Innovator-Founder Visa

You can apply for this type of visa, formerly known as the "Innovator Visa", now known as the "Innovator Founder Visa", if you have a business idea that you believe is innovative and different from other businesses in the market.
The features that your business idea should have are as follows:
New: You cannot be part of a business that is already trading.
Innovative: Your business idea must be different from all other businesses in the market.
Viable: It must be favourable for potential growth.
Scalable: Your business idea will create jobs and will be able to expand into national and international markets. You must be able to provide evidence of this said promise.
In addition to having the above-mentioned characteristics, your business idea must also be approved by the "Endorsing Body”.

Other Requirements for the Innovator Founder Visa:
Being at least 18 years old,
You must fulfil the English language requirement, and prove that you can read, write, speak and understand English at the level of B2 in the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR),
You must have sufficient personal funds to support yourself during your stay in the UK. You must be able to prove that you have savings.
If you are granted an Innovator Founder Visa, you will need to meet with the Endorsing Body again after 12 months and 24 months from the date of visa issuance to demonstrate that you have made progress in your business. The relevant organisation will assess your progress under your business plan at these interview periods. Your visa may be shortened or extended in line with the Endorsing Body view of your progress.
If you want to stay in the UK for longer, you can apply to extend your stay for a further 3 years when your visa expires. There is no limit to the number of times you can extend your visa.
What You Can Do With the Innovator Founder Visa:
Establish one or more businesses
Working for your business - this means employment as a manager within your business to be employed or to be self-employed as a member of a business partnership
You can also work outside the scope of your organisation, as long as it is "skilled work”.
You can contact our office for other restrictions and the definition of “skilled work”.
If they fulfil the necessary conditions, you can classify your spouse and children as “dependants”.
You cannot benefit from public funds or the State Pension Scheme on an Innovator Founder Visa.

If you have lived in the UK for 3 years on an Innovator Founder Visa and you meet the other eligibility requirements, you can apply to settle permanently in the UK. This application is known as Indefinite Leave to Remain and forms the basis of the UK residence procedure. For more information on how to obtain Indefinite Leave to Remain, please contact our team.