Tier 4 to Standard Visitor to Tier 1 graduate entrepreneur

[alexsan7986]

Hello all!

I studied my Master of Philosophy in the UK on a Tier 4 visa ( I am from Ecuador), it expired and I went back to the UK with a Standard visitor Visa and I participated in some fairs and I set up a limited company during this time. However, a solicitor told me recently that I shouldn’t have started the company cause it might be against of the Standard Visitor rules. On the other hand, I started a process to be endorsed by my former University to apply to a Graduate Entrepreneur Visa but getting the letter is taken longer than I thought and I am not sure if I will be awarded it. On my current situation, if I don’t get the endorsement, could I apply again to and Standard Visitor Business Visa and at least hire people to carry out the activities of my company? and I would like to know if I could apply to a Tier 1 with less funding than 50 000£ or the same using my personal funding?. Could I apply for a Tier 1 Graduate entrepreneur being in the United Kingdom while I am there on a Standard Visitor Visa? Thank you for any suggestion or comment

[marcnath]

Hello all!

I studied my Master of Philosophy in the UK on a Tier 4 visa ( I am from Ecuador), it expired and I went back to the UK with a Standard visitor Visa and I participated in some fairs and I set up a limited company during this time. However, a solicitor told me recently that I shouldn’t have started the company cause it might be against of the Standard Visitor rules. On the other hand, I started a process to be endorsed by my former University to apply to a Graduate Entrepreneur Visa but getting the letter is taken longer than I thought and I am not sure if I will be awarded it. On my current situation, if I don’t get the endorsement, could I apply again to and Standard Visitor Business Visa and at least hire people to carry out the activities of my company? and I would like to know if I could apply to a Tier 1 with less funding than 50 000£ or the same using my personal funding?. Could I apply for a Tier 1 Graduate entrepreneur being in the United Kingdom while I am there on a Standard Visitor Visa? Thank you for any suggestion or comment

Since UK now has only one type of visit Visa, what activities you do when you visiting depends on what you specified when applying. So, if you applied with the purpose of tourism and did business related activities, that may have violated the terms. However, depending on what you did, it may not be a major issue.

But if you are planning to do this, apply as a prospective entrepreneur. Your possible activities are still limited but at least it would be clearer. You can also switch (apply within the UK) for a Tier 1 Entrepreneur Visa if you are here as a prospective entrepreneur.

You can't switch to T1 GE from a standard visa. You need to apply from outside.

With personal funding, your only route available is the 200K route.