Closed UK Visas Routes and Alternative Immigration Options
In This Article
1. Closure of the Tier 1 (Entrepreneur) Visa
2. Alternatives to the Tier 1 (Entrepreneur) Visa: Innovator Founder and Self-Sponsorship Options
3. Closure of the Tier 1 (Investor) Visa
4. Alternatives to the Tier 1 (Investor) Visa: Innovator Founder and Global Talent Routes
5. Closure of the UK Start-up Visa: Limited Uptake and Settlement Barriers
6. Closure of the Innovator Visa: Low Uptake and Transition to the Innovator Founder Route
7. Alternatives to the Start-up and Innovator Visa Routes
8. Replacement of the Tier 1 (Exceptional Talent) Visa: Transition to the Global Talent Route
9. Alternatives to the Tier 1 (Exceptional Talent) Visa
10. UK Visa Schemes for Ukrainian Nationals: Overview and Latest Updates
11. Contact Our Immigration Barristers
12. Frequently Asked Questions
13. Glossary
Over the last 10 years, UK immigration policy has seen major updates with the closure of several visa routes or reforms to align with new economic and security goals. These changes have left many applicants unsure about the options available for living, working or starting a business in the UK. In this guide, we’ll break down some of the common UK visa routes which have closed over the last 10 years, and highlight the most viable alternatives currently available to applicants.
1. Closure of the Tier 1 (Entrepreneur) Visa
The Tier 1 (Entrepreneur) Visa, introduced in 2008, was a UK immigration route designed for individuals wishing to establish or take over a business in the UK. To qualify, most applicants were required to demonstrate access to at least £200,000 in investment funds and create or take over a business. The investment could have been from one’s own funds or from a third party, and applicants had to demonstrate that they had access to it.
The UK government scrapped this visa route as it considered that many applicants submitted weak or fraudulent business plans, with ventures often set up just to meet visa criteria rather than drive real value. The Home Office faced challenges verifying business legitimacy and lacked strong monitoring to ensure compliance. As a result, despite the job creation requirements, the Home Office view was that the route failed to deliver innovation or job creation at scale. The route was closed to new applicants on 29 March 2019.
Both extension and Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) applications on this route are now closed. Applications for extension closed on 05 April 2023 and for ILR on 05 April 2025.
2. Alternatives to the Tier 1 (Entrepreneur) Visa: Innovator Founder and Self-Sponsorship Options
- Innovator Founder Visa: The Innovator Founder route is for entrepreneurs aiming to establish and operate an innovative, viable, and scalable business in the UK. The application is a two-stage process, including an application to an endorsing body and then a visa application. Applicants must secure an endorsement from an approved UK endorsing body, demonstrating that their business idea is new, unique, and has potential for growth. The visa is granted for 3 years, with the possibility of extension and eligibility for ILR after 3 years, provided specific criteria are met.
- Self-Sponsorship Skilled Worker Visa: Although ‘self-sponsorship’ is not a visa route in itself, under UK immigration law, an applicant can open a business and this business can sponsor their Skilled Worker visa. The route involves an individual setting up a company, obtaining a sponsor licence from the Home Office, and then sponsoring themselves for a skilled job within their own business. The business must be genuine, active, and capable of offering a job that meets the visa’s salary and skill requirements and the role must appear on the UK’s list of eligible occupations, as well as other requirements. Once the sponsor licence is granted, the business can issue a Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS), which the applicant uses to apply for the Skilled Worker Visa. This is currently a 5-year route to settlement, though this may be subject to change following the recent White Paper. ‘Self-sponsorship’ is seen as a loophole by the Home Office, and in April 2025, it introduced changes to this route to make it more difficult for people to invest into their sponsoring business. Our article on New Immigration Rules for Skilled Workers: Further Challenges for Self-Sponsorship explains these changes in further detail.
3. Closure of the Tier 1 (Investor) Visa
The Tier 1 (Investor) Visa, also known as the “golden visa” was first introduced in 2008, to attract high-net-worth individuals to the UK by offering residency in exchange for significant financial investment. Its primary objectives were to stimulate economic growth, enhance the UK’s status as a global financial hub, and foster job creation and business development.
By the time this route was closed, foreign nationals were able to obtain a visa by investing a minimum of £2,000,000 in UK share or loan capital in active and trading UK registered companies. These investments had to be made within three months of entering the UK or being granted entry clearance.
