Entrepreneur and Investor Immigration routes into …...Entrepreneur and Investor Immigration routes...
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locateguernsey.com Your home Your life Your business To find out more call: +44 (0)1481 743834 or email: [email protected] Entrepreneur and Investor Immigration routes into Guernsey The island of Guernsey is a British Crown Dependency located within sight of the Normandy coast of France and just a 40 minute flight from London. It has been self-governing for more than 800 years. It is a low-tax jurisdiction that is within the open borders Common Travel Area of Britain and Ireland. It has considerable natural beauty, is English-speaking and welcomes people who wish to set up business or home on the island. For those who are not EU passport holders, one of two Immigration Programmes is likely to offer the most direct route to residency in Guernsey. The two Visa programmes are entitled Investor Immigration and Entrepreneur Immigration. Locate Guernsey is keen to advise potential applicants, can take them through the wording of the law and can make introductions to helpful colleagues in Guernsey’s Immigration Service (which ultimately awards the visa). Investor Immigration Who is this for? Individuals who wish to live in the Bailiwick of Guernsey and are able to secure residency through making an investment into the Guernsey economy. How does it work? The applicant must be able to show they have at least £1m in their name in a bank account and they must be prepared to invest no less than £750,000 in a way that is of ‘benefit to the Bailiwick of Guernsey’. (The ‘Bailiwick’ are the islands of Guernsey, Herm, Alderney and Sark). How is benefit to the Bailiwick defined? Guernsey’s Committee for Economic Development considers the three following options as ‘suitable’ investments: 1. £750,000 placed on deposit in a GFSC-regulated Guernsey bank, or; 2. (In addition to the property in which the applicant lives), the purchase and retention of an Open Market property of a value no less than £750,000, or; 3. Investment of £750,000 into another Guernsey opportunity of the applicant’s choosing that is considered satisfactory by the States of Guernsey. Applicants are advised to discuss option 3 with Locate Guernsey in the first place, should that be the preferred approach. Where will they live? Successful applicants will live in a property in Guernsey’s Open Market. Locate Guernsey can explain more about this part of the Island’s housing stock. It is acceptable to rent or to buy this property. What does a successful application secure? A permission granted by Guernsey’s Immigration Service allows the applicant and their dependents to live in Guernsey for two years, with, at that time, the option of applying for a further three years under the same scheme. At this point the £750,000 investment will need to be shown (and maintained) to ‘unlock’ these additional years. At the five year point, individuals may be eligible to apply for ‘Indefinite Leave to Remain’ in Guernsey. Note that this secures ongoing residency in Guernsey, but not citizenship, which is a different matter. How best to take this forward? Make contact with Locate Guernsey who can provide guidance about process and can provide the exact wording of the rules and other aspects of the Investor Immigration programme. Applications must be made in the applicant’s country of residence.
Transcript of Entrepreneur and Investor Immigration routes into …...Entrepreneur and Investor Immigration routes...
locateguernsey.com Your home Your lifeYour business
To find out more call: +44 (0)1481 743834 or email: [email protected]
Entrepreneur and Investor Immigration routes into Guernsey
The island of Guernsey is a British Crown Dependency located within sight of the Normandy coast of France and just a 40 minute flight from London. It has been self-governing for more than 800 years. It is a low-tax jurisdiction that is within the open borders Common Travel Area of Britain and Ireland.
It has considerable natural beauty, is English-speaking and welcomes people who wish to set up business or home on the island. For those who are not EU passport holders, one of two Immigration Programmes is likely to offer the most direct route to residency in Guernsey.
The two Visa programmes are entitled Investor Immigration and Entrepreneur Immigration.
Locate Guernsey is keen to advise potential applicants, can take them through the wording of the law and can make introductions to helpful colleagues in Guernsey’s Immigration Service (which ultimately awards the visa).
Investor Immigration
Who is this for? Individuals who wish to live in the Bailiwick of Guernsey and are able to secure residency through making an investment into the Guernsey economy.
How does it work? The applicant must be able to show they have at least £1m in their name in a bank account and they must be prepared to invest no less than £750,000 in a way that is of ‘benefit to the Bailiwick of Guernsey’. (The ‘Bailiwick’ are the islands of Guernsey, Herm, Alderney and Sark).
How is benefit to the Bailiwick defined? Guernsey’s Committee for Economic Development considers the three following options as ‘suitable’ investments:
1. £750,000 placed on deposit in a GFSC-regulated Guernsey bank, or;
2. (In addition to the property in which the applicant lives), the purchase and retention of an Open Market property of a value no less than £750,000, or;
3. Investment of £750,000 into another Guernsey opportunity of the applicant’s choosing that is considered satisfactory by the States of Guernsey.
Applicants are advised to discuss option 3 with Locate Guernsey in the first place, should that be the preferred approach.
Where will they live? Successful applicants will live in a property in Guernsey’s Open Market. Locate Guernsey can explain more about this part of the Island’s housing stock. It is acceptable to rent or to buy this property.
What does a successful application secure? A permission granted by Guernsey’s Immigration Service allows the applicant and their dependents to live in Guernsey for two years, with, at that time, the option of applying for a further three years under the same scheme. At this point the £750,000 investment will need to be shown (and maintained) to ‘unlock’ these additional years. At the five year point, individuals may be eligible to apply for ‘Indefinite Leave to Remain’ in Guernsey. Note that this secures ongoing residency in Guernsey, but not citizenship, which is a different matter.
How best to take this forward? Make contact with Locate Guernsey who can provide guidance about process and can provide the exact wording of the rules and other aspects of the Investor Immigration programme. Applications must be made in the applicant’s country of residence.
Entrepreneur and Investor Immigration routes into Guernsey
Your home Your lifeYour businesslocateguernsey.com
To find out more call: +44 (0)1481 743834 or email: [email protected]
Entrepreneur Immigration
Who is this for? Individuals who wish to live in the Bailiwick of Guernsey and intend to take an active role in the running of a business in Guernsey.
How does it work? The applicant must be able to show they have at least £200,000 in their name in a bank account and which they must be prepared to invest into an existing Guernsey business. Creating a new Guernsey business, again with a minimum £200,000, is also acceptable.
What else does the applicant need to show? Locate Guernsey can provide the full wording of the rules, but the main criteria are that the individual has a good command of spoken English, or is a national of a majority English-speaking country. The applicant must also show that they will have at least a controlling or equal interest of the business and demonstrate the ‘economic’ win that the business will yield for Guernsey. The rules for creating a business or buying into a business are slightly different; Locate Guernsey can outline more.
Where will they live? Successful applicants will live in a property in Guernsey’s Open Market. Locate Guernsey can explain more about this part of the Island’s housing stock. It is acceptable to rent or to buy this property.
What does a successful application secure? A permission granted by Guernsey’s Immigration Service allows the applicant and their dependents to live in Guernsey for two years, with, at that time, the option of applying for a further three years under the same scheme. At this point the £200,000 investment into the business will need to be evidenced to ‘unlock’ these additional years. At the five year point, individuals may be eligible to apply for ‘Indefinite Leave to Remain’ in Guernsey. Note that, if successful, this secures ongoing residency in Guernsey, but not citizenship, which is a different matter.
How best to take this forward? Make contact with Locate Guernsey who can provide guidance and advice about process and other aspects of the Entrepreneur Immigration programme. Applications must be made in the applicant’s country of residence.
Guernsey’s Location
