The Turkish Businessperson route is now a legacy/transitional route for existing Turkish Businessperson permission holders. We help Turkish nationals and their families review extension eligibility, business viability evidence, dependant position and ILR strategy before the application is prepared.
Review whether your current status, business evidence, dependant position and settlement timing are strong enough before the application is prepared.
The Turkish Businessperson route is a legacy business route for Turkish nationals who already have qualifying Turkish Businessperson permission in the UK. It is no longer open to new main applicants and it is not a general entrepreneur route for people who now want to start a new UK business from scratch.
The route remains important for existing Turkish Businessperson visa holders because they may still need an extension before they qualify for settlement. The evidence must show continuing eligibility, a genuine and viable business, active involvement in the business and compliance with immigration conditions.
For many applicants, the main challenge is not simply completing an application. The real risk is whether the accounts, tax evidence, business bank statements, invoices, contracts, investment records, premises evidence, dependant position and settlement timing all support the same strategy. Access Global Immigration Visa Experts can review the case before the application is prepared.
A Turkish Businessperson extension is usually relevant only where the applicant is already in the UK and already has valid Turkish Businessperson permission. The applicant must be able to show that they have complied with immigration conditions and have not broken immigration law.
The business evidence is central. Applicants should be ready to show that they continue to run, establish, take over, become a partner in, or act as a director of one or more genuine UK businesses. The business must be viable, the applicant must genuinely operate it, and the applicant must have devoted their own assets to the business.
The applicant must be able to bear their share of the business liabilities. Their role must not amount to disguised employment, and their share of profits should be enough to support themselves and any dependants without needing another job or relying on public funds.
Business viability is assessed in the round. There is no single fixed profit amount that proves a business is viable in every case. The quality of the accounts, tax position, bank activity, contracts, invoices, customer records, trading history, premises evidence and investment evidence all matter.
A business may still be viable even if it has had a short-term downturn, but the evidence should explain the position clearly. Where a business is producing losses or only marginal profits, the applicant may need a stronger explanation of how the business can continue and support the family.
Where the applicant is joining an existing business, the terms of involvement, recent accounts and evidence of a genuine need for the applicant’s services and investment should be prepared carefully. This is a common area where unclear evidence can weaken the case.
The document strategy should prove identity, current immigration status, genuine business activity, business viability, personal living costs, accommodation, family relationship evidence and settlement readiness where relevant.
A strong evidence bundle normally includes identity evidence, proof of current Turkish Businessperson status, recent accounts, business bank statements, tax records, invoices, contracts, insurance, premises evidence, proof of investment, partnership or director documents where relevant, and evidence that the business can support the applicant and dependants.
We can review the business evidence, accounts, tax position, investment records, dependant documents and settlement readiness before the application is prepared.
A partner and dependent children may be able to extend or settle depending on their current permission, relationship evidence, age, residence history and whether they meet the relevant dependant requirements. Their permission is usually linked to the main applicant, but their own qualifying period and evidence still matter.
New applications under this legacy route are limited. Children under 21 may be able to apply to join a Turkish Businessperson visa holder in certain circumstances, but a partner who has not previously held qualifying ECAA dependant permission may need a different immigration route assessment.
Family applications should be reviewed early because children turning 21, time spent outside the UK, separated parents, sole responsibility evidence, accommodation evidence, relationship evidence and business-profit evidence can all affect the correct strategy.
A Turkish Businessperson extension can usually be granted for up to 3 years if the applicant continues to meet the route requirements. Further extensions can continue to be granted where the requirements remain met.
In some cases, a shorter period of around 12 months may be granted where the business is established but the ongoing success of the business still needs to be proven. This can happen where the business is new, has marginal profits, or the evidence is not strong enough for a full 3-year grant but refusal is not appropriate on the overall facts.
Where the applicant is close to completing 5 years, it may be more sensible to review whether an ILR strategy is available instead of treating the extension in isolation.
Yes. Turkish Businessperson permission can lead to indefinite leave to remain if the applicant meets the settlement requirements. In most cases, the applicant needs to show 5 years of living and working in the UK, continuing business activity, English language ability, Life in the UK and absence compliance.
The absence rule is important. The applicant must not have spent more than 180 days outside the UK in any 12-month period during the relevant 5-year period. Public funds and immigration compliance issues must also be checked before a settlement application is prepared.
Dependants may also be able to apply for settlement if they meet their own requirements. A partner usually needs to have been granted dependant permission and to have lived with the main applicant in the UK for a continuous 5-year period before settlement. Children have separate rules depending on age, dependency, family position and whether both parents are settled or applying.
We help Turkish Businessperson visa holders and their families structure extension, dependant and ILR applications around the evidence that matters most.
We can assess extension eligibility, business documents, dependant applications, ILR readiness and future citizenship planning.
No. The route is now a legacy/transitional route. It is mainly relevant to Turkish nationals who already have qualifying Turkish Businessperson permission and need extension or settlement advice.
A person may be able to extend if they are already in the UK, hold valid Turkish Businessperson permission, have complied with immigration conditions, and can show they continue to run or actively participate in a genuine and viable UK business.
The main Turkish Businessperson extension application currently has no application fee. Professional advice, document preparation and any related dependant or settlement work are separate.
A decision is usually made within 6 months. Cases can take longer if business documents need verification, an interview is required, or there are personal, business or immigration history issues.
You should not travel outside the UK, Ireland, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man while the application is pending because the application can be treated as withdrawn.
The case usually turns on identity, current status, business accounts, tax evidence, bank statements, contracts, invoices, premises evidence, insurance, investment evidence and proof that the business can support the applicant and dependants.
There is no single fixed profit figure that applies to every business. The evidence should show that the business is viable and that the applicant’s share of profits is enough to support the applicant and any dependants without another job or public funds.
Existing permission holders may be able to continue running their business and start another one, provided the business evidence and route requirements are met.
Dependants may be able to extend if they already have valid dependant permission and meet the relationship, age, care, accommodation and financial evidence requirements. Children under 21 may have different entry-clearance options.
The route is closed to new main applicants and new partner applications under the transitional ECAA route are restricted. A partner who has not previously held qualifying ECAA dependant permission may need a different family route assessment.
Yes, it can lead to ILR if the applicant has completed the required residence and business period and meets the settlement requirements, including English language, Life in the UK and absence rules.
The main applicant usually needs 5 years of living and working in the UK, must continue to run a business, must meet the language and Life in the UK requirements, must not have exceeded the absence limits, and must not fall for refusal reasons.
Yes. We can review the gaps, identify what alternative evidence may help, and structure the case so the business activity, accounts, tax position, investment and support position are explained clearly.
For Turkish nationals who hold Turkish Worker permission and need advice on extension or settlement planning.
For wider settlement planning, residence history, absence issues and family settlement applications.
For people who already hold settlement and want to plan the next step towards British citizenship.
For dependant partners who may need separate limited permission or family route advice.
For entrepreneurs who may need a current UK business immigration route rather than the closed Turkish Businessperson route.
For understanding healthcare surcharge costs where limited permission is required instead of settlement.
Speak to Access Global Immigration Visa Experts for advice on extension eligibility, business evidence, dependants, settlement readiness and future citizenship planning.
