£1m buys foreign investors right to live in Britain Foreign millionaires are flocking

[4me2]

£1m buys foreign investors right to live in Britain

Foreign millionaires are flocking to use a little-known immigration scheme that allows wealthy individuals to jump to the top of the queue for permanent residency.


The most recent figures from the Home Office show that more than 400 people applied to use the investor visa scheme in the 12 months to the end of June. This compares with a total of 331 people in 2011 and fewer than 200 in 2009.

Rich Russians and Chinese are increasingly using "investor visas" that allow wealthy foreigners to effectively buy the right to live in the UK in return for buying at least £1m of gilts or shares and bonds in British companies.

Top London private bankers have expressed concerns at the number of people using the scheme to gain permanent resident status, arguing that the authorities should consider raising the amount of money needed to gain residency.

"The £1m threshold was put in place more than 20 years ago and is not the obstacle it once was. We have seen a huge increase in demand from Russians, Chinese and people from the Middle East wanting to move to London and it is clear that given the unlimited demand the time may have come to charge more for entry," said on senior London banker.

The most recent figures from the Home Office show that more than 400 people applied to use the investor visa scheme in the 12 months to the end of June. This compares with a total of 331 people in 2011 and fewer than 200 in 2009.

Mark Pihlens, chief executive of Invest UK, which advises wealthy foreigners on investing in Britain, said political instability in the Middle East as well as China and Russia had driven the spike. "People want to take out a second option on where they and their children can live," he said.

Wealthy foreign nationals can speed up the process by investing greater amounts. Investments of more than £5m and £10m mean permanent residency could be gained within as little as two years.


http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/g...n-Britain.html

[honestDave]

Good to see it isn't just bullshit benefits scroungers and fake "human rights" / asylum seekers coming in for free.

[CzarJunkie]

This really isn't news. 400? That's increasing the population by approx 0.0008%.

Many other countries have similar schemes, I know Canada and New Zealand do anyway. They are designed to gain investment in UK businesses and therefore help our economy.

[Zippeyrude]

this is old news, has been the law for years

its actually considered a benefit, people that come acquire rights when the invest £1million or more. That's right, invest.

Wanker newspapers cant even understand the concept of investment versus scrounging.

[Rick Sanchez]

Every countries the same