SOLE REPRESENTATIVE Sole representative visa allows small overseas businesses and companies to send their senior representative to the UK in order to open and operate the companie's branch in the UK How can I come to the UK to act as a sole representative? You can come to the UK to act as a sole representative if you are not a European Economic Area national. A sole representative is someone who will establish a wholly owned subsidiary or register a branch in the UK for an overseas parent company. The firm must have no branch, subsidiary or other representative in the UK. If the firm has a legal entity in the UK but this does not employ staff or transact business then they could have a sole representative in the UK. You need to apply for entry clearance as a sole representative before travelling to the United Kingdom. What evidence do I need to show to enter the UK as a sole representative? You need to provide: You also need to show evidence that: - you have been employed by the parent company for some time and hold a senior post
- you have authority to take decisions without reference to the parent company
- you were recruited to the parent company outside the UK
- you are directly employed by the parent company and not acting as an agent marketing the company's goods
- you can live in the UK without help from public funds
- you must not be a majority shareholder in the parent company
How long can I stay in the UK? At first, we will give you permission to stay for 12 months. You can apply for an extension of stay for up to another 4 years. What happens if I need to bring a colleague with me to work in the UK? You must apply for a work permit for your colleague. What can a sole representative do and not do? You can establish a commercial presence for the company here in the form of a registered branch or a wholly owned subsidiary. You may not do business of your own or represent any other company's interests. What happens if the company's circumstances change? If you have 2 years permission to be in the UK, you may stay here even if your overseas company appoints a superior. You may also eventually qualify for indefinite leave to remain as long as you continue to fill a genuine vacancy and the company wishes to retain your services. A sole representative with less than 2 years' permission to be here would need to apply for a work permit to continue working in the UK if a superior was appointed. Can I take my relatives with me ? You can take your spouse and children under the age of 18 to live with you in the UK Can I get Settlement in the UK ? If you (and your family) continiously spend 5 years in the UK you may qualify for Settlement (Indefinite Leave to Remain - ILR) in the UK What we can do for you As British lawyers, we will do our best and even go that extra mile for you. We can help you with the necessary paperwork that will be needed to ensure that your application meets the Immigration requirements.
Please expect us to do the following for you, when you instruct us to represent you or a member of your family: Full and professional assessment of your case Advice on whether you should consider a different immigration programme or category Strong and weak points of your application Advice on correct list of documents Advice on evidence required Instructing your sponsor, relative, employer or college (if required) Final check of your documents before submission to the Home Office/British Diplomatic Post Creating a professionally looking paginated immigration bundle Drafting representations and cover letters to the Home Office/British Diplomatic Post Working with interpreters (if required) Submission your application to the Home Office/British Diplomatic Post - Correspondence with the Home Office/British Diplomatic Post
Keeping you updated by post, E-mail or phone on the progress of your application If something goes wrong : requesting a review or reconsideration Any further in-country/out-of-country immigration assistance
The above list is not exhaustive as we treat every client's case individually. Please do not hesitate to contact us for a professional immigration advice. |
