UK Tier 1 Investor Visa

If you are from a country outside of the European Union and see your future as an investor in the UK and you have access to suitable levels of finance you can gain entry to the UK on a Tier 1 Investor Visa.

The initial visa will give you 3 years in the UK and, if during these 3 years you can show that you met certain criteria, you can then apply for a further 2 year extension visa.

Following the 5 years you will have the option of applying for Permanent Residency (Indefinite Leave to Remain) in the UK.

What are the requirements of the Tier 1 Investor visa?

The Tier 1 Investor Visa is suitable for you if you want to make a passive investment into the UK.

The basic requirements for the initial visa are:

• You have £1m under your control in a UK regulated bank, or
• You have net assets exceeding £2m and have £1m in the UK (which can be loaned money)

You must invest the money for 5 years in the UK and at least £750,000 must be in UK government bonds, UK equities or loan capital in active trading UK companies. Property investment companies or offshore companies are not allowed.

There are no business experience or English language requirements and employment is permitted under this visa. The client must make the UK their main home and spend more than 50% of their time in the UK.

Accelerated routes to permanent residency are available if you invest increased amounts of £5m or £10m which allows for settlement after 3 years and 2 years respectively.

For further information on the Tier 1 Entrepreneur visa please visit the UKBA website: www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/visas-immigration/working/tier1/investor/

Tier 1 Investors – At least GBP1 Million available

Investor Visa Conditions

What Investments are permitted?

Accelerated Settlement

Gaining British Nationality

Tier 1 Investors – At least GBP1 Million available

The UK has always attracted high net worth individuals. The Investor Visa specifically targets wealthy potential investors who are capable of making a significant financial investment as well as keen on relocating themselves and their families to the UK.

Individuals who plan to make a substantial financial investment in the UK can apply under the Investor sub-category of Tier 1. At least GBP one million (£1,000,000.00 of disposable funds is required. You do not need a job offer to apply under this category. The application is assessed based on the ability of the applicant to invest GBP one million (£1,000,000.00) in the UK.

To qualify as an investor, you must demonstrate that you:

• Have money of your own which is under your own control and is disposable in the UK amounting to no less than GBP one million (£1,000,000.00) ; or
• Have a personal net worth of no less than GBP two million (£2,000,000.00) if you intend to use a loan to finance the UK investment, (only loans from financial institutions regulated by the Financial Services Authority are acceptable);
• Intend to invest not less than GBP seven hundred thousand (£750,000.00) of your capital in the UK by way of UK Government bonds, share capital or loan capital in active and trading UK registered companies (excluding those principally engaged in property investment and investment through deposits with the bank, building society or other enterprise whose normal business includes acceptance of deposits);
• You intend to make the UK your main  home;
• You are able to maintain and accommodate yourself and any dependants without taking employment (other than self-employment or business) and without recourse to public funds; and

Exemptions:

• No English language requirement.
• Provision of further proof of the ability to support themselves and any dependants. This sub-category is designed for very wealthy individuals who wish to live in the UK.

Tier 1 (Investor) migrants do not need to meet the maintenance funds requirement. It is believed that those who have GBP one million (£1,000,000.00) available to invest in the UK will have more than sufficient funds to pay the living expenses for themselves and their family.

Investor Visa Conditions:

• Investor Visa Applicants are permitted to bring spouses and children under the age of 18 into the UK as dependants.
• These dependants will acquire permanent residency at the same time as the main applicant if they qualify.
• Main applicants and dependants must remain in the UK for one hundred eighty (180) days per year if they want to obtain permanent residency.
• Applicants and dependants can work, study and undertake business in the UK whilst they are on an Investor Visa.

What can you do while you are in the UK?

Your permission to stay will be subject to the following conditions:

• You will have no access to public funds, which means that you will not be able to claim most benefits paid by the state;
• You must register with the police if required under paragraph 326 in Part 10 of the Immigration Rules.

What Investments are permitted?

Once the Visa has been granted and you have arrived in the UK, you will be expected to meet the following requirements:

Invest 75% of the original sum shown (i.e. GBP seven hundred fifty thousand £750,000.00) in either:

1. UK Company Loan Capital; or
2. UK Company Share Capital (also known as shares); or
3. UK Government bonds

You must maintain the 75% investment for the entirety of the three years. The investment may be in either any of the options above or a combination of investments above and you can change categories during the three years. However, although categories can be changed, the minimum level of investment must be maintained at all times during the three years.

The restrictions are:

1. No investment in property or property management;
2. No investment in open-ended investment vehicles;
3. No investment in shares purchased on margin;
4. No simple deposits made into UK Banks;
5. No investments outside of the UK.

The remaining 25% must be maintained in either:

1. Cash on deposit in the UK; or
2. The un-mortgaged part of a residential property in the UK; or
3. Any form of investment in the UK; or
4. Any combination of the above.

Accelerated Settlement

Indefinite leave to remain as an investor is normally gained five years after initial entry. In certain circumstances, you may apply to settle in the UK early. The timescales for obtaining indefinite leave are

1. GBP one million (£1,000,000.00) shown, and GBP seven hundred fifty thousand (£750,000.00) invested, you may apply for Indefinite Leave after five years.
2. GBP five million (£5,000,000.00) shown, and GBP three million seven hundred fifty thousand (£3,750,000.00) invested, you may apply for Indefinite Leave after three years.
3. GBP ten million (£10,000,000.00) shown, and GBP seven million five hundred thousand (£7,500,000.00) invested, you may apply for Indefinite Leave after two years.

Gaining British Nationality

If you would like to apply for British citizenship, you  must not spend, on average, more than ninety (90) days outside the UK each year, and no more than ninety (90 days) outside the UK in the  twelve months immediately before you apply for citizenship.

Your family will gain permanent residency first and subsequently citizenship when you do this and this is a usually a successful procedure in almost all circumstances.

The rules for Nationality are currently under review. Currently, Nationality is granted six years after being granted an Investor Visa.

When can you apply for settlement?

Depending on your level of investment in the UK, you must complete a continuous residence period of two, three or five years in the UK before you can apply for settlement (permanent residency).

During the continuous residence period, you cannot be outside the UK for more than one hundred eighty (180) days in any twelve calendar months.

The continuous residence period is two years if:

• You have money of your own under your control in the UK amounting to at least GBP ten million (£10,000,000.00) ; or
• You own personal assets with a value (once any liabilities are taken into account) of at least GBP twenty million (£20,000,000.00), and you have at least GBP ten million (£10,000,000.00) under your control and disposable in the UK which has been loaned to you by a UK regulated financial institution.

The continuous residence period is three years if:

• You have money of your own under your control in the UK amounting to at least GBP five million (£5,000,000.00) ; or
• You own personal assets with a value (after any liabilities have been taken into account) of at least GBP ten million (£10,000,000.00), and you have at least GBP five million (£5,000,000.00) under your control and disposable in the UK which has been loaned to you by a UK regulated financial institution.

The continuous residence period is five years if:

• You have money of your own under your control in the UK amounting to at least GBP one million (£1,000,000.00);
• You own personal assets with a value (after any liabilities have been taken into account) of at least GBP two million (£2,000,000.00), and you have at least GBP one million (£1,000,000.00) under your control and disposable in the UK which has been loaned to you by a UK regulated financial institution.