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on October 3, 2023
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Renowned across the world for its business-friendly environment, skilled labour force, and role as a gateway to regional and European markets, the UK makes an unsurprisingly attractive destination for nationals of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) who wish to do business.
However, if you are a UAE national who wishes to relocate to the UK for business purposes, you will need to satisfy the Western European country’s frequently changing and often stringent immigration rules.
Our own UK immigration lawyers in Dubai here at Cranbrook Legal can play a big role in helping you fulfil those requirements, so that you can maximise your chances of a successful outcome from your application for a visa to the UK Home Office.
But what are some of the business visa options that nationals of the UAE can pick from if they aspire to a UK move? Below, we have set out those that we can assist you with when you become a client of our award-winning team of specialists in UK immigration law.
The short answer to this question is: yes, it is possible for a national of the UAE to apply for a visa for the UK. In fact, it will be a mandatory step for a UAE resident who wishes to visit or relocate to the UK.
However, in order to do this, you will need to fulfil the UK Home Office’s requirements for your chosen visa route. You will need to complete and submit the application form for your desired UK visa, and you can also expect to be required to attend a meeting at the UK visa centre in the UAE.
The specific requirements for a visa application for the UK vary depending on the specific visa category. So, for a more in-depth discussion of what you might need to do in order to secure a UK business visa as a resident of the UAE, please feel free to call our experts in UK immigration law at Cranbrook Legal’s Dubai office, on +971 4272 0822.
Technically, there is no such thing as a “self-sponsorship visa” – or at least, not a UK visa with that specific name.
Instead, the term “self-sponsorship visa” is used in reference to the practice of setting up or buying into a business in the UK, and this company then applying to be approved to sponsor the would-be migrant via the Skilled Worker visa route.
For UAE nationals whose needs and circumstances are not well-served by the other UK business visa types, self-sponsorship could provide an attractive and relevant means by which they could relocate to the UK. Please don’t hesitate to enquire to our UK immigration solicitors in Dubai, to find out more about how the process works, and how we could assist you.
We are also highly regarded here at Cranbrook Legal for our Skilled Worker visa by investment programme, which allows for ambitious businesspeople to embark on a career in the UK by combining full-time employment with investment.
When you reach out to us about this scheme, we will determine your preferences, circumstances, and requirements through discussion with you, including the business sectors and types of companies that you might be prepared to invest in.
This will be followed by our team drawing upon our own database of contacts with established UK firms, so that we can help match you to the right organisation and vacancy.
This is a highly comprehensive, project-managed service, which – if you are successful with your application for the Skilled Worker visa – will give you all the benefits of holding that visa in the UK. It is a popular visa that can last for up to five years before it needs to be extended, and it can even provide a route to permanent settlement in the UK.
The UK Government introduced the Innovator Founder visa route in April 2023, effectively replacing both the Innovator visa and Start-up visa categories. This visa is aimed at foreign nationals who are interested in setting up and running an innovative business in the UK, and allows for a stay for as long as three years in the UK before it needs to be extended.
You will only be able to secure this visa if you can get your business or business idea endorsed by a Home Office-authorised organisation (these organisations are known as “endorsing bodies”). You will need to be able to show that your business idea is new, viable, scalable, and innovative, being distinct from anything else presently available in the UK market.
Our specialists in UK immigration law at Cranbrook Legal have a 100% success rate of helping clients to obtain the Innovator Founder visa. Spending three years on this visa may also enable you to apply to settle permanently in the UK, subject to you meeting the full eligibility requirements.
The Expansion Worker visa is aimed at foreign nationals who wish to come to the UK in order to set up a branch of an overseas business that has not yet begun trading in the UK. This visa category could therefore be of great interest to many UAE businesses that are interested in expanding into this part of Western Europe.
You will only be able to move to the UK on this visa if you already work for the relevant business in the role of a senior manager or specialist employee. You will also need to meet other eligibility requirements, including doing a job that is on the Home Office’s list of eligible occupations, and being paid the minimum eligible salary required for the job.
The maximum amount of time that someone can stay in the UK on the Expansion Worker visa, is two years.
As the above information will have hopefully made clear, while there are various UK business visas that may be of relevance and interest to UAE nationals, the most suitable such visa route for you will likely depend greatly on your particular preferences, requirements, and circumstances.
To learn more about the process of applying for a UK business visa as a resident of the UAE, you might wish to arrange a free consultation with our Dubai-based immigration solicitors.
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