Under the Tier 1 Investor route, the initial visa is granted for 3 years and 4 months (or for 3 years if processing a visa in the UK). With a Tier 1 Investor visa you may apply to extend your stay in the UK for a further 2 years under this visa category.
The Tier 1 Investor Visa extension application process is complex with strict criteria. The supporting documentation must be fully complete and accurate. The demands can be exacerbated if your supporting documentation has not been kept up to date. Delays in decision making or refusals can occur if the application is incomplete. The Home Office may need to interview you to discuss your application and your investment activity to date. Applications to extend visas must be made before expiry of the current visa.
As part of our Tier 1 Investor visa extension service, we will prepare your application for submission to the Home Office and guide you through the whole process. Our dedicated Immigration lawyers have an established reputation for providing expert, effective and efficient management and processing of Tier 1 visa extensions and applications and advice for UK settlement options.
Eligibility Criteria (extension application)
You may be able to extend your Tier 1 (Investor) visa provided that the following requirements are being met:
You must:
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provide evidence that your first entry to the country was within 30 days after your entry clearance was granted, and all adults were registered with the with Overseas Visitors Records Office within 7 days after arrival in the UK;
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evidence you didn’t have recourse to public funds;
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you should include any dependents who are on your current visa on your application to extend, including children who have turned 18 during your stay;
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investment funds requirement: £2,000,000 under your control in the UK - The immigration rules regarding the investment funds are complex and difficult to follow. The Home Office will refuse applications where enough evidence to prove the investment funds has not been provided. You will be required to prove that you invested the funds within 3 months of your ‘investor start date’.
Processing time:
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you should apply before your current visa expires;
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if you are in the UK, we encourage you to apply at least a month before your existing leave expires. If you apply much earlier than this, you risk having a shortfall in leave if you choose to apply for settlement;
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priority Service may be available for visa extension which should allow for a decision to be made within 10 working days;
- standard processing times for entry clearance applications is approximately 3 weeks. For the applications submitted from within in the UK, the current application processing time is approximately 8 weeks;
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you will be contacted if your application is complicated and can take longer if authorities want you to attend interview, verify your supporting documents, or due to personal circumstances e.g. criminal convictions.
