stellapenso
New Member
I was reading about the Innovator Founder visa the other day and wanted to check I have understood it properly, because most of what I find is either an advert from an immigration law firm or out of date guidance written for the old Innovator and Start-up routes. Here is what I have pieced together, and I would appreciate anyone correcting me.
The Innovator Founder visa seems to be the route for overseas entrepreneurs who want to set up a new business in the UK, and it replaced the earlier Innovator and Start-up visas in 2023. The applicant first needs their business idea endorsed by an approved endorsing body, and only then applies to the Home Office. I understand the idea has to meet three main tests: that it is innovative, meaning original and different from what is already on the market, that it is viable, and that it is scalable. There no longer seems to be a fixed minimum investment amount, which looks like a big change from the old route. The visa is granted for three years, can lead to settlement if the business meets certain milestones, and there is no fixed route to apply for extension in the same way as before.
What I cannot work out is how the endorsement stage works in practice. Endorsing bodies seem to assess the business plan, the founder’s background and their ability to run the business, and I keep seeing that some are more selective than others, with fees that vary a lot. I am also unsure about the English language requirement, the maintenance funds an applicant must show, whether a dependant partner can join and work, and how the Immigration Health Surcharge and application fees add up. Another point I keep seeing is that endorsing bodies carry out regular check-ins, and that the business needs to show real progress, such as hiring, revenue or investment, to keep the endorsement in place.
My question is how founders choose an endorsing body and how long the endorsement and visa stages realistically took from start to finish. I would also like to know what a strong business plan looked like, whether people found it easier with a UK co-founder or investor already involved, and how they handled things like opening a business bank account and raising money while on the visa. I have read something similar to this on, so I would like to hear from anyone who has been through it, what they found hardest, and whether anything caused friction with the Home Office or during a later raise.
The Innovator Founder visa seems to be the route for overseas entrepreneurs who want to set up a new business in the UK, and it replaced the earlier Innovator and Start-up visas in 2023. The applicant first needs their business idea endorsed by an approved endorsing body, and only then applies to the Home Office. I understand the idea has to meet three main tests: that it is innovative, meaning original and different from what is already on the market, that it is viable, and that it is scalable. There no longer seems to be a fixed minimum investment amount, which looks like a big change from the old route. The visa is granted for three years, can lead to settlement if the business meets certain milestones, and there is no fixed route to apply for extension in the same way as before.
What I cannot work out is how the endorsement stage works in practice. Endorsing bodies seem to assess the business plan, the founder’s background and their ability to run the business, and I keep seeing that some are more selective than others, with fees that vary a lot. I am also unsure about the English language requirement, the maintenance funds an applicant must show, whether a dependant partner can join and work, and how the Immigration Health Surcharge and application fees add up. Another point I keep seeing is that endorsing bodies carry out regular check-ins, and that the business needs to show real progress, such as hiring, revenue or investment, to keep the endorsement in place.
My question is how founders choose an endorsing body and how long the endorsement and visa stages realistically took from start to finish. I would also like to know what a strong business plan looked like, whether people found it easier with a UK co-founder or investor already involved, and how they handled things like opening a business bank account and raising money while on the visa. I have read something similar to this on, so I would like to hear from anyone who has been through it, what they found hardest, and whether anything caused friction with the Home Office or during a later raise.