The Innovator Founder visa is for people who want to set up and run a business in the UK that is innovative, viable and scalable. There is no minimum investment, but you need an endorsement from an approved endorsing body and the business must be genuinely new to the market or a significant development of it.

The endorsement

An endorsing body assesses your business plan against three tests:

Innovation: a genuine, original business idea that meets new or existing market needs or creates a competitive advantage.
Viability: realistic and achievable, with the founder having the skills, knowledge and experience to run it.
Scalability: evidence of structured planning and potential for job creation and growth into national and international markets.

You can also be endorsed for an existing business you have already set up in the UK on another route, or as a member of a team of founders.

After endorsement

The visa is granted for three years. You must meet your endorsing body at contact points at 12 and 24 months to show the business is progressing. You can work for your business and, since the route changed, take other employment at graduate level as well.

English and funds

English at CEFR B2 and maintenance funds unless you have been in the UK for 12 months.

Settlement

After three years you can apply for settlement if the business is active and you meet at least two of the growth measures the rules list: investment, job creation, turnover, customers or intellectual property. The Life in the UK test and English at B1 apply.

What we do

We advise on whether the business will meet the endorsement tests before you pay an endorsing body, work with you on the plan, and run the visa application and the settlement application that follows.

Fees

Home Office fees and the immigration health surcharge change each April; we confirm the current figures when we advise you. Our fee is fixed and quoted before you instruct us; see our fees.