UK Innovator Founder Visa

Start a Novel Business in the UK and Settle with Family

Secure Your Future Now!

 Fill out the form below to start your journey to success

What Is An Innovator Founder Visa?

The Innovator Founder visa welcomes everyone with a viable, scalable, and innovative business idea into the UK. The business plan needs to pass the UK endorsing bodies first. Once approved, you or other co-founders can use the same business to apply for the UK Innovator Founder visa. This visa offers a clear path to UK settlement, and you can bring your family along. 

Recent Changes on UK Innovator Founder Visa

The £50,000 minimum investment requirement was abolished on 13 April 2023. 

Replaced the Tier 1 (Entrepreneur) visa in March 2019, i.e., Innovator visa. 

Who We Help Get a UK Innovator Founder Visa

Our UK innovator founder visa consultant at Legend Consults will assess your business idea and individual eligibility first.  

What Businesses Typically Pass UK Endorsing Bodies?

Unique business ideas are endless, and there are no specific types that guarantee 100% approval from the UK endorsing bodies. Some industries, however, show more potential, including: 

Medicine

Hospitality

Cybersecurity

Fine Arts

Fashion

Retail

Renewable Energy

Research & Development

Legend Consults will assess the viability, scalability, demand, and innovative potential of your UK Innovator Founder visa business plan. 

Are You Eligible for the UK Innovator Founder Visa?

This visa is for you if you meet the following requirements: 

Why Should You Get aUK Innovator Founder Visa?

No Sponsor Requirement

You do not need an existing UK-based company to sponsor. This means no risk of sponsor cancellation, and you get complete control of your business. 

No Minimum Investment

The £50,000 minimum investment specification was abolished. Currently, you only need to present £1,270 proof of personal finances in your bank account. 

Apply with Co-Founders

Coming up with a brilliant business idea is not for the faint-hearted. You can brainstorm and use the same business plan as your co-founders when applying for this visa. 

Settle and Travel with Family

You can also bring your family along, including your partner and children under 18 years old. You and your family can travel freely in and out of the UK flexibly. 

Option to Switch Visa

The UK Innovator Founder visa can be a great option if you want to switch from a Graduate or Skilled Worker visa and try the self-employed route.  

Path to Permanent Residency

Your time on this visa (3-year period) counts towards your UK settlement. You can extend it indefinitely and apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR). 

Highest Innovator Founder Visa Success rate in the uk

Get approved at every stage; we challenge errors and rejections. Legend Consults is well-versed in every obstacle your application may face, so we smooth them out from the start. Our comprehensive support ensures you do not only successfully enter the UK but also conquer the competitive market: 

Why Work Your UK Innovator Founder Visa with Legend Consults?

Experts in UK Immigration

Legend Consults has been specialising in UK immigration law since 2013, so you can trust us to understand the challenges of securing your visa and how to solve them.  

Business Plan Assistance

Getting approved by a UK endorsing body is the trickiest part of getting the Innovator Founder visa. We guide you in developing a winning business plan that stands out. 

More Than Immigration

We are part of Legend Group. Legend Financial will help with your tax and business needs. Legend Digitech will grow your business through digital marketing services. 

Communication & Transparency

It can be frustrating not to know where your endorsement/visa processing is heading. Legend Consults makes sure you are informed every time of your application milestones. 

We Work Hand in Hand for your UK Innovator Founder Visa

Contact Our Expert Team

Start with a consultation to assess your business idea’s potential and your individual eligibility. Leave us an enquiry and we will respond as soon as possible 

Develop a Strong Business Plan

We will help craft a compelling, structured plan that highlights your idea’s innovation, viability, and scalability. A well-crafted business plan is crucial to gaining endorsement. 

Getting You Ready for Endorsement

We prepare you for a smooth endorsement process that includes arranging your documents and preparing you to pitch your idea. Transparency is key—any inconsistencies may delay or jeopardise your approval. 

Moving to the UK

After you get your visa and relocate to the UK, it’s important to keep in touch with your endorsing body. They will provide ongoing support and mentorship for your business to grow and thrive! 

Apply for the Innovator Founder Visa

Once you have successfully secured your endorsement letter, you can apply for the Innovator Founder visa. We will ensure all documentation meets Home Office criteria. 

frequently asked questions

Get the Answers Here Related to Your UK Innovator Founder Visa 

The Innovator Founder Visa is a UK visa for individuals who want to start or join an innovative business in the country. This visa is ideal for experts in the Tech industry, who can bring something new and innovative to the field. However, the business idea must be truly innovative and different from anything else that’s already on the market.  

