Innovator Founder Visa Solicitors in London
Get endorsed, apply with confidence and plan your route to ILR in 3 years with our specialist Innovator Founder visa solicitors.
Innovator Founder visa at a glance
The Innovator Founder visa lets you come to the UK, or switch from another visa, to set up and run an innovative, viable and scalable business that has been endorsed by a Home Office-approved endorsing body. It lasts 3 years, can be extended without limit, and can lead to indefinite leave to remain (ILR) after 3 years. There is no fixed minimum investment.
Our immigration solicitors in High Holborn and Upton Park help founders get endorsed, prepare the visa application, bring their families, and plan early for the settlement criteria. Call 0207 100 2525 (24/7) or book a free consultation by Zoom, Teams, WhatsApp or Skype.
- Visa fee: £1,357 outside the UK / £1,693 inside the UK
- Endorsement fee: £1,000 + VAT, plus £500 + VAT per progress meeting
- Length: 3 years, extendable in 3-year blocks
- English: B2 (CEFR) in reading, writing, speaking and listening
- Maintenance funds: £1,270 held for 28 days (unless in the UK 12+ months)
- Settlement: ILR possible after 3 years if your business meets 2 of 7 criteria
- Processing: usually 3 weeks outside the UK, 8 weeks inside
What is the Innovator Founder visa?
The Innovator Founder visa is the UK’s only immigration route for overseas entrepreneurs who want to launch a new, innovative business here. It opened on 13 April 2023, replacing both the old Innovator visa and the Start-up visa.
Your business idea must be:
- Innovative – a genuine, original idea that meets new or existing market needs or creates a competitive advantage
- Viable – a realistic business plan, with the skills, knowledge and market awareness to deliver it
- Scalable – evidence of structured planning and potential for job creation and growth in UK and international markets
Unlike the old Innovator visa, you do not need £50,000 to invest. You only need to show the endorsing body you have access to enough funding to set up and grow the business. You can also do other work alongside your own business, as long as it is in a skilled role at RQF Level 3 or above.
Innovator Founder visa requirements
To qualify, you must be 18 or over, hold a valid endorsement letter, speak English at B2 level, and have enough money to support yourself. In full, you need:
- An endorsement letter from an approved endorsing body, issued no more than 3 months before you apply
- To be the sole founder or an instrumental member of the founding team, with a day-to-day role in the business
- English at CEFR B2 in all four skills – via an approved Secure English Language Test, a degree taught in English, or nationality of a majority English-speaking country (GOV.UK – knowledge of English)
- £1,270 maintenance funds held for 28 consecutive days, unless you have been in the UK with permission for 12 months or more
- A TB test certificate if you are applying from a listed country (GOV.UK – TB test countries)
As part of endorsement, the endorsing body must also be satisfied that you are a fit and proper person, that there are no concerns about the source of your funds, and that you have made a significant contribution to the business plan.
Documents checklist
- Valid passport
- Endorsement letter
- Bank statements showing £1,270 held for 28 days (plus dependants’ funds if applicable)
- English language evidence
- TB test certificate (if required)
- Business plan (submitted to the endorsing body)
How endorsement works
Endorsement is the most important step: without an approved endorsing body confirming your business is innovative, viable and scalable, the Home Office will refuse the visa. The current business endorsing bodies are listed on GOV.UK and include UK Endorsing Services, Innovator International and Envestors. The Global Entrepreneurs Programme endorses invited founders only.
Typical stages:
- Business plan – a detailed, evidence-based plan with market research, financial forecasts and growth milestones
- Endorsement application and fee (£1,000 + VAT)
- Interview / assessment with the endorsing body’s panel
- Endorsement letter issued – you then have 3 months to apply for the visa
- Contact-point meetings at around 12 and 24 months (£500 + VAT each) to show progress. If the endorsement is withdrawn, the Home Office can cut your visa short
Most refusals at endorsement stage come from business plans that describe an ordinary business (a restaurant, a consultancy, a reseller) rather than something genuinely innovative. We review your plan against the endorsement criteria before you pay the fee.
