Tier 1 Investor – an investor visa to the UK – is intended for those who plan to obtain a residence permit and UK citizenship through investment and are able to invest in the UK economy.
It is the best way to obtain a UK residence permit quickly with the possibility of subsequent registration of permanent residence and issue of a British passport for the citizens of non-EU countries.
The initial investor visa (Tier 1 Investor) is issued for 3 years and 4 months (for 3 years if the application was made in the UK). Subject to the necessary conditions, this visa can be extended for 2 years more.
5 years after the initial visa, the investor may apply for permanent residence in the UK, providing any evidence of investment. It is also possible to accelerate registration of permanent residence, depending on the amount of investment: with investments of £5 million and more, the investor may apply for permanent residence in the UK in 3 years, with investments of £10 million and more – in 2 years.
Investments are made as contributions to the authorized capitals or debt capitals of any operating British companies.
Terms of obtaining permanent residence and citizenship (depending on the investment amount):
- permanent residence in 5 years
- citizenship in 6 years
- permanent residence in 3 years
- citizenship in 5 years
- permanent residence in 2 years
- citizenship in 5 years
Conditions for applying for an investor visa
- An applicant must demonstrate availability of at least £2,000,000 for investment.
- An applicant must open an investment account with one of the UK financial institutions regulated by the FCA.
- An applicant must provide a positive performance review and have no criminal record.
Key benefits of an investor visa:
- Clear requirements and prompt consideration of an application.
- An initial visa does not require knowledge of English or passing any language tests.
- There are no requirements for the minimum amount of money to live in the country.
- Opportunity to move to the UK with family members, including a spouse and children under 18
- An applicant may (but is not required to) work, study or do business within the UK.
Conditions for extension of investor visa:
- An applicant must prove his/her entry into the country within 30 days of obtaining the relevant permit/visa.
- It is also necessary to prove that all adult members of the applicant’s family listed on the application were registered with the Overseas Visitors Records Office within 7 days of arriving to the UK.
- The applicant must prove that he/she and his/her family members have not applied for any benefits, subsidies or any other government payments.
- Applicants must include all family members listed on the initial application, including children under 18 at the time when the initial visa was received.
- The minimum size of an investment fund in the UK controlled by the applicant must be at least £2,000,000.
- There may be additional requirements for those who used this visa category before November 2014.
In 5 years, Tier 1 Investor visa holders are eligible to apply for permanent residence.
Depending on the amount of investment, this term can be reduced: with investments of £5 million and more, UK permanent residence can be applied for in 3 years, with investments from £10 million and more – in 2 years.
Conditions for obtaining an indefinite leave to remain (ILR)
Tier 1 (Investor) visa holders can apply for permanent residence (ILR) subject to the
following conditions:
- Applicants must not spend more than 180 days a year outside the UK.
- Applicants for permanent residence must successfully pass the Life in the UK test.
- Applicants must prove that they have at least B1 level of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) (requirement may change upon Brexit). Other requirements related to English proficiency may apply.
Requirements for duration of residence in the country and stay outside the UK:
- If applicants do not intend to move to the UK, they will not be subject to the requirements for duration of stay. After the initial visa expires, the applicants may extend it for 2 years more
- Those who intend to apply for permanent residence must not spend more than 180 days a year outside the UK.
- To obtain British citizenship, applicants must not have spent more than 450 days outside the country in the 5-year period and more than 90 days in 12 months before submission of the application
Application processing time:
- Application for visa may be submitted not earlier than 3 months before the intended trip to the UK.
- Applicants can pay for Priority Service to receive a decision on their application within 5 business days.
- Common processing time for an application is about 3 weeks if the applicant is applying from his/her home country, and 8-12 weeks if the applicant lives in the UK.
Obtaining permanent residence and citizenship under an investor visa
Making an investment of £2,000,000 within 90 days
| Extension of a visa |
1 year
2 years
3 years
4 years
|
No more than 180 days outside the UK in any 12 months
|
No more than 450 days outside the UK within 5 years prior to applying for permanent residence |
| Permanent residence |
5 years
|
||
| Citizenship |
6 years
|
No more than 90 days outside the UK within 12 months after obtaining a residence permit |