Do you need a UK visa or right to work to own a UK company?

Company law treats being a shareholder or director as separate from employment or the right to work. A non-resident can hold every share, sit as the sole director, sign contracts and take dividends without ever needing UK immigration permission, provided they do not physically work in the UK.

Problems arise if a non-resident director starts actually performing substantive UK-based work, such as regularly attending an office or managing UK staff on the ground, since that can shift into needing a work visa regardless of their shareholding.

If you plan to relocate to the UK to run the business day to day, routes such as the Innovator Founder visa or a standard work visa via your own company (subject to genuine employment and sponsorship rules) become relevant, and these have separate financial, business plan and English language requirements.

Short UK business visits to attend board meetings are generally permitted under standard visitor rules, but taking up actual employment or being paid for work performed while visiting typically is not, so keep a record of the purpose and duration of any UK trips.

Our fixed monthly packages for a UK limited company start at £89 plus VAT and run to £169 and £289 plus VAT as bookkeeping, VAT, payroll and reporting are added. One-off filings are sold at fixed prices, and the Companies House fees we pay for you are charged at cost with no VAT added. Overseas owners are quoted on exactly the same published prices as UK-resident clients.

Rates, thresholds and deadlines here reflect the 2026/27 UK position and current Companies House and HMRC guidance. Check GOV.UK, or ask us, before relying on them for your own company.