Immigration
We provide an expert and efficient service in niche areas of UK immigration law most relevant to private clients. We advise and co-ordinate on all stages of your relocation to the UK, from initial visa applications and renewals, to applications for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) in the UK and British Citizenship by naturalisation.
Our team co-ordinate applications with clients, their advisers and family offices and can draw upon the extensive breadth and depth of Forsters’ other services to ensure that clients experience a smooth transition to the UK.
How we can help:
UK immigration & visa strategy
The UK’s Immigration Rules and variety of visa options available are complex and ever-changing. We can support non-UK national private clients navigate through these complexities by advising them on their UK immigration strategy and on which UK visa is the most optimal for their personal circumstances and objectives, taking into account other relevant relocation considerations such as tax planning and UK business or family office structuring.
Tier 1 (Investor) Visa — existing holders and renewals
The Tier 1 (Investor) Visa enabled high net worth individuals able to make a substantial investment of at least £2 million in the UK to move to the UK (with their dependant spouses and minor children) to live, work or study. The UK government closed the visa to new applicants on 17 February 2022. However, we still assist existing holders of Tier 1 (Investor) Visas with applying to renew their visa (which must be done before 17 February 2026) and for ILR under the visa (which must be done before 17 February 2028).
Individuals and their dependant family members may qualify for ILR in the UK after five years’ continuous lawful residence in UK under the visa, provided they satisfy additional requirements including:
- Spending no more than 180 days outside the UK in any 12-month period during the five years (“UK residence requirement”)
- Demonstrating sufficient knowledge of the English language and life in the UK
Family visa for spouses or partners of British citizens
Transnational relationships and marriages and civil partnerships involving British Citizens are commonplace around the world, particularly in International Finance Centres such as Singapore, Dubai and New York.
Foreign nationals can move to the UK under a family visa as the spouse or partner of a British Citizen. Their relationship must be genuine and subsisting and the couple must intend to live permanently together in the UK. Other requirements include having:
- Knowledge of the English language
- Sufficient finances at a certain prescribed level
- Adequate accommodation in the UK
The visa offers individuals a route to ILR in the UK after five years’ continuous lawful residence, subject to certain requirements being met. However, unlike other types of UK visas:
- There is no UK residence requirement for ILR under this visa category
- It enables applications for British Citizenship to be expedited
These distinguishing features make the family visa well-suited for couples seeking to form long-term roots in the UK.
Hong Kong BN(O) visa
Forsters’ renowned and leading private client practice in Hong Kong and the wider Asia region makes us uniquely placed to assist individuals with British National (Overseas) status and their family members to relocate to the UK under the Hong Kong BN(O) Visa.
The key requirements for this visa include the applicant:
- Having British National (Overseas) status
- Being ordinarily resident in Hong Kong or the UK and Channel Islands
- Being able to accommodate and provide financial support for themselves and family members for at least 6 months in the UK
The feature that distinguishes this visa from others is that adult dependants of British National (Overseas) individuals, such as parents and adult children, can also move to the UK under the visa subject to satisfying certain requirements. Individuals can apply for ILR after five years under the visa, provided they satisfy the requirements including the UK residence requirement.
British citizenship by naturalisation
Acquiring British Citizenship may be the ultimate goal for many international private clients due to its benefits. These include greater freedom to stay and travel in the UK and visa-free access to visit numerous countries around the world.
Overseas nationals lawfully residing in the UK for a continuous period of five years may qualify for British citizenship by naturalisation, subject to meeting key requirements including:
- Having ILR or settled status for at least 12 months prior to applying
- Not being outside the UK for more than 450 days during the five-year period
- Not being outside the UK for more than 90 days in the 12 months prior to applying
An exception exists for those married to or in civil partnerships with British citizens. They are in a privileged position of being able to naturalise as a British citizen:
- Immediately after obtaining ILR or settled status
- After lawfully residing in the UK for a continuous period of 3 years, provided that they have not spent more than 270 days outside the UK during that period
Obtaining British Citizenship can give rise to certain cross-border estate planning and tax implications. We are able to advise on these potentially complex issues due to our extensive experience advising international private clients.
View our Immigration pricing information.