UK Visa Types to Live in Britain 

Many people look to Britain for its high standard of living, stability and world-class education system, while others are drawn to famous cities like Edinburgh, Manchester, Liverpool and, of course, London, one of the world’s most diverse and truly great metropolises.  

But whatever inspires you to want to live, work and even establish a business in the UK, you’ll first need to know the practicalities of the law. 

That’s easier said than done because, like almost everything else in the offshore world, the goalposts keep moving and that’s especially true in Britain.

So, to help you out, this Nomad Capitalist special analysis breaks down the different types of visas available to those who aspire to live in Britain.

Benefits of Living in Britain

Before we get into the different types of visas available, let’s take an early look at what motivates so many people to covet these visas in the first place:

• High quality of life: The UK offers an excellent free healthcare system and a great free schooling system. Crime is generally low and the overall quality of life is favourable.
• Routes to citizenship: While not everyone wants to live in Britain, there’s no doubting the fact that British citizenship and a UK passport hold a lot of power for anyone building a global Plan B. A great benefit of gaining a residency visa is that you can use it as a route to gain citizenship through naturalisation, which you can apply for one year after being granted indefinite leave to remain.
• Excellent business opportunities: Britain has a strong economy and is a global powerhouse in terms of business. If you’re looking to establish a convenient base for your company, then a major global city like London is ideal.
• Expat-friendly: Many parts of Britain are multicultural, and the UK is a hotspot for expats from all over the world. As a second residence, it’s an easy country to get familiar with and make your home. 

Changes to the UK Visa Program

In 2022, Britain closed its Tier 1 (Investor) Visa program, which allowed those with GBP£2 million or more to obtain residence without the requirement to stay there.

That program is gone but there are alternatives, each with their own requirements and benefit, which we examine below. 

If you want to have the option to live in the UK, other programs require substantially less investment or even, potentially, none at all. 

Depending on your needs, however, they do come with a significant disadvantage – generally, you’ll have to live in the UK. 

To recap, the now discontinued Tier 1 Investor Visa allowed you to relocate to the UK with your entire family in return for a minimum investment of GBP£2 million. 

This option, aimed at high-net-worth individuals, required a substantial investment in an active trading UK company. This granted UK residence for a period of three years, which could be extended or fast-tracked to citizenship in return for an additional investment of £5 million or £10 million. 

Like many other residence-by-investment schemes, that old Tier 1 Investor Visa, didn’t require the holder to actually live in the UK. 

But on February 17, 2022, the British government’s Home Office closed the Investor Visa. 

In response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the British version of the Golden Visa was closed to prevent further investment from Russian citizens in the UK.

Today, the idea of having an Investor Visa or so-called Golden Visa, that allows you to come and go as you please, has been dispensed with. 

Therefore, the idea of having a UK residence as a ‘back-pocket’ option has largely been taken out of the equation. 

Some of the alternative visa types we will go through here offer a certain amount of flexibility, but not as much as the former Investor Visa. 

So, let’s go through the main alternatives.

The Innovator Founder Visa

Launched in early 2023, the Innovator Founder Visa is now the main route for entrepreneurs and investors to enter the UK.  

It offers overseas entrepreneurs the chance to establish a UK business, provided that it’s innovative, viable and scalable.

Replacing former versions of the innovator and startup visas, the Innovator Founder Visa category offers several benefits.

It combines the best aspects of the startup and the innovator route and offers overseas entrepreneurs a way to establish a new business in the UK without a minimum investment requirement. 

It also allows them to work alongside running their business. 

The overall benefits include:

• No minimum investment requirement 
• Reduced check-ins with endorsing bodies
• Permission for secondary employment 
• Direct path to UK settlement.

Crucially, the requirement for a minimum of GBP£50,000 to be invested no longer applies but applicants must show sufficient resources to make the business viable. 

The recent changes include: 

• Members of a business group can apply and do not have to be the sole founder.
• Applicants are allowed to work for the business they’ve established and engage in other employment, provided it meets the certain skill level requirements.
• Applicants can also pursue studies alongside running their business. 

Successful applicants will initially be granted permission to live and work in the UK for up to three years. After this period, they may apply for indefinite settlement if they meet the relevant requirements. 

Immediate relatives – such as a spouse or children under 18 years old – of the innovative founder can join them in the UK as dependents.

How to Qualify for the Innovator Founder Visa

Unlike its forerunner, the Golden Visa scheme, it’s essential to have some knowledge of the English language for this visa program, unless you’re a national from a British Overseas Territory. 

That means you’ll need to be able to speak, read and write in English and it’s likely you’ll be tested on your proficiency. You’ll also need to prove that you can support yourself.

Your business idea must be unique, have the potential for growth, be able to create jobs and have the possibility for international expansion.

There are a few things this visa won’t allow you to do and these include:

• Apply for state benefits (e.g. a pension)
• Work as a sport coach.

