United Kingdom · Legacy investor residence

Tier 1 (Investor) legacy route

The Tier 1 (Investor) route is closed to new applicants. At this cut-off, only qualifying settlement applications remain within the published transitional deadline.

Published by World Investment Migration Association in policy release WIMA-POL-2026-10-02.

WIMA is not a government authority and does not issue visas, residence permits or citizenship. Confirm current requirements with the responsible authorities before acting.

Accountable publisher and responsible body: World Investment Migration Association
Recorded pre-publication checks: Required fields, source links and claim citations checked for this release; no external peer-review claim is made.
Separate substantive reviewer: None appointed or claimed for this release
Published: 2 October 2026
Last verified: 2 October 2026

Status at the release cut-off

Three separate status dimensions

Legal status, intake status and operational status answer different questions and should not be combined into a single label.

legal

In force for transition

Transitional provisions remain relevant to settlement applications from existing route holders. [2]

intake

Closed to new applications

Transition processing only. Initial applications closed on 17 February 2022. The extension deadline passed on 17 February 2026; the settlement deadline is 17 February 2028. [1] , [2]

operational

Operating for settlement cases

Current caseworker guidance describes the remaining settlement caseload. [2]

Eligibility

No new applicants are eligible. Existing holders may pursue settlement only if they meet the applicable historical investment, residence and deadline rules. [2] , [1]

Investment or income mechanism

The base historical investment level was GBP 2 million. Earlier cohorts and accelerated-settlement thresholds are governed by the rules that applied to the relevant grant. [2]

Residence and family conditions

Family: Legacy dependant provisions may apply to existing family members; there is no new principal-applicant intake. [2]
Work: Legacy permission generally allowed work subject to route restrictions and the conditions on the person's grant. [2]
Presence: Settlement normally requires absences not exceeding 180 days in any 12-month period. [2]
Duration: Not applicable to new applicants [1] , [2]
Renewal: Closed: the published extension deadline was 17 February 2026. [2]
Later outcome: A qualifying legacy holder may apply for settlement by 17 February 2028. Historical qualifying periods varied with the investment level. [2]

Limitations and cautions

This is a legacy and transitional record, not an investable current route.
Historical rules depend on application and investment dates; case-specific analysis is required.

This record is descriptive, not legal, tax or investment advice. Confirm the current position with the responsible authorities.

Official sources

Tier 1 Investor visa route closes over security concerns Home Office Accessed 2 October 2026 Evidence tier B2
Tier 1 (Investor) caseworker guidance Home Office Accessed 2 October 2026 Evidence tier B1