Investor Visa Extension

How to extend your Investor Visa

You can extend your Investor Visa by submitting an application demonstrating how you meet the criteria for an extension.

If you are granted an Investor Visa (also known as the Tier 1 Investor Visa) to come to the UK, it will be issued for three years and four months initially. It is possible to extend it by two further years if you meet the eligibility criteria.

However, recent changes to the renewal process have meant that it is more difficult than ever to extend the Investor Visa.

The process required in extending your Investor Visa can be complex and requires extensive supporting documentation to demonstrate why your visa should be renewed.

You must provide comprehensive information demonstrating how you meet the eligibility criteria or your application may be refused.

Our expert immigration lawyers are highly experienced in working with high-net-worth individuals who want to invest in the UK. One of our immigration lawyers can work with you to assess your investment options and eligibility for an Investor Visa extension.

Your lawyer will also prepare a Letter of Representation outlining the merits of your case to support your application. With IAS, applying for an Investor Visa extension is made simple.

You can also get in touch with our London, Manchester, or Birmingham immigration lawyers, or use the office finder to find the closest branch to you. We look forward to supporting you with your case.

Call 0330 828 4126 to speak to one of our professional advisers today.

Who can apply for an Investor Visa extension?

Due to changes to the Investor Visa rules, who can apply for an extension depends on when they were initially granted the visa.

Visa granted before 6^th November 2014

If your visa was issued before this date, you can extend your visa if you meet the following conditions:

• Hold at least £1 million under your control in the UK
• Invested at least £750,000 (or 75%) in UK government bonds, share or loan capital in active UK companies
• Invested the sum within three months of the investor start date

Visa granted on or after 6^th November 2014

Applicants before this date should show the following:

• Hold at least £2 million under control in the UK
• Can provide evidence of having invested those funds in share or loan capital in eligible UK businesses
• Invested the funds within three months of entry to the UK (unless there were compelling reasons preventing this)

If you have dependents on your visa, you should apply to extend their visas at the same time.

Document checklist

There is a significant number of documents that you must provide to demonstrate your eligibility for renewing your Investor Visa.

Some of the documents you must submit include the following:

• Certified evidence of your investment (as certified by the (Financial Conduct Authority) or Prudential Regulatory Authority (PRA)) which includes the below:
  • Value of the investment
  • Dates the investments were made
  • Destination of the investments
  • Investments were made in you or your partner’s name
  • Name and contact details of the certifying financial institution
  • Date the portfolio was certified
  • Confirmation that the portfolio has no loans secured against it
  • Confirmation that the investments meet the requirements of the route
• The latest audited or unaudited annual accounts of the organisation showing the following:
  • The amount of money you hold in the investments
  • Your name and/ or your partner’s name
  • The date of your investment
• To provide evidence of your date of entry to the UK, you should show the following:
  • Passport with the visa stamped on entry to the UK
  • Flight tickets and boarding card
  • Other documents that prove the date you entered the UK

Investor visa extension requirements

The requirements of the visa extension include demonstrating that you made your investment within three months of your investor start date, and that your funds are under your control.

Funds under your control requirement

It is necessary to show that your funds are under your control in the UK.

If your visa was granted before 6^th November 2014, you should be prepared to show evidence of the following:

• You have £1 million under your control in the UK
  • The money belongs to you or your partner OR
  • The money was loaned to you by a UK regulated financial institution, and that you have personal assets of at least £2 million

Please note that you are not permitted to mix the two sources of funds.

If the visa was granted on or after the 6^th November 2014, you must demonstrate that you invested the full amount (£2 million) of your own or your partner’s money.

Investor start date requirement

You must provide extensive evidence to demonstrate how and when you invested your money.

You are required to provide a series of investment portfolio reports issued by a UK regulated financial institution.

These documents must show:

• You invested at least £750,000 in UK government bonds or a UK business within three months of your start date (if your visa was granted before 6^th November 2014)
• You invested all £2 million (if your visa was granted after 6^th November 2014)
• This level of investment was maintained throughout the duration of your visa

Your investor start date refers to the date you initially entered the UK on this visa.

Alternatively, it may refer to the date your application or switch application was approved.

Can I settle in the UK with the Investor Visa?

The Investor Visa does offer a route towards settlement in the UK. Some individuals may qualify to apply for indefinite leave to remain (ILR) after two or three years, while others will be required to wait for five years.

You are not permitted to count any time spent in the UK on another visa towards the residence requirements for ILR.

Your qualifying period begins from the date your initial application was approved, and you may apply for settlement up to 28 days before you reach the qualifying period.

You must meet the indefinite leave to remain requirements, which include the following:

Visas issued before 6^th November 2013

If your visa was issued before this date, the previous rules will apply to your case if you wish to extend your visa.

You should demonstrate to UK Visas and Immigration that you fulfil the following:

• Have money under your control in the UK of at least £1 million
• Have invested at least 75% of your capital in the UK through UK government bonds, share or loan capital in active, trading UK businesses
• Have maintained the investment for the full period of the visa
• Have spent a continuous period of two years (where you invested at least £10 million), three years (where you invested at least £% million) or five years (where you invested at least £1 million)
• Have no qualifying absences during the qualifying time period
• Have sufficient knowledge of the English language (at least B2 level) and have passed the Life in the UK test (where applicable)

You should submit your settlement application by 5^th April 2022.

Visas issued between 6^th November 2014 and 28^th March 2019

If your visa was issued during this date, the requirements for your indefinite leave to remain application include:

• You hold at least £2 million in the UK under your own control
• You have invested your capital in the UK through government bonds, and share or loan capital in active and trading UK registered companies
• You have maintained the level of investment for the entirety of the visa
• You spent a continuous period of two years (where you invested £10 million), three years (where you invested £5 million), or five years (where you invested £1 million)
• You have no qualifying absences during the qualifying time period
• You have the required level of English language skills and have passed the Life in the UK test (where applicable)

Visa issued on or after 29^th March 2019

If you are applying for indefinite leave to remain based on a visa issued after this date, the requirements are the same as those issued between 6th November 2014 and 28th March 2019.

However, the key difference is that the money is not invested in UK government bonds.

If you hold indefinite leave to remain for one year, you may be eligible to apply for British citizenship. 

How long does the extension application take?

In most cases, you will receive a decision on your Investor Visa extension application within eight weeks of the date you submit your application.

There may be an option for you to use a priority service. In this case, the process will only take five working days.

As soon as you receive your letter confirming whether your application has been accepted, your biometric residence permit will be sent to you within ten working days.

If UK Visas and Immigration require additional information on your application, the application process may be delayed.

In some cases. you may be required to attend an interview, and this will also add to the length of time your application takes.

How much does it cost to extend the Investor Visa?

To extend the Investor Visa, applicants must pay the following fees:

• Visa extension fee: £1,623
• Immigration healthcare surcharge: (usually £624 annually)
• Biometric information fee: £19.20

If you choose to get a faster decision on your application, you can pay for the priority decision service at a cost of £500.

However, this is an optional service and it is not a requirement.