Tier 1 Entrepreneur and Investor Visas
TIER 1 INVESTOR VISA
An investor must be able to show that:
- They have at least £2,000,000 in money of their own, under their control, which is disposable in the UK.
- The full investment sum of £2,000,000 must be invested in UK government bonds, or share or loan capital of UK registered companies.
- The applicant must be in control of the investment funds which must be obtained lawfully.
In advance of making the Tier 1 (Investor) Visa application, the applicant should obtain authorisation from a Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) regulated institution in the UK that their investment will be accepted.
The visa will be granted for an initial three years. The investment must be maintained at the minimum level of £2,000,000 to qualify for the extension of stay and ultimately for indefinite leave to remain. The period for settlement depends on the amount invested.
Overview
You can apply for a Tier 1 (Investor) visa if:
- you want to invest £2,000,000 or more in the UK
- you meet the other eligibility requirements
Note: You must have access to at least £2,000,000 in investment funds to apply
If you or your family are from the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein
If you or your close family member started living in the UK before 1 January 2021, you may be able to apply to the free EU Settlement Scheme.
Otherwise you need a visa to work in the UK.
Irish citizens do not need to apply for a visa or to the EU Settlement Scheme.
How long it will take
The earliest you can apply is 3 months before you travel.
ExampleYou can apply from 16 March if you plan to travel on 15 June.
You should get a decision on your visa within 3 weeks when you apply from outside the UK.
Fees
You must pay £1,623 to apply for a Tier 1 (Investor) visa. The fee is the same if you’re extending or switching visas, or if you’re applying as a family member.
Healthcare surcharge
You’ll also have to pay the healthcare surcharge as part of your application. Check how much you’ll have to pay before you apply.
Get a faster decision on your application
If you’re applying to extend or switch in the UK you can pay an extra £500 for the priority service to get a decision within 5 working days.
Once you’ve got your decision letter, your biometric residence permit will take up to 10 working days to arrive.
How long you can stay
You can come to the UK with a Tier 1 (Investor) visa for a maximum of 3 years and 4 months.
You can apply to extend this visa for another 2 years.
What you can and cannot do
You can:
- work or study
- apply to settle after 2 years if you invest £10 million
- apply to settle after 3 years if you invest £5 million
- apply to settle after 5 years if you invest £2 million
You cannot:
- work as a professional sportsperson or sports coach
- get public funds
You also cannot work as a doctor or dentist in training unless one of the following applies:
- you have a primary degree at bachelors level or above in medicine or dentistry from a UK institution that holds a Student sponsor licence or is a UK-recognised or listed body
- you worked as a doctor or dentist in training the last time you were in the UK
- neither of those conditions were part of the terms and conditions on a previous visa
Eligibility
You must have at least £2,000,000 investment funds to apply for a Tier 1 (Investor) visa.
You must:
- be 18 or over to apply for this visa
- be able to prove that the money belongs to either you or your husband, wife, unmarried or same-sex partner
- have opened an account at a UK regulated bank to use for your funds
Your funds must be:
- held in one or more regulated financial institutions
- free to spend (‘disposable’) in the UK
Your money can be in the UK or overseas when you apply.
Students with financial sponsorship
You may be able to apply for a Tier 1 (Investor) visa if you’re already in the UK and you’re a student (including Tier 4) visa holder.
You must have unconditional agreement in writing from your financial sponsor to re-enter or stay in the UK if your course fees and living costs were paid by either:
- a government
- an international scholarship agency
Documents you must provide
When you apply you’ll need to provide:
- a current passport or other valid travel identification
- your tuberculosis test results if you’re from a country where you have to take the test
- a criminal record certificate from any country you have stayed in for a total of 12 months or more over the last 10 years
You need a blank page in your passport for your visa.
You’ll need to provide a certified translation of any documents that are not in English or Welsh.
Evidence of investment funds
You’ll need to provide evidence showing that you have the required investment funds.
