Investor Support and Roadmap
Investment Clarification
How can you help with investing in the UK and what risks do I have?
The Managing Director of Global 4 Immigration is also the CEO of the investment company that helps bring investors and UK businesses together.
Before any UK investment opportunity is presented to the Investor, we first ask the investor to complete our UK assessment form. This form helps us to evaluate key areas that include:
- Immigration category or categories the investor could fall under.
- Investor family requirements including UK education.
- Type of investment the investor wants to invest in:
- Share capital or loan capital in active and trading UK registered company or companies.
- Invest and live in the UK or invest in the UK but live outside the UK.
- Industry sector or business specific the investor wants to invest in.
- Clarify if investor wishes to be hands-on or hands-off in the UK business once investment been made.
- Investment risk low to high.
- Investment return short-term to long-term.
- Investor commitments that could impact on UK investment.
- Investment levels.
- Wants to invest in one or multiple UK businesses or projects.
Once the assessment has been completed we will do the following:
- Ask the investor to sign a Non-Disclosure Agreement/Non-Compete Agreement
- Present to the investor UK registered businesses based on their profile wanting investment.
- Investor decides if any projects to be considered.
- We present more projects to be considered.
- If we do not have any projects, Investor can complete our build your own investment package and our team will source a business that matches that profile.
- If the investor likes any investible projects, we will present a more in-depth profile of the UK business, their directors, business details including what services they provide, risk levels, short-term to long-term return in investment.
- If the investors wants to invest, the investor will be invited to meet the UK business board of directors unless conference/video call is preferred.
- If the investor and UK business want to engage with each other, we will appoint an exclusive FCA regulated firm to deal with all legal matters from finances, legal contracts and any other legal matters required for the investment to go ahead. Unless this firm is FCA regulated, it is a criminal offence to provide advice and services.
- Our regulated FCA firm (solicitor) will draft agreements to ensure all parties are protected and guide all parties of their obligations.
- Note: If a visa is required for UK entry, a clause will be added to protect the investor if UK entry is denied.
UK Investment without Tier 1 Investor visa
If the investor does not want to live in the UK but wants to invest, we can still manage visitor visas from 6 months, 2, 5 and 10 years Business Visitor visa. This visa will allow the Investor to enter the UK to do business such as attend board meetings, check on services and product development and other business related matters. Paid employment in the UK is not permitted.
Immigration Consultancy
If I am a non-EEA national, can I and my family members easily come to the UK?
What investment do I need to make to meet the visa rules?
During the 'Investment Clarification' process, we would have ascertained if the investor needs permission to enter the UK. The investor immigration status will depend on these factors:
- Nationality of investor and if holding dual nationalities
- If investor is related to an EU national
- If investor has a British parent
- If investor has a British grandparent.
If the investor plans to bring family members to the UK (apply when the investor applies or later once the investor is settled in the UK), if the family members are also non-EEA nationals and have no parent or grandparent being British, they would need to enter the UK under a PBS Dependant visa. We can process all visa applications together or separately.
If the only visa route into the UK is Tier 1 Investor
route, we will explain the immigration route and rules plus, the investment required must be at least £2 million, but if the investor wanted to invest 5 or 10 million, we will explain what benefits are gained.
We will also explain the rules on how to invest whether by share capital or loan capital which must be in an active and trading UK registered company or companies. If the investor decides to invest into the UK and applies for a Tier 1 Investor visa, we will explain when the money must be in the UK, how it should be invested and how the investment should be recorded and tracked.
Compliance & Regulations
What are the core rules of investing in the UK and which bodies must the investor and UK businesses comply to?
When investing in the UK, the investor must comply to the immigration rules if their visa is under Tier 1 Investor. The investor must score 75 points for attributes.
The investment money must be in the investor's name and under their control and is disposable in the UK and funds held in a UK regulated bank for the purpose of investing no less than £2 million. If the investor is applying for an entry visa, and if the money is held overseas, the money must be held in a regulated financial institution and evidence will be required of this.
New Immigration Rule
As from 29 March 2019, the investment must be under the control of the Investor for 2 years and no longer 90 days. This rule does not apply in all cases so contact our lawyer today for clarification.
New Tier 1 Investor visa made after 6 November 2014
The investment must have been made into the UK within 3 months of UK entry or if switching into this visa whilst in the UK, 3 months from the visa approval date.
If the investor delays bringing the funds into the UK, they will need exceptional evidence to explain why or their next application (visa extension or settlement application) could be refused.
Global 4 Immigration can recommend a regulated firm who specialises in money transfer from country to country and in different currencies and ensures the money arrives within the agreed period as stipulated by the Home Office.
UK Immigration Rule Breaches
If the Investor has any previous UK immigration or criminal record history such as:
- UK overstaying
- Being detained by UK Home Office
- Being Deported by UK Home Office
- Refused entry via UK border control
- Refused any type of UK visa
- Criminal record whether 'Spent' or 'Unspent'.
Financial Conduct Authority (FCA)
When investing in the UK, the UK financial institution where the money will be held must be regulated by the FCA. When the investment is made in the UK, the money must comply to FCA regulations. Our solicitor is part of an 8 strong FCA regulated team dedicated to protecting the investor's investment and ensuring the UK entity receiving the investment complies to UK regulations.
HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC)
HMRC is the UK regulating body
when it comes to declaring revenue for tax purposes. If you have credits or debits to declare this is who decide what taxes you should pay. If the investor invests into a UK business, if the business is a 'limited' entity, they are required to submit their annual return to Companies House (see below) and pay any taxes to HMRC.
