The Tier 1 Entrepreneur visa is for business persons looking to establish or take over one or more existing businesses in the United Kingdom. Applicants who apply under the Tier 1 Entrepreneur route must invest at least £200,000 of their own money in at least one business in the United Kingdom in accordance with the Home Office Immigration Rules and Policy Guidance. Following on from the investment the business must be actively trading and there must be evidence of direct involvement from the Applicant in the business. Applicants who meet the leave to remain requirements can apply for an extension of leave under the Tier 1 Entrepreneur category or accelerated settlement (indefinite leave to remain) if they can meet some additional requirements (see below).
What is the Tier 1 Entrepreneur accelerated settlement?
The accelerated settlement scheme allows Applicants to apply for settlement also known as indefinite leave to remain after 3 years of holding leave under the Tier 1 Entrepreneur category. Under the normal route to settlement, Applicants would have to hold leave for a period of 5 years prior to applying for settlement. The Tier 1 Entrepreneur accelerated settlement scheme is for the most successful entrepreneurs. There are additional requirements which must be met in order to apply for accelerated settlement.
How to apply for Tier 1 Entrepreneur accelerated settlement?
To apply for Tier 1 Entrepreneur accelerated settlement Applicants must meet the normal requirements for settlement for such applications and also a few additional requirements to fully benefit from the 3-year route to settlement. In order to apply for settlement, Applicants must provide evidence of their business activity and show that they have invested at least £200,000 in one or more businesses. Applicants must also provide evidence that they meet the English language, maintenance requirements and have sufficient knowledge about life in the UK by passing an acceptable test at a Home Office approved test provider.
Applicants can apply for Tier 1 Entrepreneur accelerated settlement if they wish to apply for settlement after 3 years and meet the additional requirements. In order to qualify for the accelerated settlement, Applicants must show that their business activity has caused a minimum income of £5 million in the first 3 years of their visa. There is no specific requirement to whether the income must from a newly established business or an existing business that the Applicant has taken over. If an Applicant has taken over an existing business there must an increase of £5 million in gross income.
In the alternative, Applicants can also apply for accelerated settlement if they have created the equivalent of 10 new full-time jobs for persons settled in the UK or have taken over a business and have resulted in a net increase of employment provided by the business for persons settled in the UK creating the equivalent of 10 new full-time jobs for the 3 year period. Applicants applying for settlement will need to provide all the necessary documentation to evidence that they have met the settlement requirements. In all cases, Applicants should supply the required evidence of investment and job creation. Applicants applying for accelerated settlement will also need to provide additional evidence to show that they meet at least one of the two accelerated settlement routes.
Using Legal Representation to submit a successful Tier 1 Entrepreneur Accelerated Settlement application
Legal representatives, such as our specialist immigration and visa lawyers, are qualified to advise you on immigration law and your immigration matter. You can instruct one of our immigration and visa legal representatives to successfully assist you with a Tier 1 Entrepreneur accelerated settlement application. Our Solicitors and Barristers will help you comply with the Home Office’s requirements and meet the Immigration Rules.
Caseworkers at the Home Office are trained to reject visa applications which are improperly prepared, for example by failing to provide the correct supporting evidence. In order to ensure your Tier 1 Entrepreneur accelerated settlement application succeeds, our solicitors and barristers will ensure all specified documents must be provided.
The UK Immigration Rules are complex and a legal representative can help ensure that your application meets the Immigration Rules.
Successfully submit a Tier 1 Entrepreneur Accelerated Settlement application
Our team of solicitors and barristers are specialist immigration lawyers who act in your best interest. We offer a client-tailored approach from the outset. From the very first meeting, we will be able to advise you in respect of your prospects of submitting a Tier 1 Entrepreneur accelerated settlement application before your application even reaches the Home Office UK Visa & Immigration department. We can assist you with the preparation and submission of a Tier 1 Entrepreneur accelerated settlement application and ensure that you meet all the requirements of the relevant rules.
We are based in the legal epicentre of London, just across the road from the Royal Courts of Justice in order to ensure we get the best results for our clients. We are minutes away from the Immigration and Asylum Tribunal, the Royal Courts of Justice and other central London courts.
Preparation is the key to a successful Tier 1 Entrepreneur accelerated settlement application. Our UK immigration and visa solicitors are here to guide you through the complex immigration rules and requirements. If you wish to meet one of our lawyers, please call our Immigration Team so we can assess your case and arrange your legal consultation to discuss your immigration matter or application.