To write a strong business plan for your visa application, you need to show that your business idea is new and exciting, that there’s a good market for it, and that you and your team have the skills to make it successful. 

After checking your eligibility, we will prepare your business plan, help you prepare for the interview and apply on your behalf to one of the endorsement bodies in the UK. We keep you informed and updated during the entire process. 

Once your endorsement letter arrives, you will get your visa within three weeks. It takes eight weeks for applicants within the UK to get their visa. 

This visa is issued for 3 years at a time. It includes an additional health surcharge of £624 per year for adults and £470 per year for children under 18.  

The application processing fee is as follows: 

  • Applying from outside the UK: £1,191 per applicant and each dependent. 
  • Applying from inside the UK:  £1,486 per applicant and each dependent (extensions or switching visas) 

When multiple entrepreneurs have a similar innovative business idea, they can team up to apply for an Innovator Founder visa. Some key points to note are: 

  • Each member must qualify on their own merits 
  • Each member must prove their funding source 
  • When applying as a team, you must provide legal evidence to support each member’s role in the business. Home Office thoroughly ensures whether a member actively contributes and is not just joining for visa 

As an Innovator Founder visa holder, you can pursue higher education in the UK. However, you must prove you can balance studying and growing your business whilst fulfilling all endorsement criteria. 

As an Innovator Founder visa holder, you can hire foreign employees with a Sponsor Licence. Our Legend Consults experts are here to assist you with growing your business and acquiring Sponsor License to tap into the global talent pool. 

No, as an Innovator Founder visa holder, you cannot: 

  • Launch or manage multiple businesses or get your employment outside of your business 
  • Rent out your business to another company or third party 
  • Offer services as a coach or professional athlete 
  • Claim most UK benefits or state pensions 

Yes, you can apply for an Innovator Founder visa with your co-investor. However, individual merit is more critical than teamwork. 

Innovator Founder Visa has an initial validity period of three years with an extension potential of three years. You can apply for permanent residency once you have stayed for the qualifying duration. 

Our Legend Consults immigration advisors boost your chances of securing an Innovator Founder visa by offering tailor-made services such as eligibility assessment, help in crafting the perfect business plan, endorsement guidance, and funding advice whilst adhering to compliance with UK authorities.

An endorsement in the Innovator Founder visa refers to the expert approval verifying that the proposed business idea is innovative, viable, and scalable. Endorsement is necessary for visa application and allows the endorsing body to keep track of your business growth. Our experts are here to streamline endorsements for your business, increasing your visa approval chances. 

No, modifying your proposed business idea after getting an endorsement is not allowed. However, you can request a new endorsement if your proposed business plan significantly alters during implementation. Our Legend Consults experts help you streamline the visa application and endorsement procedure. 

The endorsement bodies track your business’s progress via business progress review. It is to verify that you are not just residing in the UK but are genuinely working on your business development and growth. Business review check-ins are at 6, 12, and 24 months. Legend Consults immigration experts assist and support you throughout the entire business progress review by organising progress and financial evidence to retain your visa validity and endorsement. 

Yes, you can acquire an Innovator Founder visa even without a unique business idea. You can take over an existing business in the UK and become eligible for an Innovator Founder visa. At Legend Consults, our experts offer guidance to take over existing, pre-endorsed, viable, and scalable businesses in the UK, specifically in the tech industry. Ensuring a streamlined visa procedure. 

Yes, endorsement bodies charge a nominal amount of £1,000, excluding VAT, for endorsement services under an Innovator Founder visa and are paid directly to them. Moreover, it is crucial to know that endorsing bodies may charge extra fees after successful endorsement to keep track of your business growth. 

To secure Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) under an Innovator Founder visa, you must: 

  • Reside in UK consistently for 3 years on an Innovator Founder visa 
  • Comply with the criteria set by endorsing bodies for evident business growth 
  • Adhere to the rule of not exceeding 180 days of stay outside of UK within a single year 
  • Pass the mandatory ‘ Life in the UK ‘ test 
  • Demonstrate English Language proficiency at CEFR level B1 or IELTS 5.5 bands 
  • Maintain probability by avoiding immigration violations or criminal convictions 
  • Obtain your confirmation letter supporting Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) from your respective endorsement body 

To switch from another visa category to an Innovator Founder visa, you must meet all the criteria for the Innovator Founder visa, especially endorsement. Our Legend Consults immigration experts offer guidance to streamline your visa application process. 

Citizenship

Step-by-Step Journey with Legend Consults