Eligibility Requirements for Sole Representative Visa

The applicant:

• recruited overseas by the parent company.
• must establish the parent company's initial presence in the UK.
• must have relevant industry experience, skills, and knowledge.
• must holds a executive or a senior position in the overseas business and can take decisions on the parent company’s behalf.
• is not a major shareholder or have any significant control or stake-holding in the business via a partnership agreement or sole ownership.
• has the required knowledge of English.
• can support him/herself and any dependents without using and public funds.

To apply as a sole representative; you must have the skills, relevant industry experience and knowledge to operate a company outside the United Kingdom through an active and commercial organisation.

The candidate chosen by a company for sole representative should be a full-time employee of the company. 

He/she must be bound by the employment contract and their working conditions in the UK must respect their employment rights under UK law. 

A sole representative cannot be a self-employed person as per the UK law. If you are the manager (or other owner) of the company you represent, you must also be an employee with a real employment contract.

Sole representative must have the necessary autonomy to make the most important operational decisions on the ground. You may be responsible for establishing and maintaining a limited liability office or wholly owned office overseas.

The Immigration Officer considers the following documents:

• Employment contract of the applicant
• Job description of the applicant
• Business plan by employer
• Additional confirmation from the employer that the applicant has the authority to open and maintain an office registered with the company name in the UK for the purpose of making business decisions.
• Hold a senior position in the company

After a successful application, the applicant receives a 3-year entry permit, which can be extended for a further 2 years. The applicant can obtain a permanent residency (Indefinite Leave to Remain) ILR in the UK after 5 years of continuous residency in this category.