TIER 1 ENTREPRENEUR VISA EXTENSION
If you possess a Tier 1 Entrepreneur visa, you're eligible to seek an extension for your visa until 5th April 2023. Once your application gets approved, you can enjoy a two-year prolongation of your stay under the classification of a Tier 1 Entrepreneur. You have until 5th April 2025 to apply for settlement as a Tier 1 Entrepreneur.
Requirements for a Tier 1 Entrepreneur visa extension
In order to extend your stay as a Tier 1 Entrepreneur, you will need to satisfy UK Visas & Immigration that:
- You registered as a business director or as self-employed within 6 months of entering the Tier 1 Entrepreneur category;
- You are still registered as a business director or as self-employed within the 3 months prior to your date of application;
- You have invested at least £200,000 or £50,000 (depending on the amount your initial application was based on) in a business or businesses in the UK;
- You have created at least two full-time jobs for persons settled in the UK and these jobs have existed for at least 12 months;
- You have established, taken over or become a director of a genuine UK business, genuinely operated that business and genuinely intend to continue operating the business;
- You are competent in the English language to at least CEFR Level B1 (equivalent to IELTS 4.0 in reading, writing, listening and speaking);
- You have enough additional money to support yourself without relying on public funds.
The exact requirements you will need to satisfy will vary depending on your circumstances. You may want to speak to an immigration lawyer for expert advice.
Tier 1 Entrepreneur visa extension processing times
You will need to apply for a Tier 1 Entrepreneur visa extension via UK Visa & Immigration’s standard service. You should normally expect to receive a decision within 8 weeks of your extension application date. UK Visa & Immigration does not currently offer a priority service for Tier 1 Entrepreneur visa extension applications.
TIER 1 ENTREPRENEUR VISA ILR
If you currently hold a Tier 1 Entrepreneur visa, you can apply to settle in the UK as a Tier 1 Entrepreneur until 5 April 2025. If your application is successful, you will be granted Tier 1 Entrepreneur visa ILR and be free of immigration time restrictions.
Requirements for Tier 1 Entrepreneur visa ILR
In order to qualify for indefinite leave to remain as a Tier 1 Entrepreneur you will need to satisfy UK Visas & Immigration that:
- You registered as a business director or as self-employed within 6 months of entering the Tier 1 Entrepreneur category;
- You are still registered as a business director or as self-employed within the 3 months prior to your date of application;
- You have invested at least £200,000 or £50,000 (as appropriate) in a business or businesses in the UK;
- You have created at least two full-time jobs for persons settled in the UK and these jobs have existed for at least 12 months;
- You have established, taken over or become a director of a genuine UK business, genuinely operated that business and genuinely intend to continue operating the business;
- You have spent a continuous period of 5 years lawfully in the UK with leave as a Tier 1 Entrepreneur migrant, with not more than 180 days absent from the UK each year;
- You have demonstrated sufficient knowledge of the English language and sufficient knowledge about life in the United Kingdom.
There is also an accelerated route to settlement as a Tier 1 Entrepreneur after 3 years if you create at least 10 new full-time jobs or your business has a turnover of at least £5 million.
The exact requirements you will need to satisfy will vary depending on your circumstances. You may want to speak to an immigration lawyer for expert advice.
Tier 1 Entrepreneur ILR settlement application processing times
If you apply for indefinite leave to remain as a Tier 1 Entrepreneur via UK Visa & Immigration’s standard service, you can normally expect to receive a decision within 26 weeks of your ILR application date. The Home Office does not currently offer a priority service for Tier 1 Entrepreneur visa ILR applications.
TIER 1 INVESTOR VISA
This route is now closed to new applicants. Individuals who already have entry clearance or leave to enter or remain as a Tier 1 Investor Migrant may apply to extend their stay or for indefinite leave to remain. Applications for further leave to remain as a Tier 1 Investor can be made until 17 February 2026. Applications for indefinite leave to remain as a Tier 1 Investor can be made until 17 February 2028.
TIER 1 INVESTOR VISA EXTENSION
Before your initial Tier 1 Investor visa expires, you may be eligible to apply to extend your stay as a Tier 1 Investor. The requirements that you will need to satisfy in order to qualify for a Tier 1 Investor visa extension will depend upon whether your initial Tier 1 Investor visa was granted between 6 November 2014 and 28 March 2019 or on or after 29 March 2019. Applications for further leave to remain as a Tier 1 Investor can be made until 17 February 2026.
