UK Government circulates proposals for a new “invite-only” investor visa for wealthy individuals

Overview

Recent reports suggest that the UK Government is considering a new invite-only investor visa for high-net-worth individuals. We consider what this could mean for investors, businesses and the future of UK investment migration.

Gherson is particularly well placed to comment on these developments. Before the closure of the previous Tier 1 Investor route in 2022, Gherson was widely recognised as one of the leading firms in this specialist area and handled a significant proportion of investor visa applications. Our experience included advising high-net-worth and ultra-high-net-worth individuals, family offices, entrepreneurs and international businesses on complex investor visa applications, enhanced due diligence, Home Office scrutiny and related UK immigration strategy.

What do the proposed reforms mean for investors?

Recent reports indicate that Government Ministers are considering the introduction of a new invite-only investor visa designed to restore the UK’s competitiveness as a destination for internationally mobile wealth, entrepreneurs and strategic investors.

The proposed route is understood to offer qualifying individuals an initial three-year period of UK residence, with the possibility of progressing towards longer-term residence and settlement, subject to the final structure of any route and the requirements ultimately set out in the Immigration Rules.

Although no formal policy announcement has yet been made, the proposal has already attracted significant attention across the immigration, private wealth and investment sectors. This is unsurprising. The UK has been without a dedicated investor visa route since the closure of the Tier 1 Investor category in February 2022, leaving a material gap in the UK’s immigration offering for high-net-worth individuals who wish to relocate to the UK and deploy capital into the UK economy.

How would the proposed route compare internationally?

The proposal appears to follow a broader international trend of governments seeking to attract strategic capital, entrepreneurial talent and high-value economic contribution through selective investment migration programmes. Comparable routes exist in jurisdictions such as the United States and New Zealand, both of which use investment-linked immigration structures to attract substantial overseas capital.

However, reports suggest that the UK proposal may involve a significantly higher investment threshold than many international equivalents. A potential investment requirement of approximately £5 million would place the UK at the upper end of the market. By way of comparison, Portugal’s investment residence programme has historically included qualifying fund investments from €500,000, Greece’s programme has included thresholds ranging from €250,000 to €800,000 depending on investment type and location, and the United States’ EB-5 route has a standard investment threshold of US$1,050,000, with a reduced threshold for certain targeted employment areas.

If the UK proceeds with a higher-threshold, invitation-based model, the route may be designed less as a conventional “golden visa” and more as a selective economic contribution route targeted at individuals capable of making substantial, active and strategically valuable investments into the UK.

A stricter route than the former Tier 1 Investor visa

The proposed route would most likely be materially different from the former Tier 1 Investor visa. The previous route, introduced in 2008, permitted qualifying applicants to obtain UK residence through a minimum investment of £2 million in prescribed UK investments. It was closed by the Home Secretary in February 2022 following longstanding concerns regarding illicit finance, source of funds and the integrity of parts of the historic investor migration framework.

Any new investor visa is therefore likely to be designed with substantially more rigorous safeguards. Reports indicate that the Government is considering a model involving enhanced vetting, stricter background checks and more active assessment of the applicant’s business background, source of wealth and proposed economic contribution to the UK.

The likely direction of travel is clear: any future route would not simply reward passive capital. It would be expected to demonstrate credibility, transparency and a measurable benefit to the UK economy.

Key features likely to distinguish the new proposal

Although the details remain speculative, the proposed route may distinguish itself from the former Tier 1 Investor category in several important respects:

• A substantially higher investment threshold, potentially in the region of £5 million;
• An invitation-only or curated application process, limiting access to individuals regarded as capable of making a meaningful economic contribution;
• Enhanced source of wealth and source of funds scrutiny, including more rigorous due diligence than under earlier investor visa frameworks;
• A focus on active investment into priority sectors, innovation, growth companies or strategically important UK businesses;
• Exclusion of passive investment categories, including property or other assets not considered to deliver sufficient economic value;
• Greater compliance obligations, potentially requiring applicants to evidence the deployment, maintenance and impact of their investment; and
• Closer coordination between immigration, financial crime and tax considerations, reflecting the policy lessons learned from the former investor route.

