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Tier 1 (Investor)

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Points for extension applications

This page explains how to score points if you are making an extension application under Tier 1 (Investor) of the points-based system.

You should read this page if:

  • you have held a visa (entry clearance) or permission to stay as a Tier 1 (Investor), or an Investor under the previous route, in the 12 months immediately before your application and are out of the UK; or
  • you have, or were last granted, a visa (entry clearance) or permission to stay as a Tier 1 (Investor) or an Investor under the previous route and you are currently in the UK.

If you have not held a visa or permission to stay as a Tier 1 (Investor) migrant or as an Investor under the previous route in the 12 months immediately before the date of  your application, see the Initial applications page. 

Before you apply, you must read the Tier 1 (Investor) policy guidance, which you can find on the right side of this page. The policy guidance is based on Part 6A of the Immigration Rules.

To be able to apply, you must score 75 points as follows:

Points are awarded for the following categories, which are known as attributes:

  • have £1,000,000 in the UK;
  • invested £750,000; and
  • invested within 3 months.

The points available are:

Attribute Points available

You have money under your control in the UK amounting to at least £1,000,000. This can be:

  • your own money; or 
  • a loan from a UK regulated financial institution, if you have personal assets with a net value of £2,000,000.
 30 points

You have invested:

  • at least £750,000 of your capital in the UK by way of UK government bonds, share capital or loan capital in active and trading UK registered companies, other than those principally engaged in property investment; and
  • the remaining balance of £1,000,000 in the UK by purchasing assets or maintaining the money on deposit in a UK regulated financial institution.
 30 points

You made the investment referred to above within 3 months of coming to the UK under Tier 1 (Investor) or switching into Tier 1 (Investor).

 15 points


£1,000,000under your control in the UK

This money should consist of money invested here and any further money needed to bring the total to at least £1,000,000.

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Invested £750,000

There are restrictions on the type of investment we will consider. The £750,000 must not be invested in companies mainly engaged in property investment, property management or property development. However, you are not subject to all these restrictions if you are currently in the UK under the former investor category - see Annex A of the policy guidance, which you can download from the right side ofthis page, for more information.

Investment in share or loan capital in active and trading companies that are registered in the UK can include investment held in foreign currencies.

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Invested within 3 months

You must show that you invested at least the required £750,000 within 3 months (13 weeks) of your 'investor start date'. The investor start date is:

  • your date of entry to the UK, if you were given a visa under Tier 1 (Investor) and there is evidence to establish your date of entry; or
  • the date when you were given a visa under Tier 1 (Investor), if there is no evidence to establish your date of entry to the UK; or
  • the date when you were first given permission to stay (known as 'leave to remain') under Tier 1 (Investor), in any other case.

If you did not make the investment within 3 months, you will not score any points and any remaining leave may be curtailed.

We will also accept investments made in the 12 months before your first date of application under Tier 1 (Investor) - see 'More information' below to check when your date of application was.

You must also show that the minimum investment of £750,000 was maintained at that level after you made the investment. You do not have to have kept the same investment(s) that you initially made, but you must have maintained the same level of investment.

If the value of any investment in stocks or shareholdings is reduced by changes in share prices, it must be corrected by the next reporting period, so that the overall value of your investments has been maintained throughout your stay.

You do not need to meet this 3-month requirement if you are currently in the UK under the former investor category. As long as you have made the investment before you apply to extend your permission to stay, you will score the 15 points.

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More information

  • What is the date of your application if you are applying from outside the UK?

    The date of your application is the date when your application fee is paid to us. This will be the date shown on your payment receipt, which depends on how you paid for your visa application - for example, at a visa application centre or online.
  • What is the date of your application? (Applying by post or courier from inside the UK)

    If you send your application form and application fee by post, the date of application is the date of posting. This is decided by the postmark. If the postmark is illegible or missing, the date of postage is taken as being at least 1 day before it is received by us.

    If you send your application form and application fee by courier, the date of application is the date when it is delivered to our payment handling service.