United Kingdom Overview
The UK is one of the most attractive places in the world to live and to do business. It is also an attractive base for wealthy individuals and families, due to the preferential tax treatment available to those who are not deemed to be domiciled here.
Permanent Residence and Citizenship
Settlement
On completion of five years of continuous lawful residence, the investor may apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain in the UK (ILR). They must demonstrate that they have legally spent a continuous period of five years in the UK (or two or three years as appropriate if a larger investment option was taken), and have maintained the conditions required by the permit.
The main applicant and their dependants must pass the ‘Life in the UK’ test prior to gaining settlement, as well as showing that they have sufficient knowledge of the English language. There is also a criminality threshold that requires all applicants to be clear of unspent convictions.
Grant of Citizenship
In order to qualify for citizenship, the family must satisfy the residence requirements, i.e. to not have spent more than 450 days outside the UK in the previous five years; and not to have spent more than 90 days outside the UK in the year immediately preceding the application.
An applicant must first achieve ILR, which is usually possible within five years, and they can then apply for citizenship within one year, subject to meeting the criteria above.
Once citizenship and a UK passport have been granted, there is no restriction on the time that must be spent in the UK.