Tier 1 Investor Visa extension requirements: Initial Tier 1 Investor visa granted between 6 November 2014 and 28 March 2019
If you successfully applied for your Tier 1 Investor visa between 6 November 2014 and 28 March 2019, you will be able to extend your stay as a Tier 1 Investor if:
- You invested not less than £2 million in the UK by way of UK Government bonds, share capital or loan capital in active and trading UK registered companies;
- You made your investment either (i) within 3 months of your entry to the UK, if you were granted entry clearance as a Tier 1 Investor and there is evidence to establish your date of entry to the UK (unless there are exceptionally compelling reasons for the delay in investing); or (ii) within 3 months of the date of the grant of entry clearance or leave to remain as a Tier 1 Investor (unless there are exceptionally compelling reasons for the delay in investing); or (iii) no earlier than 12 months before the date of the application which led to the first grant of leave as a Tier 1 (Investor) Migrant;
- You have maintained the level of investment for the whole of the remaining period of your leave.
If you invested in UK Government bonds you will need to submit your Tier 1 Investor visa extension application before 6 April 2023. You can apply for an extension after 6 April 2023 if you move your qualifying investments out of UK Government bonds.
Tier 1 Investor Visa extension requirements: Initial Tier 1 Investor visa granted on or after 29 March 2019
If you successfully applied for your Tier 1 Investor visa on or after 29 March 2019, you will need to satisfy the following requirements in order to qualify for an extension of stay:
- You must have invested not less than £2 million in the UK by way of UK share capital or loan capital in active and trading UK registered companies;
- You must have made your investment either (i) within 3 months of your entry to the UK, if you were granted entry clearance as a Tier 1 Investor and there is evidence to establish your date of entry to the UK (unless there are exceptionally compelling reasons for the delay in investing); or (ii) within 3 months of the date of the grant of entry clearance or leave to remain as a Tier 1 Investor (unless there are exceptionally compelling reasons for the delay in investing); or (iii) no earlier than 12 months before the date of the application which led to the first grant of leave as a Tier 1 Investor;
- You have maintained the level of investment for the whole of the remaining period of your leave.
Whichever route you apply under, the exact requirements you will need to satisfy will vary depending on your circumstances. You may want to speak to an immigration lawyer for expert advice.
Tier 1 Investor visa extension processing times
If you apply for a Tier 1 Investor visa extension via UK Visa & Immigration’s standard service, you can normally expect to receive a decision within 8 weeks of your extension application date. If you apply for an extension of stay as a Tier 1 Investor visa via the priority service, you will normally receive a decision on your extension application within 5 working days of your UKVCAS appointment.
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TIER 1 INVESTOR VISA ILR
You may be eligible to apply for indefinite leave to remain in the UK as a Tier 1 Investor or Tier 1 Investor ILR after spending 2, 3 or 5 years in the UK. The requirements that you will need to satisfy in order to qualify for Tier 1 Investor visa ILR will depend upon when your initial Tier 1 Investor visa was granted and the amount of your investment. Applications for indefinite leave to remain as a Tier 1 Investor can be made until 17 February 2028.
Tier 1 Investor visa ILR: Initial Tier 1 Investor visa granted before 6 November 2014
If you successfully applied for your Tier 1 Investor visa before 6 November 2014 and wish to apply for indefinite leave to remain as a Tier 1 Investor, you will need to satisfy UK Visas & Immigration that:
- You have money of your own, under your own control, in the UK amounting to not less than £1 million;
- You have invested not less than 75% of your capital in the UK by way of UK Government bonds, share capital or loan capital in active and trading UK registered companies; and have invested the remaining balance by the purchase of assets or by maintaining the money on deposit in a UK regulated financial institution;
- The investment was made no earlier than 12 months before the date of the application which led to the first grant of leave as a Tier 1 Investor Migrant;
- You have maintained the level of investment for the whole of the remaining period of your leave;
- You have spent a continuous period of either 2 years (if you have maintained an investment of at least £10 million), 3 years (if you have maintained an investment of at least £5 million) or 5 years (if you have maintained an investment of at least £1 million) lawfully in the UK as a Tier 1 Investor, with absences from the UK of no more than 180 days in any 12 months during the period;
- Unless you are aged 65 or over, you have sufficient knowledge of the English language and Life in the UK.
