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Tier 1 (Investor) Visa
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- Q. What is the Tier 1 Investor category?
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This visa category was created with the purpose of encouraging high net worth individuals to come to the United Kingdom and invest their money here
- Q. What are the benefits of this visa?
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- You do not need to have secured a job in the UK to apply in this category, although you will need to prove you meet other requirements
- You are not required to show that you have enough money to support yourself and any accompanying family members in the UK
- You do not need to take a test to prove your level of English language as you would for other categories such as Tier 1 Entrepreneur
- Q. How long can I stay in the UK with an Investor visa?
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Your initial visa can be granted for up to 3 years. You may then apply to extend the visa for a further 2 years, provided you have continued to meet all the necessary legal requirements
It is also possible to switch into the Tier 1 (Investor) visa category from certain other categories in the Points Based System, for example if you have permission to stay in the UK as a Tier 1 (Entrepreneur) or Tier 1 (General) migrant. This being the case, again you can be granted an initial visa of up to 3 years’ duration
- Q. Can I apply in this category?
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If you have a minimum of £1,000,000 available to invest in the UK and you meet all the other criteria of the rules you may apply for this visa
- Q. What are the requirements for this visa?
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When you apply for the Investor visa, you must have either:
- A minimum of £1,000,000 of your own money held in a regulated financial institution (such as a bank or building society) in the UK; or
- Personal assets which amount to at least £2,000,000 (taking into account any liabilities) and at least £1,000,000 on loan from a UK financial institution
- Q. What are the requirements for extending my visa?
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If you are applying to extend your visa you will need to prove that you have either:
- A minimum of £1,000,000 of your own money under your control; or
- Personal assets which amount to at least £2,000,000 (taking into account any liabilities) and at least £1,000,000 on loan from a UK financial institution
You must also prove that:
- You have invested at least £750,000 in the UK in UK Government bonds, share or loan capital in active UK companies; and you have invested the remaining balance from your initial £1 million in the UK by the purchase of assets or by maintaining the money on deposit in a UK regulated financial institution
- You made the investment described above within 3 months of the date you entered the UK.
- Q. Can my family travel to the UK and live with me under this visa category?
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Yes, your spouse or civil partner and any children aged 18 or under can apply to travel to the UK with you.
- Q. When can I apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain?
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You can apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) after 5 years of living in the UK, provided you have continued to meet the requirements of your visa category
If you hold an Investor visa, you may spend up to 180 days per year overseas without this negatively affecting either your visa or access to ILR
However, to encourage wealthy individuals to invest in the UK, the Government has implemented accelerated access to ILR under the Tier 1 Investor category. You can qualify for ILR after 2 or 3 years in the UK provided you meet certain requirements such as having invested £5 million in the UK if applying after 2 years, or £10 million if you wish to qualify after 3 years.
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