UK INVESTOR VISA EXTENSION
Before your initial UK Investor visa expires, you may be eligible to apply to extend your stay as a UK Investor visa holder. 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. Applications for further leave to remain as a Tier 1 Investor can be made until 17 February 2026.
UK Investor Visa Extension: Initial UK Investor visa granted before 6 November 2014
If you successfully applied for your UK Investor visa before 6 November 2014 and wish to extend your stay as a UK Investor visa holder, you will need to satisfy UK Visas & Immigration that:
- You have money of your own, under your own control, in the UK amounting to not less than £1 million;
- You have invested not less than £750,000 of your capital in the UK by way of UK Government bonds, share capital or loan capital in active and trading UK registered companies other than those principally engaged in property investment; and have invested the remaining balance of £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 either (i) within 3 months of your entry into the UK, if you were granted entry clearance as a Tier 1 Investor and there is evidence to establish your date of arrival in the UK; (ii) within 3 months of the date of the grant of entry clearance or leave to remain as a Tier 1 Investor; or (iii) no earlier than 12 months before the date of the application which led to your first grant of leave as a Tier 1 Investor;
- You have maintained the level of investment for the whole of the remaining period of your leave.
You will need to submit your UK Investor visa extension application before 6 April 2020.
UK Investor Visa Extension: Initial UK Investor visa granted between 6 November 2014 and 28 March 2019
If you successfully applied for your UK Investor visa between 6 November 2014 and 28 March 2019, you will be able to extend your stay as a UK Investor visa holder if:
- You invested not less than £2 million in the UK by way of UK Government bonds, share capital or loan capital in active and trading UK registered companies;
- You made your investment either (i) within 3 months of your entry to the UK, if you were granted entry clearance as a Tier 1 Investor and there is evidence to establish your date of entry to the UK (unless there are exceptionally compelling reasons for the delay in investing); or (ii) within 3 months of the date of the grant of entry clearance or leave to remain as a Tier 1 Investor (unless there are exceptionally compelling reasons for the delay in investing); or (iii) no earlier than 12 months before the date of the application which led to the first grant of leave as a Tier 1 (Investor) Migrant;
- You have maintained the level of investment for the whole of the remaining period of your leave.
If you invested in UK Government bonds you will need to submit your Tier 1 Investor visa extension application before 6 April 2023. You can apply for an extension after 6 April 2023 if you move your qualifying investments out of UK Government bonds before this date.
UK Investor Visa Extension: Initial UK Investor visa granted on or after 29 March 2019
If you successfully applied for your UK Investor visa on or after 29 March 2019, you will need to satisfy the following requirements in order to qualify for an extension of stay:
- You must have invested not less than £2 million in the UK by way of UK share capital or loan capital in active and trading UK registered companies;
- You must have made your investment either (i) within 3 months of your entry to the UK, if you were granted entry clearance as a Tier 1 Investor and there is evidence to establish your date of entry to the UK (unless there are exceptionally compelling reasons for the delay in investing); or (ii) within 3 months of the date of the grant of entry clearance or leave to remain as a Tier 1 Investor (unless there are exceptionally compelling reasons for the delay in investing); or (iii) no earlier than 12 months before the date of the application which led to the first grant of leave as a Tier 1 Investor;
- You have maintained the level of investment for the whole of the remaining period of your leave.
Whichever route you apply under, the exact requirements you will need to satisfy will vary depending on your circumstances. You may want to speak to an immigration lawyer for expert advice.
To discuss your UK Investor visa extension with one of our investment immigration barristers, contact our UK Tier 1 Investor visa lawyers on 0203 617 9173 or complete our enquiry form below.
When should I apply for an extension of stay as a UK Investor visa holder?
You can apply for a UK Investor visa extension at any time prior to the expiry of your leave. However, we recommend that you apply to extend your UK Investor visa not more than 1 month before your current leave expires. If you apply for a UK Investor visa extension earlier than this then you may have a shortfall in your leave when you apply for settlement. This is because the Home Office will grant an extension of stay as a UK Investor visa holder for 2 years from the date of decision, not the date when your current leave expires. This would necessitate a further application for an extension of stay as a UK Investor before becoming eligible for indefinite leave to remain. Advice from an immigration lawyer will ensure the correct timing of your UK Investor visa extension application.
Applications for further leave to remain as a Tier 1 Investor can be made until 17 February 2026.
How long will it take for my application for a UK Investor visa extension to be decided?
If you apply for a UK Investor visa extension via UK Visa & Immigration’s standard service, you can normally expect to receive a decision within 8 weeks of your extension application date. If you apply for an extension of stay as a UK Investor visa holder via the priority service, you will normally receive a decision on your extension application within 5 working days of your UKVCAS appointment.
- Investment Options for Tier 1 Investor Visa Applicants
- Applying to extend a Tier 1 Investor visa – the balance of funds requirement
- UK Investor Visa Success Stories
Can I extend my UK Investor visa if I am outside the UK?
Yes. If you hold a UK Investor visa you can apply to extend your stay in the UK Investor visa category from outside the UK.
How our immigration barristers can help your UK Investor visa extension
The Immigration Rules contain strict requirements in terms of the documents that must be provided in support of a UK Investor visa extension application. It can be helpful to get advice from an immigration lawyer in order to ensure that your application is professionally presented and technically correct.
