Tier 1 (Investor)
Money
This page explains what proof of money you must provide to support your initial application to the investor category (Tier 1 Investor) under the points-based system to come to the United Kingdom.
On this page
Full details of all requirements are in the immigration rules at paragraphs 245 O-U of part 6a and Appendix A, which you can find on the right of this page. You must read the policy guidance before you apply under this category. You can download the guidance and application form from the Applying section.
Portfolio report produced by authorised financial institution
You must send a portfolio report or breakdown of investments in a letter produced by an authorised financial institution (one that is regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA)) covering the three consecutive months in the period immediately before the application.
If the money has already been invested in the United Kingdom in the last 12 months, you may use a report on your portfolio of investments produced by an authorised financial institution as evidence that the money is available.
If the money is held abroad but you have a portfolio of investments produced by an authorised financial institution, you may use this as evidence that the money is available.
You may give a breakdown of your investments in a letter from the authorised financial institution. This must be on an original letter, on the official letter-headed paper of the institution. The letter must have been issued by an authorised official of that institution.
Only investments made in the United Kingdom within the 12 months immediately before the date of the application will be eligible for the award of points. You or your partner (which includes husband, wife, civil partner, or unmarried or same-sex partner) must be the beneficial owner of the money and not holding the investments on behalf of anyone else.
The portfolio report or the letter must confirm all of the following:
- the amount of the money held in the investments;
- the beneficial owner of the money. Only investments made in your or your partner's name are acceptable;
- the date of the investment period covered;
- that the institution is regulated by the FCA/PRA, with the details of the registration shown on the documentation; and
- that the money can be transferred into the United Kingdom if your application is successful, if it is held abroad; or
- that the money has already been invested in the United Kingdom in United Kingdom Government bonds, share capital or loan capital in active and trading companies registered in the United Kingdom. The dates of these investments must also be included, and only investments made within the 12 months immediately before the date of application will be awarded points.
You can find an example of how the letter might look at the end of the policy guidance which you can download from the Applying section.
Portfolio report that you have produced
If you manage your own investments, or have a portfolio manager who does not operate in the United Kingdom and therefore is not regulated by the FCA, you must send documentary evidence of the holdings you are using to claim points. This evidence must cover the three consecutive months in the period immediately before the application.
You must provide one or more of the documents from the list below, relevant to the type of your investment:
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certified copies of bond documents showing the value of the bonds, the date of purchase and the owner;
- the amount of money held in the investments;
- your name and your partner's name; and
- the date of investment.
Where no accounts have been produced, you can send a certificate from an accountant. The certificate must show the amount of money held in the investments. Your accountant must be a member of a recognised supervisory body. In the United Kingdom these are:
- the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW);
- the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Scotland (ICAS);
- the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Ireland (ICAI);
- the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA);
- the amount of money in the fund;
- the date that the money is available;
- the beneficial owner;
- the name and contact details of the legal adviser and at least one of the trustees (someone who holds the legal title of the money and deals with it for the benefit of the beneficial owner).
Accountants not based in the United Kingdom must be members of an equivalent, appropriate supervisory or regulatory body in the country in which they operate.
You will not score points for assets or possessions.
Bank statements
You must send personal bank statements from a bank that is regulated by the home regulator (official regulatory body for the country in which the institution operates and the money are located), showing the amount of money available in your name (or your name and your partner?s name).
You should provide consecutive bank statements, covering the full period of the three months immediately before the date of your application. All bank statements provided must be original documents and not copies, be on the official bank stationery and each must show the full amount of the available money.
If you wish to send electronic bank statements from an online account, you should also provide a supporting letter from your bank on the institution?s official headed paper confirming the content and that the document is genuine. This letter must have been issued by an authorised official of that institution. If the full amount does not appear in all of the bank statements from the three-month period then you must also provide evidence of the source of the money.
The bank must be regulated by the home regulator.
Letter from a regulated bank
You must send a letter from a bank that is regulated by the home regulator (official regulatory body for the country in which the institution operates and the money is located).
If you cannot provide bank statements, you must send a letter from your bank, stating that the account has held the required amount of money for the full three months immediately before the application was sent. This must be an original letter and not a copy, on the institution's official headed paper, and it must have been issued by an authorised official of that institution.
The letter must confirm all of the following:
- your name (or your name and/or your partner's), and that the money is available in your name/s;
- the bank is regulated by the home regulator;
- the dates of the period covered, which must include the full three months immediately before the date of the application; and
- the balance of the account to cover the amount claimed as a credit balance for the full period of three months immediately before the date of the application.
If the letter does not confirm a minimum sufficient credit balance for the full period required, you must also provide further evidence of the source of the money.
The bank must be regulated by the home regulator.
Terms explained
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Certified copies
Duplicates of original documents, certified as exact reproductions, usually by the officer responsible for issuing or keeping the original, or by a solicitor, notary public, justice of the peace or any other person authorised to take a statutory declaration. A certified copy should carry a certificate, stamp or seal, and the certifier's signature.
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Financial institution
A body that provides financial services to clients, for example a bank, building society, credit union, stock brokerage or asset management firm.
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Home regulator
When used in the context of regulation of financial institutions, this is an official financial regulatory body, appropriate to the type of financial transaction, in the country where money is held in a financial institution.