The United Kingdom is considering a new investor visa for wealthy foreign nationals ahead of the October budget, The Economic Times reports. The proposal has not been confirmed, and no threshold, quota or launch date has been announced.

The report signals a potential reversal of direction. Westminster scrapped the previous investor route, known as the Tier 1 (Investor) visa, in 2022 over concerns that it was open to abuse. Any new scheme would need fresh legislation or immigration rule changes before it could open to applicants.

Who would the new route affect?

The discussions target high-net-worth individuals willing to bring substantial capital into the UK. The Economic Times reports the idea is under consideration as ministers prepare the October budget, the fiscal event that will set spending and tax priorities for the year ahead.

At this stage, the following details remain unknown:

• The minimum investment threshold
• Eligibility criteria, including source-of-funds and residence requirements
• Any quota or cap on applications
• The route's name, launch date or application process
• Whether family members would be included

Applicants and advisers should treat the report as a signal of policy direction rather than a confirmed programme. No visa can be applied for under a scheme that does not yet exist.

What changed before this report?

The UK closed its Tier 1 (Investor) visa to new applicants in February 2022. The then government cited security concerns, including the risk that illicit funds could enter the UK through the route. Wealthy individuals seeking UK residence have since had to rely on other routes, such as Innovator Founder or work-based visas, none of which is designed for passive large-scale investment.

A new investor visa would mark a deliberate break from that closure and would align UK policy with competitor programmes in Europe and elsewhere that court capital-rich migrants.

What should readers watch next?

The October budget is the next fixed point in the calendar. If the Treasury and the Home Office agree on a scheme, the government would typically publish the threshold and rules in an immigration statement or in the budget documents themselves. Official announcements would come through HM Treasury and the Home Office, not through unofficial briefings.

Until then, no application route exists, and no eligibility test can be met. Readers should rely on guidance published on GOV.UK for any confirmed details.

The takeaway: the UK may reopen its door to wealthy investors, but nothing is certain until the October budget papers are published.