HSMP HELP HERE
Your success is Our success
Tel: +44(0)208 572 2436
Latest News
13 April 20
Covid 19 - Home Office Application processing procedure
18 March 20
Home Office Application fees from April 2020
Tier 1 Entrepreneur for Investors and UK Graduates
Tier 1 (Entrepreneur) visa is for businessmen seeking to establish, take over or be actively involved in the running of a business in the UK.
Applicants are required to have access to not less than £200,000 to invest in a new or existing UK company, or £50,000 from one or more registered venture capitalist firms regulated by the FSA, or other government approved institutions, for the specific purpose of establishing or expanding a UK business.
Tier 1 Entrepreneur migrants may come to the UK initially as Prospective Entrepreneurs in order to negotiate financial backing for their business project. Prospective entrepreneurs are entitled to 'switch' into the Tier 1 (Entrepreneur) category within the UK, once they have secured the funding.
Other visa holders permitted to switch in-country to Tier 1 (Entrepreneur) route:
- Tier 1 (General) migrants
- Tier 1 (PSW) migrants
- Tier 1 Graduate Entrepreneur migrants
- Tier 1 Investors
- Tier 2 (both General and ICT)
- Tier 4 migrants
Applications for Tier 1 (Entrepreneur) visa can be made by entrepreneurial teams of up to two people. Both partners in the entrepreneurial team are allowed to bring with them their dependants.
Applicants for Tier 1 Entrepreneur visa are required to demonstrate knowledge of English to C1 level and meet the applicable maintenance requirements.
Entrepreneur visa (or initial leave to remain) is granted for an initial period of three years with the option of extension for further two years.
Requirements for extension of stay include demonstrating that the initially proposed investment (of either £200,000 or £50,000) has been made; the business has been registered not less than three months prior to the application for extension of stay; the business has created at least two full time jobs (or their equivalent to an existing business) which have existed for not less than 12 months prior to the application.
Those with leave to enter or remain as Tier 1 (Entrepreneur) migrants are not allowed to work outside the business or businesses they have set up, taken over or joined.
The changes introduced to the Immigration Rules in April 2011 allow Tier 1 (Entrepreneur) migrants to apply for accelerated settlement (indefinite leave to remain) in the UK after three years of residence, if their business has created at least ten new jobs in the UK, or has had turnover of at least £5 million during the three year period.
Otherwise, Tier 1 (Entrepreneur) migrants can apply for settlement after five years of residence.
We assist with visa applications for Tier 1 (Entrepreneur) migrants.