Many people come to the UAE because they have a job offer, but not everyone can come here by themselves; so they often end up getting their families to move with them. That is where the scenario gets tricky. For some nationalities, coming to the UAE on a family visa is more difficult than others. Anyone who has a UK passport will find it hard to get into the country as a sole representative if they can’t get sponsorship from an employer or sponsor in UAE.

Can Uk Sole Representative Visa In Uae

Why do you want to be a sole representative in UAE? First of all, the role of a business representative is an essential part of doing business in any country. The chance to set up your own company in UAE and take advantage of the ever-growing expat population is a big opportunity for anyone.

Over the last eighteen months, UK Work Permits have taken a lot of hits because of the Home Office’s attempt to control immigration numbers into the UK and ensure that strict labor market tests are in place before issuing a UK Visa.

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UK Sole Representative Visa Process

You can apply to come to the UK as a representative of an overseas business if you’re from outside the European Economic Area (EEA) and Switzerland and you’re either:

The sole representative of an overseas business planning to set up either a UK branch or wholly-owned subsidiary
An employee of an overseas newspaper, news agency or broadcasting organization posted on a long-term assignment to the UK

How long it will take?

The earliest you can apply is 3 months before you travel.

How long you can stay?

You can come to the UK for an initial period of 3 years.

You may be able to extend your visa for another 2 years. After you’ve been in the UK for 5 years, you can apply for permission to settle permanently in the UK.

Fees

A Representative of an Overseas Business visa costs £610.

An employee of an overseas newspaper, news agency, or broadcasting organization costs £610.

Healthcare surcharge You must pay the healthcare surcharge as part of your application

What you can and cannot do?

You can:

Work for your employer, full-time
Bring your family (‘dependants’) with you to the UK
Apply to extend your visa
Apply to settle in the UK after you’ve been here for 5 years

You cannot:

Work for yourself or any other business
Stay in the UK if the sole representative arrangement is ended by your employer
Switch to this visa from any other visa category
Get public funds

Eligibility

To be eligible for this visa you must:

Be from outside of the European Economic Area (EEA) and Switzerland
Have enough money to support yourself without help from public funds · meet the English requirement

Sole representatives

If you are coming to the UK as a sole representative you must:

Be recruited and employed outside the UK by an active and trading business (whose headquarters and principal place of business are, and will remain, outside the UK)
Have the skills, experience, and knowledge to do the role
Hold a senior position within the business (but do not own or control the majority of it) and have full authority to make decisions on its behalf
Intend to establish the overseas business’s first commercial presence in the UK, either as a registered branch or a wholly-owned subsidiary

You may also be eligible if the business has a legal entity in the UK that does not employ staff or does any business.

If your employer has been working to establish a UK branch or subsidiary, but it is not yet set up, you can replace a previous sole representative.

Newspaper, news agency or broadcast employees

As an employee of an overseas newspaper, news agency, or broadcasting organization, you can come to the UK if you’re being posted here on a long-term assignment.

Knowledge of English

You may need to prove your knowledge of the English language when you apply.