Richmond Chambers is widely recognised as one of the UK’s leading immigration practices for UK Investor visa applicants. Our immigration barristers were awarded ‘Business Immigration Chambers of the Year in England’ at the 2018 Corporate Intl Magazine Global Awards, ‘UK Business Immigration Barrister of the Year’ at the ACQ5 Law Awards 2018 and ‘Business Immigration Set of the Year’ at the Global Law Experts Awards 2017. The work of our immigration barristers on behalf of investors has also been recognised through membership of the Investment Migration Council and the Department of International Trade’s Investor Support Network.
Our investment immigration barristers and immigration lawyers work closely with investors, wealth managers and leading banks to prepare and submit high quality extension applications for investors and their families. Our barristers are experts in the immigration options for investors and will guide you through the complex Home Office Immigration Rules and policies.
We pride ourselves on being approachable and proactive in understanding and meeting our clients’ needs. We are a highly driven team, dedicated to providing clear and reliable immigration advice to investors as part of a professional and friendly service.
We can also assist with
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Investment management for UK Investor visa holders
Whilst we are able to draw on our intimate knowledge of the Home Office rules and policy to provide you with expert legal advice in relation to your Tier 1 Investor visa application, we can also direct you to some of the UK’s leading FCA-registered wealth managers who can ensure that your investment portfolio is both compliant and structured for steady growth.
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Applications for settlement (including accelerated settlement) as a UK Investor visa holder
You may be eligible to apply for indefinite leave to remain in the UK as a Tier 1 Investor after spending 2, 3 or 5 years in the UK. The requirements that you will need to satisfy in order to qualify for Tier 1 Investor visa ILR will depend upon when your initial Tier 1 Investor visa was granted and the amount of your investment.
Tier 1 Investor visa ILR: Initial Tier 1 Investor visa granted before 6 November 2014
If you successfully applied for your Tier 1 Investor visa before 6 November 2014 and wish to apply for indefinite leave to remain as a Tier 1 Investor, you will need to satisfy UK Visas & Immigration that:
- You have money of your own, under your own control, in the UK amounting to not less than £1 million;
- You have invested not less than 75% of your capital in the UK by way of UK Government bonds, share capital or loan capital in active and trading UK registered companies; and have invested the remaining balance by the purchase of assets or by maintaining the money on deposit in a UK regulated financial institution;
- The investment was made no earlier than 12 months before the date of the application which led to the first grant of leave as a Tier 1 Investor Migrant;
- You have maintained the level of investment for the whole of the remaining period of your leave;
- You have spent a continuous period of either 2 years (if you have maintained an investment of at least £10 million), 3 years (if you have maintained an investment of at least £5 million) or 5 years (if you have maintained an investment of at least £1 million) lawfully in the UK as a Tier 1 Investor, with absences from the UK of no more than 180 days in any 12 months during the period;
- Unless you are aged 65 or over, you have sufficient knowledge of the English language and Life in the UK.
You will need to submit your Tier 1 Investor ILR application before 6 April 2022.
Tier 1 Investor visa ILR: Initial Tier 1 Investor visa granted between 6 November 2014 and 28 March 2019
If you successfully applied for your Tier 1 Investor visa between 6 November 2014 and 28 March 2019, you will be able to apply for Tier 1 Investor ILR if:
- You have money of your own, under your own control, in the UK amounting to not less than £2 million;
- You have invested your capital in the UK by way of UK Government bonds, share capital or loan capital in active and trading UK registered companies;
- The investment was made no earlier than 12 months before the date of the application which led to the first grant of leave as a Tier 1 Investor Migrant;
- You have maintained the level of investment for the whole of the remaining period of your leave;
- You have spent a continuous period of either 2 years (if you have maintained an investment of at least £10 million), 3 years (if you have maintained an investment of at least £5 million) or 5 years (if you have maintained an investment of at least £2 million) lawfully in the UK as a Tier 1 Investor, with absences from the UK of no more than 180 days in any 12 months during the period;
- Unless you are aged 65 or over, you have sufficient knowledge of the English language and Life in the UK.
You will need to submit your Tier 1 Investor visa ILR application before 6 April 2025.
Tier 1 Investor visa ILR: Initial Tier 1 Investor visa granted on or after 29 March 2019
If you successfully applied for your Tier 1 Investor visa on or after 29 March 2019, you will need to satisfy the following requirements in order to qualify for Tier 1 Investor ILR:
- You have money of your own, under your own control, in the UK amounting to not less than £2 million;
- You have invested your capital in the UK by way of share capital or loan capital in active and trading UK registered companies;
- The investment was made no earlier than 12 months before the date of the application which led to the first grant of leave as a Tier 1 Investor Migrant;
- You have maintained the level of investment for the whole of the remaining period of your leave;
- You have spent a continuous period of either 2 years (if you have maintained an investment of at least £10 million), 3 years (if you have maintained an investment of at least £5 million) or 5 years (if you have maintained an investment of at least £2 million) lawfully in the UK as a Tier 1 Investor, with absences from the UK of no more than 180 days in any 12 months during the period;
- Unless you are aged 65 or over, you have sufficient knowledge of the English language and Life in the UK.
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Fresh applications, Administrative reviews and Judicial reviews for UK Investor visa applicants
If your application for entry clearance, leave to remain or settlement as a Tier 1 Investor has been refused, our immigration barristers can advise on the merits of making a fresh application or challenging the decision.
If the decision-maker failed to apply the Immigration Rules or Home Office policy correctly, we can bring Administrative Review proceedings to challenge the decision.
If the decision to refuse your application was unlawful, unreasonable or procedurally improper, our immigration barristers can apply for Judicial Review and provide representation at Judicial Review hearings.
