Immigration by high net worth persons to the UK continues to spawn development among professional services firms advising individuals about the fine print.

UK-based law firm Howard Kennedy, which acts for clients such as business executives, entertainers and sports stars, has set up a dedicated immigration service for high net worth individuals wishing to live in the country. 

The practice is being led by solicitor and head of Immigration Services Antonia Torr, who joined Howard Kennedy in December last year from immigration boutique DJ Webb & Co, the former firm said in a statement. 

“The UK immigration regime is complex and a rapidly changing area of law.  There are many different visa types and a high rate of refusal.  Up to date and quality advice is essential if individuals and businesses are to be successful in making the UK their home, Torr said.

For individuals, the practice guides clients around points-based and non-points-based visas and the range of visa types that this encompasses: investor, entrepreneur, exceptional talent or family migration.

For businesses, the practice works with sole representatives establishing themselves in the UK, and helping companies develop business by bringing in specialists with skills difficult to find in the UK, it said.

The development comes at a time when persons from China, Russia, the Middle East and other regions continue to sign up for UK visas aimed at high net worth investors as well as entrepreneurs. A number of jurisdictions, such as the UK, Spain and Portugal, operate such "golden visa" programmes to encourage inward investment. The growth of such programmes has even spawned organisations such as the Investment Migration Council, based in Geneva, to drive best practice in such programmes. (For a story last year about data on UK visa sign-ups, see here.)