UK Tier 1 Investor Visa Solicitors

The Investor visa UK is now closed to new applications. There is no direct replacement, so if you need advice on coming to the UK to live or work, please contact us to discuss your options.

If you are in the UK on a Tier 1 Investor visa, our immigration experts can advise on switching to a different type of visa or applying for indefinite leave to remain in the UK (if you qualify).

Please contact our award-winning immigration lawyers in London to discuss your UK investor visa options by calling or using our simple online enquiries form.

Read about the Investor visa

The following information is now out-of-date and retained for general information purposes only.

Our Investor Visa Immigration department is led by our senior immigration solicitors and senior immigration consultant Mr Paul Gulbenkian. They are recognised for their experience and knowledge by the Legal500 and have established a reputation for providing flawless and strategic immigration advice, which is tailored for each of their clients.

Under their leadership, our highly qualified and Law Society accredited team of business immigration solicitors advise private clients as well as corporate, major international organisations, both entrepreneurs and investors, moving to live and work in the UK.

Fast Track - British Citizenship by Tier 1 Investment

In order to qualify for a Tier 1 (Investor) visa, you must score 75 points on the Tier 1 points-based application. You will need to produce a portfolio of investments and/or money in a regulated bank.

Tier 1 Investor visa is ideal for individuals with high net worth funds wishing to invest into UK government bonds, share capital or loan capital in active and trading UK registered companies. If you have at least:

• £2 million to invest, you may be able to apply for this visa and you may be eligible for settlement after 5 years;
• £5 million for which you may be eligible for Indefinite Leave to Remain settlement after 3 years and British Citizenship thereafter; or
• £10 million for which you may eligible for settlement after 2 years and British Citizenship thereafter.

If successful, you will usually be granted an initial visa of 3 years and 4 months for entry clearance or 3 years if switching from a different category of visa if eligible to do so. An extension application (explained below) will then need to be made (if investing £2 million) for a further two years after which you may be eligible for Indefinite Leave to Remain and settlement.

You must have money of your own, under your own control, held in a regulated financial institution and disposable in the UK amounting to not less than £2 million. You must show that you are able to make an investment of £2 million or more in the UK. You may not use assets or possessions such as property as evidence of your funds for investment and  you cannot invest in companies mainly engaged in property investment, property management or property development

This money may be held overseas at the time of application, but must be freely transferable to the UK and able to be converted to pounds sterling or it may already be in the UK.

You may rely on money that is owned either jointly with or solely by your husband, wife, civil partner, unmarried or same-sex partner. You must have unrestricted right to transfer and dispose of the money and you must have permission from your husband, wife, civil partner, unmarried or same-sex partner to have control of this money in the UK.

The Requirements and Eligibility Criteria

Regardless of whether your are outside the UK or have an existing visa and want to switch to the Tier 1 Investor Visa, you must have at least £2 million available to be invested in UK government bonds, share capital or loan capital in active and trading UK registered companies. The £2 million cannot be invested in companies mainly engaged in property investment, property management or property development. The investment funds must belong either to the you or your spouse or unmarried or same-sex partner, and this must be proven in terms of the amount of money and where it is held. The source of the funds must be provided if they have been held for less than three months. The funds must be disposable, held in a regulated financial institution and UK bank account must have been opened. A fee of £1500.00 for the applicant and each dependent must be paid, as well as the NHS Immigration healthcare surcharge.

Applying from Outside the UK

This visa can be applied for from outside the UK if you are a non-EEA or Switzerland national. This visa must be applied for within three months of the planned date of travel to the UK. Upon arrival, the funds must be invested in qualifying investments within three months. After 2 years, if £10 million has been invested, as the visa holder, you may apply to settle and thereby obtain Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR), or after 3 years if £15 million is invested you may also settle and receive ILR. otherwise you will be entitled to remain for up to 3 years and 4 months. The visa can be extended for up to 2 years. If the initial £2-million investment is maintained for five years, and as long as you don't leave the UK for more than six months of the year, permanent residence can be applied for.

If you wish to apply for a Tier 1 Investor Visa as a first step towards entering or remaining in the UK, contact our London office on 0203 959 9123 to talk to one of our expert business immigration solicitors.

Steps to Apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain (Settlement) in the UK

Extending Your Investor Visa

Your Investor Visa will expire after three years and four months.  After this period, you will be able to apply for a further two year extension if your meet the following eligibility criteria:

Applications for Extension if your Investor Visa was Granted Before 6th November 2014

If you were granted an Investor Visa before 6th November 2014 can apply to extend your visa if you:

• have at least £1,000,000 under your control in the UK
• have invested at least £750,000 (or 75%) of that in UK government bonds, share capital or loan capital in active UK companies
• invested this sum within 3 months of your ‘investor start date’

Funds under your control in the UK

• This sum should include the £750,000 (or more) investment and £250,000 (or the balance needed) to bring it up to at least £1,000,000.
• These funds can be either:
• your own money or your partner’s money
• money leant to you by a UK regulated financial institution, as long as you have personal assets with a value of £2,000,000 or more

Applications for Extension if your Investor Visa was Granted After 6th November 2014

If you were granted your Investor Visa after 6th November 2014, the same rules outlined above apply, except you must have at least £2,000,000 under your control in the UK.

If you wish to apply for an extension of your Investor Visa as a first step towards being granted Indefinite Leave to Remain, contact our London office on 0203 959 9123 to talk to one of our experienced solicitors.

Eligibility to Apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain (Settlement) in the UK

After meeting the required length of residence in the UK on an Investor Visa, you may apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain and settlement in the UK.  Once this is granted, you will be free to live and work in the UK with no immigration restrictions and apply for British Citizenship.

Apart from your length of residence in the UK, the other requirements from being Indefinite Leave to Remain are:

• Passing the Life in the UK Test
• Passing a recognised English language test

Your Indefinite Leave to Remain status can be revoked if you spend longer than two years outside of the UK, or you commit a criminal offence.

At OTS Solicitors, we offer clear, concise advice on the steps required to apply, extend and or settle in the UK through the Tier 1 Investor Visa route. Ultimately we can assist you to obtain Indefinite Leave to Remain for you and your family in the UK.  Our Immigration team is meticulous in the filling in and preparing legal representations and immigration visa forms, which results in 99% of all the applications we submit being successful.

Let our immigration solicitors assist you with obtaining your Investor Visa in the UK. Please fill in our contact form, or call us on 0203 959 9123.