Innovator Founder Visa

Who is Innovator Founder Visa for

The Innovator Founder route is for start up entrepreneurs and experienced businesspersons seeking to establish a business in the UK based on an innovative, viable and scalable business idea they have generated, or to which they have significantly contributed. The applicants do not have to show a minimum level of funds available for investment in business.

Requirements 

In order to apply for a visa to come to the UK or for permission to stay in the UK as an Innovator Founder, you will have to satisfy UK Visas and Immigration that you meet these requirements:

• You must be aged 18 or over on the date of application,
• Your application does not fall for refusal under general grounds of refusal,
• Your application is supported by an endorsement letter issued by a Home Office approved Endorsing Body within 3 months which must confirm that:  (a) you are considered a fit and proper person to receive endorsement  Innovator Founder route; and (b) the endorsing body has no concerns over the legitimacy of sources of funds or modes of transfer of funds invested by you into their endorsed business; and (c) the endorsing body has identified no reason to believe that you or their endorsed business may be the beneficiary of illicit or otherwise unsatisfactorily explained wealth.
• You must be awarded 70 points, of which 50 must either be under the ‘New Business’ criteria or under the ‘Same Business’ criteria.

New Business: 

Business plan – 30 points

The applicant must:

• have a business plan and have either generated or made a significant contribution to the ideas in that business plan

• demonstrate that they will have a day-to-day role in carrying out the business plan

• confirm that they will have at least 2 contact point meetings with the endorsing body at regular intervals during their period of permission

• be either the sole founder or an instrumental member of the founding team

 Business venture is innovative, viable and scalable – 20 points

The applicant must have an innovative, viable and scalable business venture and they must meet all the following requirements:

• the applicant must have a genuine, original business plan that meets new or existing market needs and / or creates a competitive advantage

• the applicant’s business plan must be realistic and achievable based on the applicant’s available resources

• the applicant must have, or be actively developing, the necessary skills, knowledge, experience and market awareness to successfully run the business

• there must be evidence of structured planning and of potential for job creation and growth into national and international markets.

 Although it is not a requirement to show that you have funds for investment, but having them adds to the credibility of the business plan.

 Same Business:

 In order to qualify for an award of points under the ‘Same Business’ criteria:

• Applicant’s previous permission was in the Innovator Founder (including Innovator under Appendix Innovator of the rules before 13 April 2023), Start-up or Tier 1 (Graduate Entrepreneur) route and they are pursuing a business assessed by a Home Office approved endorsing body either for the previous endorsement or at a contact point during their last grant of leave – 10 points

• Business is active, trading and sustainable and demonstrates significant achievements against the business plan – 20 points

• Applicant is active in day-to-day management and development of business – 20 points

• English Language requirement- 10 points 

You must meet the English Language requirement to a level B2 on the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages in all 4 components (reading, writing, speaking and listening).

• Maintenance requirement – 10 points 

You must show that you have at least £1270 in your bank account for 28 consecutive days before you apply, or if you’ve been in the UK for less than a year and applying to switch to this visa. The relevant levels for Innovator Founder applicants are: £1270 for the main applicant, £285 for a dependant partner, £315 for a first child and £200 for each subsequent child.

• Provide a tuberculosis test result if you’re from a country where you have to take the test. 

Innovator Founder teams

An applicant can be the sole founder of the business or a member of an entrepreneurial team and share the same business idea and plan as another Innovator Founder team member.Each member of the Innovator Founder team must be issued their own

individual endorsement and meet all the requirements of the route in their own right.

 Endorsement fee

You’ll need to pay £1,000 to get an endorsement from an approved endorsing body.

If your visa application is successful, you’ll also have to pay £500 each time you meet with your endorsing body. You need to meet at least twice during your stay in the UK.

 Length of stay

If your application is successful, permission is normally granted for 3 years

 Switching to Innovator Founder visa If you are in the UK

You can apply to switch to Innovator visa if you are in the UK unless you are on any of the following routes: Visitor, Short-term student, Parent of a Child Student, Seasonal Worker, Domestic worker in a private household, or Outside the Immigration Rules an applicant is in the UK, they can switch into the Innovator Founder route.  

 Settlement

Settlement application: Innovator Founder visa
To qualify for indefinite leave to remain in the UK as an Innovator Founder, you will need to show that: 

• You have spent a continuous period of 3 years lawfully in the UK, 
• You must provide an endorsement letter issued by an Endorsing Body,
• You do not have absences from the UK of no more than 180 days in any 12 calendar months during that period, with permission as an innovator migrant

•You have demonstrated sufficient knowledge of the English language and life in the United Kingdom.

Family members

With a Innovator Founder visa you can bring with you as your dependants:

• your spouse, civil partner or unmarried partner
• children under 18
• children over 18 may also qualify if they’re currently in the UK as your dependant.

 Qualifying period requirement for settlement as a partner on the Innovator Founder route

The applicant must have spent a continuous period of 5 years in the UK with permission as a partner of the person.

 Contact 

For expert advice and assistance with an application for entry clearance or permission to stay as Innovator Founder, please contact us.