Your own money
If you’re using your own money to invest, you should be able to show:
- how much money you have and where it’s being held
- where the money came from if you’ve had the money for less than 2 years, for example you inherited it from a relative
- that the money can be transferred to the UK and converted to sterling (if it’s not already in the UK)
Your partner’s money
You’ll need to provide:
- a certificate of marriage or civil partnership, or in the case of unmarried or same-sex relationships, proof that you are in a long-term relationship (at least 2 years)
- a statement from your partner confirming that they will allow you to control the funds in the UK
- a letter from a legal adviser stating that the declaration is valid
Evidence you have a UK bank account
You must provide a letter to prove you have an account at a UK regulated bank to use for your investment funds. The letter must:
- have been issued by an authorised official
- be dated within 3 months of your application
- be on the official headed paper of the bank
- state your name and account number
- confirm you’ve opened an account with the bank in order to invest £2,000,000
- confirm the bank is regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority
- confirm checks for money-laundering have been carried out
You may need to provide additional documents depending on your circumstances.
Apply
Read the guidance before you apply.
Apply outside the UK
You must apply online for a Tier 1 (Investor) visa.
You’ll need to have your fingerprints and photograph taken at a visa application centre (to get a biometric residence permit) as part of your application.
You must collect your biometric residence permit within 10 days of when you said you’d arrive in the UK (even if you actually arrive at a later date).
Find out how to get your visa decision faster – this depends on what country you’re in. Check if your visa application centre offers faster decisions and other services.
Extend your visa
You may be able to extend your Tier 1 (Investor) visa.
You should include any dependants who are on your current visa on your application to extend – including children who have turned 18 during your stay.
You should apply before your current visa expires. Read the full guidance on the Tier 1 (Investor) visa before you apply.
You successfully applied for your visa before 6 November 2014
You 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 that has been loaned to you by a UK regulated financial institution, as long as you have personal assets with a value of £2,000,000 or more
You cannot mix the 2 sources of funds.
You successfully applied for your visa on or after 6 November 2014
You can apply to extend your visa if you:
- have at least £2,000,000 under your control in the UK
- have invested those funds in share capital or loan capital in active UK companies
- invested this sum within 3 months of your ‘investor start date’
If you successfully applied before 29 March 2019, you can also apply to extend if you invested your funds in UK government bonds.
Funds under your control in the UK
You must have invested the full amount made up of your own money or your partner’s money.
Investment made within 3 months of your investor start date
You’ll need to provide a series of investment portfolio reports produced by a UK regulated financial institution that show:
- you invested at least £750,000 in UK government bonds or UK business within 3 months of your investor start date (if you first got your visa under the Immigration Rules in place before 6 November 2014)
- you invested all £2 million (if you first got your visa under the Immigration Rules in place on or after 6 November 2014)
- this level of investment has been maintained for the length of your visa
Your ‘investor start date’ is either:
- the date you came into the UK (if you have proof of this)
- the date your original visa application or switch from a different visa category was approved (if you cannot prove your date of entry)
How to extend your visa if you’re in the UK
You must apply online.
Fees
For each person, you’ll need to pay:
- £1,623 to extend this visa
- the healthcare surcharge – check how much you’ll have to pay
- £19.20 to have your biometric information (fingerprints and a photo) taken
If you want to get a decision more quickly than the standard 8 weeks, you can pay an extra £500 for the priority service to get a decision within 5 working days.
Providing biometric information and supporting documents
When you apply, you’ll be asked to make an appointment at a UK Visa and Citizenship Application Services (UKVCAS) service point to provide your biometric information (your fingerprints and a photo).
You’ll also need to submit your supporting documents. You can:
- upload them into the online service
- have them scanned at your UKVCAS appointment
You must not travel outside of the UK, Ireland, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man until you get a decision. Your application will be withdrawn if you do.
How long it takes
A decision will usually be made:
- within 8 weeks of your application date if you use the standard service
- within 5 working days of your UKVCAS appointment if you use the priority service
Once you’ve got your decision letter, your biometric residence permit will take up to 10 working days to arrive.
You’ll be contacted if your application is complicated and will take longer, for example because:
- your supporting documents need to be verified
- you need to attend an interview
- of your personal circumstances, for example if you have a criminal conviction
Once you’ve applied you can stay in the UK until you’ve been given a decision, as long as you applied before your last visa expired.
How to extend your visa if you’re outside the UK
If you’re outside the UK, you must apply online to extend a Tier 1 (Investor) visa.
Switch to this visa
You may be able to switch to a Tier 1 (Investor) visa.
You should apply before your current visa expires.
Who can apply
You can apply to switch to this visa if you meet the eligibility requirements and you’re already in the UK under one of the following categories:
- Tier 1 (General)
- Tier 1 (Entrepreneur)
- any Tier 2 category
- Student (including Tier 4)
You must leave the UK and make your application from abroad if you’re in another category.
