Note: The UK Government has permanently closed the Tier 1 (Investor) Visa route for foreign nationals. The closure took effect from 4pm 17 February 2022, and applies to all new investor visa applications from applicants of all nationalities.
The Tier 1 Investor visa category is for individuals with a high net worth who would like to make a substantial financial investment in the UK. Our London-based immigration solicitors specialise in obtaining Tier 1 Investor Visas for individuals who wish to enter the UK. Investor visa holders are permitted to work, study and engage in business in the UK. This type of visa route can lead to an eventual settlement in the UK and British citizenship. The Tier 1 Investor visa usually enables the applicant to settle in the UK after a period of 5 years. Accelerated settlement is available to Tier 1 Investor visa holders who invest more in the UK.
Requirements
In order to qualify for a Tier 1 Investor visa, you will need to meet the following UK Investor visa criteria:
- You must have funds amounting to at least £2 million that belongs to yourself, your partner or the two of you jointly
- Your capital is held in a regulated financial institution
- The money is able to be transferred to the UK and be converted to GBP
- You have opened a bank account with a UK-regulated bank for the purpose of investing no less than £2 million in the UK.
- A tuberculosis test might be required if you are from a listed country.
If you have held your investment funds for less than 2 years, you will need to evidence the source of your funds and the Home Office will need to be satisfied as to how they were acquired.
If applying for a UK Investor visa from overseas, you and any adult dependents will need to provide an overseas criminal record certificate for any country that you have lived in for at least 12 months in the last 10 years.
Procedures
Your first step to obtaining a Tier 1 investor visa is to have an informal discussion with one of our solicitors in London. We can advise and support you based upon your individual circumstances and provide you with a bespoke action plan for obtaining your investor visa.
How to apply for the Tier 1 Investor visa
Tier 1 Investor Visa Guidance (Step By Step)
1. Initial consultation and decision to go ahead: (1 day)
Speak to one of our solicitors about your circumstances, they will discuss all of your options, and should you wish to go ahead, you will need to sign a client agreement, provide a copy of your passport and address and our solicitors will do the rest.
2. Preparing your visa: ( 1-2 weeks)
Our dedicated solicitors will support you in opening an account with one of our British-regulated banks as well as finding optimum investment options for you. Your supporting evidence will be prepared, translated, and certified adhering to strict UK compliance legislation for Immigration. Our solicitors will complete all forms, submitting them on your behalf to the Home Office.
3. Obtain your Tier 1 investor visa and start your move to the UK: ( 2- 4 weeks)
The Home Office will normally make a decision about your application within 3 weeks. If you are approved, you and your dependents must obtain BRP cards within 10 days of your arrival to the UK. Within 3 months of your arrival, you must have invested in shares in UK companies.
4. Extending your investor visa: (6-8 weeks)
If you are not eligible for a fast-track settlement after investing £2,000,000, our solicitors can aid you in extending your investor visa. Farani Taylor will check your compliance with regulations and requirements and prepare, fill in and submit your documents on your behalf.
5. Applying for indefinite leave to remain: ( 2-6 months)
Regardless of when you apply for your indefinite leave to remain (ILR), the process will remain the same. The success of your application lies in your compliance with all requirements and if you have adhered to immigration regulations. Our expert team of solicitors in London will support your application process and help you prepare for and take an English test and the ‘Life in the UK’ test. Upon receipt of your residency application, you can receive your invested money back.
6. Applying for British citizenship and your UK passport: ( 1-2 months)
Application for UK citizenship can be made one year after obtaining ILR but not before 5 years of living in the UK. Farani Taylor will complete and submit your naturalisation application to the Home Office for you.
Once your application is approved, you will need to attend a citizenship ceremony where you will be granted a certificate of naturalisation. Our solicitors will then use this document to apply for your British passport.
Investor Visa Investment Options
The UK Government is supportive of foreign investment applicants to reinforce the ‘real’ economy. From the 29th March 2019, you can now only invest in shares of UK-registered companies.
The minimum investment requirement is £2,000,000, however, the higher the investment amount, the less time it will take you to achieve settlement and naturalisation in the UK. Speak to one of our expert solicitors and see which investment option would be the most beneficial for you.
Investor Visa Application Processing Times
The majority of visa application centres outside of the UK provide a priority service which enables Tier 1 Investor visa applicants to receive an application decision for entry clearance within 5 working days.
How long is the Tier 1 Investor Visa Valid for?
Your initial Tier 1 Investor visa will be valid for either 3 years and 4 months (if applying from overseas) or 3 years (if applying from within the UK).
You are required to invest at least £2 million in actively trading UK companies within 3 months of a successful application. You are then required to maintain your investment.
Tier 1 Investor Visa Extension & Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR)
Our immigration experts can assist in extending your visa. The requirements to apply for an extension depending on when the initial application was made. If the initial application was submitted before or after 6 November 2014. An applicant must have invested no less than £2 million in the UK by way of UK Government bonds, share capital, or loan capital in active and trading UK registered companies.
You could apply to extend your visa if you comply with the following requirements:
- Have at least £2,000,000 under your control in the UK
- Have invested those funds in share capital or loan capital in active UK companies
- You enter the UK and invest this sum (2 million) within 90 days of entry or grant of entry clearance.
- You could apply to extend if you successfully applied before 29 March 2019 through investing in government bonds
In order to obtain a settlement in the UK as a Tier 1 Investor, you aren’t permitted to spend more than 180 days outside the UK in a 12-month period. You must also have sufficient knowledge of the English language and Life in the UK unless you are aged 65 or over.
Once an individual under the Tier 1 (Investor) category has successfully remained in the UK for a continuous 5 year period, they may be in a position to apply for indefinite leave to remain in the UK. The UK Government currently operates an accelerated route which allows for investors to obtain indefinite leave to remain in less than 5 years subject to meeting the accelerated route requirements. Settlement can be fast-tracked to 2 or 3 years depending on the amount of initial investment.
Accelerated Route to Permanent Residence
You can obtain an accelerated route to settlement as a Tier 1 Investor after 3 years if you invest £5,000,000 or above. You can gain residence after 2 years if you invest at least £10,000,000.
Application for Dependents
If you are applying for your dependents under your Tier 1 Investor visa, applicants outside of the UK can be submitted by us online. Your dependents will be required to have their fingerprints and passport taken as part of their application.
If submitting an application in the UK under a Tier 1 Investor visa you can include them on your application to extend your stay. Our team of solicitors in London can apply on your dependents’ behalf and can gather the information and submit all forms for you.
Advantages of Tier 1 Investor Visa
One of the many benefits of obtaining a Tier 1 Investor visa
- Successful applicants of this visa (and their family members) will have access to the UK’s education system.
- If you successfully gain a Tier 1 Investor visa, you are provided a pathway towards British Citizenship provided the required criteria are satisfied.
- It’s one of the fastest ways of applying for a UK visa. Normally it will take less than 3 months from getting a submission to getting your investor visa. The home office usually takes around 15 days to make the decision and you could also use the priority service, an extra £500, to speed up the process.
- Your spouse, unmarried partner, or children under 18 could be included in the Tier 1 investor visa application.
- You and your family could enjoy the high standard of healthcare, education, living, and security from residing in the UK.
- The Visa is valid for 3 years 4 months if you have submitted an application outside of the UK and 3 years if you apply whilst in the country. Depending on how much you invest, you could either extend for another 2 years or apply for settlement.
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