[vc_row disable_element=”yes” css=”.vc_custom_1544177352975{margin-bottom: 53px !important;padding-top: 50px !important;padding-right: 50px !important;padding-bottom: 50px !important;padding-left: 50px !important;}” el_class=”light-grad”][vc_column css=”.vc_custom_1542625250204{background-image: url(https://immigrationexperts.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/work.png?id=1487) !important;background-position: center !important;background-repeat: no-repeat !important;background-size: contain !important;}” el_class=”bg-right”][vc_column_text]

UK Work Permit
Advice & Assistance

Free Assessment[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row full_width=”stretch_row” content_placement=”middle” css_animation=”fadeIn” css=”.vc_custom_1544181326484{background-image: url(https://immigrationexperts.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/Banner.jpg?id=1633) !important;background-position: center !important;background-repeat: no-repeat !important;background-size: cover !important;}” el_class=”video_overlay”][vc_column css=”.vc_custom_1544180342932{padding-top: 100px !important;padding-bottom: 100px !important;}”][vc_custom_heading text=”Tier 1 Investor Visa UK” font_container=”tag:h1|text_align:center|color:{550504ab9c0cb0f84db7c39152d65be21b6403ad977c49457b63283386586382}23ffffff” use_theme_fonts=”yes” css=”.vc_custom_1544178542639{margin-bottom: 30px !important;}”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row css=”.vc_custom_1452837797829{margin-bottom: 51px !important;}”][vc_column][vc_column_text]

Section 1: Investor Visa (Tier 1)

Launched in 2008, the Tier 1 Investor Visa encourages applications from high net-worth individuals outside of the EU to invest in the UK. If you are looking to relocate your family to the UK and meet the eligibility criteria, you can fill the application for a Tier 1 Investor Visa to move to the UK.

To apply for the Tier 1 Investor Visa for the UK, you should be 18 years or older and have funds worth £2,000,000 or more at your disposal to invest in the UK. You also need to provide certain documents to verify that the funds belong to you, your spouse, same-sex partner or unmarried partner.

The money in your account can either be held in the UK or any overseas regulated financial institution at the time of applying. The earliest you can start the application process is three months before your date of travel to the UK. Generally, the decision on your Tier 1 Investor Visa is received within three weeks of applying.

This visa allows you to stay in the UK for a maximum of 3 years and 4 months. After this period, you can apply for a Tier 1 Investor Visa extension for another 2 years.

Section 2: General Queries About Investor Visa (Tier 1)

1. What are the Eligibility Criteria for an Investor Visa (Tier 1)?

To be eligible for the Tier 1 Investor Visa in the UK:

  • You must be 18 years or older
  • You must have funds worth at least £2,000,000
  • You must have a UK bank account
  • Your funds must be held at a regulated financial institution in the UK or overseas
  • You must submit the required documents to prove that the funds belong to you, your husband or wife, same-sex partner, or partner (if you are unmarried)
  • The funds you own must be available for investments in the UK.

2. Can Students Apply for an Investor Visa (Tier 1)?

Students with a financial sponsorship, who are already residing in the UK on a Tier 4 General Visa can apply to upgrade their visa to a Tier 1 Investor Visa if you are:

  • A student nurse
  • A postgraduate doctor or dentist
  • A student sabbatical officer
  • An overseas qualified midwife or nurse
  • Studying for or rewriting an exam, or working on a thesis

You also need an unconditional agreement from your financial sponsor, granting you permission to re-enter and stay in the UK under a Tier 1 Investor Visa.

3. What Documents Will I Need to Apply for an Investor Visa (Tier 1)?

To apply for a Tier 1 Investor Visa, the documents you need to submit include:

  • A valid passport. Your passport must have at least one blank page (two-sides) for your visa to be stamped.
  • A criminal record certificate from all countries in which you have stayed for 12 months or more in the last ten years.
  • Tuberculosis test results, if you are from a country that requires you to take the test.

You also need to submit documents verifying the availability of funds in your account. You should be able to prove how much funds you hold, where you hold it, how you came to have the funds and whether it can be transferred to the UK (if held elsewhere). If the funds are in your partner’s account, you need to submit proof of marriage or civil partnership, and a legal statement from your partner, authorising you to control fund usage in the UK.

You may also have to provide other supporting documents, based on specific circumstances.

4. What Kind of Investments Qualify Under the Investor Visa (Tier 1)?

To be eligible for UK Tier 1 Investor Visa you have to invest your funds in qualifying investments, such as:

  • UK government bonds
  • Share or loan capital in UK registered companies that are active and trading. The company must have a UK bank account, showing details of regular transactions, and subject to UK taxation rules. You can also invest in multi-national companies that have a registered head office in the UK.

5. Which Investments Do Not Qualify Under the Investor Visa (Tier 1)?

You cannot invest funds in companies that primarily work in property development, property management, and property investment. According to the Tier 1 Investor immigration rules, the entire initial invested amount (£2m or more) must remain invested in the UK for the entire duration of the investor’s stay in the country.

6. How Can I Apply for an Investor Visa (Tier 1)?

You can start the application process by filling the Tier 1 Investor Visa application form online. You have to submit biometric details (like your fingerprints) and get your photograph taken at a visa application centre. This is necessary to receive your biometric residence permit. You must collect the biometric residence permit within 10 days of arriving in the UK.

If you are already residing in the UK, you can apply to extend your existing Tier 1 Investor Visa or switch to this visa from your existing visa.

The eligibility criteria for a Tier 1 Investor Visa in the UK are complicated and may be difficult for first-timers to handle on their own. An experienced agency, like Rapid Visas, can provide the right Tier 1 Investor Visa application guidance and help you through the process.