Why is the UK considering this now?

The proposal comes at a time when the UK is seeking to remain attractive to internationally mobile wealth while also responding to criticism of historic investor migration schemes. The closure of the previous investor route removed a well-known pathway for high-net-worth individuals, but it did not remove international competition for capital, founders and private investment.

The timing is also significant in light of the changes to the UK’s non-domiciled tax regime. The ending of the previous non-dom framework has prompted many internationally mobile individuals to reassess their UK position, and competing jurisdictions have sought to attract them through favourable tax regimes, residence programmes and investment incentives.

The Government may therefore be exploring whether a new, more tightly controlled investor visa could help attract high-value individuals and strategic investment while avoiding the reputational and compliance concerns that affected the former Tier 1 Investor route.

What remains uncertain?

At present, there is no new investor visa route open for applications. No Immigration Rules, Statement of Changes, policy guidance or operational criteria have been published. Accordingly, important questions remain unresolved, including:

• Who would be eligible to receive an invitation;
• Which Government department or agency would control the invitation process;
• Whether the route would be capped or limited to particular sectors;
• What level and type of investment would qualify;
• Whether investment would need to be made before or after the grant of permission;
• How source of wealth and source of funds would be assessed;
• Whether family members would be eligible as dependants;
• Whether the route would lead to settlement and, if so, on what timetable;
• What ongoing compliance, reporting or investment-maintenance duties would apply;
• How the route would interact with UK tax residence and wider private wealth planning; and
• Whether the route would sit alongside, replace or supplement existing options such as Innovator Founder, Global Talent, Scale-up and sponsored work routes.

What should investors and businesses do now?

Although the proposal remains at an early stage, high-net-worth individuals, family offices, entrepreneurs and international businesses with an interest in UK expansion should monitor developments closely. If a new route is introduced, it is likely to be highly selective and document-intensive. Applicants should expect significant scrutiny of their personal and commercial background, investment history, source of wealth, source of funds, corporate structures, tax position and long-term intentions in the UK.

Early preparation will be important. Individuals who may wish to rely on any future investment-based route should consider whether their wealth structuring, investment records, banking documentation, corporate history and tax analysis would withstand enhanced Home Office and wider Government scrutiny.

Businesses seeking to attract overseas capital should also follow developments carefully. If the route prioritises investment into high-growth UK companies or designated strategic sectors, UK businesses may want to understand how best to position themselves to qualify for  and evidence the economic value of that investment.

How Gherson can assist

Gherson has longstanding market-leading experience in UK investor visa work. Before the closure of the Tier 1 Investor route in 2022, Gherson handled a significant proportion of investor visa applications and advised on some of the most complex issues arising under that category, including source of funds, source of wealth, international asset structures, Home Office enquiries, refusals, administrative reviews and strategic relocation planning.

That experience is directly relevant to any future investor visa route. A new scheme is likely to require not only immigration advice, but also a sophisticated understanding of financial documentation, international wealth structures, risk assessment, compliance, reputation management and the way in which the Home Office scrutinises high-value applications.

Gherson’s Immigration Team is well placed to advise high-net-worth individuals, ultra-high-net-worth individuals, family offices, entrepreneurs, investors and businesses on the potential implications of the proposed route and on existing UK immigration options pending any formal announcement.

If you have any questions arising from this blog, please do not hesitate to contact us for advice, send us an e-mail, or, alternatively, follow us on X, Facebook, Instagram, or LinkedIn to stay-up-to-date.

The information in this blog is for general information purposes only and does not purport to be comprehensive or to provide legal advice. Whilst every effort is made to ensure the information and law is current as of the date of publication it should be stressed that, due to the passage of time, this does not necessarily reflect the present legal position. Gherson accepts no responsibility for loss which may arise from accessing or reliance on information contained in this blog. For formal advice on the current law please do not hesitate to contact Gherson. Legal advice is only provided pursuant to a written agreement, identified as such, and signed by the client and by or on behalf of Gherson.

©Gherson 2026