The representative of an overseas business is an immigration route is designed for individuals who are either looking to set up a wholly-owned subsidiary or register a UK branch for an overseas parent company. It is also the appropriate route for individuals who have been posted by their employer on a long-term assignment to the UK as an overseas.
The Representative of an overseas business route used to be called the Sole Representative of an overseas business. The term Sole Rep Visa is still a popular term used to refer to the Representative of an overseas business visa category.
A major consideration with this immigration route is that the sole rep (migrant) must have been recruited outside the UK by an overseas company whose principal place of business is not in the UK.
The following are requirements that an individual seeking entry clearance as a sole representative of an overseas business needs to meet.
The prospective sole rep must be an employee and have been recruited outside the UK for a business whose principal place of operation is outside the UK.
The prospective representative on an overseas business is seeking entry clearance into the UK
The prospective sole rep is a senior position at the overseas business, having no existing presence in the UK and has full authority to make key business decisions on behalf of the overseas business as it relates to representing it in the UK.
The prospective sole representative may be an overseas newspaper, news agency or broadcasting organisation sent to the UK on a long-term official work by an overseas business as its only representative
The application must show that the applicant intends to and will be the only representative of the overseas business in the UK. It is important to note, that the sole rep must not be a majority shareholder in the overseas company.
Entry clearance applications under the representative of an overseas business visa category must show that the sole rep intends to engage in the business full time whilst in the UK and will not take up any additional job.
The applicant must also demonstrate sufficient competence in the use of the English language. Paragraphs 2(b) or 2(c) specifies competency to the basic user standard in addition the applicant being able to converse using everyday expressions.
The applicant would also need to show that they can support themselves financially in the UK without recourse to public funds.
Feel free to contact us if you have any immigration enquiry. Alternatively, see our frequently asked questions on the representative of an overseas business visa route.
You will be able to make an entry clearance application as a representative of an overseas business if you are: –
The Representative of an overseas business looking to set up a wholly-owned subsidiary or register a UK branch for an overseas parent company; or
An employee of an overseas newspaper, news agency or broadcasting organisation who is being posted on a long-term assignment as a representative of your overseas employer.
Recruited from outside the UK by a company whose principal place of business outside the UK.
Importantly, the representative (of the overseas business) would not be able to take on any additional employment. S/He will only be able to work for the overseas-based company that recruited him/her.
The requirements for the Sole Representative visa depend on whether the entry clearance application as a representative is as a representative of an overseas parent company, or as a representative of an overseas newspaper, news agency or broadcasting organisation.