The Tier 1 Investor visa route is an ideal visa for high net worth persons who may wish to have UK residency. If you are in the UK on a Tier 1 Investor visa you would have been granted leave to enter for a period of 3 years and 4 months. During your residency in the UK, the Home Office would have expected you to invest no less than £2 million in the UK. The earliest you can apply for a Tier 1 Investor visa extension is 28 days before the date of the expiry of the initial Investor Visa.
What is the Tier 1 Investor visa?
The Tier 1 Investor visa category is for high net worth individuals who wish to make a minimum investment of 2 million GBP in the UK. Applicants who are successful in their UKVI application will be granted a 30-month visa. Under this visa category, there is no maintenance or English language requirement. It is well known that the UK Government encourages Tier 1 Investor visa applications but in recent times, we have witnessed a stricter approach from the Home Office in assessing the investment funds.
What are the requirements for a Tier 1 Investor visa extension application?
If you wish to apply for an extension under the Tier 1 Investor visa route you must show that you have invested at least £2 million in the UK by way of Government bonds (applications submitted before 29 March 2019), share capital or loan capital in active trading UK registered companies. You must also show that the investment was made within 3 months of your investor visa start date. The start date is calculated from when you entered the UK on your Tier 1 Investor visa or the date your application was granted. In some cases, there are exceptions to the above regarding investment timescales where there are exceptionally compelling reasons for a delay in investing. However, if there is a delay in the initial investment into the UK, the reason must be unforeseeable and fall outside of the Applicant’s control.
The Home Office will require evidence that the funds you have invested were your own money. It is possible to submit your partner’s money but you must provide specific evidence. When submitting evidence of investment in the UK, the Home Office expects to see a series of investment portfolio reports produced by a UK regulated financial institution showing:
- You invested at least £2 million in the UK Government Bonds or UK business within 3 months of your investor visa start date; and
- Your investment has been maintained for the length of your visa.
Our business immigration team has a number of well respected affiliated partners who can assist with the investment portfolio reports.
What is the Home Office fee for a Tier 1 Investor visa extension application?
The Tier 1 Investor visa extension application is submitted online. The traditional paper form is no longer available. The application fee is £1623 for the main applicant. In addition to this, applicants must pay the Immigration Health Surcharge, which is currently £400 per year. There is also a small fee of £19.20, which will be added to the application to have your biometric information (photo and fingerprints) taken. Applicants can pay an additional £500 for a priority decision within 5 working days.
How long does it take to get a decision on Tier 1 Investor visa extension application?
If you submitted your application using the standard service you should receive a decision within 8 weeks form the date you submitted your application unless your application is incomplete. In some circumstances, the Home Office could ask for further documents and this could also delay the application. Therefore, it is imperative that your application is adequately prepared with the correct specified documents. If you submitted your application using the priority visa service, a decision will usually be made within 5 working days of your UKVCAS appointment. In our experience, Tier 1 Investors prefer using the priority visa service.
How our immigration solicitors can help submit a Tier 1 Investor visa extension application
Our immigration solicitors in London specialise in Tier 1 Investor visa extension applications and prepare applications to the highest standard. We have an impeccable track history of submitting successful visa applications for a range of clients. The key to submitting a successful visa application is being aware of the relevant Immigration Rules and submitting the correct supporting documents. Our immigration solicitors in London guide Applicants through the requirements and prepare detailed legal submissions in support of the application. In addition to the legal representations, our team of solicitors also provides multiple substantial reviews of the application bundle to ensure that the correct documentary evidence is submitted. We also prepare and assist with the submission of the application.
Using our Immigration Solicitors in London submit a Tier 1 Investor visa extension application
Legal representatives, such as our specialist immigration and visa law firm, are qualified to advise you on immigration law and your immigration matter. You can instruct one of our immigration and visa legal representatives to successfully assist you with an application to submit a Tier 1 Investor visa extension application. Our solicitors and Barristers will help you comply with the Home Office’s requirements and meet the Immigration Rules.
Caseworkers at the Home Office are trained to reject applications, which are improperly prepared, for example by failing to provide the correct supporting evidence. In order to ensure your application succeeds, our solicitors and barristers will ensure all specified documents must be provided.
The UK Immigration Rules are complex and a legal representative can help ensure that your application meets the Immigration Rules.
Successfully submit a Tier 1 Investor visa application
Our team of solicitors and barristers are specialist immigration lawyers who act in your best interest. We offer a client-tailored approach from the outset. From the very first meeting, we will be able to advise you in respect of your prospects of submitting a visa application before your application even reaches the Home Office UK Visa & Immigration department. We can assist you with the preparation and submission of a Tier 1 Investor visa extension application and ensure that you meet all the requirements under the Immigration Rules.
We are based in the legal epicentre of London, just across the road from the Royal Courts of Justice in order to ensure we get the best results for our clients. We are minutes away from the Immigration and Asylum Tribunal, the Royal Courts of Justice, and other central London courts.
Preparation is the key to successful immigration applications. Our UK immigration and visa solicitors are here to guide you through the complex immigration rules and requirements. If you wish to meet one of our lawyers, please call our Immigration Team so we can assess your case and arrange your legal consultation to discuss a Tier 1 Investor visa extension application.
Contact our London immigration solicitors on 02030110276 or complete our contact form.