UK Investor Visa Extension

The first investor visa you are issued by the Home Office is valid for 3 years and 4 months. Provided you meet certain eligibility criteria, you may be able to extend your stay in the UK on this visa for an extra 2 years.

In 2019, new rules were effected regarding investor visa extension, setting more stringent requirements for extension applications than the original visa application. Thus, the investor visa extension process is now highly involved and requires you to submit extensive documentation as evidence of your investment activity in the UK.

Failure to provide comprehensive evidence of your activities in the UK may lead to delay or outright denial of your extension application. Hence, it is essential that you keep all your documents up to date and get advice from expert immigration attorneys to guide you through the hurdles.

Page Contents

• Tier 1 Investor Visa Extension
• Eligibility Criteria for Investor Visa Extension
• Settlement through investor visa extension
• Requirements to apply for ILR
• Supporting Documents needed for UK investor Visa Extension
• How to extend your visa
• Visa extension processing times
• Application Costs
• How Can Total Law Help?
• Frequently Asked Questions

What does it mean for funds to be under your control?

When applying for a UK investor visa extension, you must provide evidence that you have invested a certain minimum account in trading UK-registered companies and that these funds are under your control. This implies that:

• The money belongs to you or your partner, or both of you together; OR
• The money was loaned to you by a UK-regulated financial institution, and you have personal assets of at least £2 million.

If you were granted your visa before 6th November 2014, you are not allowed to mix the two funding sources. All of the money much be yours or from a loan. If your visa was granted on or after the 6th of November 2014, all the money you invested must be yours or your partner’s.

Investor start date requirement

Investor start date refers to the day you entered the UK for the first time on an investor visa or the day your investor visa was issued to you in the UK after switching from a different visa category. Before applying for an extension, you must provide evidence of when you invested your money.

As part of your application, you must provide investment portfolio reports issued by a UK-regulated financial institution. These documents must show that:

• You invested the required amount in the required investments (depending on when your visa was granted) within three months of your investor start date
• You maintained the level of investment throughout your time in the UK

A major advantage of extending your investor visa is that it offers you a path towards settlement in the UK. After five years of living in the UK, you will qualify to apply for indefinite leave to remain (ILR) in the UK. However, you may qualify to apply for ILR earlier than five years if you invest higher amounts.

Before applying for ILR, you must meet the residence requirements. Your qualifying period starts on the date your initial application for an investor visa was approved. Any time spent on a different visa in the UK will not count towards the residence requirements. You may begin your application for ILR at most 28 days before you reach the qualifying period.

When applying for a UK investor visa extension, you will need to provide the following supporting documents which include:

• A valid travel document, such as a passport. A blank page in your passport is required for your visa
• Your tuberculosis test results if you’re from a country where you have to take the test
• A criminal history certificate from any country you have visited for a total of 12 months or longer over the last 10 years
• Investment portfolio reports prepared by a UK-licenced financial institution demonstrate that you have completed the qualifying criteria for investments and have kept your investments in place during your visa

Any documents that aren’t written in English or Welsh must be translated and certified.

To apply for a UK investor visa extension, you must apply online. When you apply, you will be required to schedule an appointment at a UK Visa and Citizenship Application Services (UKVCAS) service centre to submit your biometric data (your fingerprints and a photo).

Also, you must send your supporting documentation. You can upload them into the UK online service or scan them at your UKVCAS appointment.

Until you receive a decision, you cannot leave the United Kingdom, Ireland, the Channel Islands, or the Isle of Man. Doing so will result in the withdrawal of your application.

Generally, you should expect a decision from UK Visa & Immigration regarding your Tier 1 Investor visa extension application within 8 weeks of the application’s submission date if you use their basic service. In most cases, you will receive a decision within five working days of your UKVCAS appointment if you submit your application using the priority service.

Applicants must pay the following fees in order to extend their UK Investor Visa:

• Visa extension fee: £1,623
• Immigration healthcare surcharge: £624 yearly
• Biometric information fee: £19.20

The priority decision service, which costs £500, is available if you want your application to be decided on more quickly. However, this service is optional and not compulsory.