Innovator
Founder
Visa

Before you can apply for an Innovator Founder visa, you will need to have your business or business idea assessed by an endorsing body. They will provide you with an endorsement letter if your business is eligible.

You must also meet the following eligibility criteria:

• You must be at least 18 years old.
• You must meet the English language requirement.
• You must be able to prove that you have enough personal savings to support yourself whilst you are in the UK.

In order to apply for an Innovator Founder visa, you must be able to show the Home Office that your business idea is: 

• New – You cannot join a business that is already trading. 
• Innovative – You must have an original business idea which is different from anything else on the market. 
• Viable – It has potential for growth. 
• Scalable – You must give evidence of planning that includes creating jobs and growing into national and international markets. 

Before you can submit your visa application, you will need to have your business or business idea assessed by an approved endorsing body to confirm that it meets the above requirements. 

You will need to prove to your endorsing body that you have enough funding to set up your new business and where it’s from. You do not need any investment funds if either: 

• Your business is already established and has been endorsed for an earlier visa.
• You have changed your business and already agreed it with your endorsing body. 

When you apply for an Innovator Founder visa, you will need to have enough money to:

• Pay the visa application fee – It costs £1,191 to apply from outside the UK, or £1,486 to apply from inside the UK.          
• Pay the Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) – The IHS costs £1,035 per year, or £776 per year for under-18s.
• Support yourself in the UK – You will usually need to show that you have at least £1,270 in your bank account.

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The visa application fee and the IHS must also be paid for any accompanying dependants.

You must apply online for an Innovator Founder visa.

As part of your application, you will need to prove your identity and provide your supporting documents. To do this, you will need to do one of the following: 

• Attend an appointment at a Visa Application Centre (VAC) if you’re outside the UK. 
• Attend an appointment at a UK Visa and Citizenship Application Services (UKVCAS) service point if you’re inside the UK. 
• Use the ‘UK Immigration: ID Check’ app to scan your identity document, if you are eligible. 

Once you’ve applied online, proved your identity and provided your documents, you’ll usually get a decision on your visa within 3 weeks if you’re outside the UK, or 8 weeks if you’re inside the UK. 

You may be able to pay to get a faster decision using the Home Office priority services. 

You can stay in the UK for 3 years on an Innovator Founder visa. During this time, you will need to meet with your endorsing body at 12 months and 24 months, to show you are making progress with your business.

Your endorsement may be withdrawn and your visa may be cut short if your endorsing body is not satisfied with your progress. If this happens, you will need to re-apply with a new endorsement before your current visa expires if you wish to continue staying in the UK.

You can apply to extend your Innovator Founder visa for another 3 years when it is due to expire. There is no limit on the number of times you can extend.

Once you have been in the UK for 3 years on an Innovator Founder visa, you may be able to apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) otherwise known as settlement.

With an Innovator Founder visa, you can:

• Set up a business or several businesses
• Work for your business (either by being employed as a director, or self-employed as a member of a business partnership)
• Undertake other ‘skilled work’ outside your business
• Bring your partner and children with you as your ‘dependants’, if they’re eligible
• Travel abroad and return to the UK
• Apply to settle permanently in the UK after 3 years, if you meet the requirements.

You cannot:

• Work as a professional sportsperson, such as a sports coach
• Access public funds.

If you want to start a business in the UK and you have had your business idea endorsed by an approved endorsing body, you are now ready to apply for your Innovator Founder visa. Getting your visa application right first time is extremely important to avoid refusals or delays in the decision-making process. Smith Stone Walters offers expert support for entrepreneurs applying for an Innovator Founder visa.

To find out how we can help, please contact us today.

note:

This page is intended for informational purposes only. Immigration rules are subject to change and may vary based on your individual circumstances. For up-to-date advice and guidance, please contact Smith Stone Walters.