Knowing Tier 1 Investor and Entrepreneur Visa UK

UK is a country of business opportunities and if you want to become a part of it then investing is the best possible thing you can do to take a head start. Weaving a business, in fact, is also swift and hassle-free way of getting a permanent residency in UK as explained by several immigration experts. You can easily sneak into this country by applying Tier 1 Entrepreneur Visa or even Tier 1 Investor Visa if you are high net worth individual.

UK immigration rules have been comparatively eased to facilitate the foreign HNIs from countries other than those falling under European Economic Area and Switzerland to reside in UK and make investments. Once the visa application is accepted, processed and successfully granted you get a permission to stay in UK for 3 years subject to further 2 years of Tier 1 Entrepreneur Visa Extension or Tier 1 Investor Visa Extension. After completion of 5 years in UK, you become eligible for applying for permanent residency or Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR).

If you are low on investment budget then entrepreneur Visa is a better alternative. Apart from the requirement of outright investment of smaller sum you can also form an entrepreneurial partnership with someone else. Two applicants are considered under this visa and the requisite financial threshold can evenly be shared by both the partners. Investor Visa is ideal, quite easy and feature-rich for high net worth individuals. However, post 6/11/2014 there have been certain changes in the criteria and parameters for Tier 1 Investor Visa.

The required investment has been doubled from £1 million to £ 2 million which is quite significant shift. In fact, this is one of the most significant increase after 1994. Earlier, only 75% of the investment would have made your case eligible but now it has been raised to full 100% i.e. of the investment. To explain further, while £750000 was needed as an outright investment you will now need to shell out £ 2 million. However, if you have applied prior to this date then the earlier provisions will stand.

There is a little bit of reprieve in the new rules that have waived the 'Topping Up' requirements. You were required to make up for the gap in the earlier £1 million if the market value dropped below the minimum threshold. Now, you do not pay heed to any such threshold. You need to raise £2 million outright and the source of fund must not be in the guise of any loan. The first impression that one gets by comparing these changes is that the Visa regime has been toughened for HNIs. But it has been observed that HNIs have been seen prompt enough to shell out even £5 and even £10 million as investment for speedy visa approval. After all, the money is being investment in a country of immense business opportunities. The investor visa does away with any work permit required from the sponsor which makes it quite easier for HNIs for permanent residency in larger perspective. Investor visa also automatically allows the person to take his spouse and children below 18 years to reside UK.