New applicants are no longer eligible for this route. Those who currently possess entry clearance or leave to enter or remain under the Tier 1 Investor Migrant category can apply to extend their stay or seek indefinite leave to remain. The window for submitting applications for further leave to remain as a Tier 1 Investor is open until 2026. Similarly, applications for indefinite leave to remain as a Tier 1 Investor can be submitted until 2028.

TIER 1 – UK Investor Visa

If you are a high-net-worth individual seeking to live in the UK, the Investor Visa (Tier 1) category is an excellent route to explore. 

This category (formerly known as the Tier 1 (Investor) Visa) allows individuals to come to the UK if they have enough funds to make a substantial financial investment. Investor Visa (Tier 1) Applicants must be able to invest £2,000,000 or more in the UK. With a UK Investor Visa, Applicants will be able to work, study and engage in business activities. 

They are not required to have a job offer in the UK but are permitted to take up employment if they wish to do so. Furthermore, Investor Visa (Tier 1) Applicants can be accompanied by their family members (Partners or Children under age 18) in the UK.  Investor Visa (Tier 1) Applicants and family members do not need to pass an English test and do not need to satisfy any maintenance funds requirement.

Investors under this category are initially given a period of 3 years and 4 months leave to stay in the UK. Following this, they can apply for an extension of two years. Thereafter, Investors can apply for Settlement in the UK after a period of 5 years. Investor Visa (Tier 1) Applicants who invest additional funds beyond £2,000,000 will be entitled to Accelerated Settlement.

What Are The Eligibility Requirements For An Investor Visa (Tier 1)?

In order to qualify for an initial grant of leave in this category, you must provide documents to prove:

  • Access to £2,000,000 or more; 
  • The funds of £2,000,000 is your own money that is under your control, held in a regulated financial institution and disposable in the UK;
  • That an account has been opened with a UK regulated bank for the purpose of investing £2,000,000 or more in the UK;
  • That the funds of £2,000,000 was held for a period of 2 consecutive years before the date of the Application;
  • Investments made in the UK within 12 months immediately before the date of the Application can be used as evidence of funds, provided they are held in a UK regulated financial institution.

If the funds of £2,000,000 have not been held for 2 years consecutively before the date of the Application, evidence of the source of funds must be provided. Below is a list of sources that will be considered:

  • Gift: An irrevocable memorandum of gift and a letter from a legal adviser must be provided;
  • Deeds of Sale: A Deed of Sale of the Assets and a letter from a legal adviser must be provided;
  • Evidence from a Business: Business Financial Accounts and a letter from a legal adviser must be provided;
  • Will: A notarised copy of a Will and a letter from a legal adviser must be provided;
  • Divorce Settlement: A notarized copy of the terms of a Divorce Settlement and a letter from a legal adviser must be provided;
  • Award or Winnings: A letter from the Organisation issuing the Financial Award or Winnings and a letter from a legal adviser must be provided.

If the money is from a source not listed above, evidence of the source of the money and independent supporting evidence must be provided.

It is important to note that you cannot use assets or possessions such as property as evidence of funds for investment.

Joint funds may be relied upon if the money is held jointly with or solely by your husband, wife, civil partner or unmarried or same-sex partner. Documents evidencing the relationship with your spouse or partner and a declaration for permission to use the funds, which has been confirmed as valid, must be provided.

If your Application for an Investor Visa (Tier 1) is approved, you will be granted with an initial leave for a period of 3 years and 4 months. Thereafter, you may apply for an Extension of your Investor Visa (Tier1) for 2 years. After continuous residence in the UK for a period of 5 years, you will be eligible to apply for Settlement (Indefinite Leave to Remain) in the UK. 

There is an option to accelerate your route to Settlement when you invest additional funds above £2,000,000. If a total sum of £5,000,000 is invested, you will be entitled to apply for Settlement after 3 years. If the total funds invested is £10,000,000and above, you will be entitled to apply for Settlement after 2 years.

What If My Application For An Investor Visa (Tier 1) Is Refused?

If your Application is refused and you think a mistake has been made, you can request for a review of that decision via Administrative Review.

Interested To Find Out More?

Our business immigration lawyers can work with you throughout the lifecycle of your UK Investor Visa (Tier 1), ensuring that you are in a position to successfully apply for an extension of this visa after 3 years and 4 months.

Garth Coates Solicitors is one of London’s most respected immigration law firms.  We have helped many talented entrepreneurs extend their visas and ultimately to obtain Settlement (also known as Indefinite Leave to Remain or ILR).  Our founding partner, Garth Coates, spent many years working in the Home Office as an Immigration Caseworker.  This experience has given him a unique understanding as to what immigration decision-makers are looking for when approving visa applications.

Established in 2008, Garth Coates Solicitors is a leading Law Firm in Immigration who can provide professional legal advice to ensure that your Application satisfies the strict requirements of the Immigration Rules. 

Our team of legal professionals offer comprehensive and considered advice to enable our clients to make informed choices. We strongly believe that our clients deserve the best; we take our responsibilities very seriously to ensure that client satisfaction is achieved by providing a professional yet friendly legal service. We aim to resolve all immigration matters brought to us by working diligently and together with the client, keeping them informed of the progress of their case at all stages. Our outstanding success rate is maintained thanks to the high standard of our work.

If you would like us to assist you with your Immigration Matter, kindly click here to leave us an Enquiry. Alternatively, we can be reached via telephone at (00 44) (0)20 7799 1600 from 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM (UTC+00.00 London) every Monday to Friday.