Innovator Founder visa cost (2026)
The Home Office fee is £1,357 from outside the UK and £1,693 to switch or extend inside the UK, per person. Fees rose on 8 April 2026. Check GOV.UK before budgeting, because they change regularly.
| Cost | Amount |
|---|---|
| Visa application – outside the UK | £1,357 |
| Visa application – switch/extend in the UK | £1,693 |
| Endorsement fee | £1,000 + VAT |
| Contact-point meetings (minimum 2) | £500 + VAT each |
| Immigration Health Surcharge – adult | £1,035 per year (£3,105 for 3 years) |
| Immigration Health Surcharge – child | £776 per year |
| Maintenance funds (not a fee – must be held) | £1,270 main applicant; £285 partner; £315 first child; £200 each further child |
| Optional priority/super priority service | Varies – see GOV.UK |
Example: a solo founder applying from abroad should budget roughly £7,400 in government and endorsement costs (visa, IHS for 3 years, endorsement and two meetings, excluding VAT), plus maintenance funds and legal fees.
Can I switch to the Innovator Founder visa from inside the UK?
Yes – you can switch into the Innovator Founder route from most UK visas, including the Student, Graduate and Skilled Worker visas. From 25 November 2025, former students no longer need to leave the UK to switch, provided they have completed their course (or meet the PhD rules).
You cannot switch if you hold, or were last granted, permission as a:
- Visitor
- Short-term Student
- Parent of a Child Student
- Seasonal Worker
- Domestic Worker in a Private Household
- Leave outside the Immigration Rules
If you are on a Graduate visa or Student visa and planning to launch a startup, speak to us early – endorsement can take several weeks, and your current visa must still be valid when you apply.
How long does the visa last?
The Innovator Founder visa is granted for 3 years and can be extended for further 3-year periods with no overall limit. Each extension needs a new endorsement showing your business is progressing.
Processing times are usually 3 weeks from outside the UK and 8 weeks from inside the UK (GOV.UK).
Innovator Founder visa to ILR (settlement)
You can apply for indefinite leave to remain after 3 years on the Innovator Founder route if your endorsing body confirms your business has met at least 2 of 7 settlement criteria. This is one of the fastest routes to settlement in the UK. Time spent on the old Innovator visa counts; time on the Start-up visa does not.
Your business must meet two of these (Appendix Innovator Founder, INNF 17.1):
| # | Settlement criterion |
|---|---|
| 1 | At least £50,000 invested into the business and actively spent |
| 2 | Customer numbers at least doubled in 3 years, and higher than the mean for comparable UK businesses |
| 3 | Significant research and development, with UK intellectual property protection applied for |
| 4 | Annual gross revenue of at least £1 million in the last full accounting year |
| 5 | Annual gross revenue of at least £500,000, with at least £100,000 from exports |
| 6 | The equivalent of 10 full-time jobs for settled workers |
| 7 | The equivalent of 5 full-time jobs for settled workers, each paying an average of at least £25,000 a year |
You must also be a director or member of the business registered at Companies House, the business must be actively trading and sustainable for at least the next 12 months, and you must meet the continuous residence rules and pass the Life in the UK Test.
Co-founders cannot share the same criterion – two founders relying on job creation must create 20 jobs between them.
Earned settlement reforms: the Home Office’s 2025–26 earned settlement proposals would raise the standard qualifying period for most migrants to 10 years, but proposed a reduction that keeps Innovator Founders on a broadly 3-year path. Read our guide to the earned settlement changes or see our Settlement and ILR service.
Can my partner and children join me?
Yes – your partner and children under 18 can apply as your dependants, and their visas will end on the same date as yours. Each dependant needs to show maintenance funds (£285 for a partner, £315 for the first child, £200 for each additional child) and pay the visa fee and IHS.
Dependent partners can usually settle after 5 years in the UK as your partner. From 26 March 2027 the English requirement for partners and children applying for settlement rises from B1 to B2.
