5 most important things to know about Tier 1 Investor visa
There are many advantages to being granted a Tier 1 investor in the UK, however, there are a number of misconceptions which many clients have believed about the Tier 1 Investor Visa. Some of the confusing is due to the changes to the Immigration Rules that took effect in 2014. The main aspect that was changed was the level of investment from £1,000,000 to £2,000,000.
We will be clarifying the top 5 most important things that an investor should know about applying for a Tier 1 Investor Visa.
- You will need to invest £2,000,000 in the UK
As mentioned above, the level of investment has risen from £1,000,000 to £2,000,000 in November 2014. If you were granted a Tier 1 Investor visa before this date, then the previous immigration rules apply to you when you make an application for extension or for settlement.
All application made after this date will need to adhere to the new Immigration Rules regarding investor Visas.
There are still many clients to are unaware of the changes that have taken place. It is always important to speak to an expert immigration adviser so that all the important information is made clear to you.
- Investing in property doesn’t count for the purpose of a Tier 1 application
There are many clients who are under the impression they will be eligible to invest their money into property. The old immigration rules, before November 2014 had some scope to invest into property; It was to be possible to be eligible for a Tier 1 Investor visa by investing in property with a value of not less than £2 million.
The Immigration rules clearly states that the amount of £2,000,000 cannot be invested in companies “mainly engaged in property investment, property management or property development”.
This is further clarified in the policy guidance as “UK Government bonds, share capital or loan capital in active and trading UK registered companies”.
- Make your investment within 3 months
You must have made the investment within 3 months of your specified date, unless there are exceptional reasons for the delay in investing. In general, the specified date will be the date that your first entered the UK when you can provide evidence of this exact date. Otherwise it will be the date that you were granted leave to enter in the UK.
It is imperative that applicants are aware if the timeline and the deadline dates so that their visa is not curtailed.
- Maintaining your Investment Fund
If you are granted a Tier 1 Investor visa, you will be granted leave to remain for 3 years and 4 months. If you are considering to extend this visa, the investment fund should be maintained throughout the period of leave. This means that if there are any dips during the investment, this should be rectified within 6 months to make up the shortfall.
For this reason it is very important that your investment manager is someone who is updated and well informed about UK immigration policies for investors.
- Increasing your Investment Fund
The minimum investment to be eligible is £2,00,000. However, If the investor is keen to settle in the UK sooner rather than later, they can do so if they increase the level of their investment.
If the migrant invests £5,000,000 they will be eligible to apply for settlement after 3 years of leave in the UK. If the migrants invests £10,000,000 in to the UK, they can apply to settle in the UK after only 2 years.
As this route involves a high level of investment, it is strongly advised that you speak with an experienced immigration adviser who can assist in your application.
How can we help?
At Master Legal Services we have extensive experience in processing and arranging Tier 1 (Investor) Visa applications. Contact our office to speak to an expert today.
T: 020 8935 5205
M: 07710987064
E: a.s@master-legal-services.com
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