The Sole Representative of an Overseas Business visa (Sole Representative visa) allows a senior worker of the overseas business to come to the UK in order to run a branch or wholly-owned subsidiary of the parent company. Sole Representative visa proved to be one of best solutions for an oversea business to expand to UK - one of the largest consumer markets in the world. If your business is among those, here are the top tips from our experts to facilitate your Sole Representative visa application process.

1. Check the eligibility before you apply for Sole Representative visa

By just visiting the government guidance at gov.uk, you would be able to form an overview of basic requirements for a Sole Representative visa which are:

• You have to prove that you have enough money to finance yourself without recourse to public funds;

• For language requirement, you have to prove your English language knowledge by passing an approved English test, or holding a recognised degree taught in English. For detailed guidance, you can check here.

• In order to be an eligible sole representative, you need to make sure that you are recruited by your company outside the UK, holding a senior position, have necessary skills and experience for the role, and other requirements which you can find here.

2. Prepare documents of parent company before applying for Sole Representative visa

A business plan is an indispensable document in Sole Representative visa application. In the business plan, the parent company needs to prove its sole intention and full plan to establish and develop a brand or a wholly-owned subsidiary in the same industry.

Also the parent company has to provide details of several aspect of the business such as financial activity, accounts, assets, share distribution, etc. for the consideration of Home Office.

3. What to do if you are called for an interview for Sole Representative visa?

In the event that you are called for an interview, you would wish that you are well prepared. Preparation for the interview is not set on the basis of a specific number of questions as they may vary depending on the businesses and the individuals.

When preparing for this interview, you need to make certain that the information you provide regarding the business is accurate and you know what you are doing. You need to know your role within the business alongside knowing the business plan and the information that was stated within the business plan. Know how long that the company has been running and what it has achieved during the time that it has been established. All the information should corroborate with the statements provided. You also need to make sure you know what the company's plan for the branch or wholly-owned subsidiary is in the UK.

4. Beware of your responsibilities after being granted Sole Representative visa

Bear in mind that once the visa has been granted as a Sole Representative, you will need to abide by some conditions. In order to continue staying in the UK, you would need to ensure that:

• As an applicant you do not have any access to the public funds.

• You will only work and have interest in the parent company for which you are working as a senior employee. You cannot do any work related to your own business or any third-party company.

Once you have completed the points above for your application, you should not have any issue with the submission of Sole Representative of an Overseas Business Application. The overall process for the application of a Sole Representative Visa should take around four to six weeks. You should apply three months before you travel and you can opt for a faster decision by paying for the premium service. We have an experienced team of solicitors who have years of experience in dealing with sponsor licence applications who can guide you through the whole process with ease, all you need to do is contact us for a telephone conference to see what we can do for you.