The UK sole representative visa or a representative of an overseas visa allows one key personnel to come to the UK, test the UK market, set up a branch or a subsidiary owned by the principal company outside the UK.
This key personnel is the sole representative and preferably the senior most person in the company who can be entrusted with the responsibility of setting up a branch in the UK.
The sole representative visa route offers flexibility in many ways. One does not need to dispose of a large sum of money in order to come to the UK and set up a branch or a wholly owned subsidiary.
This route allows the sole representative to bring their dependents along to the UK. And furthermore, this is a route to settlement in the UK and eventually you could apply for UK citizenship with your dependents.
However, one does not easily get the sole representative visa out of the desire and investment one has in hand. You must be able to prove the validity, eligibility, and suitability of the sole representative visa application.
Validity of the application
The first important thing you need to know is whether your application is valid or not.
The application will be considered valid only when the applicant applies online
The application must meet the following requirements
The application fee and Immigration Health surcharge is paid on time
Biometrics is completed
The identify proof has been provided establishes the nationality and identify of the applicant
You must 18 years of age or above
If you have received any scholarship from the Government or International agency, in the last 12 months, before the application process, then you must disclose with corroborating evidence.
The applicant applying for a sole representative visa, must not have been granted any of the following visas:
Visitor
Seasonal Worker
Short-term Student
Parent of a Child Student
Domestic Worker in a Private Household; or
Any visa outside the Immigration Rules
Suitability of the application
The suitability of the application means that the application must fall into the categories of the grounds for refusal. What does this mean for you? It simply means that the applicant must never have breached any UK immigration law and the applicant must never be on the immigration bail.
Eligibility of the application
The eligibility criteria is most important where the applicant is assessed in its abilities to fit in for a particular visa.
The eligibility criteria for a sole representative is divided into 4 broad categories.
Work requirements
The company must be active and genuinely trading outside the UK.
The company must intend to do the same business activity in the UK as conducted overseas
The company must intend to open its very first branch or subsidiary in the UK
The company must send a key personnel to the UK, namely a sole representative who has the authority to make decisions on behalf of the parent company’s owner.
The sole representative must not hold majority voting power in the company overseas
The sole representative must not hold majority shares in the company overseas.
The sole representative must intend to work full-time in the UK
The sole representative must not engage in any other business or work while in the UK apart from the intended work.
Genuineness of the Business requirement
The Home office will assess your application on the basis of the genuineness of your business. Make sure that you provide all the corroborating information and evidence to prove the genuineness of your business.
Documents like, overseas company’s bank statement, audit bills, PAYE number, Account details, etc to begin with.
English language proficiency requirement
The sole representative visa applicant must prove A1 level of English proficiency in listening, speaking, and writing to satisfy the Home Office requirement of English language proficiency.
Financial requirements
The sole representative must have adequate funds in the bank account while coming to the UK. This would help the applicant take care of oneself and one's family members in the UK without accessing public funds.
A tentative amount of GBP 2,000 to GBP 3,000 should be good enough to sustain yourself in the UK.
An immigration solicitor's help would benefit ?
There is a high possibility of getting your application approved when you seek support immigration lawyers UK. A Y & J Solicitors have been helping many of their clients for over 10+ years in getting a sole representative visa from various countries.