Applications for Indefinite Leave to Remain continue to be accepted until April 2025.
Tier 1 Entrepreneur Visa
Having worked with the Home Office for many years, XT 24 understands how carefully they will assess every application. If they deem that you do not meet the eligibility criteria, or if any of the requirements regarding the process or documentation have not been met, the application can be refused. Our team will work diligently to ensure that your applications are successful.
How do I apply to extend my Tier 1 Entrepreneur visa?
If you currently hold leave in the UK under the Tier 1 Entrepreneur category, you may apply to extend your leave for a further two years, subject to meeting the following requirements:
- You have registered as a director of a UK company or as a self-employed person within six months of entering the UK or being granted permission to stay in the UK under the Tier 1 Entrepreneur rules.
- You have created at least two full-time jobs for settled workers that have each existed for at least 12 months.
- You have invested no less than £200,000 (or £50,000 in certain specific circumstances) into your business(es) in the UK.
- You continue to be actively involved with the day-to-day management of the business and can demonstrate that you continue to be a genuine entrepreneur.
- You have sufficient funds available to maintain yourself and your family in the UK.
- You have applied before 6 April 2023.
If, as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, your business has been disrupted and you have not been able to meet the job creation requirements in full, you may still be eligible to apply for a discretionary extension under the Home Office’s coronavirus concessions.
What kind of activities can I undertake in the UK as a Tier 1 Entrepreneur?
As a Tier 1 Entrepreneur visa holder, you will only be permitted to work for the business (or businesses) that you have established, joined, or taken over, and may not take on other employment outside of your business(es). This includes anything that effectively amounts to employment, such as using your own business to hire out your labor to another employer. You are also permitted to study in the UK, subject to certain conditions.
Can I bring my family with me?
The Tier 1 Entrepreneur visa allows you to bring with you to the UK a dependent spouse or partner and any dependent children who are under the age of 18 at the time of the initial application.
How quickly can I become settled in the UK?
In most cases, you will become eligible to apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain in the UK (also known as settlement) after five years of continuous residence in the UK as a Tier 1 Entrepreneur visa holder.
To be eligible for Indefinite Leave to Remain, you must demonstrate that you continue to meet the extension requirements listed above, and the following additional requirements:
- You have spent a continuous period of five years in the UK and during this time have not been in breach of any UK immigration laws.
- You meet the requirements in relation to absences (you must not have been absent from the UK for more than 180 days in any continuous 12-month period during the relevant qualifying period).
- You have sufficient knowledge of the English language and have passed the Life in the UK test.
- You have applied before 6 April 2025.
Do I qualify for Accelerated Settlement?
You may be eligible to apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain after three years of continuous residence in the UK as a Tier 1 Entrepreneur visa holder if your business has achieved either of the following:
- You have created 10 new jobs for settled workers which have each lasted for 12 months.
- Your business has generated at least £5 million in income from business activity throughout the three years.
Note that dependent family members do not qualify for accelerated settlement. Your dependent family members must be continuously resident in the UK for five years before applying for Indefinite Leave to Remain.
For more information about us and our Corporate Immigration services, please contact a member of the XT 24 team who can answer any questions and guide you through the process.