What is a Sole Representative of an Overseas Business Visa?

A person can enter the UK on Representative of an overseas business visa to establish a commercial presence by operating a registered branch or wholly-owned subsidiary of that overseas business in the UK and that branch or subsidiary will operate in the same type of business activity as the overseas business

A successful applicant of sole representative visa will be given permission to enter and remain in the UK for up to 3 years initially.  After that, you will need to submit a further application for leave to remain, which would be valid for 2 years. After 5 years in the UK in the sole representative visa category, you may be granted permission to remain in the UK permanently.

Requirements for Sole Representative Visa

If you would like to apply for a sole representative visa, you must:

• have been recruited and employed outside the UK
• have been paid a salary from employer and intend to work full-time for your current employer once you are in the UK;
• be a senior employee of the overseas business; and
• have full authority to make operational decisions on behalf of the business.

You cannot:

• undertake any other employment;
• be a majority shareholder of your employer’s business;

The employer must:

• have its business headquarters and principal place of business outside of the UK;
• have no active branch, subsidiary or other representative of the business in the UK;
• intend to establish and operate a registered branch or wholly-owned subsidiary of that overseas business;
• intend for the registered branch or wholly-owned subsidiary to operate in the same kind of business activity as the overseas business.

English language requirements

Meets the English language requirements with at least CEFR level A1 in speaking and listening or having an academic qualification that was taught in English and is recognised by UK NARIC as being equivalent to a UK Bachelor’s degree.

What does not count as another representative?

The parent overseas company may have used a broker, a sales commission agent either an individual or business to sell products or services but no one in the UK is directly employed by the overseas company.

Bringing family members

It is possible to bring dependents, such as a spouse and/or child under the age of 18, with you to the UK. However, you will need to show that you have enough money to maintain and accommodate yourselves in the UK without recourse to public funds. The dependants can work full time and get access to free education and healthcare system of NHS.

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