Regional Profile:

The Bailiwick of Guernsey, nestled in the Channel Islands near the French coastline in the English Channel, is one of the British Crown Dependencies. Guernsey, the primary island in this jurisdiction, stands as the second-largest in the Channel Islands. A flight from here to London takes approximately 40 minutes.

The Bailiwick is self-governing and not part of the United Kingdom: Its defence and international representation – as well as certain policy areas, such as nationality law – are the responsibility of the UK Government, but the Bailiwick still has a separate international identity.

Capital: St. Pierre Port

Population: 67334(as of 2006)

Area: 78 km²(223rd)

Offical Language: English

Currency: Guernsey Pound （equal to Pound）

GDP per Captial: £33,123(10th)

How To Immigrate To Guernsey:

Guernsey offers foreign investors and entrepreneurs a pathway to UK permanent residency and passports. Guernsey’s investor visa and entrepreneur visa are very similar in format to the UK’s now-terminated investot and startup visas, but the required investment amount is only half of what was previously required for similar UK visas.

Investor Visa:

Foreign investors depositing £1 million in a Guernsey bank account and investing at least £750,000 of the deposits to invest in industries beneficial to Guernsey can apply for a long-term residency visa there. The investment can take one of the following three ways:

1. Investing £750,000 in a Guernsey bank managed by the GFSC;

2. Spending more than £750,000 to purchase or lease Guernsey property outside of the applicant’s residence;

3. The investor can choose to invest £750,000 in a business in Guernsey, but this business plan must be approved by the Guernsey government.

Applicants must also meet basic conditions, such as being over 18 years old and having no criminal record.

Through the investment route, foreigners first obtain a two-year Guernsey residence visa. After its expiration, it can be extended for another three years if the investment is maintained. After residing in Guernsey for five years, investors can apply for Guernsey’s ILR (Indefinite Leave to Remain). After holding the ILR for a year, investors can apply for a UK passport. During the passport application process, applicants aged 18 to 65 must pass a citizenship test to prove their proficiency in English and their understanding of life in the UK.

Entrepreneur Visa:

The Guernsey Entrepreneur Visa is issued to overseas entrepreneurs who invest more than £200,000 in an existing business in Guernsey or start their own business there.

Visa applicants must meet the following criteria:

1. The visa holder must personally manage and control the equity of the company;

2. Submit an approved business plan;

3. The company should create employment opportunities in Guernsey and be economically beneficial to the Bailiwick;

4. The applicant must be financially self-sufficient;

5. The company must be registered with the Guernsey Income Tax Office.

Similar to the Investor Visa, the initial validity period of the Entrepreneur Visa is also 2 years. If the company thrives after this period, the visa can be extended for another 3 years. After legally residing in Guernsey for 5 years, foreigners can apply for Guernsey’s ILR (Indefinite Leave to Remain). After holding the ILR for a year, entrepreneurs can apply for a UK passport. During the passport application process, applicants aged 18 to 65 must pass a citizenship test to prove their proficiency in English and their understanding of life in the UK.

Work Permit:

Similar to the UK, foreigners wishing to work in Guernsey need to apply for a local work permit. The Guernsey government has listed 230 in-demand occupations for job seekers to reference.

To apply for a work permit, support from a local employer and a job offer is required. The application process is very straightforward. Work visas are categorized into short-term, medium-term, and long-term, with validity periods of 1 year, 5 years, and 8 years, respectively.

For a detailed list of in-demand occupations, visit: https://populationportal.gov.gg/policies.

Taxation:

Guernsey does not levy any form of capital gains tax, wealth tax, value-added tax, or inheritance tax. Additionally, most companies are not required to pay corporation tax, while the income tax rate stands at 20%.

The maximum tax on a resident’s global income in Guernsey is set at £260,000;

The highest tax amount levied on a resident’s overseas income is £130,000. This means that if your oversea income for a single calendar year exceeds £650,000, your tax liability will be capped at £130,000.

For new residents in the Bailiwick of Guernsey, during the first four years of moving to Guernsey, if the following conditions are met, the maximum tax liability will be capped at £50,000:

1. Guernsey is your primary place of residence;

2. You purchase property locally and pay over £50,000 in property tax (based on current rates, this corresponds to acquiring property valued at over £1.32 million);

3. You acquired the property within one year before or after becoming a resident of Guernsey.

Useful Links:

Locate Guernsey：https://www.locateguernsey.com/

Guernsey Immigration：https://www.gov.gg/immigration