You will need to submit your Tier 1 Investor ILR application before 6 April 2022. If you apply for indefinite leave to remain on or after 6 April 2022 but before 6 April 2025, you will need to have invested at least £2 million for 5 years by way of share capital or loan capital in active and trading UK registered companies or UK Government bonds. You will only be able to include time from when your investment was increased to £2 million towards your continuous period. If you apply for ILR on or after 6 April 2025, you will need to have invested at least £2 million for 5 years by way of share capital or loan capital in active and trading UK registered companies or UK Government bonds.
However, any investment must be moved out of UK Government bonds and into other qualifying investments before 6 April 2025.
Tier 1 Investor visa ILR: Initial Tier 1 Investor visa granted between 6 November 2014 and 28 March 2019
If you successfully applied for your Tier 1 Investor visa between 6 November 2014 and 28 March 2019, you will be able to apply for Tier 1 Investor ILR if:
- You have money of your own, under your own control, in the UK amounting to not less than £2 million;
- You have invested your capital in the UK by way of UK Government bonds, share capital or loan capital in active and trading UK registered companies;
- The investment was made no earlier than 12 months before the date of the application which led to the first grant of leave as a Tier 1 Investor Migrant;
- You have maintained the level of investment for the whole of the remaining period of your leave;
- You have spent a continuous period of either 2 years (if you have maintained an investment of at least £10 million), 3 years (if you have maintained an investment of at least £5 million) or 5 years (if you have maintained an investment of at least £2 million) lawfully in the UK as a Tier 1 Investor, with absences from the UK of no more than 180 days in any 12 months during the period;
- Unless you are aged 65 or over, you have sufficient knowledge of the English language and Life in the UK.
If you invested in UK Government bonds you will need to submit your Tier 1 Investor visa ILR application before 6 April 2025. You can apply for ILR after 6 April 2025 if you move your qualifying investments out of UK Government bonds and into other qualifying investments before 6 April 2025.
Tier 1 Investor visa ILR: Initial Tier 1 Investor visa granted on or after 29 March 2019
If you successfully applied for your Tier 1 Investor visa on or after 29 March 2019, you will need to satisfy the following requirements in order to qualify for Tier 1 Investor ILR:
- You have money of your own, under your own control, in the UK amounting to not less than £2 million;
- You have invested your capital in the UK by way of share capital or loan capital in active and trading UK registered companies;
- The investment was made no earlier than 12 months before the date of the application which led to the first grant of leave as a Tier 1 Investor Migrant;
- You have maintained the level of investment for the whole of the remaining period of your leave;
- You have spent a continuous period of either 2 years (if you have maintained an investment of at least £10 million), 3 years (if you have maintained an investment of at least £5 million) or 5 years (if you have maintained an investment of at least £2 million) lawfully in the UK as a Tier 1 Investor, with absences from the UK of no more than 180 days in any 12 months during the period;
- Unless you are aged 65 or over, you have sufficient knowledge of the English language and Life in the UK.
Whichever route you apply under, the exact requirements you will need to satisfy will vary depending on your circumstances. You may want to speak to an immigration lawyer for expert advice.
Tier 1 Investor visa ILR residence requirement
In order to qualify for indefinite leave to remain (ILR) as a Tier 1 Investor, you must not have been absent from the UK for more than 180 days in any 12 month period during your qualifying 2, 3 or 5 year period.
For any absences from the UK during periods of leave granted under the Rules in place before 11 January 2018, you must not have been absent from the UK for more than 180 days during each consecutive 12 month period, ending on the same date of the year as the date of the Tier 1 Investor visa ILR application. For any absences from the UK during periods of leave granted under the Rules in place since 11 January 2018, the Home Office will consider a rolling 12 month period.
In either case, days spent travelling to or from the UK will not count for the purpose of the Tier 1 Investor ILR residence and absence requirement.
Tier 1 Investor visa ILR settlement processing times
If you apply for indefinite leave to remain as a Tier 1 Investor via UK Visa & Immigration’s standard service, you can normally expect to receive a decision within 26 weeks of your ILR application date. If you apply for Tier 1 Investor visa ILR via the priority service, you will normally receive a decision within 10 working days of your UKVCAS appointment.
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