Tier 1 Visa

One can apply for a Tier 1 (Entrepreneur) visa if he/she is a non EU national or the applicant want to run a business in the UK.

To apply for this visa the applicant must have access to at least £50,000 investment funds. One should meet the English language requirements as well.

Fees

How much you pay for a Tier 1 (Entrepreneur) visa depends on your situation, where you are and how you apply.

Who you’re applying for	Apply online or by post	Apply in person in the UK	Apply in person outside the UK
You	£1,051	£1,426	£840
You (if you’re from Croatia, Turkey or Macedonia)	£946	£1,321	756
Partner or child under 18 (applying at the same time as you)	£788 each person	£1,163 each person	£840 each person
Partner or child under 18 (applying later), or child aged over 18	£1,051 each person	£1,426 each person	£840 each person

People can stay for a maximum period of 3 years and 4 months on Tier 1 Visa and can be extended for another 3 years if they are switching from another category and 2 years if they are already in this category.

This visa allows you to run 1 or more businesses and to bring your family. However you are not permitted to do work other than your business.

Exceptions

You won’t need to prove your knowledge of English if you’re a national of one of the following countries:

• Antigua and Barbuda
• Australia
• the Bahamas
• Barbados
• Belize
• Canada
• Dominica
• Grenada
• Guyana
• Jamaica
• New Zealand
• St Kitts and Nevis
• St Lucia
• St Vincent and the Grenadines
• Trinidad and Tobago
• USA

Students with financial sponsorship

You may be able to apply for a Tier 1 (Entrepreneur) visa if you’re already in the UK and you’re any of the following:

• A Tier 4 visa holder
• A student sabbatical officer
• An overseas qualified nurse
• A postgraduate dentist
• A student nurse
• Studying, writing up a thesis or re-sitting an exam

You must have written consent from your financial sponsor to re-enter or remain in the UK without any conditions if your course fees and living costs have been paid for by a government or international scholarship agency.

Required Documents

One needs to provide the following documents:

• A valid passport or other equivalent travel identification
• A digital colored photograph of passport size
• Your proof of the investment funds
• Proof of sufficient funds during your stay
• Evidence that you meet the English language requirement
• Proof of your investment funds (e.g. bank statements)
• Medical checkup reports
• Translated documents if any are not in English.

You may need to provide additional documents depending on your circumstances.

If you make your application form outside the UK - you’ll need £3,100 and if you are making the application in the UK - you’ll need £900.

Your personal savings must have been in your bank account for 90 consecutive days before you apply.

Applying from outside the UK

If you are applying from outside the UK you will need to have your biometric information (fingerprints and photograph) taken at a visa application center as part of your application.

The time period you get the Visa may depends upon the country from which you are applying.

It is not possible to apply through online from Cuba, North Korea and Zimbabwe.

Apply in the UK

If you are applying from UK you should apply before your current visa expires.

For this you need to prove that you’ve been working as a director of a business or you are a self-employed prior 3 months you apply. You must have created minimum two full time posts that have existed for minimum one year.

You must have invested either £200,000 in cash into one or more UK businesses. If you’re initial application was based on having funds from an approved funding source you can invest £50,000.

To extent your visas you must reside in UK and mandatorily include any dependants who are on your current visa.

A maximum period of eight months is needed to take a decision on your application. In case if your application is complex and will take longer, you will be informed regarding the same.

Switch to this visa

You may be able to switch to a Tier 1 (Entrepreneur) visa.

You should apply before your current visa expires.

You can apply to switch to this visa if you meet the eligibility requirements and you’re already in the UK under one of the following categories:

• Tier 1 (General)
• Tier 1 (Investor)
• Tier 1 (Post-study work)
• Tier 1 (Graduate entrepreneur)
• Business person
• Innovator
• Highly Skilled Migrant Programme
• Work permit holder
• Self-employed lawyer
• Writer, composer or artist
• Investor
• International Graduates Scheme (or its predecessor, the Science & Engineering Graduate Scheme)

Children born while you’re in the UK

If you give birth to a child or children while you’re in the UK, you can apply for permission for them to stay. This is a must especially if your want to make trips throughout the UK with your child.