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Startup & Innovator Visa

Startup and Innovator visa suits individuals seeking to set up and establish a new and innovative business in the UK.

Startup visa

UK Startup visa

The UK Startup visa is for individuals seeking to set up and establish a new business in the UK. These individuals will generally be new entrepreneurs without a business track record. There are no requirements to invest or secure any funding for the company at the initial startup stage. The UK Startup visa category is suitable for early-stage but high-potential entrepreneurs looking to start a business in the UK for the first time. A Home Office-approved endorsing body must approve your business idea before applying for your visa.

  • There are no minimum investment funds required.
  • You must have an innovative, viable and scalable business idea which must be approved by an ‘endorsing body’. 
  • The Endorsing body must be satisfied that you will spend most of your working time in the UK on developing your business venture.
  • If approved, you must apply for your Startup visa within 3 months of the endorsement body’s approval. 
  • If successful, your startup visa will be granted for two years; however, this cannot be extended and does not lead to a settlement.
  • You must switch to the Innovator visa category for three years to achieve a settlement.
  • Partners and children under 18 can also apply as your dependents. 
  • You must be at least 18 years old and have not previously established a business in the UK (unless you previously held leave as a Tier 1 Graduate Entrepreneur)
  • You must prove you are competent in the English language to at least CEFR Level B2 (equivalent to IELTS 5.5 in reading, writing, listening and speaking);
  • If you are outside the UK or have been in the UK for less than 12 months, then you have at least £1270 to support yourself, plus £285 for a dependent partner, £315 for a first child and £200 for each additional child.
  • The Home Office has published a list of endorsing bodies. This list of endorsing bodies contains the names of all currently approved UK Startup visa endorsing bodies, as well as links to their websites and, where available, details of their application process and endorsement criteria.
  • Applications for Startup visas can be made from outside the UK, but it is also possible to switch into the Startup visa category from within the UK provided you do not have or were not last granted permission as a Visitor, Short-term Student, Parent of a Child Student, Seasonal Worker, Domestic Worker in a Private Household or outside the Immigration Rules.
  • This route is available for more experienced personnel who have previously had the experience of running their own business. The UK Innovator visa category is suitable for experienced businesspersons looking to set up a new business in the UK which is innovative, viable and scalable.

Applicants are expected to present a new business idea. Generally, the business will not already exist. However, where it does, the new business should not have started trading yet. Applicants can work independently as a sole founder or as part of an entrepreneurial team. Joint venture arrangements may also be acceptable.

Applicants can develop other businesses as well as their main business idea. The business idea may relate to any sector, provided the business idea is sufficiently innovative, viable and scalable. For example, the restriction on companies mainly engaged in property development under the previous Tier 1 Entrepreneur category does not apply.

  • To qualify for a UK Innovator visa, you will need to satisfy UK Visas and Immigration.

To qualify for this route, the following information and criteria will need to be assessed.

    • You are at least 18 years old. 
    • You will need evidence of a minimum investment amount of £50,000 being available to yourself.
    • These funds can come directly from you as the applicant or from an endorsing body if they choose to fund your application
    • You will also need an innovative, viable, scalable business idea approved and supported by an endorsing body.
    • The chosen endorsing body must approve your idea, satisfied that you will spend your entire working time developing your business venture in the UK.
    • Once approved by your endorsing body, you may submit a complete Innovator visa application for acceptance to the Home Office.
    • You must register for your Innovator visa within 3 months of receiving your endorsement letter. 
    • UK Innovator visa applicants can bring their partner and children under 18 to the UK.
    • You must prove that you are competent in English to at least CEFR Level B2 (equivalent to IELTS 5.5 in reading, writing, listening, and speaking).
    • Applications for Innovator visas can be made from outside the UK. Still, it is also possible to switch into the Innovator visa category from within the UK provided you do not have or were not last granted permission as a Visitor, Short-term Student, Parent of a Child Student, Seasonal Worker, Domestic Worker in a Private Household or outside the Immigration Rules.
    • You do not need to be your business’s sole founder and may be a member of an innovator team. However, each applicant must receive their endorsement from an approved endorsing body. Innovator team members that are required to satisfy the investment funds needed for a new business endorsement also cannot share the same £50,000 but must instead have at least £50,000 investment funds each.
    • If the Home Office accepts your application, you will be granted an initial 3-year Innovator visa. 
    • You can apply for indefinite leave to remain (settlement) as an Innovator after spending 3 years in the Innovator visa category.
  • To achieve indefinite leave to remain (settlement) within this category your chosen endorsing body must be satisfied that you have shown significant achievements judged against the business plan assessed in your previous endorsement.
  • You are registered with Companies House as a Director or Member of your business, your business is active, trading and appears sustainable for at least the following 12 months, and you have had an active key role in the day-to-day management and development of the business, and you will spend your entire working time in the UK on developing your business ventures;
  • At least £50,000 has been invested into the business and actively spent furthering your business plan;
  • The business has created the equivalent of at least 5 full-time jobs for resident workers, which have an average salary of at least £25,000 a year;
  • The business has created the equivalent of at least 10 full-time jobs for resident workers with no average salary requirement;
  • The number of customers has at least doubled within the most recent 3 years and is currently higher than the mean number of customers for other UK businesses offering comparable main products or services;
  • The business has engaged in significant research and development activity and has applied for intellectual property protection in the UK;
  • The business has generated a minimum annual gross revenue of £1 million in the last full year covered by its accounts.
  • The business has generated a minimum annual gross revenue of £500,000 in the last full year covered by its accounts, with at least £100,000 from exporting overseas.
  • You have spent not more than 180 days outside the UK in any rolling 12-month period during the 3 years before the date of application;
  • You have sufficient knowledge of the English language and life in the UK
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Getting a Startup or Innovator visa is a two-stage process. Step One; Application to the endorsing body. Step 2; Application to the Home Office. Both stages require careful navigation, planning, expert guidance, and preparation. Excellum Legal Immigration Lawyers have a wealth of experience preparing applications to the relevant endorsing bodies and the Home Office.

We have successfully assisted countless clients on their journey from a business idea to full approval. Contact our team today to gain a detailed understanding of how we can assist you.

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