If you would like to come to the UK as a representative to establish the first commercial branch of an existing overseas business, you can apply for this visa category.
The earliest you can apply is 3 months before your intended date of arrival in the UK, and once you have applied you can usually expect a decision within 3 weeks when applying for entry clearance, and 8 weeks when applying from within the UK. If your application is successful, you will be granted an initial period of leave for 3 years, and then can apply for an extension for an additional 2 years. After 5 years on this route, you can apply to settle in the UK.
You can apply from either outside or inside the UK.
You must hold a senior position within your company and have the necessary skills and experience to establish the first subsidiary in the UK. However, you must not hold a majority share in the company. Whilst on this visa, you can only work for your employer as a representative of an overseas business and cannot work for yourself or another company.
At KTS Legal, we will assist you with drafting and submitting a comprehensive application that satisfies all of the immigration rules for a sole representative visa.