610, 6th floor ithum tower, sec 62 Noida
610, 6th floor ithum tower, sec 62 Noida
An expedited pathway to acquiring British citizenship
Investment starting at £2,000,000
The Tier 1 Investor Visa route has been closed as of February 17, 2022. Both new applications and moving from another category are not permitted. Prior to that time, candidates may still apply for permanent residency (ILR), extend their visas, and bring family members.
With its robust economy, entrepreneurism, and high standard of life, Great Britain has long been a popular destination for businesspeople from across the globe. Many foreigners travel to the UK every year for job, study, and to launch new businesses.
Most of the time, in order to become a resident of the UK, you must demonstrate your education and experience, speak at least basic English, and fulfil other strict requirements set down by the UK immigration authorities. The fortunate exception to this rule is those who are applying for a Tier 1 Investor Visa.
The UK Tier 1 investor visa is a visa designed for wealthy individuals from other countries who wish to relocate to the United Kingdom. By investing a minimum of £2 million, applicants can apply for indefinite leave to remain (ILR) more quickly if they choose to invest a larger amount. The earliest time frame for settling in the UK is two years, and it takes approximately five years to become a British citizen.
To be eligible for a Tier 1 Investor visa, individuals must invest their money in a company or companies registered in the UK, pass due diligence checks, and establish an investment account. In return for their substantial investment, visa holders enjoy extensive freedom to pursue various activities within the UK. The initial visa is issued for a period of three years and four months, and if the applicant is not yet eligible to apply for ILR at that point, it can be extended for an additional two years.
The UK investor visa offers numerous advantages, which we will now discuss.
➤ Swift Application Process: The UK investor visa offers one of the quickest application processes among UK visas. From submitting the application to receiving the visa, the entire procedure takes no longer than three months. Typically, the Home Office makes a decision within 15 days. By paying an additional £500 for a priority service, you can expedite the process even further.
➤ Inclusion of Family Members: Your spouse, unmarried partner, and minor children can be included in your UK investor visa application, allowing them to benefit from the visa along with you.
➤ No Work Experience, Education, or English Test Required: Unlike many other visas, the UK investor visa does not necessitate demonstrating work experience, providing proof of education, or taking an English proficiency test.
➤ Versatile Lifestyle: With the UK investor visa, you and your family have the freedom to work, conduct business, study, or simply enjoy the comforts and safety of everyday life in a modern European country. Your investment grants you access to high standards of healthcare, education, and security.
➤ Profitable Investment Opportunities: Investing in shares of UK companies can be financially rewarding. As the investor, you have the autonomy to choose where to invest, remaining in control. When your visa expires or you obtain indefinite leave to remain, you can sell the shares and recoup your investment with potential gains.
➤ Visa Duration and Extensions: The UK investor visa is valid for three years and four months if applied for outside the UK, and three years if applied for within the country. It can be extended for an additional two years, or you may apply for settlement immediately, depending on the amount you have invested.
➤ Path to British Citizenship: If you invest more than £5,000,000, you can apply for British citizenship after residing in Great Britain for five years. This makes the UK investor visa one of the swiftest routes to obtaining a UK passport.
In the UK, there are just a few restrictions on investors' professional activities:
➤ Without the necessary training and/or experience, they cannot practise medicine or dentistry in the UK.
➤ They are unable to make a living as professional athletes or coaches since those occupations need a different type of visa.
➤ No matter what their employment, individuals are not eligible to claim for social assistance.
➤ Age Requirement: Applicants must be over 18 years old.
➤ Financial Capacity: Access to £2 to £10 million or more.
➤ Bank Account: Funds must be held in a foreign or UK bank account that can be easily transferred to the UK.
➤ Proof of Legitimate Funds: If the funds have been held for less than 2 years, evidence of legal sourcing, such as inheritance or business dividends, must be provided.
➤ Spousal/Partner Funds: If using funds from a spouse or partner, a marriage certificate or evidence of living together is required, along with a sponsor's letter granting access to the funds.
➤ Investment Account: Opening an investment account in a regulated UK financial institution is mandatory, and a letter from an authorised bank official must be obtained.
➤ Background Checks: UK banks conduct background checks on all potential clients for the applicant's benefit.