In its decision to close the route in February 2022, the UK government cited concerns that the scheme facilitated the entry of individuals who may have acquired their wealth through illicit means, including corruption and organised crime. Despite previous reforms aimed at strengthening due diligence procedures, the Home Office concluded that the route remained vulnerable to abuse and insufficiently safeguarded against the transfer of illicitly obtained wealth into the UK.
Although the route is closed to new applicants, those already on the Tier 1 (Investor) Visa route and who wish to apply for a visa extension, are still able to do so until 17 February 2026. Those who have already completed their continuous period of residence may be eligible to apply for ILR. Applications for ILR as a Tier 1 Investor can be made until 17 February 2028.
4. Alternatives to the Tier 1 (Investor) Visa: Innovator Founder and Global Talent Routes
- Innovator Founder Visa: As above, an alternative to the Tier 1 (Investor) Visa is the Innovator Founder visa.
- Global Talent Visa: The Global Talent visa is a UK immigration route designed for exceptional and promising individuals in fields such as science, engineering, humanities, medicine, digital technology, and arts and culture. It allows migrants to live and work in the UK with minimal restrictions, offering significant flexibility compared to other visa types. The visa can be granted for up to 5 years, with the option to extend. Applicants may apply for ILR after 3 years if applying as a leader or 5 years as a potential leader.
5. Closure of the UK Start-up Visa: Limited Uptake and Settlement Barriers
The UK Start-up Visa was a short-term immigration route created for first-time entrepreneurs aiming to establish a new and innovative business in the UK. It was first introduced in 2019 and unlike other business visas at the time, it did not require upfront investment funds, making it accessible to a broader range of entrepreneurs.
These visas were not eligible for extension and the category did not directly lead to settlement. The route closed in 2023, due to its limited uptake—only 377 were issued in 2022. A key issue was its lack of a direct path to settlement, and strict requirements for innovation, scalability, and endorsement may have discouraged applicants.
6. Closure of the Innovator Visa: Low Uptake and Transition to the Innovator Founder Route
Introduced on 29 March 2019, the previous Innovator Visa was a UK immigration route that succeeded the Tier 1 (Entrepreneur) Visa. It was intended for experienced entrepreneurs aiming to establish a business in the United Kingdom that was innovative, viable, and scalable.
It attracted limited interest, as many applicants struggled to meet the strict requirements, particularly the £50,000 investment threshold and complex endorsement process, and an onerous route to ILR. It restricted holders to work solely on their endorsed business which reduced its appeal to entrepreneurs needing financial flexibility.
Those who have held or hold permission under this route can still extend or apply for ILR under the Innovator Founder Visa category.
7. Alternatives to the Start-up and Innovator Visa Routes
- Innovator Founder Visa: In 2023, the Innovator Founder Visa replaced the Start-up and Innovator Visas, which consolidated and streamlined the UK’s entrepreneurial immigration routes. This visa is the main option for entrepreneurs who have an innovative business idea, similar to the requirements under the old Start-up and Innovator routes. The business will still need to be innovative and scalable.
- Self-Sponsorship Skilled Worker Visa: As above, another option may be applying for a Sponsor Licence for your business, issuing a Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS), and then applying for the Skilled Worker Visa.
8. Replacement of the Tier 1 (Exceptional Talent) Visa: Transition to the Global Talent Route
The Tier 1 (Exceptional Talent) Visa was an immigration route introduced in 2011 aimed at attracting global talent to the UK. It was for highly skilled individuals recognised as leaders or emerging leaders in specific fields including science and the arts. The Tier 1 (Exceptional Talent) Visa applications were noted to be overly complex and acted as a deterrent to prospective applicants. The route also had an annual cap of 2,000 applications and this limit was never reached. The route was replaced by the Global Talent Visa in 2020.
This route led to a 5-year route to settlement for those under the ‘Exceptional Promise’ category and 3-years for those under the ‘Exceptional Talent’ category.
If you are someone who holds a Tier 1 (Exceptional Talent) Visa you can apply for an extension and ILR in the Global Talent route. There is no specific deadline for extensions or settlement applications for those with Tier 1 (Exceptional Talent) leave.
