Here at Augustine Clement we believe that all clients should be fully informed with the procedure relating to their immigration application every step of the way. We strive to provide information to our clients that is clear, concise and instructive. With this in mind we have produced the following short guide to allow clients to understand the process relating to a Tier 1 (Entrepreneur) route to obtaining a visa.
The Entrepreneur route to obtaining a visa will involve an applicant having access to investment funds of either £200,000, or investment funds to the sum of £50,000 which is held in a venture capitalist firm and/or one or more UK government departments and/or a UK entrepreneurial seed funding competitions endorsed on the UK Trade & Investment website.
In all cases the funds must be held in a regulated financial institution and be freely disposable in the United Kingdom. To prove this and all of the above the necessary evidence as required by UKBA will need to be submitted.
There are two further requirements to be met. Firstly, the applicant must be able to speak English to the necessary standard; secondly, the applicant must have sufficient funds to be able to support him/herself whilst in the United Kingdom.
This is of course a very basic explanation of the Tier 1(Entrepreneur) route to entry into the United Kingdom. For a more comprehensive explanation please refer to the Tier 1 (Entrepreneur) Comprehensive guide we have published.
Initial application Summary
If you are applying to enter the UK under Tier 1 (Entrepreneur), or to switch into Tier 1 (Entrepreneur) from another immigration category, the table below shows how you can score points.
| Access to investment funds | |
| You have access to not less than £200,000
or You have access to not less than £50,000 from:
|
25 points |
| These funds are held in One or more regulated financial institutions | 25 points |
| These funds are disposable (free to spend) in the UK | 25 points |
| You can speak English to the required standard | 10 points |
| Maintenance | |
| You have enough money to support yourself while you are in the UK | 10 points |
If at any time, you no longer have access to these funds your permission to stay in the United Kingdom may be cancelled unless you have spent the money on establishing or running your business which does not include payments you have received from the business.
It is important to show evidence of the investment money form a credible source. The Entry Clearance Officer of the Home Office official will not accept evidence of your money from a financial institution that they are unable to make satisfactory verification checks.