Newbie here - Request advice @ VISA, etc.

Hello!

My name is Nancy-Lynn, and I am planning a trip in September to come for a two month PLUS visit (to travel and to check out possible places to live). Because I own my own Internet company I could live anywhere (literally), and since I do not own a home, I am FREE! (Been wanting to come back to the UK since a trip in 1983)... long dream - ABOUT TIME!!!

So - exactly how do I apply for a VISA? The last time I looked there was no option for Entrepreneurs (it was "closed") I would love any advice...

Also - where would be a good place to rent a room in a flat that would give me the ability to travely easily/comfortably? London is a bit large and expensive - but will need to rely on public transportation for at least 1-2 months.

Thank you for any and all advice, suggestions, hints, warnings... Obviously I'm starting from scratch and can use every bit of information!

~N-Lynn

I believe the Tier 1 Entrepreneur is still available, but you would need £200,000 to invest in the UK economy.  You can try the points calculator to see if you would be eligible.  http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/pointscalculator

Unfortunately, this is a really bad time to be applying for an economic visa, as the Government has just announced they are placing a cap on the number of economic migrants who are allowed in the country.  Entrepreneurs won't be capped, but as I said you need the £200,000 to invest, plus maintenance and other qualifications.  It's not easy. 

If you have a university degree plus high earnings over the last 12 months, there is also the Tier 1 (General) visa which you could try if you meet the points on the calculator that historyenne linked to. However, as mentioned, they are restricting the number of economic migrant visas that will be issued in the next few months, so it's not a great time to try to get one.

You need 75 points to qualify (plus 10 points for maintenance funds and 10 points for English language knowledge). If you don't have a degree, then you can only get the 75 points if you earned over £150,000 ($225,972) in the 12 months before applying, but if you do have a degree, you won't need as much in earnings.

The 75 points need to come from age, qualifications and previous earnings:

Age
Under 30 = 20 points
30-34 = 10 points
35-39 = 5 points
40+ = 0 points

Qualifications
Bachelors = 30 points
Masters = 35 points
PhD = 50 points

Previous Earnings
£25,000-£29,999 = 5 points
£30,000-£34,999 = 15 points
£35,000-£39,999 = 20 points
£40,000-£49,999 = 25 points
£50,000-£54,999 = 30 points
£55,000-£64,999 = 35 points
£65,000-£74,999 = 40 points
£75,000-£149,999 = 45 points
£150,000 or more = 75 points

Yikes! I'm not even close (46 years old and only a bachelors degree)! Maybe I should enroll in a university to get my Masters in the UK. Does anyone know if this will help or if it will work?

Thank you for the information/advice. I really appreciate it! <3

Yes, you could come here on a student visa, but, AFAIK, currently, you can only work 20 hours per week and this visa does not lead to settlement. And visa seem to be in constant flux at the moment.

Student visa information:
http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/studyingintheuk/

Postgrad study search engine:
http://ww2.prospects.ac.uk/cms/ShowPage/Home_page/Find_courses_and_research_gs/p!eefXfmd

Are you eligible for citizenship of another EU country, which work provide you with the right to live / work in the UK?
http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/eucitizens/
http://europa.eu/

You could post the particulars of your situation in the visa thread to get an idea of possible options.

Welcome to UK-Y!

 

Yikes! I'm not even close (46 years old and only a bachelors degree)! Maybe I should enroll in a university to get my Masters in the UK. Does anyone know if this will help or if it will work?

Given your age you will not achieve the required number of points for a Tier 1 visa, you may be able to get sponsorship for a Tier 2 visa however you would have to first find an employer that will hire you for a job and then they would have to show that there is no one in the UK or the EU that can do the job that you can...not really that easy.

So it's going to be either a Student Visa (which you're going to need all the fees & tuition upfront & an acceptance to UK University) or find yourself a British Spouse  ...

In all reality, you can visit for up to 6 months if you have the funds available to you to do so, perhaps that is a better way first so you can see if the Britian of 1983 is the same Britian in 2010...somehow I think not (so does my British husband). Just remember that 'visitor' means visitor and you will not be able to work or run your company while you are in the UK.

Welcome to UKY, and good luck sorting out a possible visa!  Lots of knowledgeable folks here, if you have any other questions, ask away!

Okay so does:

"Just remember that 'visitor' means visitor and you will not be able to work or run your company while you are in the UK."

mean that I cannot answer emails and communicate with my employees - or does it mean i cannot "set up shop" in the UK? Just trying to figure this all out!

AND - "what if" I come home every 6 months to visit my family here? Or if I go to another country every 6 months - what are the "technical" differences - as long as I remain a US citizen, my "legal residence" and biz and tax status are all as a US resident?

You all have such great knowledge - so glad I found you!

(OH - and yes- of course the UK will be nothing like I remember it from 1983 - but who wants to be shagging english boys in the back of alleyways at 46??)

If you come every 6 months then you're going to have to prove ties to the US usually in the form of a mortgage or a lease and an employer with other obligations that require your presence in your home country, an intent to return to the US (return ticket). Most likely the Immigration Officer is going to get suspicious with your travel history and see that you've been in & out of the country on a regular basis with long stays in the UK and most likely refuse you for trying to settle in the UK without the proper visa.

You cannot perform any of your business duties in any capacity as a visitor...you cannot live your normal life in the UK and 'visit' the US...it doesn't work that way. If you do that you're violating the terms & conditions of your entry and it could result in a 10 year ban from entering the UK.