Residence in the United KingdomOverview
For more than a decade the Tier 1 (Investor) visa allowed foreign nationals to settle in the UK by investing at least £2 million. The government closed the route to new applicants with immediate effect on 17 February 2022, citing security concerns, and has not introduced a replacement. There is therefore no UK visa that can be obtained simply by placing funds or buying property; anyone describing such an option is out of date.
The principal routes for wealthy and entrepreneurial clients are now business- and talent-based. The Innovator Founder visa, introduced in April 2023, is for experienced businesspeople launching a new, innovative, viable and scalable business endorsed by an approved endorsing body. There is no fixed minimum investment, but the business must be credibly funded. The visa lasts three years, with progress checkpoints at 12 and 24 months, and can lead to indefinite leave to remain after three years if the business meets the settlement criteria. The Global Talent visa serves recognised leaders and emerging leaders in academia and research, arts and culture, and digital technology, and allows complete freedom to work or run businesses.
Taxation changed fundamentally on 6 April 2025. The remittance basis and the concept of domicile for income tax were abolished. Individuals who become UK resident after at least ten consecutive years of non-residence can claim full relief on foreign income and gains for their first four tax years of residence; thereafter they are taxed on worldwide income and gains. Inheritance tax is now based on long-term residence: a person resident for at least ten of the previous twenty tax years is exposed on worldwide assets. A Temporary Repatriation Facility allows former remittance-basis users to bring in historic foreign income and gains at reduced rates for a limited period.
Settlement policy is also under review. In November 2025 the Home Office launched a consultation, 'A Fairer Pathway to Settlement', proposing that indefinite leave to remain should no longer follow automatically from a fixed qualifying period but depend on contribution, conduct and integration. The consultation closed on 12 February 2026; at the time of this review the government's final response was still awaited, so qualifying periods for new and existing visa holders should be confirmed before any decision.
Key benefits
- Access to the UK's capital markets, legal system and international business network
- Innovator Founder: path to settlement in as little as three years for successful businesses
- Global Talent: flexible work rights and grants of up to five years at a time
- Four-year exemption for foreign income and gains for qualifying new arrivals
- Partner and children can join as dependants on both routes
- Settlement and later British citizenship for families committed to the UK
- World-class schools and universities
Requirements
- Innovator Founder: a new, innovative, viable and scalable business idea endorsed by an approved endorsing body
- Innovator Founder: active role in the business, with endorsement checkpoints at 12 and 24 months
- Global Talent: endorsement in academia or research, arts and culture or digital technology, or an eligible prize
- English language at the required level (Innovator Founder)
- Proof of funds and financial self-sufficiency where required by the route
- Tuberculosis test certificate for applicants from listed countries
- Clean immigration and criminal history
- Payment of the Immigration Health Surcharge for each applicant
Investment options
Tier 1 (Investor) – closed
Formerly £2 million+
Closed to new applicants on 17 February 2022. There is no current UK visa based on passive investment.
Innovator Founder visa
Visa fee £1,357 (outside UK) + £1,000 endorsement + £500 per checkpoint
Three-year visa for founders of new, innovative and scalable businesses. No fixed investment minimum; settlement possible after three years if criteria are met.
Global Talent visa
Total application fee £766 per person
For leaders and potential leaders in academia, research, arts, culture and digital technology. Grants of up to five years; settlement after three or five years depending on field and route.
Skilled Worker and senior roles
Salary thresholds apply
Executives joining or establishing a UK operation may be sponsored by a licensed employer, including group companies.
Step-by-step process
- 1
Eligibility and tax planning
We assess which route fits your profile and model the 2025 FIG regime and inheritance tax exposure before you become resident.
- 2
Business plan or evidence portfolio
For Innovator Founder we help prepare a robust plan for the endorsing body; for Global Talent we assemble the evidence portfolio for the relevant endorser.
- 3
Endorsement
The endorsing body reviews the application and, if satisfied, issues the endorsement letter.
- 4
Visa application
The visa application is filed online with biometrics; decisions usually take around three weeks from outside the UK.
- 5
Arrival and structuring
On arrival we coordinate banking, company set-up and pre-arrival trust or holding reviews with UK tax counsel.
- 6
Checkpoints and settlement
We track endorsement checkpoints, extensions and the settlement timeline in light of the earned settlement reforms.
Typical documents
- Current passport and travel history
- Business plan and financial projections (Innovator Founder)
- Endorsement letter from the endorsing body
- Evidence of English language ability
- Bank statements evidencing funds
- Tuberculosis test certificate where required
- Marriage and birth certificates for dependants
- Evidence portfolio, recommendation letters or prize evidence (Global Talent)
How Legal Wealth helps
Legal Wealth helps families and founders approach a UK move with clear, current information: no outdated investor-visa promises, careful matching to the Innovator Founder or Global Talent route, and coordinated pre-arrival tax planning around the 2025 FIG and inheritance tax rules. We work alongside regulated UK immigration advisers and tax counsel, keep documentation discreet, and align your residence plan with your wider structures and succession objectives.
Enquire with Legal WealthFrequently asked questions
Can I still get a UK investor visa?
No. The Tier 1 (Investor) visa closed to new applicants on 17 February 2022 and has not been replaced. Investment alone no longer leads to UK residence.
Is there a minimum investment for the Innovator Founder visa?
No fixed minimum applies. The endorsing body must be satisfied that the business is innovative, viable and scalable, which in practice requires credible funding.
How does the UK now tax new residents?
Since 6 April 2025, people arriving after at least ten consecutive years of non-residence can claim relief on foreign income and gains for their first four tax years. After that they are taxed on worldwide income and gains.
When does inheritance tax apply to worldwide assets?
Once you have been UK resident for at least ten of the previous twenty tax years, your worldwide estate falls within the scope of UK inheritance tax.
How long until settlement?
Innovator Founder and some Global Talent holders may currently qualify after three years, others after five. The government's earned settlement proposals may change these periods, so timelines should be confirmed before applying.
Can my family come with me?
Yes. Partners and children can apply as dependants on both the Innovator Founder and Global Talent routes, each paying the relevant fees and health surcharge.
Last reviewed: 2026-10. Requirements, fees and timelines change. Information is general, reviewed on the date shown, and is not legal or tax advice.
