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THE CITIZENSHIP DESK

UK Innovator Founder Visa

United Kingdom GBR

Last verified 2026-04-20Official source

The UK Innovator Founder Visa, which replaced the Innovator Visa in April 2023, is for non-UK founders or co-founders of a business judged innovative, viable, and scalable by a Home Office-approved endorsing body — unlike its predecessor, it carries no minimum personal investment requirement. Applicants need that endorsement, £1,270 in savings held 28 consecutive days, and English at B2 level, and the business must be new to the UK market.

Settlement (Indefinite Leave to Remain) can follow after 3 years if the endorsed business hits growth milestones checked at 12- and 24-month reviews — failing these can end the visa outright. Citizenship typically follows about a year after settlement, so total time to naturalisation is commonly quoted around 4 to 6 years, with absences capped at 180 days per year toward settlement.

Dependant partners and children require separate applications, fees, and the ongoing Immigration Health Surcharge. Business income is taxed in the UK from arrival, though the Foreign Income and Gains regime can exempt foreign income/gains for up to 4 years for those not UK tax resident in the prior decade.

Program Details

Category
Entrepreneur
Processing Time
2 months
Application Fee
$1,490
Minimum Income
—
Minimum Investment
—
Family Included
Dependant partner and children may be included; each requires a separate application and fee
Path to PR
Yes — 3 years
Path to Citizenship
Yes — 4 years
Physical Presence
Must not be absent from the UK for more than 180 days in any 12-month period; must actively develop the endorsed business
Dual Citizenship
Allowed
Tax Impact
Business income is subject to UK corporation tax and founders are liable for income tax on salaries or dividends drawn. The UK has no minimum investment requirement for this route, but tax residency applies from arrival.
Renewal Cost
$1,490

Application Timeline

Apply

2mo processing

Visa Granted

Initial permit

Permanent Residency

After 3 years

Citizenship

After 4 years

Key Requirements

  • ✓Endorsement from a Home Office-approved endorsing body confirming the business idea is innovative, viable, and scalable
  • ✓No minimum personal investment required (as of April 2023)
  • ✓Applicant must be a founder or co-founder of the business
  • ✓English language proficiency (B2 CEFR or equivalent)
  • ✓Sufficient personal savings (£1,270 held for 28 consecutive days)
  • ✓Business must be new or not previously traded in the UK

Am I eligible for UK Innovator Founder Visa?

Quick self-check based on the published criteria. Not legal advice. No data leaves your browser.

Fill in the fields above to see a verdict.

This is a heuristic, not a determination. Final eligibility depends on full documentation and immigration-officer discretion.

Application Process — Step by Step

  1. 01

    Secure endorsement from approved endorsing body

    home country

    Endorsement from Home Office-approved body for an innovative, viable, scalable UK business. Minimum investment requirement removed in April 2023.

    Typical duration: 4-12 weekssource ↗

  2. 02

    Apply for visa

    home country

    Submit via gov.uk. Pay fee + IHS. Biometrics.

    Typical duration: 3-8 weeks

  3. 03

    Receive visa + travel to UK

    home country

    3-year visa granted if approved.

    Typical duration: 3 weeks

  4. 04

    Establish and operate the endorsed business

    destination

    Must actively operate the UK business; endorsing body conducts 12-month and 24-month check-ins.

    Typical duration: Ongoing

Documents Required

DocumentIssued ByApostilleTranslate toValidity (days)
Valid passportHome countryNo—180
Endorsement letterApproved endorsing bodyNo—90
Business plan (detailed)ApplicantNo——
English B2+ proofTest provider or English-medium degreeNo——

Realistic Costs

Some figures below are industry estimates rather than officially verified: lawyer_fee_low, lawyer_fee_high, relocation_misc, total_first_year_low, total_first_year_high, total_5_year_low, total_5_year_high.

Government fee
$1,700
Lawyer fee (low–high)
$2,000
–
$12,000
Translations
$0
Apostilles
$0
Health insurance (year 1)
$0
Relocation misc.
$3,500
Total first year
$7,000
–
$20,000
Total 5-year
$20,000
–
$50,000

Endorsement fee £1,000+. Lawyers often essential for business plan + endorsement. Excludes actual business capital.

Realistic Timeline

  • Consulate wait2–6 weeks
  • Decision → arrival1 weeks
  • Residence card issuance2 weeks
  • Total to residence card5–11 weeks

Renewal

First renewal after
36 months
Subsequent cycle
60 months
Renewal fee
$1,700
Requirements
Business operational; endorsement maintained; applicant still active founder.

Path to Permanent Residency — Details

Years required
3
Max days absent / year
180
Language test
Required (B2)
Integration test
Required

Path to Citizenship — Details

Years required
4
Language test
Yes (B1)
Civic test
Required
Oath
Required
Dual citizenship
Allowed

Tax Residency

Trigger
183 days/year of presence
Taxation scope
Worldwide income
Exit-tax country
No

Special regimes

  • FIG RegimeForeign income/gains exempt 4 years

    Not UK tax resident previous 10 years

    Duration: 4 years

    source ↗

Health Insurance

Mandatory
No
No co-pay required
No
Public system access
After 0 months

Examples: NHS via IHS

Banking Setup

Open account before arrival
Not typically possible before arrival

Bridge fintechs

Wise (formerly TransferWise)MonzoStarling Bank

Local banks accepting applicants

HSBC UK, Barclays, Monzo, Starling, Tide

Family Specifics

Spouse work rights
Spouse: unrestricted work rights
Child school enrolment
UK state + international schools
Parent inclusion
Not eligible
Sibling inclusion
Not eligible

Gotchas — Things to Watch For

  • ⚠Minimum investment removed in April 2023 (was £50k) but business plan scrutiny intensified
  • ⚠Endorsement body relationship ongoing — 12/24 month checks can end visa
  • ⚠Business must be innovative AND viable AND scalable — all three

What This Visa Does NOT Allow

  • ×Employment outside the endorsed business (beyond permitted supplementary work)

Before You Arrive — Checklist

  1. Identify and engage approved endorsing body
  2. Develop comprehensive business plan
  3. Consider UK legal entity setup (can be post-arrival)

After You Arrive — Checklist

  1. Register UK company
  2. HMRC + VAT registration
  3. GP + NI + bank account
  4. Meet 12- and 24-month endorsement check-ins

Common Rejection Reasons

  • •Business plan not demonstrating innovation, viability, scalability
  • •Endorsing body skeptical of founder capacity
  • •Inadequate market research

Recent Legislative Changes

  • 2023-04-13

    £50,000 minimum investment requirement removed. Replaced with stricter "innovative, viable, scalable" business plan assessment.source ↗

Last known legislative update for this programme: 2025-04-06.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I still need £50,000 to apply?+

No. The minimum investment requirement was removed in April 2023. However, the business plan must clearly demonstrate funding adequate to execute the plan — typically this means having access to operational capital even if not a specific threshold.

source ↗
What happens at the 12 and 24-month check-ins?+

Your endorsing body reviews whether the business is progressing as planned. They can withdraw endorsement if progress is inadequate, which ends the visa.

source ↗

Good Fit For

Entrepreneur & Startup VisasFastest Path to an EU PassportSkilled-Worker Residency Routes

Applying from a specific country? Your home-country tax rules, banking access, and dual-citizenship options affect every programme differently. Browse nationality guides → for tax obligations, renunciation rules, and second-passport routes.

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Sources & last verified

entrepreneurstartupbusinessinnovationeuropeuk
← View United Kingdom country profile