Plans to revive the UK’s investor visa, or “golden visa,” have sparked backlash from anti-corruption groups warning it could attract kleptocrats, criminals, and spies. The scheme, scrapped in 2022 over national security concerns, offered a residency in exchange for multi-million-pound investments.

Ministers now want to reintroduce it to support key sectors like AI and clean energy, but groups like Transparency International argue past versions failed to deliver real economic benefits and instead fueled money laundering and foreign influence.

Immigration experts argue that it could help retain wealthy investors, while critics claim that the risks far outweigh the rewards. The debate highlights the ongoing tension between economic strategy and national security in UK immigration policy.