Investor Visa
What is a Investor Visa?
The Tier 1 (Investor Visa) is a legal document which allows high net worth individuals from overseas to live in the UK, if they invest £2 million or more of their money into the UK.
Nicknamed the ‘golden visa’, the Investor Visa is a fast-track to residency in the UK, because the applicant is contributing a sizeable amount of money to benefit the UK economy.
The idea behind the visa is to attract international investors, who can invest in the UK and help stimulate economic growth.
UPDATE: The Investor Visa is scrapped
As of 17 February 2022, the UK is no longer accepting applications for the Investor Visa.
The Home Secretary at the time, Priti Patel, announced an end to the visa scheme, as part of a “renewed crackdown on illicit finance and fraud”.
In essence, the Investor Visa was scrapped due to concerns about national security threats and fears that people were abusing the visa to commit crimes, such as money laundering.
The Investor Visa scheme underwent many amendments ever since its introduction in 2008, but now, the scheme has fully shut down.
Applications for the Investor Visa are now closed for applicants of all nationalities.
What about applicants who applied for an Investor Visa before 17 February 2022?
Any applicants who applied online for an Investor Visa and paid the visa fees before 4pm GMT on 17 February 2022, will have still had their applications considered as per the existing rules at the time of their application.
What about people who are already in the UK on an Investor Visa before 17 February 2022?
Individuals on an Investor Visa in the UK before 17 February 2022 could still remain in the UK as per their visa rules. Any important information is communicated from the Home Office.
What if I made an application for an Investor Visa, but the scheme closed before I could submit my application?
Any applications made after 4pm GMT on 17 February 2022 are void and will not be considered. Applicants will have to search for an alternative route.
What is an alternative to the Investor Visa route?
Now that the Investor Visa has been scrapped, one alternative that individuals may wish to apply for instead is the Global Talent Visa.
Formerly called the Tier 1 Exceptional Talent Visa, this visa is now referred to as the Global Talent Visa UK instead.
This is a visa route that allows talented individuals to stay in the UK for up to 5 years at a time if they are a leader or potential leader in academia, research, arts and culture, or digital technology.
Applicants must be endorsed by an endorsing body which is recognised as an expert in their field.
Click here to learn more about Global Talent Visas and find out how our expert team at Synergy Immigration Solutions can help you submit an application with the best chances of success.
Where can I get help on my visa application in the UK?
Here at Synergy Immigration Solutions, we understand the complexity of the UK’s immigration laws and the issues that can arise during the application process. The UK’s immigration laws are constantly evolving, as we have just seen with the scrapping of the Investor Visa.
That is why we offer a bespoke, personalised service to help individuals and businesses who are making immigration applications.
We will liaise with UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) on your behalf- saving you time, effort, workload, and stress.
We will also answer your questions and address any concerns you may have.
We process all applications in an efficient and timely manner and keep our clients well-informed throughout the process.
It is vital that the correct documentation is in place to ensure the application is approved.
We would always recommend that you appoint a specialist such as Synergy Immigration Solutions to manage this process for you.
Click here to contact Synergy Immigration Solutions and submit your query.
Alternatively, email info@synergy-immigration.com or call 020 4538 5124. We will get back to you within 24 hours and we are more than happy to help.
About Synergy Immigration Solutions
We are a UK immigration agency, regulated by the Office of the Immigration Services Commissioner (OISC). We are proud members of the Immigration Law Practitioners Association.
To find out more about Synergy Immigration Solutions and our visa services, visit our website here.
To contact us, call us on 020 4538 5124, email info@synergy-immigration.com or fill in our online contact form here.
Read articles on our blog here, to find the answers to frequently asked questions about topics such as Global Talent Visas, student visas, skilled worker visas, right-to-work checks, and more.