Innovator Founder vs old Innovator vs Start-up visa
The Innovator Founder visa replaced both the Innovator and Start-up visas on 13 April 2023, and neither older route accepts new applicants. If you have seen advice about a £50,000 investment requirement or a 2-year Start-up visa, it is out of date.
| Innovator Founder (current) | Innovator (closed) | Start-up (closed) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Open to new applicants? | Yes | No – closed 13 April 2023 | No – closed 13 April 2023 |
| Minimum investment | None | £50,000 | None |
| Length | 3 years, renewable | 3 years | 2 years, not renewable |
| Leads to ILR? | Yes – after 3 years | Yes – time counts towards Innovator Founder ILR | No |
| Other work allowed? | Yes – skilled roles (RQF 3+) | No | Yes |
| Progress meetings | 12 and 24 months | 6, 12 and 24 months | 6 and 12 months |
If you are an employee rather than a founder, other business routes may suit you better – see our pages on the UK Expansion Worker visa, Global Business Mobility, the High Potential Individual visa or the Skilled Worker visa.
What if my application is refused?
If your Innovator Founder visa is refused, you may be able to challenge the decision through administrative review or reapply with stronger evidence, depending on why it was refused. Refusals usually come from:
- An endorsement letter older than 3 months
- Insufficient maintenance funds, or funds not held for 28 days
- Invalid English language evidence
- Applying from an excluded visa category (for example, as a visitor)
- Credibility or “genuine founder” concerns
A refusal at the endorsement stage is a decision of the endorsing body, not the Home Office, and is handled differently. We advise on both. See our Administrative Review and Immigration Appeals services.
How Adam Bernard Solicitors can help
Our London immigration solicitors handle the full Innovator Founder process, from testing your business idea against the endorsement criteria to your ILR application 3 years later. We have helped more than 15,000 clients over 15 years, and our solicitors are regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority.
We can:
- Assess whether your business idea is likely to be endorsed before you pay the fee
- Review and strengthen your business plan and financial forecasts
- Prepare you for the endorsing body interview
- Prepare and submit your visa application, including dependants
- Track your progress against the settlement criteria from day one
- Challenge refusals through administrative review or fresh applications
For a broader read on launching a UK company, see our guide: How to start a business in the UK with the Innovator Founder visa.
Call 0207 100 2525 (24/7) or book a free consultation.
This page is for information only and does not constitute legal advice. Figures checked against GOV.UK on 8 October 2026.
Innovator Founder Visa FAQs
How much money do I need for an Innovator Founder visa?
There is no minimum investment. You need £1,270 in personal maintenance funds held for 28 days (unless you've been in the UK 12+ months), plus the £1,357 visa fee (£1,693 in the UK), the £1,000 + VAT endorsement fee and the Immigration Health Surcharge. The endorsing body must also be satisfied you have access to enough funding to set up the business.
Who are the Innovator Founder endorsing bodies?
The business endorsing bodies are listed on GOV.UK and currently include UK Endorsing Services, Innovator International and Envestors. The Global Entrepreneurs Programme endorses invited founders only.
Can I switch from a Graduate or Student visa to an Innovator Founder visa?
Yes. Since 25 November 2025, students who have completed their course can switch from inside the UK, and Graduate visa holders can switch too. You still need an endorsement, B2 English and maintenance funds unless exempt.
How long does it take to get ILR on an Innovator Founder visa?
You can apply for ILR after 3 years if your business meets at least 2 of the 7 settlement criteria, such as investing £50,000, creating 10 full-time jobs, or reaching £1 million in annual revenue.
Can I work for another employer on an Innovator Founder visa?
Yes, as long as the job is skilled at RQF Level 3 or above. You must still keep a day-to-day role in your own business.
What English level do I need?
CEFR level B2 in reading, writing, speaking and listening.
How long does an Innovator Founder visa decision take?
Usually 3 weeks if you apply from outside the UK and 8 weeks from inside the UK. Endorsement takes additional time.
Is the Start-up visa still available?
No. The Start-up and old Innovator visas closed to new applicants on 13 April 2023. The Innovator Founder visa replaced both.
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