Citizenship and residency programs through investment
There are several immigration programs allowing citizenship in the UK:
1) The investor's program (Visa Tier 1);
2) Start-up Visa and Innovator Visa.
1. The investor's program (Visa Tier 1)
The residence permit for the category of investor is issued for the whole family (spouses and children under 18 years) for a period of 3 years and 4 months with a subsequent extension for 2 years.
The minimum period of residence in the UK for citizenship is 5 years.
The investor's visa gives the right to do business and work in the UK without restrictions. The investor also has the right to issue visas for his working personnel.
In order to qualify for an initial grant of leave in the category of Tier 1 the applicant must:
- Be 18 or over to apply for this visa;
- Be able to prove that the money belongs to either the Applicant or husband, wife, unmarried or same-sex partner;
- have opened an account with a UK regulated bank for the purposes of investing not less than £2 million in the UK.
If the Applicant was granted initial Tier 1 (Investor) entry clearance, leave to enter or leave to remain under the Rules in place on or after 6 November 2014, to extend the leave as a Tier 1 (Investor) Migrant, the Applicant must have 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.
If the Applicant was granted initial Tier 1 (Investor) entry clearance, leave to enter or leave to remain under the Rules in place on or after 29 March 2019, to extend the leave as a Tier 1 (Investor) Migrant the Applicant 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.
It should be noted that the purchase of real estate, as well as placing deposits in the bank for the specified amount is not an investment in the context of the immigration program.
2. Start-up Visa and Innovator Visa.
Those wanted to apply for resettlement in the UK might apply for an Innovator visa or a Start-up visa.
An Innovator visa holder may stay in the UK for 3 years term with possibility to extend it for another 3 years. The number of extensions is not limited. It is possible to apply for settlement (known as ‘indefinite leave to remain’) upon one has been in the UK for 5 years.
Innovator visa enables person to set up a business (or several businesses), or participate in a business-partnership or get involved as a solo-entrepreneur and bring its family members (‘dependants’) with.
One might apply for an innovator visa if the following conditions are met:
- An applicant is at least 18 years old and has met English language requirements (citizens of some countries are exempt from language requirement);
- Has at least £50,000 in investment funds;
- His/ her business or business idea was assessed by an approved body and granted with an endorsement letter;
- Has enough personal savings for living while one is residing in the UK;
- It is possible to form a team with other Innovator applicants, but it is not allowed to share the same investment funds (£50,000 per each Innovator applicant)
A start-up Visa offers live in the UK for 2 years. Person cannot apply for extention of this visa. However, a start-up visa holder may progress to the Innovator category.
A person may work for its own business or working in another job. The applicant does not need to be the sole founder of the business and may be a member of an entrepreneurial team. It is possible also to bring family members with.
Eligibility requirements:
- an applicant has got an innovative, viable and scalable business idea which is supported by an endorsing body (this is not applicable if an applicant was in the Tier 1 (Graduate Entrepreneur) category and the endorsement is from the same endorsing body);
- the requirements of age, language level command and personal savings are equal as for Innovator category.
Please contact us for more information.
