UK plans investor visa for wealthy foreigners to invest & settle in Britain

The UK is exploring plans for a new visa that would allow wealthy foreign nationals to settle in Britain if they invest in sectors marked out as critical to the country’s economic recovery. The proposal is being examined by Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s government as part of efforts to offset recent tax rises and restrictions on work permits.

 

According to Bloomberg, which cited unnamed sources, the visa would be targeted at individuals willing to back areas such as artificial intelligence, clean energy, and life sciences. The plan is still under development and may change, but the idea is being discussed alongside options to improve current investor visa routes.

 

 

The move comes as Starmer tries to boost the UK economy while dealing with the fallout of his party’s decision to scrap “non-dom” tax benefits and raise the national insurance payroll tax. Those policies, introduced by Chancellor Rachel Reeves in April and October 2024 respectively, have caused unease among business leaders and prompted some of the UK’s wealthiest residents to relocate abroad.

 

New visa to replace former 'golden visa'

 

Britain previously offered a Tier 1 investor visa, scrapped in 2022 under the Conservative government over concerns that it had been misused to launder money, particularly by wealthy individuals linked to Russia. That visa granted residency to foreigners who invested at least £2 million in British companies.

 

Starmer’s administration is reportedly cautious about repeating past mistakes and may include stricter rules this time, such as limiting the type of assets allowed and restricting investment to approved sectors. Property investment, for instance, is expected to be excluded. The process is likely to include due diligence checks to prevent money laundering.

 

The government’s recently released immigration white paper, reviewed by Business Standard, suggests a shift in tone on investor migration. While it does not mention a new investor visa explicitly, it notes that the migration system should “attract the best talent, entrepreneurship and investment into our country”.

 

It also outlines plans to simplify and expand other high-skilled visa routes.

 

What the immigration white paper proposed

 

The document proposed a set of changes intended to attract high-growth potential individuals and support business innovation:

 

< Increase the number of people entering the UK through high talent routes

< Introduce faster processing for those with the skills to help grow sectors such as AI and clean energy

< Expand the scheme for research interns, particularly in artificial intelligence

< Simplify the Global Talent visa for top scientists and designers

< Review the Innovator Founder visa so that student entrepreneurs can stay on and build businesses

< Double the number of workers allowed under the UK Expansion Worker route

< Explore a capped expansion of the High Potential Individual (HPI) visa and increase the number of eligible global institutions

 

“The UK’s current immigration system includes targeted routes for individuals who promote growth to come to the UK. Including as entrepreneurs, through the Innovator Founder route, and leaders and future leaders in key fields, through routes including Global Talent and the High Potential Individual,” the paper noted.

 

Sharp rise in settlement figures

 

The white paper also touched on long-term settlement trends. According to the UK government, 162,000 people were granted settlement in 2024 — a 35% rise from 2023. This increase reflects earlier waves of migration between 2015 and 2019, with more people now becoming eligible for permanent residency and eventual citizenship.

 

“Settlement in the UK is a prerequisite for becoming a British citizen and brings lifelong benefits,” the document said. “Settlement is also an important step in integrating and contributing to local communities and the wider country.”

 

However, the share of migrants who go on to claim settlement varies by visa route. Only 18% of those who arrived on work visas between 2010 and 2018 had settled by 2023, compared to 75% of those on the family route.

 

Investor visa ideas echo global trends

 

If introduced, the new visa would mirror policies elsewhere. In the US, President Donald Trump has revived investor-focused migration under a scheme allowing foreign nationals to gain residency — and a path to citizenship — by investing \$5 million in US Treasury securities.

 

Meanwhile, the European Union has been pushing member states to curb similar “golden visa” programmes, which critics say allow wealthy individuals to bypass normal immigration rules.  With inputs from Bloomberg