➤ Criminal Record Certificate: A criminal record certificate covering the past 10 years and any country where the applicant resided for more than 12 months must be provided.
➤ Tuberculosis Test: Applicants from listed countries may be required to undergo a tuberculosis test for their Tier 1 Investor visa application.
The UK government is eager to bring in foreign capital for the real economy. As a result, investors who apply for a UK Tier 1 Investor Visa after March 29, 2019, may only invest in shares of companies with UK registrations.
After receiving your visa, you have three months to go to the UK, transfer money to a local investing account, and purchase shares in the firms of your choice.
The necessary bare minimum is £2,000,000. The greater it is, the quicker you'll be able to settle and become a British citizen.
➤ Within 90 days of obtaining your visa, you arrived in the UK and purchased shares of UK companies worth at least £2 million. Additionally, both you and any adult dependants accompanying you registered with the police within seven days of arrival.
➤ Since entering the UK, you have not withdrawn any funds from your investment portfolio. It is worth noting that if the value of your shares has fallen below £2,000,000 during this period, you are not required to top it up in order to extend your visa.
➤ Your spouse or partner, minor children, and any children who have turned 18 since arriving in the UK on your initial investor visa can apply to extend their visas alongside you.
➤ If you submitted your application before March 29, 2019, and invested in government bonds, you are eligible to extend your UK investor visa.
➤ If you initially applied under the previous regulations and invested £1,000,000, you can only extend your visa now if you invest an additional £1,000,000 in shares of UK-registered companies.
The process of preparing your application takes 1-2 weeks. We then submit it together with all accompanying documentation. To get your fingerprints and photo taken, all you have to do is visit a visa centre. In either 8 weeks (for regular service) or 5 working days (for expedited service), a decision will be made.
You can apply for ILR in the United Kingdom after 2, 3, or 5 years of nonstop residence here, depending on your investment (see the chart above). All of your family members, including your spouse, any children who are still minors, and any children who turned 18 since you first applied, can settle with you at the same time as long as they continue to depend on you financially.
➤ If you made an investment before 29 March 2019 and have government bonds in your portfolio, you must file a claim for settlement by 6 April 2025.
➤ You must submit an application for ILR before 6 April 2022 if you invested £1,000,000 before 6 November 2014 and have previously extended it a few times under the previous regulations. If for whatever reason you are unable to do so, you may still submit an application to settle, but only if you expand your investment portfolio to $2,000,000. Please keep in mind that a holding period of (2, 3 or 5 years) will begin anew in this scenario.
To apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR), you must demonstrate the following:
➤ Continuous presence in the UK: You need to provide evidence that you have remained in the UK without any breaks exceeding 180 days within a 12-month period since your initial entry.
➤ Financial stability: You should not have reduced your portfolio by withdrawing funds.
➤ English language proficiency: Both you and any adult dependants must have passed an English test at Level B1 or higher.
➤ Knowledge of life in the UK: You and all adult dependants must have successfully passed the Life in the UK test.
➤ Rights and privileges: Acquiring ILR grants you nearly the same rights as British citizens. Once you obtain settled status, you have the option to reclaim any funds you had provided as part of the application.
➤ Additionally, after one year, you can apply for naturalisation in the United Kingdom, which would allow you to obtain your first British passport.
British citizenship and passport eligibility depend on the amount of investment made and the duration of residence in the UK. If an investment of at least £5,000,000 is made, an application for a UK passport can be made after residing in the country for 5 years. If the investment is less than £2,000,000, an application for British citizenship can only be made after continuously residing in the British Isles for 6 years. However, regardless of the investment amount, naturalisation is only possible one year after settling in the UK.
To qualify, certain requirements must be met. During the 5-year period before applying, the total time spent outside the UK should not exceed 450 days, and in the last year, while in a settled status, absences should not exceed 90 days. Additionally, no criminal or civil offences should have been committed, and proficiency in spoken English and passing the Life in the UK test are necessary.
If all the aforementioned criteria are fulfilled, the application for British citizenship will be processed and decided upon within 6-8 weeks. Upon approval, a naturalisation certificate will be granted, which can then be used to apply for a UK passport.
