The United Kingdom has proposed a new investor visa that would grant three years of residency to wealthy foreigners who commit at least £5 million (approximately US$6.7 million) to priority sectors of the British economy, according to Bloomberg.
Structured as invite-only, the program would target entrepreneurs and other globally mobile individuals, subject them to enhanced vetting, and open a direct path to permanent residency after three years.
Property would be explicitly excluded as a qualifying asset. The restriction targets the speculative capital inflows that drew criticism under the now-defunct Tier 1 (Investor) visa, which the previous government shut down in February 2022 ostensibly to curb the influence of Russian money.
Revived Investor Visa
To distance the new investor visa route from its predecessor, the government would carry out thorough due diligence processes to minimize money-laundering risks.
The earlier program required only £2 million and offered settlement in five years, with accelerated timelines at higher tiers: three years for £5 million and two years for £10 million.
At £5 million, the proposed entry point matches the old Tier 1’s accelerated settlement tier but eliminates the lower thresholds entirely. For comparison, Portugal’s golden visa starts at €500,000 for fund investments, Greece’s program ranges from €250,000 to €800,000, and the US EB-5 sets its standard threshold at US$1,050,000.
Move to Combat Billionaire Exodus
Abolition of the centuries-old non-domiciled tax regime, which took effect in April 2025, prompted billionaires including John Fredriksen, Nassef Sawiris, Magda Wieryzcka and Guillaume Pousaz to leave the country or reduce their ties.
Business Secretary Peter Kyle has publicly acknowledged that higher levies introduced under Labour led some ultra-rich residents to depart.
Nearly 11,000 millionaires left the UK in 2024, according to Henley & Partners, which projected an additional 16,500 departures by the end of 2025.
The UK began drawing up plans for a new investor visa last year, seeking to attract high-value entrants while tightening other visa programs amid concerns over migration levels and increased pressure on public services and housing.
