Tier 1 Investor Visa

The Tier 1 investor category is designed to allow high net worth individuals to make a substanial financial investment in the United Kingdom.

Unlike work permits (soon to be replaced by sponsored workers - Tier 2), you do not need a job offer to apply under the investor category. When you apply you are awarded points based on your ability to invest £1,000,000 in the United Kingdom.

Who can apply for the Tier 1 Investor Visa?

You can apply under the investor category now if you are:

• in the United Kingdom and want to make an initial application as an investor (known as switching);


• already in the United Kingdom as a tier 1 investor or as an investor under the former category, and want to extend your permission to stay within the tier 1 investor category;


• applying for permission to enter the United Kingdom (known as 'entry clearance') under the investor category.

How do I qualify for the Tier 1 Investor Visa?

To apply under Tier 1 of the points-based system and be accepted into the investor category, you must pass a points-based assessment. You must score 75 points for your attributes, which are access to £1,000,000 that is disposable and in a financial institution, or £2,000,000 in personal assets and £1,000,000 in a loan.

Who can apply?

You can apply if you are a not a national of the European Economic Area (EEA) or Switzerland and want to enter or stay in the United Kingdom under the investor category.

You can apply if you are:

• in the United Kingdom and want to make an initial application for the investor category;


• already in the United Kingdom under the former investor category and want to extend your permission to stay within the tier 1 investor category;


• already in the United Kingdom in the tier 1 investor category and want to extend your permission to stay in your existing category;


• applying from outside the United Kingdom for permission to enter (known as 'entry clearance') in the investor category.

The Immigration categories from which you can switch into the investor category:

If you are in the United Kingdom and wish to stay as an investor, you will need to be sure that you can switch into this category.Switching into this category is allowed if you currently hold leave in the following categories:

• Any other Tier 1 category


• Any Tier 2 category


• any Tier 4 category


• Highly Skilled Migrant Programme


• Businessperson


• Innovator


• Student (under the Immigration Rules that were in force until March 2009)


• Student Nurse


• Student Re-sitting an Examination


• Student Writing Up a Thesis


• Work Permit Holder


• Writer, Composer or Artist


• Investor