By Alec Hogg
In 1985, then newly installed president Robert Mugabe hit serious resistance after demanding white Zimbabweans relinquish their British passports. Mugabe interpreted this as proof the “settlers” weren’t committed patriots. But something more rational was behind their reluctance: money.
To hundreds of wealthy foreigners a British passport is worth at least £2m – the capital they had to invest to secure one of 355 Tier One (Investment) visas issued by the UK last year.
According to official figures published in the FT yesterday, Chinese accounted for almost half of last year’s successful applicants, up 82% on 2016, with Russians in second place.
The newspaper quotes China experts claiming these “golden visa” hunters are attracted by “political certainty, institutional constraints and the fundamental rule of law – the UK is still seen as one of the safest places in the world.” And, clearly, the most commercially-minded bureaucracy.