How long you can stay
You can stay a maximum of 3 years after switching to a Tier 1 (Investor) visa. You can also extend your visa if you’re eligible.
Fees
For each person, you’ll need to pay:
- £1,623 to switch to this visa
- the healthcare surcharge – check how much you’ll have to pay
- £19.20 to have your biometric information (fingerprints and a photo) taken
If you want to get a decision more quickly than the standard 8 weeks, you can pay an extra £500 for the priority service to get a decision within 5 working days.
How to switch
Read the full guidance on the Tier 1 (Investor) visa before you apply.
You must apply online.
Providing biometric information and supporting documents
When you apply, you’ll be asked to make an appointment at a UK Visa and Citizenship Application Services (UKVCAS) service point to provide your biometric information (your fingerprints and a photo).
You’ll also need to submit your supporting documents. You can:
- upload them into the online service
- have them scanned at your UKVCAS appointment
You must not travel outside of the UK, Ireland, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man until you get a decision. Your application will be withdrawn if you do.
How long it takes
A decision will usually be made:
- within 8 weeks of your application date if you use the standard service
- within 5 working days of your UKVCAS appointment if you use the priority service
Once you’ve got your decision letter, your biometric residence permit will take up to 10 working days to arrive.
You’ll be contacted if your application is complex and will take longer, for example because:
- your supporting documents need to be verified
- you need to attend an interview
- of your personal circumstances, for example if you have a criminal conviction
Once you’ve applied you can stay in the UK until you’ve been given a decision, as long as you applied before your last visa expired.
Family members
Your family members (‘dependants’) can join you if you’re in the UK on this visa. Your family members must apply for their own visa.
If they’re from the European Economic Area (EEA) or Switzerland and arrive before 1 January 2021, they may be able to apply to the free EU Settlement Scheme.
A ‘dependant’ is any of the following:
- your husband, wife or partner
- your child under 18
- your child over 18 if they’re currently in the UK as a dependant
Read the guidance on dependant applications before you apply.
Adult family members must provide a criminal record certificate from any country they have lived in for 12 months or more in the last 10 years.
Fees
Check the fees for this visa.
Dependants applying from outside the UK
Your family members must apply online.
They’ll need to have their fingerprints and photograph taken at a visa application centre (to get a biometric residence permit) as part of their application.
They’ll have to collect their biometric residence permit within 10 days of when they said they’d arrive in the UK (even if they actually arrive at a later date).
They may be able to get their visa faster or other services depending on what country they’re in – check with the visa application centre.
If your child is over 18 they cannot apply if they are outside the UK. They can apply from inside the UK if they are already here as your dependant.
Dependants applying in the UK
You can include dependants in your online application to extend or switch to a Tier 1 (Investor) visa if they want to do it at the same time as you.
If they want to extend or switch their visa at a different time, they can:
Family members cannot apply in the UK as your dependant if they hold a visitor visa.
Providing biometric information and supporting documents
When they apply, they’ll be asked to make an appointment at a UK Visa and Citizenship Application Services (UKVCAS) service point to provide their biometric information (their fingerprints and a photo).
They’ll also need to submit their supporting documents. They can:
- upload them into the online service
- have them scanned at their UKVCAS appointment
They must not travel outside of the UK, Ireland, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man until they get a decision. Their application will be withdrawn if they do.
How long it takes to get a decision
A decision will be made within 8 weeks of their application date if they use the standard service.
If they pay an extra £800 to use the super priority service a decision will be made:
- by the end of the next working day after their UKVCAS appointment if their appointment is on a weekday
- 2 working days after their UKVCAS appointment if their appointment is at the weekend
Working days are Monday to Friday, not including bank holidays.
They’ll be contacted if their application is complex and will take longer, for example:
- if their supporting documents need to be verified
- if they need to attend an interview
- because of their personal circumstances (for example if they have a criminal conviction)
Once they’ve applied they can stay in the UK until they’ve been given a decision, as long as they applied before their last visa expired.
Children born while you’re in the UK
If you have children while you’re in the UK, you can apply online to add them to your visa as your dependant.
You must do this if you want to travel in and out of the UK with them.
You’ll need to provide a full UK birth certificate for each child, showing the names of both parents.