Entrepreneur visa (Tier 1)

Overview

You can apply for a Tier 1 (Entrepreneur) visa if:

You must have access to at least £50,000 investment funds to apply.

How long it takes to get a visa

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.

You can check the guide processing times to find out how long getting a visa might take in your country.

Fees

How much you pay for a Tier 1 (Entrepreneur) visa depends on your situation and where you apply from.

Who you’re applying for Apply (outside the UK) Extend or switch (in the UK)
You £1,021 £1,277
You (if you’re from Turkey or Macedonia) £966 £1,222
All dependants £1,021 each person £1,277 each person

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.

If you’re applying to extend or switch in the UK

You’ll need to pay £19.20 to have your biometric information (fingerprints and a photo) taken.

How long you can stay

You can come to the UK with a Tier 1 (Entrepreneur) visa for a maximum of 3 years and 4 months.

You can apply to extend this visa for another 2 years if you’re already in this category and 3 years if you’re switching to it from another category.

You may be able to apply for settlement (known as ‘indefinite leave to remain’) once you’ve been in the UK for 5 years.

What you can and cannot do

You can:

You cannot:

  • do any work outside your business, for example work where you’re employed by another business
  • get public funds
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