Companies House (CH)
This regulating body
regulates businesses in the UK who are registered as a 'private limited' business or run a limited liability partnership (LLP). UK businesses regulated by CH must do certain duties and these include:
- Update CH if the trading name changes
- Update CH if the company address changes
- Update CH if directors and company secretaries are appointed or removed
- Update CH if company type changes
- Update CH if shares change hands
- Update CH on the Constitution and articles of association things that impact the business
- Update CH on mortgages and loan agreements changes.
- Ensure the business is registered for corporation tax.
All UK businesses will have an approved Charted Accountant who are regulated by ICAEW
and they normally action the above as part of their accountancy service agreement.
Compliance & Immigration Roadmap
What is an immigration roadmap and how will it help me and any family members I want to bring to the UK?
The immigration Roadmap helps the investor and family members plan their UK future in various areas that includes:
- UK entry
- Apply for visa to remain legally in the UK
- Husband and wife if separating
- Children turning 18 whilst in the UK under immigration control
- Applying for settlement only or
- Applying for settlement and then naturalisation.
Note: Some countries do not permit dual nationality so the investor and family members will know if they can obtain a British passport or might prefer to remain indefinitely in the UK on 'settlement status'.
Entry visa under Tier 1 Investor (£2 million invested in the UK)
- If the Tier 1 investor visa is approved, it will be granted for 3 years and 4 months.
- Family members that are approved, their PBS Dependant visa will expire when the Tier 1 investor visa expires.
- The investor must comply to the Tier 1 investor rules during the 3 year and 4 month period as he/she can extend their visa by a further two years.
- Home Office will inspect and validate all investments made since entering the UK and if not compliant, the visa extension will be refused.
- Once in the UK under the Tier 1 investor visa, UK settlement can be applied for.
- Home Office will inspect and validate all investments since the last visa application and if non-compliant, the visa extension is likely to be refused.
- Family members can also apply for settlement after 5 years.
- Once the settlement visa has been approved, 12 months later, naturalisation can be applied for.
- Once naturalisation has been approved, the investor and family members will need to attend their naturalisation ceremony.
- Then the investor and family members can apply for their first British passport.
Entry visa under Tier 1 Investor (£5 million invested in the UK)
- If the Tier 1 investor visa is approved, it will be granted for 3 years and 4 months.
- Family members that are approved, their PBS Dependant visa will expire when the Tier 1 investor visa expires.
- The investor must comply to the Tier 1 investor rules during the first 3 years of their visa and on 3 years can apply for UK settlement.
- Home Office will inspect and validate how the investment(s) were made since entering the UK and if non-compliant, settlement application is likely to be refused.
- Note: Family members are not permitted to apply for settlement unless they spent 5 years on a PBS Dependant visa.
- Once the settlement visa has been approved, 12 months later, naturalisation can be applied for.
- Once naturalisation has been approved, the investor will need to attend their naturalisation ceremony.
- Then the investor can apply for their first British passport.
- Once family members have been in the UK for 5 years under PBS Dependant visa, they can apply for settlement, then apply for naturalisation 12 months after settlement was approved, then attend their ceremony and then apply for their first British passport.
Entry visa under Tier 1 Investor (£10 million invested in the UK)
- If the Tier 1 investor visa is approved, it will be granted for 3 years and 4 months.
- Family members that are approved, their PBS Dependant visa will expire when the Tier 1 investor visa expires.
- The investor must comply to the Tier 1 investor rules during the first 3 years of their visa and on 2 years can apply for UK settlement.
- Home Office will inspect and validate how the investment(s) were made since entering the UK and if non-compliant, settlement application is likely to be refused.
- Note: Family members are not permitted to apply for settlement unless they have spent 5 years on a PBS Dependant visa.
- Once the settlement visa has been approved, 12 months later, naturalisation can be applied for.
- Once naturalisation has been approved, the investor will need to attend their naturalisation ceremony.
- Then the investor can apply for their first British passport.
- Once family members have been in the UK for 5 years under PBS Dependant visa, they can apply for settlement, then apply for naturalisation 12 months after settlement was approved, then attend their ceremony and then apply for their first British passport.
Children born in the UK
- If any children are born in the UK and one parent has obtained settlement status, the child has the right to apply for naturalisation immediately and does not have to wait for 5 years.
- This application can only be made by standard application and the process for approval is approximately 8 weeks.
- The child does not have to attend the ceremony but might have to attend a first British passport interview.
Visa Processing Times
- Standard entry visa for Tier 1 Investor and family members should be processed in 15 working days.
- Priority visa for Tier 1 Investor and family members should be processed in 5 working weeks.
- Super priority visa for Tier 1 Investor and family members should be processed in 24-48 hours.
- Standard UK extending Tier 1 Investor visa should be processed in 8 weeks
- Super priority visa for Tier 1 Investor visa extending in the UK should be processed within 24-48 hours.
Account Management
What do I get via this account management?
When the investor signs up to our group, they will be appointed an account management team of experts supporting them in various ways. The account management team will comprise of at least one FCA regulated solicitor, one regulated OISC immigration lawyer and a consultant that discusses the investment into the UK.
If the investor needs to contact any of the team, they will be provided contact details and provided reports.
If compliance laws change, the person in the account team is responsible for updating the investor.
Regular meetings will be held (face-to-face, telephone, or webcam) with the investor to keep them up to date on other investable projects. Meeting schedule can be agreed in advance and approved.
If the investor knows other investors wanting to invest into the UK, they can become an 'introducer' and earn from any investment made. The investor would then sign an 'Introducer agreement' and if any investor introduced other investors, we will ensure that the investor is advised so payments are made accordingly.
