Business and Investment Visas

As company formation agents we cannot process applications for visas. Incorporating a company in any jurisdiction will not guarantee the reception of a visa. If obtaining a visa is your primary purpose we cannot assist.

How Formacompany Ltd can assist

To support your application for a visa, you may be requested to provide information relating to your company which we can provide such as:

• A business plan
• A certificate of good standing for your company
• A certificate of incumbency - stating your involvement in the new company

General rules

• All countries welcome business visitors, for their spending power within their country, so are willing to issue visas to people who can demonstrate that they have resources for a stay in that country
• All countries welcome investment by entrepreneurs in their economy. If you are incorporating a company in a country, and have plans to see the company grow in that country, you could well be granted a long term visa
• In the short term, for the incorporation, you need to demonstrate that you wish to incorporate a company in the country, and need to apply for a short-term visa to complete the incorporation processes there

Initial incorporation

In some countries, you are not required to visit a country before incorporating there. With some jurisdictions, we recommend that you visit the country before incorporating to:

• Obtain an identification number in that country
• To sign Powers of Attorney in front of a notary, to allow the incorporation to proceed
• Opening a bank account

At this stage, you need to ask for a short term business visa, and need to specify the reasons for your visit.

Long Term and Residency Visas

After incorporation you may well wish to:

• Employ staff
• Purchase property
• Stay in the country for longer periods in order to manage your business

In that case, you will need to present information about the business to the authorities when applying for a visa.

Brazil - Obtaining a Visa

While foreign visitors may enter Brazil without a visa, Brazilian law requires a temporary business visa if you plan to conduct business. Business includes signing legal documents, engaging in financial or commercial transactions, and working or engaging in research.

A temporary business visa is initially valid for 90 days. A permanent visa is, in practice, very hard to obtain and may take as long as a year to get, generally you can stay in Brazil during the process.

After you have received a permanent visa only a letter to the ministry of labour is required in order to get a work permit.

Bulgaria - Obtaining a Visa

The Business Visa is given for 3 to 6 months.

You need to apply through a local Bulgarian consulate.

Should you be a citizen of a company within the European Economic Area, or another country in the OECD or a country listed by Bulgaria as an important contributor to the business world, you do not need to apply formally. Others need to apply to the local consulate with: 

• a passport with 6 months validity on it
• a photograph
• a letter from a local company stating the purpose of the visit
• a letter of invitation from a company in Bulgaria 

A special kind of Business Visa, called the Multiple Entry Visa is also available, if this is more appropriate.

Czech Republic - Obtaining a Visa

Where an EU resident is not a Director, the non-EU directors need to demonstrate that they have the right to reside in the Czech Republic or in the Schengen Agreement states of the EU for more than 90 days. If you want to form a Czech company and do not have the right of residence in Europe, you need to apply for the Visa at a Czech consulate in your own country.

You will need.

• A valid passport which will not expire in 90 days
• A copy of the photo page on your passport
• Evidence that you can support yourself during your stay:
• Such a foreign company undertaking to support you in the Czech Republic
• Or a Czech resident with means agreeing to support you during your stay
• Or a letter of invitation from a solvent company

Note that the Czech Republic allows residents of many countries to come for 90 days with a simple tourist visa.

Luxembourg - Obtaining a Visa

Whether or not you need a visa to enter Luxembourg depends on a number of factors including your nationality,length and reason of intended stay.

Citizens of EU member states do not require a visa to enter Luxembourg, or stay for an indefinite period, however they must make a residence declaration (declaration de résidence) within three months of arrival.

Nationals of countries outside the EU should check first with their countries embassy or consulate in Luxembourg as regulations are prone to change but in principle visitors from North or South America, and most non-EU European and Pacific Rim countries do not require a visa for visits up to ninety days but if you are coming to Luxembourg to conduct any business, even for a short time, it is wise to check with your embassy or consulate before embarking on your trip, as it is possible you will need a business visa.

Documents required when applying for a long-term visa:

• Passport valid for at least three months beyond the first anniversary of your intended arrival date, e.g. if arrival is planned for September 2008 your passport must be valid until at least December 2009;
• Legalised birth certificate (translated if necessary) for you and all family members entering the country;
• Legalised copies of your marriage or divorce certificate, if applicable (translated if necessary);
• Medical certificate from an approved doctor (please ask your embassy or consulate for a list of approved doctors);
• Completed application form for you and each family member;
• Passport photos;
• A work permit, or evidence that your future employer has applied for a work permit on your behalf;
• Evidence of eligibility to work in your field, e.g. university certificate or professional card;
• Police record (certificate of good standing)
• Proof of financial independence (if you are not working);
• Proof of health insurance

Poland - Obtaining a Visa

Residents of EU/EEA countries and some neighbouring countries to Poland have relaxed rules about getting short term tourist and business visas.
The key to getting permanent residency for non-EEA countries, is getting the required invitation letters, from business partners or getting a commercial activity license for your own company.

