company whose headquarters and principal place of business are outside the UK
ii) have extensive related industry experience and knowledge
iii) hold a senior position within the company (but not be a major shareholder) and have full authority to make decisions on its behalf
iv) intend to establish the company’s first commercial presence in the UK, for example, a registered branch or a wholly-owned subsidiary

The applicant can stay in the UK for 3 years initially with the possible extension of 2 years. It is possible to apply for indefinite leave to remain in the UK once the applicant has stayed in the UK for 5 years under this category. Feel free to Contact Us.

Contact our immigration expert for detailed advice.

4

Innovator Visa

The innovator visa category has been introduced by the UKVI to enable experienced businessmen to establish themselves in the UK. The applicant must provide a viable business or business idea endorsed by an approved body. The applicant will be relying on £50,000 instead of £200,000 which was the requirement under the Tier 1 Entrepreneur visa. The Home Office also requires that innovator migrant to demonstrate English language proficiency at level B2. The applicant will initially be granted a visa for 3 years followed by the possible extension. Once the applicant has lived in the UK for 5 years under innovator visa category then he/she can apply for indefinite leave to remain in the UK.

Under innovator visa category the applicant can set up the business, can be employed by the business and can bring the family in the UK. The applicant cannot rely on public funds and neither can involve in any other work activity.

Contact our immigration expert for detailed advice

5

Start-Up Visa

The recently introduced start-up visa category is for people seeking to establish a business in the UK for the first time. The start-up visa category has replaced the Tier 1 Graduate Entrepreneur visa category. Applicants are expected to have an innovative, viable and scalable business idea which must be assessed and supported by an approved endorsing body. In all cases, applicants must provide a letter of endorsement from a Home Office approved endorsing body.

As a result of successful application as a start-up migrant, the applicant will be granted leave to remain for 2 years and does not lead directly to settlement (ILR) in the UK, but applicants may progress into the innovator visa category which does lead to ILR after 3 years.

The applicant needs to meet the following requirements:

  • English language
  • Maintenance funds
  • Endorsement
  • Age (18+)

The applicant’s family can come to the UK as a dependant of the main applicant.

Contact our immigration expert for detailed advice