Sole Representatives
The sole representative visa is designed for a Company which wishes to send one key individual to the United Kingdom to establish a branch or representative office of the Company in the United Kingdom.
How do I qualify for this type of permit?
- You must have been recruited and taken on as an employee outside the United Kingdom as a representative of a firm which has its head quarters and principal place of business outside the UK, and which has no branch, subsidiary or other representative in the UK.
- You must be seeking entry to the United Kingdom as a senior employee with full authority to take operational decisions on behalf of the overseas firm for the purpose of representing it in the United Kingdom by establishing and operating a registered branch or wholly owned subsidiary of the overseas firm.
- You must intend to be employed full time as the representative of the overseas firm in the UK.
- You must not be a majority shareholder in the overseas firm.
- You must not intend to take employment outside your representative activities.
- You must be able to prove that you can maintain and accommodate yourself and any dependents adequately without recourse to public funds.
How do I apply and do I need entry-clearance?
Application is made through the British High Commission in your home country. Breytenbachs will prepare your application for you and you will be interviewed by the BHC, who has the discretion to take a decision on the application without referring it to the Home Office.
You must obtain entry-clearance before you travel to the UK.
Some rules and restrictions on holders of UK sole representative visas
- The visa is granted for an initial period of 2 years, and then may be
extended for an additional period or periods up to 3 years.
- Your dependents are entitled to work freely without restriction in the UK.
- You cannot use this category if you are the majority shareholder of the overseas company.
- The headquarters and principal place of business of the overseas firm must remain overseas at all times.
- You can have no recourse to public funds.
Does this visa lead to indefinite leave to remain?
Yes, if you obtain permission to stay in the UK on this basis for 5 years under this category, you can apply at the end of this period for ILR
