The Tier 1 Investor visa immigration rules do not require investment funds to have been held for 2 years.
If you have held your investment funds for less than 2 years then you can still qualify for a UK Investor visa if the source of the funds was:
If you have held your UK Investor visa investment funds for at least 2 years then you will not be required to provide specified evidence of the source of your funds. In particular, there is currently no requirement to provide an independent audit of financial and business interests as part of a Tier 1 Investor visa application. However, you will still need to satisfy the Home Office that your investment funds were lawfully obtained.
Once you have entered the Tier 1 Investor visa category, you will need to invest at least £2 million in qualifying investments. The only qualifying Tier 1 Investor visa investment options are share capital and/or loan capital in active and trading UK registered companies. You will need to make a qualifying investment within 90 days of entering the UK Investor visa category.
The Immigration Rules for Tier 1 Investors contain various restrictions on permitted investments. For example, investments in offshore companies or trusts, open-ended investment companies and companies mainly engaged in property investment, property management or property development are all prohibited.
Most visa application centres outside the UK offer a priority service which allows Tier 1 Investor visa applicants to receive a decision on their applications for entry clearance within 5 working days.
Tier 1 Investors applying for further leave to remain from within the UK can apply for either a standard 8 week consideration or a priority 5 working day consideration. Tier 1 Investors applying for indefinite leave to remain from within the UK can apply for either a standard 6 month consideration or a priority 10 working day consideration.
Your initial Tier 1 Investor visa will be valid for either 3 years and 4 months (if applying from overseas) or 3 years (if applying from within the UK).
You will need to invest at least £2 million in actively trading UK companies within 3 months of entering the category. You will then need to maintain your investment.
You will be able to extend your stay as a Tier 1 Investor visa holder for a further 2 years, before qualifying for indefinite leave to remain (settlement) after 5 years. There is also an accelerated route to settlement as a Tier 1 Investor migrant after either 3 years (if you invest at least £5 million) or 2 years (if you invest at least £10 million).
In order to settle in the UK as a Tier 1 Investor, you will need to spend not more than 180 days outside the UK in any 12-month period and, unless aged 65 or over, have sufficient knowledge of the English language and Life in the UK.
The requirements that you will need to satisfy in order to qualify for a Tier 1 Investor visa extension will depend upon whether your initial Tier 1 Investor visa was granted before 6 November 2014, between 6 November 2014 and 28 March 2019 or on or after 29 March 2019. You can find further information on our Tier 1 Investor Visa Extension page. Advice from an immigration lawyer will ensure that your extension application satisfies the strict requirements of the Immigration Rules.
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 ILR as a Tier 1 Investor visa holder will depend upon when your initial Tier 1 Investor visa was granted and the amount of your investment. You can find further information on our Tier 1 Investor Visa ILR page or contact our specialist immigration lawyers for expert advice.
The UK Tier 1 Investor visa scheme has not been suspended, halted or closed. The UK Investor visa category is open to new applicants with access to at least £2 million looking for a route to settlement in the UK.
The Immigration Rules contain strict requirements in terms of the documents that must be provided in support of a Tier 1 Investor visa 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.
Our investment immigration advisers and immigration lawyers work closely with investors, wealth managers and leading banks to prepare and submit high quality visa applications for investors and their families. Our advisers 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.