7. How Can I Extend the Investor Visa (Tier 1)?

You are eligible for an extension on your Tier 1 Investor Visa if you:

  • Have funds worth at least £2 million under your control in the UK
  • Have invested at least 75{550504ab9c0cb0f84db7c39152d65be21b6403ad977c49457b63283386586382} of it in UK government bonds or UK registered companies
  • Have made these investments within three months of your “investor start date.”

These eligibility requirements apply to investors who have been granted a Tier 1 Investor Visa on or after November 6, 2014. Other all eligibility requirements remain the same.

8. Can My Family Members Accompany Me When I’m Approved for the Investor Visa (Tier 1)?

Yes, your family members can accompany you to the UK if you are approved for the Tier 1 Investor Visa. However, each accompanying person will require their own valid visa, if they belong to a non-EU country. The family members included on your visa are:

  • Your spouse or same-sex partner
  • Children aged 18 years or less

All adult family members who accompany you the UK under the Tier 1 Investor Visa will have to provide a valid criminal certificate from all countries they have lived in for 12 months or more in the last 10 years.

9. Can I Switch to Investor Visa (Tier 1)? What are the Criteria?

You can apply to switch to the Tier 1 Investor Visa if you:

  • Are already in the UK on a valid visa
  • Hold a Tier 1 (General), Tier 1 (Entrepreneur), Tier 1 (Post-study work) or any Tier 2 visa
  • You meet all the eligibility criteria of Tier 1 Investor Visa

To switch to the Tier 1 Investor Visa, you have to apply before your current visa expires.

10. How to Choose Between Tier 1 Investor Visa and Entrepreneur Visa?

Consider the following factors while choosing the UK Entrepreneur Visa (Tier 1) or Investor Visa (Tier 1).

  • Initial investment: For a Tier 1 Investor Visa, you need investment funds worth £2 million or more, while for the Tier 1 Entrepreneur Visa, the qualifying investments threshold is £200,000.
  • Involvement in the investments: The Tier 1 Entrepreneur Visa requires you to be actively involved in the running of the business you invest in, while the Tier 1 Investor Visa allows you to remain a passive investor.

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_custom_heading text=”Additional FAQs ” use_theme_fonts=”yes”][vc_tta_accordion][vc_tta_section title=”1. How Long Will It Take to Get the Investor Visa (Tier 1)?” tab_id=”how-long”][vc_column_text]Generally, the decision on your Tier 1 Investor Visa application is received within three weeks of applying. The earliest you can start the application process is three months before the date of travel to the UK.[/vc_column_text][/vc_tta_section][vc_tta_section title=”2. What are the Fees for the Investor Visa (Tier 1)?” tab_id=”fees”][vc_column_text]To apply for the Tier 1 Investor Visa online, you have to pay processing fees for £1,623. The fee is the same whether you are applying for the visa for the first time, extending your current Tier 1 Investor Visa or switching to the Tier 1 Investor Visa from another visa. Apart from the fees listed above, you also have to pay healthcare surcharges for the applicant and all dependants.[/vc_column_text][/vc_tta_section][vc_tta_section title=”3. How Long Can I Stay in the UK with the Investor Visa (Tier 1)?” tab_id=”can-stay”][vc_column_text]The Tier 1 Investor Visa permits the applicant and dependants to stay in the UK for a maximum of 3 years and 4 months. You can apply for an extension of your visa before it expires. The extension period allows you to stay in the UK for another 2 years.[/vc_column_text][/vc_tta_section][vc_tta_section title=”4. Can I Work or Study in the UK with the Investor Visa (Tier 1)?” tab_id=”work”][vc_column_text]The Tier 1 Investor Visa permits you to work or study in the UK during your valid visa period. However, you cannot work as a sports coach or a sports person.

You also cannot work as a doctor or a dentist in training, until you meet the following conditions:

  • Hold a primary degree (bachelors or above) in medicine or dentistry from a registered institution in the UK
  • Have worked as a doctor or a dentist the last time you were in the UK.

[/vc_column_text][/vc_tta_section][vc_tta_section title=”5. Does the Investor Visa (Tier 1) Make it Easier for Me to Apply for British Citizenship?” tab_id=”inv”][vc_column_text]While the Tier 1 Investor Visa doesn’t guarantee a straightforward path to obtaining permanent British Citizenship or residency, you can improve your chances if:

  • You invest funds worth at least £10 million. You can then apply after 2 years to settle in the UK.
  • You invest funds worth at least £5 million. You can then apply after 3 years to settle in the UK.

[/vc_column_text][/vc_tta_section][vc_tta_section title=”6. How Well Do I Need to Know English to Apply for an Investor Visa (Tier 1)?” tab_id=”1544182522639-ab7ca47c-6f35″][vc_column_text]To qualify for the Tier 1 Investor Visa, you must possess a degree taught in English. If not, you need to appear for the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) examination and score 6.5 or above in all the four components of the test – listening, reading, writing and speaking.[/vc_column_text][/vc_tta_section][vc_tta_section title=”7. Are the Visa Extension Rules Different if I Had Applied for an Investor Visa (Tier 1) Before November 2014?” tab_id=”1544182566611-0fb4ad39-5c4c”][vc_column_text]Yes. For applicants who have applied for a Tier 1 Investor Visa before November 6, 2014, the qualifying fund limit for a visa extension was £1 million, 75{550504ab9c0cb0f84db7c39152d65be21b6403ad977c49457b63283386586382} of which needed to be invested in UK government bonds or UK registered companies. For applicants, who have applied after November 6, 2014, the qualifying fund limit is £2 million or more.[/vc_column_text][/vc_tta_section][/vc_tta_accordion][/vc_column][/vc_row]