Innovator Visas
Innovator visas are for experienced business people looking to invest £50,000 in an innovative business in the UK. Your business idea must be innovative, scalable, and endorsed by an approved body.
The requirements are briefly as follows:
- 18 years or over
- Must not fall for refusal under the Part 9 Grounds for Refusal
- Genuine innovator requirement
- Must be involved in the day to day management
- You must be supported by an endorsing body
- £50,000 investment funds
- English language – minimum CEFR Level B2
- Maintenance – if applying for entry clearance or have been in the UK less than 12 months, you must have funds of at least £1,270 to support yourself.
The exact requirements you need to meet depend on your individual circumstances. Therefore, we suggest speaking to our immigration experts for tailored advice.
Endorsement for a UK Innovator Visa
You will need to obtain a letter of endorsement from a UK-approved UK endorsing body before applying for your Innovator visa. You can find the list of Home Office authorised endorsing bodies here.
The endorsing body will need to consider three main criteria:
- Innovation – Firstly you need to have a genuine, original, business plan that meets a market’s needs or creates a competitive advantage.
- Viability – Additionally, your business plan must be realistic and achievable based on your resources. Therefore, do you have the skills necessary for the business to succeed?
- Scalability – Finally, you must be able to show the potential for job creation and growth into national and international markets.
Your endorsing body must also be satisfied that you generated the ideas in the business plan and will be responsible for executing the plan.
Switching, Settlement & Dependants
It’s usual to make your Innovator visa applications from outside the UK. However, you can also switch to this visa type from inside the UK from certain other visa categories; including start-up visas and certain work visas.
Innovator visas are valid for 3 years and there is no limit to the number of times you can extend this visa. Additionally, you can apply for settlement after 3 years provided you meet the requirements.
You can apply for dependants to join you in the UK on your Innovator visa; this can include your husband, wife, civil partner, unmarried partner, and children.
UK Innovator Visa Experts
Our immigration solicitors provide expert advice on all types of business immigration applications. Additionally, we place our team in the best position for you. Therefore, our solicitors can support you through the often complex process of applying for an Innovator visa
We offer a 30-minute consultations with one of our immigration solicitors. Our solicitors can call you over the phone or via Skype. Alternatively, we can hold a meeting in our offices. We do not offer free advice and will charge a non-refundable £95 fee per consultation.
