UK Immigration using TIER 1 (Investor) Category

Introduction

The UK is extremely keen to welcome wealthy foreign Investors to the UK. The Tier 1 (Investor) Programme offers a great opportunity for wealthy foreign nationals to obtain residence rights in the UK and ultimately British citizenship. Accelerated rights to permanent residence are offered to individuals investing £5million or over in the United Kingdom, although a basic Tier 1 (Investor) visa can be obtained on the basis of an investment of £1million.

Key Points

1. An applicant will need to show that he has a sum of £1million of his own money available for investment in the UK OR that he has a net worth of £2million and that an authorised financial institution is willing to lend him £1million to bring to the United Kingdom.
2. There are two additional schemes. The first scheme requires an applicant to show evidence of £10million in their own name, OR £20million of net worth with a borrowing arrangement of £10million. The second scheme requires an applicant to show evidence of £5million in his own name, OR a net worth of £10million with a borrowing arrangement of £5million.
3. There are no English language requirements for this category.
4. On a successful application being made, the Investor is expected to invest three quarters of the £1million (or £10million or £5million, as the case may be) in acceptable investments, within three months of his arrival in the UK.  Acceptable investments are UK Government Bonds, or the shares of UK registered Companies.
5. The additional £250,000 (or £2.5million, or £1.25million as the case may be) can be invested in any UK-sited asset, including property.
6. The full investment in the UK must retain its value throughout the period of the investment.
7. The Investor is entitled to undertake any work or business activities in the UK as he wishes.
8. The Investor is entitled to bring his or her spouse/civil partner/unmarried partner to the UK together with children under eighteen.
9. An Investor is allowed to spend one hundred and eighty days per year outside the UK

Initial Grant of Visa

The Tier 1 (Investor) visa is granted for an initial period of three years.

Extensions and Indefinite Leave to Remain

1. In the case of an investment of £1million, the Investor will be eligible to apply for an extension of stay for a further two years at the end of the initial period of three years, subject to proof that he or she has complied with the Investor Rules. At the end of five years, the Investor will be eligible to apply for indefinite leave to remain in the UK, subject to proof of complying with the Rules throughout the period of the investment.
2. An Investor who has invested £10million in the UK will be eligible to apply for indefinite leave to remain after two years of residence, subject to proving compliance with the Rules throughout this period.
3. An Investor who has invested £5million in the UK will be eligible to apply for indefinite leave to remain after three years residence in the UK, subject to compliance of the Rules throughout this period.

Further Information

Please contact Graeme Kirk or Sohan Sidhu of Gross & Co with regards to the UK Investor Programme by emailing gdk@gross.co.uk or ss@gross.co.uk