UK Innovator Founder visa
A visa for a founder with an innovative idea. An approved body must endorse it.
Price
Temporarily unavailable
Best for
Timeline
3–8 weeks
The endorsement does not come from the government
The idea is judged by an approved body from the Home Office list. Three organisations take new applications: UK Endorsing Services, Innovator International and Envestors. The fourth, the government's Global Entrepreneur Programme, works by invitation only.
The government is consulting on a longer route to settlement
The Home Office has proposed raising the baseline from 5 to 10 years, with 7 discussed for this visa. The rules in force are unchanged: settlement after 3 years. Nothing is decided — check the state of the reform before you apply.
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Residence permit in the UK: comparing the options
The difference is not the price — it is who each option suits. The “Best for” column is the business profile the option is built around.
| Option | Best for | Timeline | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| UK Global Talent visa | Researchers with a publication record, digital technology specialists and product founders, people working in arts, culture, architecture and fashion | 1–3 months | from $7,280 |
| UK Innovator Founder visayou are here | Founders with a product or a prototype, teams entering the UK market, anyone who wants settlement in three years | 3–8 weeks | Upon consultation |
What the service includes
| Testing the idea against the endorsing body's criteria | |
| Preparing the business plan and the evidence | |
| Support through to the visa decision | |
| The visa fee — £1,357 per person from outside the UK, £1,693 to extend or switch inside it— billed separately | |
| The endorsement fee — £1,000 per person— billed separately | |
| Contact-point meetings — £500 each, at least two over three years— billed separately | |
| The Immigration Health Surcharge — £1,035 a year per adult— billed separately |
Documents and programme requirements
- 1Aged 18 or over
- 2An endorsement letter from an approved body, issued no more than 3 months before you apply
- 3English at B2 across all four skills
- 4£1,270 held for 28 consecutive days before applying; £285 more for a partner, £315 for a first child
- 5A business idea that is new, viable and scalable — the endorsing body judges that
How the process runs
3–8 weeks- Step 1We test the idea against the endorsing body's criteria: new, viable, scalable.
- Step 2We prepare the business plan and the evidence: market, team, financial model.
- Step 3We file with the endorsing body and pay its £1,000 fee.
- Step 4The endorsement letter arrives. The visa application follows within 3 months of its date.
- Step 5We file the visa application, book biometrics and pay the fee and the health surcharge.
- Step 6The decision comes in 3 weeks from outside the UK, 8 weeks inside it.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need start-up capital?
No. The old £50,000 requirement is gone. What is checked is the idea and your living costs: £1,270 held for 28 consecutive days.
How long does the visa run and what comes after?
Three years, extendable by three years with no limit on extensions. After three years in the UK the main applicant can apply for settlement; a partner and children after five.
Can I work outside my own business?
Yes, employment alongside your business is allowed. Working as a professional sportsperson or coach is not.
What happens once the visa is granted?
The endorsing body meets you at 12 and 24 months to check progress. If it withdraws the endorsement, the visa may be cut short.
