If you hold a Tier 1 (Investor) visa, do you know exactly where your leave stands right now? The route stopped accepting new applicants back in February 2022, and the window to extend this visa category has now closed too. That does not mean your path to settlement is over. It means the timeline is tighter than it once was, and the margin for error is smaller.

The deadline to apply for an extension of a Tier 1 (Investor) visa was 17 February 2026. That date has now passed.

If your leave expired before you applied for an extension and you missed the deadline, this route is no longer available. There is no discretion on this deadline. If you are in this position, you need to see if another visa category fits your circumstances and get advice quickly rather than waiting. If you extended before the deadline or hold current leave beyond it, you can still work towards settlement. Have you checked how long your current leave lasts?

Settlement is still possible until February 2028

You can apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain under this route until 17 February 2028. After that date, the route closes for good.

To qualify, you must have held Tier 1 (Investor) leave as your most recent visa, currently or within the last 12 months, and completed a continuous qualifying period in the UK. The length of that period depends on your investment amount.

Two years, if you maintained an investment of at least £10 million. Three years, if you maintained an investment of at least £5 million. Five years, if you maintained an investment of at least £2 million (or £1 million if your original visa was granted before 6 November 2014).

Time spent in the UK under a different visa category does not count towards this period.

Absences matter more than people expect

You cannot spend more than 180 days outside the UK in any rolling 12-month period during your qualifying time. This is not a total allowance to use as you like. It is checked on a rolling basis, so a series of long trips can break your continuity even if your total time abroad seems reasonable over several years.

If you travel often for work or family reasons, keep a proper record of your UK entry and exit dates. Do not rely on memory when applying.

What counts as a qualifying investment

This depends on when your original visa was granted.

If your visa was granted on or after 29 March 2019, your investment must be in share capital or loan capital in active, trading UK registered companies. Government bonds stopped counting as qualifying investments from that date. If you held any, you needed to move them into qualifying investments before 6 April 2025. That deadline has passed.

If your visa was granted between 6 November 2014 and 28 March 2019, government bonds may still count, depending on the specific transitional rules that applied to your case.

If your visa was granted before 6 November 2014, older rules apply, including a requirement that at least 75 percent of your capital sat in qualifying UK investments.

This route has changed several times over the years. Do not assume your investment still qualifies just because it did when you first applied. Get it checked against the current rules for your specific grant date.

The evidence you will need

Expect to provide portfolio reports from a UK regulated financial institution covering the period from the end of your three-month investment window to shortly before you apply. These reports must show the amount invested, the date of each investment, that you maintained the required level throughout, that the investments are in your name, and that nothing is encumbered or secured against a loan.

Gaps in this evidence are a common reason ILR applications under this route run into trouble. Could you produce a complete portfolio history tomorrow if asked? If your investment dipped below the required threshold even briefly, address it before you apply, not after the Home Office discovers it and you have paid the fee.

English language and Life in the UK

Unless you are 65 or over, you need to pass the Life in the UK test and meet the English language requirement at B1 level unless you qualify for an exemption such as a degree taught in English or nationality-based exemptions.

Costs and timing

The ILR fee is currently £3,226 per person and applies to every applicant on the same application, including partners and children. Standard decisions usually take up to six months. If you need a faster answer, priority service costs an extra £500 and typically gives a decision in about five working days. Super priority costs an extra £1,000 for a decision within one or two working days depending on your appointment.

You can apply up to 28 days before completing your qualifying period. Applying earlier risks refusal, so do not rush just because your paperwork is ready.

Once granted, you can live, work and study in the UK without restriction, and you can normally apply for British citizenship after holding ILR for at least 12 months, provided you meet the other citizenship requirements.

One thing people overlook is that if you spend more than two consecutive years outside the UK, your ILR can lapse and you would need a Returning Resident visa to come back. If your plans involve long periods abroad after settlement, consider how that affects your status.

Where this leaves you

If your Tier 1 (Investor) leave is still valid and you are working towards your qualifying period, your priority now is to ensure your investment evidence is complete and your absences are properly tracked well before the 2028 deadline.

If your leave has expired and you missed the extension deadline, what other options are open to you and how quickly do you need to act?

Speak to our immigration team to review your position against current rules.