New Rules for obtaining UK Citizenship by Investment

On November 6th, new conditions of the special visa Tier 1 for applicants take effect. The general investment level became higher from £1,000,000 to £2,000,000. That means you’re no longer have to buy real estate and all sums will go to investments into bonds.

The followings belong to this category have changed, partially in response to MAC report:

• The minimum investment threshold is raised from £1 million to £2 million.
• Now, the full investment sum is required to be invested in prescribed forms of investments (share or loan capital in active and trading UK companies, or UK Government bonds), rather than 75% of the sum as at present).
• The current requirements of your investment must be “topped up”, if the market value doesn’t fall. Instead, you who is Tier 1 (Investor) will only The Tier 1 (Investor) category caters for high net worth individuals making a need to buy new qualifying investments, if you sell parts of portfolios and need to replace them in order to maintain the investment threshold.
• The requirements of the investment sum under the existing provision can be sourced as a loan is being removed.
• Transitional arrangements are being applied, so that Tier 1 (Investor) who has already entered the route before these changes take effect will not be subject to these changes, when applying for extensions or for indefinite leave to remain.
• Entry Clearance Officers and UK Visas & Immigration caseworkers are empowered to refuse a Tier 1 (Investor) application, if they have reasonable grounds to believe that:

Entry Clearance Officers and UK Visas & Immigration caseworkers are empowered to refuse a Tier 1 (Investor) application, if they have reasonable grounds to believe that:

• the applicant is not in control of the investment funds; o the funds were obtained illegitimately (or by means which would be unlawful if they happened in the UK);

or

• the character, conduct or associations of a party providing the funds mean that approving the application is not conducive to the public good.