The UK has seen a drastic fall in demand for its investor visa program following a crackdown on tax-avoidance and the introduction of a higher investment requirement. Just 44 investor visas were issued in the second quarter of 2015, compared to 251 granted in the second quarter of 2014, a fall of over 80 per cent.
Sharp Fall in UK Investor Visa Applications
The doubling of the minimum investment requirement from £1 million to £2 million at the end of 2014 is believed to have made the investor visa a less attractive option than the alternatives from other EU countries.
The UK investor visa does have some advantages over EU alternatives. The investment can include stock portfolios and other asset classes owned by the investor and the gains accrue entirely to the investor.
The UK investor visa also provides a ‘faster track’ to British citizenship upon making a substantial financial investment in designated UK investments, and this has become somewhat of an attractive option for some ultra high net worth individuals looking to permanently settle in the UK.
The UK Investor visa holders can apply for indefinite leave to remain after five years and British citizenship after six, though the process can be accelerated by making investments of £5 million or £10 million instead of the minimum of £2 million.
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