In the past few years, Britain has added and updated new UK immigration, work permit, naturalisation, UK visa and working visa categories.

Although the Highly Skilled Migrant Programme (HSMP), which was introduced in January 2002, has proven to be very successful for UK immigration, it has now been replaced by Tier 1 (General). Tier 1 is a points-based visa system specially designed to attract gifted individuals to migrate to the UK. The Tier 2 work permit allows a UK-based company to sponsor a foreign individual to come and contribute to the UK’s economy.

Under the Entrepreneur visa, a foreign individual is allowed to live and work in the UK and invest capital and start a business, as long as it is within UK immigration rules. A potential investor may also come to the country with a pioneering idea under an Innovator visa or simply to invest in the country’s economy through a Tier 1 Investor visa.

For students wishing to study in the UK, a study permit or Tier 4 Student visa permits foreign students to enter the country. The Post Study Work and Youth Mobility Scheme allow students and young individuals to work in the UK for a restricted time.

Family-based visas include UK Marriage visa and UK Fiancé visa or De Facto visa or the Unmarried Partner visa. A UK marriage visa allows the husband, wife or civil partner of a person who settled in the UK to apply for leave to enter and live permanently in the country. The UK Fiancé visa permits a person who is resident in the UK to bring their fiancé into the country.