Sole Representative

‘Our US based company was able to establish a presence in London by sending a member of staff to the UK as our sole representative.’ 

Following the removal of the Tier 1 scheme, the sole representative visa category is a viable alternative for an employee of an overseas based firm to enter the UK without a work permit. As a sole representative of an overseas firm, the individual shall be expected to establish a commercial presence for the company in the United Kingdom in the form of a registered branch or a wholly owned subsidiary.

Permission to enter the United Kingdom as the sole representative of an overseas firm will normally be granted for an initial period of two years and is extendable for a further three years.

Points to note:

• The overseas company should not already have a branch, subsidiary or other representative in the United Kingdom. However, if the company has a legal entity in the United Kingdom, but this does not employ staff or transact business, you may still be able to enter the United Kingdom as their sole representative.

• The UK sole representative should be a senior employee of the overseas company with full authority to take operational decisions on its behalf without reference to the parent company. He/she cannot be a majority shareholder in the parent company.

• The UK sole representative shall be required to work full-time for the organisation and may not do business of their own or represent any other company's interests.

Smith Stone Walters

Our staff are experts in providing coordinated and effective representation in filing these types of applications. For further information and a free assessment, please contact our office today.