UK Business Visas & Shareholder Requirements

Our business visa clients often ask us whether they are allowed to hold shares in the company that they own and/or work for. In this post, we look at the various immigration rules on shareholding for those who wish to come to the UK for business or work purposes.

Share Ownership and the Sole Representative of an Overseas Business Visa

The Sole Representative of an Overseas Business visa category is for businesses that wish to send a senior employee to the UK in order to establish a commercial presence for the company in the UK.

Initial applications

In order to qualify for a Sole Representative visa, you will need to be a senior employee in the overseas business. The Home Office recognises that shareholding can often indicate seniority. However, the Immigration Rules state that applicants must not hold more than 50% of the shares in the overseas company.  For an initial application applicants must provide a copy of the parent company's share register showing