Investor visa (Tier 1)
Overview
You can apply for a Tier 1 (Investor) visa if:
- you want to invest £2,000,000 or more in the UK
- you’re from outside the European Economic Area (EEA) and Switzerland
- you meet the other eligibility requirements
You must have access to at least £2,000,000 in investment funds to apply.
How long it will take
The earliest you can apply is 3 months before you travel.
Example You can apply from 16 March if you plan to travel on 15 June.
You should get a decision on your visa within 3 weeks.
Check the guide processing times to find out how long getting a visa might take in your country.
Fees
You must pay £1,623 to apply for a Tier 1 (Investor) visa. The fee is the same if you’re extending or switching visas, or if you’re applying as a family member.
Healthcare surcharge
You’ll also have to pay the healthcare surcharge as part of your application. Check how much you’ll have to pay before you apply.
Get a faster decision on your application
If you’re applying to extend or switch in the UK you can pay an extra £500 for the priority service to get a decision within 5 working days.
How long you can stay
You can come to the UK with a Tier 1 (Investor) visa for a maximum of 3 years and 4 months.
You can apply to extend this visa for another 2 years.
What you can and cannot do
You can:
- work or study
- apply to settle after 2 years if you invest £10 million
- apply to settle after 3 years if you invest £5 million
- apply to settle after 5 years if you invest £2 million
You cannot:
- work as a professional sportsperson or sports coach
- get public funds
You also cannot work as a doctor or dentist in training unless one of the following applies:
- you have a primary degree at bachelors level or above in medicine or dentistry from a UK institution that holds a Tier 4 sponsor licence or is a UK recognised or listed body
- you worked as a doctor or dentist in training the last time you were in the UK
- neither of those conditions were part of the terms and conditions on a previous visa