This is the most popular route for overseas businesses who want to establish a commercial presence in the UK.
Sole Representative of an Overseas Business visa
- The overseas business must send an overseas employee (who was recruited abroad) who holds a senior position in the company to the UK. The company must not have any UK branches or subsidiaries already. Although, if the company has already established a UK branch and it is still inactive, it may still be possible for them to send a representative over to the UK to activate it. It has to be either a UK branch or a wholly-owned subsidiary and it must also operate the same business as the overseas headquarter.
- Applicant needs to demonstrate basic English language ability and meet maintenance requirement
- The applicant will be able to apply for permanent residence permit in 3-5 years and UK citizenship in 5-6 years.
- The initial entry clearance will be granted for 3 years and can be extended for a further 2 years afterwards
- The Sole Representative visa category applies to the main applicant and all immediate family members, including spouse and children under the age of 18
The requirements the representative must meet are listed out as follows:
- Must hold a senior position in the overseas company
- Must have been recruited overseas
- Must be authorised to take all operational decisions on behalf of the overseas headquarter
- Must have a proven track record of being successful in that business or a related field
- Must have a credible business plan on how he will establish the UK branch
- Must be able to speak and write English at a basic level
- Must meet the maintenance requirement
- The company must not already have a UK branch or a wholly-owned subsidiary
- The UK branch must do the same type of business as the overseas headquarter
We have an excellent track record of helping many overseas representatives get their visas and come to the UK to set up a commercial presence here. The Home Office requires an extensive list of documents concerning both the company and the representative for this type of application.
For further information, please do not hesitate to get in touch with us on +44 (0)20 7253 6888 by phone or info@ukvisapartners.com by e-mail. We will endeavour to provide you with the highest standard of service!