UK Investor Visa

The UK Investor visa allows high net worth individuals to live and work in the UK. The visa category is designed for individuals to invest in active and trading UK registered companies. The route is attractive for those seeking residency in the UK as it leads to indefinite leave to remain in the UK after a period of two, three or five years, depending on the amount invested.     

How much money do you need for an investor visa?

The investor visa requires the applicant to invest £2,000,000 or more in share capital or loan capital. Further, the applicant must also have a UK bank account holding the funds and meet the following additional requirements:

  • must be held in a regulated financial institution
  • must be free to spend in the UK – not tied up in securities or shares
  • must be held for two years consecutively

 Who can apply for a UK investor visa?

In addition to the investment funds requirements, the investor must also meet the following requirements to be eligible for the visa:

  • be an adult (over 18 years old)
  • prove that the money belongs to the investor, their spouse or their unmarried partner
  • prove that the money used for the investment was legally obtained

What is the application process for the investor visa?

If you possess the appropriate amount of investment funds to be eligible for the Investor visa, you can make an application to the Home Office. You must then open a bank account with a regulated banking institution where the investment funds will be held after the visa has been accepted.

You can apply from outside of the UK, or inside the UK if you are extending or switching from a different visa category. Upon successful application an initial three year visa will be issued.

As previously mentioned, the investor visa provides an excellent opportunity for high net worth individuals to obtain a British passport, as investors can apply for indefinite leave to with the following investment amounts:

  • £2,000,000 investment, the applicant may apply after 5 years
  • £5,000,000 investment, the applicant may apply after 3 years
  • £10,000,000 investment, the applicant may apply after 2 years

After one year of having the indefinite leave to remain permission, the applicant can apply for British citizenship.

As previously mentioned, the investor visa provides an excellent opportunity for high net worth individuals to obtain a British passport, as investors can apply for indefinite leave to remain with the following investment amounts:

  • £2,000,000 investment, the applicant may apply after 5 years
  • £5,000,000 investment, the applicant may apply after 3 years
  • £10,000,000 investment, the applicant may apply after 2 years

After one year of having the indefinite leave to remain permission, the applicant can apply for British citizenship.

Expert Immigration Solicitors for High Net Worth Visa Applicants

If you wish to consider your options of applying for a Tier 1 Investor visa, please contact a member of our business immigration team who will arrange for you to meet with a qualified solicitor who can explore your options with you.

We are a UK law firm based in Middle Temple, London and our solicitors are fully authorised by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA). Contact our professional business immigration team today and we can offer you a consultation in person or via telephone or Skype so we can explore your options. You can leave us a message on our Contact Form or give us a call on 02030110276.

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