Business and Study Visas

Tier 1 (Entrepreneur) visa

Conditions for the visa:

  • set up or run a business in the UK
  • from outside the European Economic Area (EEA) and Switzerland
  • meet the other eligibility requirements
  • have access to at least £50,000 investment funds to apply.

Tier 1 (Entrepreneur) visa is for a maximum of 3 years and 4 months.  The applicant can apply to extend this visa for another 2 years if already in this category and 3 years if switching to it from another category.

The applicant may be able to apply for settlement (known as ‘indefinite leave to remain’) once in the UK for 5 years.

The applicant can:

  • set up or take over the running of one business or more
  • work for business, including being self-employed, but should check work meets the conditions of being self-employed
  • bring family members

The applicant cannot:

  • do any work outside the business,
  • get public funds

Tier 1 (Graduate Entrepreneur) visa

Conditions for the visa:

  • a graduate who has been officially endorsed as having a genuine and credible business idea
  • from outside the European Economic Area (EEA) and Switzerland
  • meet the other eligibility criteria

The applicant must be endorsed by either:

  • the Department for International Trade (DIT) as part of the elite global graduate entrepreneur programme (Sirius)
  • a UK higher education institution (HEI) if it’s an authorised endorsing body

The applicant can stay in the UK for one year on Tier 1 (Graduate Entrepreneur) visa. The applicant can apply to extend this visa for one more year.

The applicant can:

  • bring family members
  • extend his / her stay in the UK using this visa
  • switch into this visa from some other visa categories

The applicant can’t:

  • get public funds
  • work as a doctor or dentist in training
  • work as a professional sportsperson, for example, a sports coach
  • settle in the UK on this visa

Tier 1 (Investor) visa

Conditions for the visa:

  • the applicant wants to invest £2,000,000 or more in the UK
  • from outside the European Economic Area (EEA) and Switzerland
  • the applicant meets the other eligibility requirements
  • The applicant must have access to at least £2,000,000 in investment funds to apply.

The applicant can come to the UK with a Tier 1 (Investor) visa for a maximum of 3 years and 4 months. The applicant can apply to extend this visa for another 2 years.

The applicant can:

  • invest £2,000,000 or more in UK government bonds, share capital or loan capital in active and trading UK registered companies
  • work or study
  • apply to settle after 2 years if the applicant invests £10 million
  • apply to settle after 3 years if the applicant invests £5 million

The applicant can’t:

  • invest in companies mainly engaged in property investment, property management or property development
  • work as a professional sportsperson or sports coach
  • get public funds

Short-term study visa

The eligibility conditions are

  • doing a short course of study in the UK
  • from outside the European Economic Area (EEA) and Switzerland
  • meet the other eligibility requirements

The applicant needs a Standard Visitor visa if e an academic visitor.

The applicant cannot apply if he qualifies for British citizenship – including if the applicant can have dual nationality. The applicant must apply for British citizenship instead.

The applicant can:

  • do a short course of study in the UK, such as an English language course or a training course
  • do a short period of research as part of a degree course if the applicant is studying abroad

The applicant cannot:

  • study at a state-funded school
  • work (including on a work placement or work experience) or carry out any business
  • extend this visa
  • bring family members (‘dependents’) with the applicant – they must apply separately
  • get public funds

The applicant can stay in the UK for:

6 months – for any short course (including English language courses), or short period of research if 16 or over

11 months – if  16 or over and taking an English language course

Tier 4 (Child) student visa

The eligibility conditions are

aged between 4 and 17 and the applicant wants to study at an independent school in the UK.

have a place on a course

  • have the consent of his / her parent or guardian
  • have enough money to cover his / her course fees and living costs
  • be from a country that’s not in the European Economic Area (EEA) or Switzerland
  • meet the eligibility requirements

There will be no change to the rights and status of EU nationals living in the UK, nor UK nationals living in the EU, while the UK remains in the EU.

His / her age and the length of his / her course of study will affect how long the applicant can stay.

Age when the applicant applies       How long the applicant can stay

Under 16                                               Course lengths (up to 6 years) plus 4 months afterwards

16 or 17                                                  Course lengths (up to 3 years) plus 4 months afterwards

The applicant can:

  • study at an independent school
  • apply from outside the UK
  • apply to extend his / her stay

The applicant can also work, 16 or over:

  • part-time during the term for up to 10 hours per week
  • full-time during vacations
  • on a work placement as part of his / her course, (but not for more than 50% of his / her course time)
  • as a student union sabbatical officer for up to 2 years

The applicant can’t:

  • study at an academy or a local authority-funded school (also known as a maintained school) or further education college
  • get public funds
  • take a full-time permanent job or be self-employed
  • work as a doctor or dentist in training
  • work as a professional sportsperson (for example a sports coach) or entertainer
  • settle in the UK on this visa
  • bring in family members (‘dependents’) – if his / her parents want to accompany, they’ll need to apply for a Parent of a Tier 4 (Child) visa

Tier 4 (General) student visa

The eligibility conditions are

  • 16 or over and:
  • have been offered a place on a course
  • can speak, read, write and understand English
  • have enough money to support his / herself and pay for his / her course – the amount will vary depending on his / her circumstances
  • are from a country that’s not in the European Economic Area (EEA) or Switzerland
  • meet the other eligibility requirements

How long the applicant can stay depends on the kind of course and what study is already completed.

The applicant can:

  • study
  • work as a student union sabbatical officer
  • apply from inside or outside the UK
  • apply to extend his / her stay
  • work in most jobs – depending on what level his / her course is and what kind of sponsor the applicant has

The applicant can’t:

  • get public funds
  • work in certain jobs, for example, professional sportsperson or sports coach
  • study at an academy or a local authority-funded school (also known as a maintained school)

The applicant may be able to bring in family members (dependents).

Important Notice- See the Disclaimer and our Term of Use above Brexit Legal, McMahon Legal and Paul McMahon have no liability arising from reliance on anything contained in this article nor on this website

Contact McMahon Legal