UK Innovator Founder visa: the start-up founder route

An approved endorsing body must assess your business or idea as new (you cannot join a business that is already trading), innovative (different from what is on the market), viable with growth potential, and scalable, with plans for job creation and national or international expansion. You must show the endorsing body enough funding and its source; no investment funds are needed if the business was endorsed for an earlier visa. You must be 18 or over.

You need English at CEFR B2, proved by a SELT, a UK qualification or an English-taught degree confirmed by Ecctis. You must also have had at least £1,270 for 28 consecutive days, which cannot come from your investment funds.

The visa costs £1,357 per person from outside the UK and £1,693 inside. The endorsing body charges £1,000 for the endorsement and £500 for each contact point meeting, both excluding VAT; you must meet at least twice, after 12 and 24 months. The health surcharge is £1,035 per person per year.

The endorsing body reviews progress at 12 and 24 months and can withdraw endorsement, which may cut your visa short. You can renew for another 3 years with a new endorsement. After 3 years you can apply for settlement if the endorsing body confirms the business meets the settlement criteria.

If the application is refused you can usually ask for an administrative review within 28 days of the decision if you were outside the UK (14 days inside) where you think UKVI made a caseworking error; it costs £80 and the result usually takes 28 days or more. You can also simply make a fresh application.