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.

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.

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.

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.