Turkish Businessperson Visa

The European Community Association Agreement (ECAA) with Turkey, known as the Ankara Agreement (the UK is being a party to the agreement), allows Turkish nationals to enter the UK and establish themselves as a self-employed business person or as a worker in a business in the UK – often referred to as an ECAA visa or Turkish ECAA.

You can apply for a Turkish Business person visa if you’re a Turkish national and show the following:

• you have a genuine intention to set up a viable business; and
• you’ll be bringing sufficient funds to establish your business; and
• you’ll be able to pay your share of the costs of running the business; and
• your share of the profits will be enough to support you and your family without your needing to have another job

If you want to join an existing partnership or company you must show:

• you’ll have an active part in running the business, and
• there is a genuine need for your services and investment

You can apply for a visa up to 3 months before your date of travel to the UK. You should get a decision on your visa within 12 weeks when you apply from outside the UK.

Your initial grant of leave to remain will be for a period of one year, following which you may be able to extend for up to a period of 3 years, based upon the success of your business. Following on from 4 years leave to remain under this category, you can apply to settle in the UK.

Your family members (‘dependants’) can come with you when you come to the UK on Turkish Businessperson visa.
A ‘dependant’ is any of the following:

• your partner
• your child under 21 (including children born in the UK)