You can get a business or permanent residency visa applying to a Polish Consulate with the following information:

• An application form based on the Schengen agreement model
• A valid passport
• Travel insurance
• Recent bank statements, which may be company bank statements, for the last three months
• If invited by a Company; with the letter of guarantee from that Company
• If invited by a Company owned by the applicant, the company’s commercial activity license is needed
• If invited by a person, who will guarantee costs during the stay, a letter of guarantee from that person
• Receipts confirming the booking of flights and hotel or lodging plans

Spain - Obtaining a Visa

You can obtain a residency visa in Spain with:

• An initial investment in Spain to support your business plan
• Have a viable 'Business Plan'- which we prepare for you
• Evidence that you have made the first steps to start a viable business in Spain- Company Formation, a Registered Office, first steps to find a market and other persuasive evidence
• Evidence that you have support from third parties: Government organisations, financial institutions
• Evidence that you can support yourself in the initial stages: a bank certificate stating money in a Spanish bank account
• Personal identification details: passport, photos, Identity cards
• A statement on your police record
• A medical certificate

Turkey - Obtaining a Visa

If you wish to reside in Turkey longer than the normal period allowed to tourists or set up a business with or without a Turkish partner, you will need  a residence visa.  

• A Visa application form with a passport size photo attached
• Recent bank statements, which may be company bank statements, for the last three months
• Reference letter from your employer / school / accountant (if applicable)
• A valid passport
• A letter specifying the reasons for the applicant's intended settlement in Turkey
• Details of pensions or other assets from which the applicant receive a regular income
• Details of any assets in Turkey
• Any other evidence supporting your application

United Arab Emirates - Obtaining a Visa

Foreign nationals wishing to take up employment in the UAE must obtain employment visas, which are issued by the United Arab Emirates Ministry of Labor, and residence visas which are issued by the UAE Department of Immigration. All Free Zones have their own immigration departments.

UAE employment visas are valid for three years - renewable for additional three-year periods. Residence visas are granted to dependents of foreign nationals. Currently no quota system is imposed on immigration into the UAE. The following nationalities can get UAE Visit Visa upon arrival at the UAE airports:

Europe: United Kingdom, France, Italy, Germany, Holland, Belgium, Luxembourg, Switzerland, Austria, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Portugal, Ireland, Greece, Finland, Spain, Monaco, Vatican City, Iceland, Andorra, San Marino, Liechtenstein

America: USA, Canada.

Oceania/Pacific: Australia, New Zealand.

Asia: Japan, Brunei, Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong, South Korea.

UK - Obtaining a Visa

Obtaining a Business Visa for company Directors or Work Permits is easier with an established company. Our ready made companies come with a history, which would be better than registering a new company

We are a UK based organisation, and therefore we can most ably assist with advice about UK Visas. There are several types of UK Business Visa:

• The Tier 1 - Investor Visa
• Tier 1 - Entrepreneur Visa
• Sole Representative Visas for Employers
• The Freelance Visa

This is available for large investors, who have £1million at their disposal, are willing to spend over 50% of their time in the UK and have a reasonable command of English.

This is available for applicants with a minimum of £200,000 to start a business, and who are willing to work full-time on this enterprise. The business must expect to create jobs for EEA nationals and the applicant must have a controlling influence in the business and be have a reasonable command of English. Should you wish to apply for this form of visa, you should incorporate a company, open a bank account and contact people in your market to support your visa application.

If a foreign company has the need to send a person to the UK, they can apply for a sole representative visa. It is permissible for the foreign company to establish a UK company ready for use of this sole representative, but the UK company should not start to trade until the sole representative arrives.

In some cases, people can come to the UK without the necessary investments of £200,000. You, personally, can incorporate a company, open a bank account and contact people in your market to support your visa application.

USA - Obtaining a visa

Business Visas for the United States

Business Visas for the United States In the US, sometimes, you simply do not need a Visa, and sometimes a persuasive presence in the US is required, before you can visit for business reasons. Should company formation be part of your bid to establish a foothold in the US, we can assist. Note the areas below: 

Business trips

You may not need a Visa if you just intend to do business in the USA. Nationals of countries which are in the Visa Waiver Programme do not need a visa for regular business activities in the United States of America. This is the rule where:

• The visit is under 90 days
• Actual gainful employment is not in the USA

If your country is not in the Visa Waiver Programme, you need to send supporting evidence to the Consulate or Embassy in your country of Residence, and apply for a B1 Visa. These are usually granted for six months at a time.

In some circumstances, you can obtain a Visa to work for a US company through a B1 Visa, if you are a highly professional employee contracted for a US company. The Visa is available for the time of the contract, cannot be more than twelve months, and should allow the employee to return to his previous employment when the contract ends.

Nationals of some countries can apply for a E2 visa, where there a bilateral treaties, encouraging investment between nations. The individual can only come into the country to develop and manage the operations of a US resident company in which he has invested, or by exception, could be an exceptionally skilled person in an investing US company. In both cases, we can assist with the company incorporation; which can often be the prerequisite for applying for this type of Visa