Tier 1 (Investor)

The Tier 1 (Investor) category was closed to new applicants from 17 February 2022. If you had been considering the Tier 1 (Investor) visa, there are a range of other immigration options which may be suitable and we would be happy to discuss potential options with you. If you held a Tier 1 Investor visa in the last 12 months, you may still be able to apply to be readmitted onto the route.

For those who already hold a Tier 1 Investor visa, they can continue on their investor visa but there are some important recent changes which they should be aware of. Deadlines (called ‘sunset clauses’) are in place for those already holding investor status of 17 February 2026 for extension applications and 17 February 2028 for settlement (indefinite leave to remain) applications.

Our service and fees

We have a long established practice working with Tier 1 investors. We played an active role in consulting with the government on the development of the programme and, as such, are well placed to advise active Tier 1 investors.

This visa has been available for migrants who have £2 million to invest in the UK and offers a path to settlement in the UK.

We can help you understand your options, provide you with comprehensive advice on extension and settlement applications and guide you through the process. We will work with you to ensure you are set up to remain compliant with your visa and ultimately meet your UK immigration goals.

It is very important that you take proper tax advice as early as possible. We work closely with our tax team who can help you understand the UK system and advise on what steps you should take and when. Together, we co-ordinate the tax and immigration aspects in a way which best suits you.

When we are instructed on a Tier 1 Investor visa, we begin by understanding your long term immigration goals. This enables us to provide strategic advice at the outset so you reach your ultimate goal as soon as possible.

The Tier 1 Investor visa is subject to a number of set criteria and it is important to ensure you are best placed to meet these on an on-going basis. Failure to do so can be fatal to future applications to remain in the UK so this planning is critical.

We will advise you on the process, documentation and requirements of the visa. We work directly with wealth managers, banks and other advisers so your application can be prepared as efficiently as possible. We recognise that investors lead very busy lives and may need a service where most of the work is handled for you. On the other hand, you may want to be actively involved in the process. We tailor our service to your needs.

Our extensive experience dealing with investor visas, stretching back more than 20 years, has equipped us well to deal with the full range of applications. We can assist in complex cases as well as more straightforward matters where the most important thing is ensuring on-going immigration planning is properly conducted. Our aim is to make sure you are well placed to continue your journey as a Tier 1 Investor.

Recent examples of work

• Advising and assisting a high net worth individual who wished to obtain settlement in the UK after two years. We successfully obtained Tier 1 (Investor) status for him under the accelerated indefinite leave to remain route, requiring an investment of £10 million.
• Advising a private wealth management firm in relation to the applicability of the Tier 1 (Investor) ‘sunset clauses’ on the investments of its clients
• Advising a high profile celebrity on submission of a Tier 1 (Investor) extension application from outside the UK
• Advising a wealth manager on the rules surrounding withdrawing interest accrued and dividends declared from a qualifying investment
• Issuing Judicial Review proceedings for a client experiencing unreasonable delays in consideration of his and his family’s indefinite leave to remain applications based on leave as a Tier 1 (Investor)

For more information about our immigration services please contact Nicolas Rollason at nrollason@kingsleynapley.co.uk or a member of the team.