TX to UK

Hello Everyone!

My wife and I are looking to move to Manchester soon and any helpful information will be greatly appreciated. We own and operate an internet based travel agency and will continue to run it while living in the UK. What type of visas and other documentation will we need? How will we need to set up to start living and working abroad? Thank you all in advance!

Hello Everyone!

My wife and I are looking to move to Manchester soon and any helpful information will be greatly appreciated. We own and operate an internet based travel agency and will continue to run it while living in the UK. What type of visas and other documentation will we need? How will we need to set up to start living and working abroad? Thank you all in advance!

Are one of you a UK citizen?

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Are one of you a UK citizen?

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No. We are both American citizens.

We own and operate an internet based travel agency and will continue to run it while living in the UK.

Welcome to the forum! Just in case you weren't aware, there's a typo on your website. "All-inclusives" is spelled wrong. Good luck with your move!

Welcome to the forum! Just in case you weren't aware, there's a typo on your website. "All-inclusives" is spelled wrong. Good luck with your move!

LOL. Thank you. Noted & corrected!

Hello Everyone!

My wife and I are looking to move to Manchester soon and any helpful information will be greatly appreciated. We own and operate an internet based travel agency and will continue to run it while living in the UK. What type of visas and other documentation will we need? How will we need to set up to start living and working abroad? Thank you all in advance!

Hi  Your best bet is to take a look at the conditions of the Tier 1 Investor and Tier 1Entrepreneur visas and see if you can apply either one of those to your situation. I don't know if they would work for an already established internet business though so you may need to be flexible with your plan.

https://www.gov.uk/tier-1-investor
https://www.gov.uk/tier-1-entrepreneur

Welcome to the Website all the best in your research

Welcome!  I think you need £2 million to invest to qualify.

Any particular reason you want to move here?  You know we are in a bit of a crisis with brexit.... 

Welcome!  I think you need £2 million to invest to qualify.

Any particular reason you want to move here?  You know we are in a bit of a crisis with brexit.... 

OK. We just want to move there. Mainly because we just want to. We don't let politics influence our lifestyle.

OK. We just want to move there. Mainly because we just want to. We don't let politics influence our lifestyle.

Understandable, as it's a really nice place. 

 You're going to have to do serious research re: your visas, though, as you don't get to just move to this (or many other) countries just because you want to.     Just as the USA doesn't allow anyone to move there who wants to without meeting stringent requirements, there are reams of UK regulations and qualifications you'd have to meet. The people on this board are a great resource, so once you've done your homework and have specific technical questions, they may be able to give you some sound advice.

If you happen to have a recent ancestor who was British, you might be able to go that route to get permission to move here.  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_nationality_law  It's something to look at, if appropriate.

Or, perhaps you have an irish parent or grandparent? That'd work, too.

Understandable, as it's a really nice place. 

 You're going to have to do serious research re: your visas, though, as you don't get to just move to this (or many other) countries just because you want to.     Just as the USA doesn't allow anyone to move there who wants to without meeting stringent requirements, there are reams of UK regulations and qualifications you'd have to meet. The people on this board are a great resource, so once you've done your homework and have specific technical questions, they may be able to give you some sound advice.

If you happen to have a recent ancestor who was British, you might be able to go that route to get permission to move here.  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_nationality_law  It's something to look at, if appropriate.

Or, perhaps you have an irish parent or grandparent? That'd work, too.

I am very aware that you can't just literally up and move anywhere in the world simply because you want to. Proper logistical planning is a must. I have lived in a few different countries around the world and I am a U.S. Army combat veteran as well as the son and grandson of U.S. Army war vets, all of us and our families with a history of living abroad. I also know that extensive research has to be done, hence the reason for joining this forum...to gather more information. From talking to other people and what we have seen and learned in our initial research, Manchester seems to ideal for us. The actually move wont be for at least another year as we need to make the necessary arrangements. From what we have learned, we can come over on a visitor visa for a temporary stay, extend if necessary and eventually start the process for becoming a permanent resident or UK citizen. The situation at that time will dictate our plan of action. 

From what we have learned, we can come over on a visitor visa for a temporary stay, extend if necessary and eventually start the process for becoming a permanent resident or UK citizen. The situation at that time will dictate our plan of action. 

Be careful with the visits because you are not permitted to "live" in the UK through frequent and successive visits.  And applying for any other visa must be done from the US (or any other country of which you are a legal resident) as you can't switch from a visit visa to any other kind of visa.

Be aware too that you would not be able to manage your business while visiting as paid or unpaid work is not permitted while on a visitor's visa.

This is fairly comprehensive. https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/673351/Visit-guidance-v7.0EXT.PDF

Visitor visa rules. https://www.gov.uk/guidance/immigration-rules/immigration-rules-appendix-v-visitor-rules

I am very aware that you can't just literally up and move anywhere in the world simply because you want to. Proper logistical planning is a must. I have lived in a few different countries around the world and I am a U.S. Army combat veteran as well as the son and grandson of U.S. Army war vets, all of us and our families with a history of living abroad. I also know that extensive research has to be done, hence the reason for joining this forum...to gather more information. From talking to other people and what we have seen and learned in our initial research, Manchester seems to ideal for us. The actually move wont be for at least another year as we need to make the necessary arrangements. From what we have learned, we can come over on a visitor visa for a temporary stay, extend if necessary and eventually start the process for becoming a permanent resident or UK citizen. The situation at that time will dictate our plan of action. 

Congratulations on the pedigree.    My dad was Army, his father was career Army, as was my brother.    You would be amazed (perhaps not) at how many people think they can just decide they want to live somewhere and, sadly, some sell everything and then travel over to find a very nasty surprise waiting for them.

But seriously, what Larabee says - you can't just come as a visitor, run a business remotely, and decide to stay.* You can come over and have a lovely vacation, though.


[*Unless you find something in the regulations that allows it.]

But seriously, what Larabee says - you can't just come as a visitor, run a business remotely, and decide to stay.*

[*Unless you find something in the regulations that allows it.]

You can’t under any circumstances - because it would be illegal (‘deciding to stay’ would mean becoming an illegal overstayer, and you cannot switch from a visitor visa to any other kind of visa from inside the UK).

Also, a visitor visa extension would not be granted either.

I’ve been on the forum for over 12 years and I’ve never heard of anyone getting a visitor visa extension... although the UKVI website says it’s possible, in reality, there’s pretty much no way one would actually be granted.

So, you could come to the UK for a visit, but you would have to return to the US within the allowed 6 months, you would not be allowed to carry out any work at all while in the UK, and if you were eligible for a visa to live in the UK, you would have to apply for it and receive it in the US before returning to the UK.


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This is the visa you would be able to qualify for.  Unfortunately there are not any other options for a couple who are both Non-EU.

https://www.gov.uk/tier-1-investor

And I get politics not dictating decisions but this is more of an economic crisis.  I'm in business and the market is full of uncertainty and redundancies in companies are already happening.  It's not good.  Our currency is likely to turn very volatile, we are likely to enter a major recession, and they are warning of food and medicine shortages.  Politics aside, it's not somewhere I would voluntarily look to relocate to at the moment.  I certainly wouldn't want to invest £2million into such an uncertain environment.  Just my 2p. 

Manchester is a fantastic city though!  You have great taste.