Innovator Founder Visa

About the visa

The Innovator Founder visa is for entrepreneurs seeking to establish a business in the UK based on an innovative, viable, and scalable business idea they have generated or significantly contributed to. The application must be supported by an endorsing body. This is a route to settlement—founders can apply for indefinite leave to remain after 3 years.

Eligibility & key rules

Applicants must score 70 points. There are two pathways:

New business

• Business plan (30 pts): Must have generated or significantly contributed to the ideas; demonstrate a day-to-day role; agree to at least 2 contact-point meetings with the endorsing body.
• Innovative, viable & scalable (20 pts): Genuine, original plan meeting new or existing market needs; realistic and achievable; evidence of structured planning and potential for job creation and international growth.

Same business

• Previously had permission as Innovator Founder, Start-up, or Tier 1 Graduate Entrepreneur (10 pts)
• Business is active, trading, sustainable with significant progress (20 pts)
• Active in day-to-day management (20 pts)

Plus mandatory for all:

• English language at B2 (10 pts)
• Financial requirement (10 pts): At least £1,270 held for 28 days. Exempt if in the UK with valid permission for 12+ months.

What you can / cannot do

Fees, documents & process

Costs

• Application fee: £1,274 (from outside UK) / £1,590 (extending or switching inside UK)
• Endorsement fee: £1,000 (paid to endorsing body)
• Contact-point meetings: £500 each (minimum 2 required)
• Healthcare surcharge (IHS): £1,035 per year (£3,105 for 3 years)
• Maintenance funds: at least £1,270 held for 28 days

Key documents

• Valid passport or travel document
• Endorsement letter from approved endorsing body (issued within last 3 months)
• Business plan
• Evidence of English language ability at B2
• Bank statements showing £1,270 held for 28 days (unless exempt)
• Tuberculosis test results (if applicable)

Settlement

After 3 years, apply for settlement if you can demonstrate significant achievements against your business plan, plus meet at least 2 of the following 7 criteria:

1. At least £50,000 invested into the business and actively spent furthering it
2. Customer numbers at least doubled in the last 3 years and currently exceed the mean for comparable UK businesses
3. Significant research and development activity, with UK intellectual property protection applied for
4. Minimum annual gross revenue of £1,000,000 in the last full year
5. Annual gross revenue of at least £500,000, with £100,000+ from exports
6. Created at least 10 full-time jobs for settled workers
7. Created at least 5 full-time jobs for settled workers at a mean salary of £25,000+/year

Processing times

• From outside the UK: approximately 3 weeks
• From inside the UK: approximately 8 weeks