Changing Companies on the Sole Representative Visa

[misscococ]

I am an American citizen that has been in the UK on a sole representative visa for a company which is set to expire soon. Another company in the US has made me an offer to represent them in the UK under the sole representative visa and establish a UK presence for their company (which has been in existence about 4 year in the US).

I already know that I am not able to switch employers under the Sole Representative category, so I am looking at coordinating my job change with the expiration of my current visa. When my current UK visa expires, can I leave the UK and apply for a new UK sole rep visa at the UK consulate in Paris, Amsterdam or Spain (anywhere closer than the US)? Or is my only option an extension with my current employer?

[PaperPusher]

https://www.gov.uk/representative-overs ... ligibility

You must already be employed and working overseas for the company that wants to sponsor you as a sole rep. It doesn't look as if this is the case.

In addition to apply to switch while out of the UK you must usually apply from a country where you are a resident, not there as a tourist.

[manci]

the reference for what PaperPusher said about where you can apply from is immigration rule 28:
https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/s ... Part_1.pdf