9. Alternatives to the Tier 1 (Exceptional Talent) Visa
- Global Talent Visa: The most viable alternative to the Tier 1 (Exceptional Talent) Visa is its successor, the Global Talent Visa. Three main differences between the visas routes are:
| Tier 1 (Exceptional Talent) Visa | Global Talent Visa |
| Only allowed for 2,000 applications per year. | No cap on the number of applicants. |
| A smaller number of endorsing bodies with narrower areas of specialisation. Often criticised for having a complicated and unclear application process. | A more streamlined endorsement process featuring sector-specific endorsing bodies and clearer application guidance. |
| Focused on a narrower set of fields (tech, arts, science, engineering). | Broader scope and more defined criteria across academic, research, and digital sectors. |
| Standard endorsement process only. | Offers fast-track routes for certain applicants (e.g. fellowship holders, UKRI-endorsed researchers). |
- High Potential Individual (HPI) Visa: If you were planning on applying in the science, engineering, medicine, and academia categories, this may be an option for you. The High Potential Individual (HPI) visa is designed for recent graduates of top global universities who wish to work or seek employment in the UK without the need for a job offer. It is available to individuals who have completed an eligible degree within the past five years. This is a route for non-UK graduates. If you are a UK graduate, the Graduate or Skilled Worker Visa may be a viable option for you. While the visa does not lead directly to settlement and you cannot apply to extend. However, it offers flexibility in employment and allows visa holders to switch to other long-term UK immigration routes.
10. UK Visa Schemes for Ukrainian Nationals: Overview and Latest Updates
In response to Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in early 2022, the UK introduced special visa schemes for Ukrainian nationals. The three main schemes include the Ukraine Family Scheme, Homes for Ukraine Scheme and Ukraine Extension Scheme. These initial schemes are now closed, however there may be alternative schemes for Ukrainian nationals which are still open to new applications. It is important to highlight that none of these schemes provided a path to settlement, and neither do any of the remaining schemes discussed below.
Homes for Ukraine Scheme
The Homes for Ukraine Scheme, launched by the government on 14 March 2022, enables UK residents to sponsor a specific Ukrainian individual or family to come and live with them, as long as they can offer appropriate accommodation. Under this initial scheme, applicants were granted 36-months of permission to stay in the UK.
The Homes for Ukraine Scheme has not been fully closed, but significant changes were made on 19 February 2024 to streamline the immigration process. Key updates include stricter sponsor eligibility, now requiring sponsors to be British or Irish citizens, or have settled status, instead of allowing those with at least six months’ permission to stay. Additionally, the initial 36-month stay for Ukrainian arrivals has been reduced to 18 months for new applicants. These changes aim to strengthen the UK’s humanitarian response and ensure the sustainability of the scheme.
Ukraine Family Scheme
The Ukraine Family Scheme was a UK visa route launched in March 2022 to help Ukrainians join family members already living in the UK following Russia’s invasion. It allowed eligible Ukrainian nationals with a UK-based relative to apply for free and stay for up to three years, with full rights to work, study, access healthcare, and claim benefits. The scheme closed to new applicants on 19 February 2024.
If you were previously eligible for the Ukraine Family Scheme, you may be eligible to apply under the Homes for Ukraine Sponsorship Scheme.
The Ukraine Extension Scheme
The Ukraine Extension Scheme was a UK immigration route introduced on 03 May 2022 to allow Ukrainian nationals and their close family members already in the UK to extend their stay. Applications were accepted until 16 May 2024, but the scheme closed to all applications on 04 February 2025, and introduced the Ukraine Permission Extension (UPE) scheme.
New Ukraine Permission Extension Scheme
If you have been given permission to be in the UK under one of the Ukraine Schemes, you may be able to apply for a further 18 months permission to stay in the UK under the new Ukraine Permission Extension scheme.
Applications should be submitted when 28 days or fewer remain on your current permission to avoid delays or loss of entitlements. The application is free and can be completed online. Applicants must verify their identity, confirm their presence in the UK, and provide details about their accommodation and any time spent outside the UK or Ukraine since receiving permission under the Ukraine Schemes. Children born in the UK after 18 March 2022 to Ukrainian nationals with permission under these schemes are also eligible. Successful applicants will receive an updated eVisa, granting continued rights to live, work, study, rent property, and access public funds in the UK for the extension period.
11. Contact Our Immigration Barristers
In recent years, the UK’s immigration policy has undergone significant revisions, with several key visa routes being closed or restructured to meet changing economic and security priorities. As always, navigating the complexities of the UK immigration system requires careful legal guidance, and our barristers are here to help our clients understand the most suitable immigration options available.
For professional UK immigration advice on the most suitable visa for your situation, our expert immigration barristers in London are here to help. Get in touch today at +44 (0)203 617 9173 or fill out our online enquiry form for tailored guidance on your immigration concerns.
