UK Business Visa

Immigrating to the UK in order to pursue business interests is possible through a number of immigration services which allow people to migrate to the UK in order to start a business, invest in a business, become self employed, or pursue an innovative idea in Great Britain.

In addition, foreign companies with no presence in the United Kingdom may send a sole representative to the country in order to establish a British branch or subsidiary.

The sections in this page of the site will discuss in detail the various UK business visa services available.

You can begin your application and find out whether you qualify by visiting the Global Visas online assessment area today. 

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Tier 1 - Entrepreneur

The Tier 1 Entrepreneur visa is for foreign nationals applying to immigrate to the UK based on a substantial investment, by starting or assuming control of a UK business without having the need for a sponsor. However, applicants still need to reach a specified points-limit based on both general Tier 1 visa requirements and more specific criteria.

Proficiency in the English Language is an important factor. The language requirement requires a pass mark of ten and candidates must be able to demonstrate one of the following.

A candidate immigrating to the UK must be able to financially support him/herself and must be able to support any dependents whom might accompany them.

Like the English language requirement, this criterion has a pass mark of ten which must be met in order for an application to proceed. The required amount for the main applicant is £2800, for the first dependent the required amount is 2/3 of the sum for the main applicant with any dependents thereafter requiring 1/3.

Tier 1 - Investor

The Tier 1 Investor visa is designed for those who intend to make a substantial investment in the UK.

Although this is also a requirement of the entrepreneur category, the investment sum for those in this category is much larger and no requirements to engage in business activities are in place.

For these reasons proficiency in the English language is deemed unnecessary as is the mandatory requirement that applicants must be able to financially support both themselves and their dependents.

By definition those investing sufficient funds to pass the requirements do not need to undergo a maintenance test.

Tier 2 - Work Permits

Tier 2 work permits are designed for medium and highly skilled workers immigrating to the UK and require applicants to have a confirmed offer of employment with a British company.

Applying for a tier 2 visa is an employer led process with the sponsoring company applying on behalf of the candidate. However, like all tiers of the new system, candidates will be assessed against a points test, in this case with a 50-point minimum pass mark. All applicants will be required to meet this threshold in order to qualify.

Like Entrepreneur and Investor visas, the Tier 2 work permit offers the long-term possibility of permanent residency in the UK. Although the tier 2 permit is not in itself a permanent residency visa, candidates living and working in the UK for the minimum residency requirement of five years may be able to apply for indefinite leave to remain in the UK (ILR). Beyond this, a candidate may choose to undergo British Naturalisation as a UK citizen.

Tier 2 Intra Company Transfers

Tier 2 Intra-Company Transfers (ICT's) allow multi-national employers to transfer overseas employees to fill a specific position which they have been unable to fill from the local resident workforce.

Applying for an Intra-Company Transfer work permit allows non-citizens to work in a country in a specific role for a specific company for an agreed period.

For this type of work permit candidates need to have been employed by the overseas branch of the company for a period of six months or more prior to the application and must demonstrate that the candidate has the relevant knowledge and experience to fulfil the role.

Depending on the country you are applying for, applications must be made either by the sponsoring company or employee themselves.

How Global Visas can help

As a specialist UK immigration consultancy, Global Visas can help you to assess which British immigration service is the most appropriate for your relocation to the UK.

We can help you to navigate the wide range of UK visas and working permits available in order to determine which is the most appropriate for your needs. Whether you require a temporary visitor visa to visit Britain on a short-term basis, or a longer-term immigration solution, our immigration consultants can provide immigration lawyer advice through your UK visa application.

A Global Visas immigration consultant can manage your case from your initial inquiry through to providing you with a comprehensive range of on arrival services to help you adjust to living and working in Britain.

Our online assessment area makes it easy to get started on your business visa application. Simply answer a few straight forward questions and a Global Visas migration consultant will contact you. 

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Every month we provide thousands of free assessments, let us help you today!