This category is for non-EEA nationals with at least £2m to invest operational UK companies. Settlement after a period of 5 year period is usually an option, and this period can be shortened for those who invest larger sums.
Investor visa holders you are able to work/conduct business or study. You are also able to bring your dependants.
To apply for a UK Investor visa you must:
- Have £2m in funds belonging to yourself, your partner or jointly;
- The Funds are held in a regulated financial institution;
- The Funds are transferable to the UK and convertible to pounds sterling;
- You have a bank account with a UK regulated bank;
- You intend to invest not less than £2 million in the UK.
In all cases you will need to satisfy the Home Office as to the provenance of your funds. If you have held the funds for less than 2 years, you will need to prove the source of your funds.
The English language and maintenance requirements must be satisfied.
All overseas applicants and any adult dependants must provide a criminal record certificate for any country they have lived in for at least 12 months in the last 10 years.
Length of time investment funds held:
Over 2 years:
Funds held for 2 years or more do not require evidence from an independent audit of financial and business interests as part of a Tier 1 Investor visa application. But the Home Office will need to be satisfied that your investment funds were lawfully obtained.
Under 2 years:
Investment funds acquired within 2 years before the date of the applications qualify under the immigration rules if the source of the funds is:
- Money held in your business (and/or the business of your husband, wife, civil partner, or unmarried or same-sex partner);
- Financial bonus or winnings;
- Proceeds from the sale of assets such as business or property;
- Gift received by yourself (and/or your husband, wife, civil partner, or unmarried or same-sex partner);
- Proceeds of a divorce settlement;
- Inheritance under a will;
- Other sources that can be can be documented and independently corroborated.
Accelerated Settlement
If you invest £5 million you can apply for accelerated settlement after 3 years.
If you invest £10 million you can apply for accelerated settlement after 2 years.
Time Outside of the UK
In all cases, you must not spend more than 180 days outside the UK in any 12-month period.
Possess sufficient knowledge of the English language and Life in the UK, unless over the age of 65.
How long is the investor visa valid for?
Initially the visa is granted for 3 years and 4 months (if applying from overseas) or 3 years (if applying from within the UK). You will need to invest within 3 months and maintain your investment.
You can apply to extend your visa for a further 2 years and then apply for indefinite leave to remain (ILR or settlement) after 5 years.
What are the UK Investor visa investment options?
Once you have entered the UK Investor visa category, you will need to invest at least £2 million in qualifying investments within 90 days of entry. The only qualifying investment options are share capital and/or loan capital in actively trading UK registered companies.
The Immigration Rules for UK Investor visa applicants contain various restrictions on permitted investments. For example, investments in offshore companies or trusts, open-ended investment companies and companies mainly engaged in property investment, property management or property development are all prohibited.
How long will my UK Investor visa application take to be decided?
Most visa application centres outside the UK offer a priority service which allows UK Investor visa applicants to receive a decision on their applications for entry clearance within 5 working days.
UK Investor visa holders applying for further leave to remain from within the UK can apply for either a standard 8 week consideration or a priority 5 working day consideration. UK Investor visa holders applying for indefinite leave to remain from within the UK can apply for either a standard 6 month consideration or a priority 10 working day consideration.
How can I extend my UK Investor visa?
The requirements that you will need to satisfy in order to qualify for a UK Investor visa extension will depend upon whether your initial UK Investor visa was granted before 6 November 2014, between 6 November 2014 and 28 March 2019 or on or after 29 March 2019. You may want to obtain legal advice before applying for an extension on order to check you meet the strict requirements of the Immigration Rules.
How can I settle in the UK as a UK Investor visa holder?
You may be eligible to apply for indefinite leave to remain in the UK as a UK Investor visa holder after spending 2, 3 or 5 years in the UK. The requirements that you will need to satisfy in order to qualify for ILR as a UK Investor visa holder will depend upon when your initial UK Investor visa was granted and the amount of your investment.
Has the UK Investor visa scheme been suspended, halted or closed?
The UK Investor visa scheme has not been suspended, halted or closed. The UK Investor visa category is open to new applicants with access to at least £2 million looking for a route to settlement in the UK.
How can AiB help?
AiB frequently provide advice to investors. The criteria vary depending on your circumstances. Seeking expert immigration advice is advisable.
The Immigration Rules are prescriptive regarding what documents must be provided to support any investor visa application. Getting advice from an immigration lawyer in order to ensure that your application is professionally presented and technically correct is something may wish to consider.
We can advise you on what you will need to meet the requirements of the Immigration Rules, and can prepare your application so you avoid common mistakes which can result in delays or your application being refused and help you to meet academic and career ambitions.
AiB understand the complex requirements of the Immigration Rules. We offer specialist advice, increasing the chances of securing a successful outcome for your visa application.
We are approachable, responsive and proactive; taking pride in our commitment to meet the needs of our clients by providing sincere, clear, and reliable immigration advice.
Other ways we can help:
We can also advise you on the following related issues:
- Opening a bank account in the UK;
- Help you find an Investment Manager;
- Investor visa Extension Applications;
- Settlement Applications for investor visa holders;
- Accelerated Settlement Applications for investor visa holders;
- Fresh applications;
- Administrative review of refused applications;
- Judicial review of refused applications.