Tier 1 Investor Visa ILR: Residence and Absence Requirement

For many individuals who are looking to move themselves and their families to the UK using the Tier 1 Investor category, one of the biggest impediments is the perceived difficulty with satisfying the Tier 1 Investor ILR residence and absence requirement. This...

Extending a Tier 1 Investor or Entrepreneur visa from abroad

While most people will prefer to remain in the UK to make their extension application in the Tier 1 (Entrepreneur) or Tier 1 (Investor) category, there are a number of circumstances where it will be necessary or advantageous to leave the UK to make the extension...

Tier 1 Investor Visa - 2 Year Requirement

It was widely reported that from 29 March 2019, new Tier 1 Investor visa applicants would need to have held their investment funds for at least 2 years prior to the date of application.  But is the Investor visa 2 year requirement really a...

Tier 1 Investor Visa: The UK bank account rule

Tier 1 Investor visa applicants are required to have opened a UK bank account before submitting their initial Tier 1 Investor visa application.  In this post, we look at the basic requirements of the UK bank account rule for Tier 1 Investors and the various ways...

Sole Representative Visa: An Alternative to the Innovator Visa

On 29 March 2019 new rules were introduced for those who want to run a business in the UK, bringing into force Appendix W which includes the Innovator visa and Start-up visa categories. These routes initially seemed like an improvement on the now-closed Entrepreneur...

The Problem With Start-up & Innovator Visa Endorsing Bodies

On 29 March 2019 the Home Office introduced the new category of Start-Up and Innovator visas, outlined in an earlier Chamber’s blog post. Under this new system, prospective applicants must receive an endorsement from one of the approved Start-Up and Innovator...

Switching from Graduate Entrepreneur or Start-up to Entrepreneur

As we have previously covered in the Knowledge Centre, the Tier 1 (Graduate Entrepreneur) route will close to new entrants on 5 July 2019. However individuals who have already entered the category will be able to spend the period of time they are granted in the...

Alternatives to the Start-up and Innovator visas

As many of you will be aware, the Tier 1 Entrepreneur route closed for initial applications on 29 March 2019. If you are a business person with relevant experience you may be finding it difficult to ascertain an appropriate way to carry out your business activities...

£1 Million Tier 1 (Investor) Route To Close

In the Statement of Changes of 7 March 2019, the headlines were mostly taken by the closure of the Entrepreneur category and the new two-year requirement for Investment funds for Investors who are wishing to enter the category for the first time. However,...

Tier 1 (Investor) - what counts as an investment?

As set out in our post here, there have been some recent changes to the Tier 1 (Investor) visa category.   Government bonds? Property? Government bonds and property are not qualifying investments for new applicants.  One important change on the 29 March 2019...

Indefinite Leave to Remain as an Innovator

With the Innovator Route now open, experienced businesspersons seeking to establish a business in the UK may already be thinking about the requirements for indefinite leave to remain as an Innovator.  In our previous posts we have have outlined how to enter or...

Conditions of stay as a Start-up / Innovator

It is important for anyone coming to or remaining in the UK as a Start-up or Innovator to understand what conditions will be attached to their leave, as the consequences of breaching these conditions can be very serious. It is also important for anyone selecting...