Assistance in obtaining a residence permit and visas in England
Moving to a permanent place of residence in England and obtaining a second citizenship in the UK sounds like a difficult and almost impossible task, but thousands of families successfully cope with it every year with the help of highly qualified specialists.
At the moment, the most attractive immigration programs to the UK are the Investor visa and the Entrepreneur visa. They lead to obtaining a permanent residence permit (permanent residence), and then British citizenship for the whole family.
To obtain a residence permit in England under the Investor visa program, you need to have £2 million to invest in the UK economy. In this case, you (and your partner, and children under 18) will acquire a permanent residence permit and UK citizenship after 5 years. At the same time, the Investor must reside in the UK for at least 150 days a year for the first 5 years before obtaining a residence permit. In the last, sixth year, your stay in the UK must be at least 275 days, then you will be the holder of a British passport. There are also programs for accelerated citizenship in three or two years with an increase in the amount of investment.
Regardless of the amount of investment, it is acceptable to be absent from the UK for up to 180 days a year, which of course is a huge plus for many investors.
The Home Office of the UK Government has announced a significant number of changes to immigration rules, procedures and payments, which came into force in April 2015. Below we will list the most significant changes concerning citizens of Russia and CIS countries moving to the UK.
The following changes to the rules are envisaged from April 6, 2015.:
Before applying, the applicant for this visa will have to open an account with a financial institution regulated by the Financial Services of the United Kingdom
The minimum age for visa applicants in this category will increase from 16 to 18 years
The rules introduced last year have been finalized, according to which the requirement for additional investment was abolished if the value of the investment portfolio falls below the established level - £2 million. The revised rules say that applicants should not make additional investments if the sale of part of the portfolio leads to a decrease in its total value, but at the same time they should only reinvest the proceeds from the sale of assets. However, this also means that in the case of the sale of an asset that has grown in value, all proceeds from the sale of such an asset must be reinvested.
Additional changes have been made to the conditions limiting investments in real estate companies.
The Entrepreneur's program involves starting a business or buying/investing in an existing business by investing at least £200,000. There is also an opportunity to open (buy) a business in the UK with a partner, where everyone contributes £100,000. Both partners and their families will have equal immigration rights to reside in the UK.
The changes for applicants of this visa from April 6, 2015 include:
It becomes mandatory to provide a business plan outlining the intended actions and reasons that, in the opinion of the applicant, will lead to commercial success.
The "Genuine entrepreneur test", which was applied to applicants for a visa to enter the UK, will now apply to applicants for a visa extension and applicants for permanent residence. Applicants should plan in advance how they will be able to meet the requirements of this test.
Changes have been made in relation to applicants for a visa to enter the UK, with their own funds in the amount of £200 thousand. It will be necessary to provide proof of the source of origin of these funds if the applicant owns them less than 90 days before the date of filing the application.
Clarifications have been made to the rules regarding the possibility of spending investments. For example, at least 2 people must be employed by companies
Restrictions have been added on the type of business that can be engaged in on an entrepreneur's visa, mainly in relation to construction development and real estate management.
With an entrepreneur visa, you can invest in an existing business in the UK. An existing business will already have a business plan and an understanding of it. Each category has many rules that must be followed in order to successfully complete all the stages of obtaining citizenship. Therefore, it is important that your cases are handled by immigration lawyers who have a UK government license. You will also definitely need the support of financial, investment and tax planning specialists. We will recommend specialists who will help you easily obtain a residence permit and a British passport.