Critically, an official endorsing body must approve your business plan to meet the eligibility requirements.

The UK Government maintains a list of authorised endorsing bodies for innovator visa applications and you’ll need an endorsement letter, along with other documentation, when you submit your online application. 

The application fees for the innovator founder route depend on where you apply from. It costs:

• GBP£1,191 if you apply from outside the UK.
• GBP£1,486 if you’re applying in the UK to extend or switch your visa.

The Challenge with the UK’s Business Visa

The main issue with the Innovator Founder Visa is that your business idea has to be endorsed by some kind of incubator or investor in the UK. 

And potentially, in some cases, if you no longer maintain that endorsement, you may lose that visa. 

It’s no longer just a matter of bringing money into the country.

Some of the more developed European countries don’t really care about investment sums or individual tax dollars – job creation is the name of their game. 

What they’re tagetting is skilled and academically qualified people who are doing something that’s totally unique.

In recent years, we’ve seen this trend spread across numerous European countries. 

Countries that offer visa programs now want to see innovative businesses that have the potential to hire significant numbers of local people. 

In fact, the UK has actively cancelled and reshaped programs that don’t meet these objectives. 

Other UK Visa Types to Live in Britain

There are 29 different visa types that those wishing to live and work in the UK can apply for. 

Many of them are temporary visas for specialist workers and those who work for an overseas employer, with the key requirement being you must have a job offer in the UK. 

Of particular interest for digital nomads are the:

• Skilled Worker Visa
• Scale-Up Worker Visa 
• Global Talent Visa.

Skilled Worker Visa

If you’re looking to move to the UK but not interested in starting a business, then in most cases a Skilled Worker Visa is the way to go and the requirements involve:

• You need to be offered an eligible job in the UK with a licensed sponsor and get a work permit. 
• For a job to be eligible, it must comply with minimum wage and working time regulations. 
• You also need to be able to speak, write, read and understand English and will have to take an English language test.
• Your minimum salary must be £38,700 per year or the ‘going rate’ for the specific type of work. 

If you qualify, a five-year extendable visa is granted. 

Scale-Up Worker Visa 

The UK Scale-Up Visa is for someone with a highly skilled job in their field to join a fast-growing UK business.

This visa allows those who have eligible occupations to reside in the UK for two years and bring their family. 

You must be sponsored by an approved employer for at least six months, after which time you can leave, study, take on additional work or become self-employed.   

Global Talent Visa

The UK Global Talent Visa is for highly specialised or globally renowned individuals in academia, research, arts and culture or digital technologies.

Unless you work in those specific fields, you won’t qualify. 

In addition, you must have won an eligible award or have been officially endorsed as a leader in your field to qualify.

If successful, you can live and work in the UK for five years, with the option of extending your stay if required.

Alternatives to the UK’s Visa Program

Just a short hop across the Irish Sea, Ireland’s Entrepreneur Visa allows you to qualify for a two-year renewable residence visa. 

In addition to having funds available of €50,000 for the business, your business plan must demonstrate a commitment to innovation and job creation.

You can also look at visa programs elsewhere Europe, such as Portugal and Greece, which have tax incentives and don’t require you to live in the country.

But be aware that European golden visa programs are gradually being squeezed by the EU Commission, so many of the programs are either ending or evolving.

The UK tax incentives are more difficult to access if you’re coming in as an Innovator Founder than with the investor visa. In short, the tax burden is much higher with UK visa programs. 

Other Visa Types to Live in Britain

As mentioned above, there are many different visa options and residency routes for those wanting to move to the UK. Some other popular options include:

• Residence through ancestry
• Health and care worker visa
• Graduate visa
• High Potential Individual (HPI) visa.

UK Visa Types: FAQs

Go Where You’re Treated Best

If you want to diversify, expand your international footprint and even establish a company overseas, you’ll need to understand the best residence options available.

Despite Brexit, the UK has a strong economy and is a renowned business destination. 

There are many advantages to living and working there, including an enviable quality of living and a skilled workforce.

Lowering your taxes, however, is not a reason to move to the UK. 

If that’s your goal, then you may want to consider other places like the Cayman Islands, Turks and Caicos or other British overseas territories that bring some of the UK vibe without the high taxes. 

Those suggestions are just two places which stand out as being ideal for company formation and are tax-advantageous. You can get residence there by either starting a company or buying real estate.  

Other places with tax incentives exist, such as Cyprus and Malta, with programs that allow you to work towards citizenship. 

So, whether you want to stay in Europe or travel to the British-influenced Caribbean, there are plenty of alternatives if the UK’s Innovator Founder Visa doesn’t appeal to you. 

Whatever you decide, it will take planning and that’s where we come in. 

Nomad Capitalist is a turnkey solution for offshore tax planning, dual citizenship, asset protection and global diversification. We’ve helped 1,500+ high-net-worth individuals and can help you, too. Find out how here.