Since 29 March 2019 the UK Tier 1 Entrepreneur visa category no longer exists for new applicants. Businesspeople may be able to come under the new UK innovator visa scheme. Businesses and business owners should consider whether it may be possible to come under the Tier 2 sponsorship licence scheme or representative of an overseas business or Turkish businessperson visa.
Details on the Tier 1 Investor visa and Tier 1 Exceptional Talent visa can be found in our Tier 1 visa section. For other UK business visas which are not included in the 5 Tier system please see below.
UK Business Visas
The following business visa categories are increasingly important. It seems that more and more UK visa categories will no longer be part of the UK Tier based visa scheme.
UK Innovator visa is for experienced businesspeople coming to the UK to set up an innovative, viable and scaleable business in the UK. You also need to have an endorsement which may make it more difficult in some respects to the previous Tier 1 Entrepreneur visa category. One advantage compared to the old Tier 1 Entrepreneur visa scheme is that the investment requirement is now £50,000, whereas previously in most cases it was £200,000.
- UK Start Up visa will be replacing the Tier 1 Graduate Entrepreneur visa scheme and is for less experienced business people. This visa scheme is replacing the Tier 1 Graduate Entrepreneur visa scheme.
Sole Representative of an Overseas Business visa For businesspeople coming to the UK to set up the first UK branch or subsidiary of an overseas company. The representative must be a senior employee of the overseas company, but must not be a major shareholder. The UK business must be wholly owned by the overseas company.
This visa also allows overseas journalists on long-term assignment to enter the UK.
This is a long term visa which can lead to Indefinite Leave to Remain in the UK.
Turkish Businessperson visa For Turkish nationals coming to the UK to establish a new business or to help run an existing one. Businesspeople on this visa cannot work in another job in the UK. This is a long term visa which can lead to Indefinite Leave to Remain in the UK.
Businesspeople can enter the UK for a limited time as business visitors. In some cases the Van der Elst visa or permitted paid engagement visa may be worth considering.
UK visa information, help, and advice
Workpermit.com has over thirty years of experience in immigration services, and have helped thousands of people to study and work in the UK. Workpermit.com and its associated companies represent clients in compliance with Section 84 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999. In some cases we can submit your UK visa application to the Home Office to be dealt with on the same day.
For more information and advice on UK immigration law and UK visa applications please contact us on 0344 991 9222 or at london@workpermit.com
