Investor Visa

Helping you navigate UK immigration law with expertise and care.

New applications are now closed for this route. However, individuals who currently hold entry clearance or leave to enter or remain as a Tier 1 Investor Migrant can apply to extend their stay or seek indefinite leave to remain. Applications for further leave to remain as a Tier 1 Investor can be made up to February 17, 2026, while applications for indefinite leave to remain can be made until February 17, 2028.

UK Investor Visa

The Investor visa is designed for those individuals who have at least £2 million to invest in the UK.

The main requirements of a Tier 1 (investor) visa are as follows:

  • Must have money of their own, under their control, held in a regulated financial institution and disposable in the UK, amounting to not less than £2 million
  • Must have opened an account with a UK regulated bank for the purposes of investing not less than £2 million in the UK
  • The money can be either overseas at the time of application, or already in the UK
  • Can use funds held jointly or solely by a spouse
  • Can use permitted investment made in the UK in the last 12 months
  • Cannot use assets or possessions such as property as evidence of funds for investment

You will need to provide evidence regarding the source of funds, if the funds have not been held for at least 2 years.

The investment must be made in an active and trading UK registered company within 90 days of arriving in the UK in one of the following:

  • Share capital in active and trading UK registered company
  • Loan capital in active and trading UK registered company

A company considered being active and trading in the UK is one that:

  • Is registered with Companies House in the UK;
  • Is registered with HM Revenue and Customs for corporation tax and PAYE;
  • Have its registered office in the UK;
  • Has accounts and a UK bank account with both showing regular trading of its own goods or services; and
  • Has at least 2 UK based employees who are not its directors

The Home Office will not accept the following investments:

  • Funds invested through an offshore company or trust/ funds held in offshore custody
  • Funds invested in open-ended investment companies, investment trust companies, investment syndicate or pooled investment vehicles ( unless they receive funding from a UK or devolved government department)
  • Funds invested in companies mainly engaged in property investment, property management or property development
  • Funds invested by using deposits with a bank, building society or other enterprise whose normal course of business includes the acceptance of deposits
  • Leveraged investment funds ( including the purchase of stocks or other investments by using borrowed funds (on margin)

The Home Office will also not accept applications that rely on funds that a loan has been secured against i.e. where another party would have a claim on the money if loan repayments were not met including bank lending funds to the applicant and then taking the investments as security.

You could be eligible to settle after:

  • 5 years if you invest £2 million
  • 3 years if you invest £5 million
  • 2 years if you invest £10 million

Your spouse and children under the age of 18 can apply as dependants.