The Innovator Founder Visa lets you come to the UK, or switch from another visa inside the UK, to set up and run an innovative business. It opened on 13 April 2023 and replaced the old Innovator and Start-up routes. Unlike most UK visas, the hardest step is not the Home Office application. It is getting an endorsement letter from an approved endorsing body, and that decision rests almost entirely on your business plan.
The core requirements
- An endorsement letter from a Home Office approved endorsing body.
- A new business idea that is innovative, viable and scalable.
- You must be the sole founder or an instrumental member of the founding team, and play a day-to-day role in the business.
- English at CEFR level B2 (reading, writing, speaking and listening), unless you are exempt.
- Enough personal funds to support yourself, unless you have been in the UK on a valid visa for at least 12 months.
- You must be at least 18.
The three tests: innovation, viability, scalability
Endorsing bodies assess every plan against three criteria. Your plan needs a clear, evidenced answer to each one.
- Innovation: is the business genuinely new or different from what is already on the UK market? A copy of an existing service in a new city usually fails.
- Viability: do you have, or can you realistically get, the skills, knowledge, funding and market access to make it work?
- Scalability: is there evidence of structured planning and potential for job creation and growth into national or international markets?
Is there a minimum investment?
No. The old £50,000 minimum investment was removed when the route launched. You still need to show the endorsing body how the business will be funded, so your plan should include a realistic budget, the source of the money, and what it pays for in the first year.
What happens after endorsement
Once endorsed, you apply to the Home Office for the visa itself. The visa is normally granted for three years. During that time the endorsing body holds contact-point meetings, typically at around 12 and 24 months, to check you are making progress against the milestones in your plan. If you meet the settlement criteria you may be able to apply for indefinite leave to remain after three years.