Innovator Founder Visa

An applicant must meet either the ‘new business’ or ‘same business’ criteria, which will be assessed by the endorsing body.

‘New business’ requirements

To meet the ‘new business’ criteria, applicants must satisfy two key components:

1. Business plan

Applicants must:

• Have a business plan that they have either developed themselves or to which they have made a significant contribution.
• Demonstrate that they will take an active, day-to-day role in implementing the business plan.
• Commit to attending two scheduled meetings with the endorsing body during their period of permission.
• Be either the sole founder or an instrumental member of the founding team.

2. Innovative, viable, and scalable business

Applicants must have an innovative, viable and scalable business venture and they must:

• Show that their business idea is genuine and original, meeting new or existing market needs and/or creating a competitive advantage.
• Show the business plan is practical, realistic, and achievable.
• Demonstrate that they possess, or will acquire, the necessary skills, knowledge, experience and market awareness to successfully manage the business.
• Outline clear plans and the potential for job creation and business growth both within the UK and internationally.

‘Same business’ requirements

This is applicable for individuals who have had permission to stay on the Innovator Founder, Start-up, or Tier 1 (Graduate Entrepreneur) route.

Applicants must demonstrate the following four aspects:

1. Previous business assessment: The business must have been previously assessed by an Endorsing Body whilst the applicant held permission under the Innovator Founder, Start-up, or Tier 1 (Graduate Entrepreneur) route.
2. Active, trading and sustainable business: The business should be actively trading and sustainable. The applicant must also be able to demonstrate substantial progress and achievements in line with their original business plan.
3. Registration: The business must be registered with Companies House and the applicant must be listed as a director or member.
4. Day-to-day management: The applicant must be directly involved in the daily management and ongoing development of the business.

If the Innovator Founder application is approved, permission will be granted for three years.

Individuals will also need to meet with their Endorsing Body at least twice, at regular intervals within their permission (usually after 12 months and 24 months).

Applicants can apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) once they have completed three years under this category, if they meet the specific requirements relating to the development of the business, similar to those in the initial Innovator Founder application.

In addition to this, ILR applicants will need to satisfy at least two of the ‘success criteria’ which are:

• At least £50,000 investment into the business and actively spent furthering the business.
• Customer base increase, which has at least doubled within the most recent three years and is higher than other UK businesses offering comparable products or services.
• Significant research and development activity, and the business has applied for intellectual property protection in the UK.
• Gross Revenue Increase of at least £1 million in the last full year covered by the accounts.
• Gross Revenue of at least of £500,000 in the last full year covered by the accounts, with overseas export of at least £100,000.
• Job creation of at least 10 full-time jobs for settled workers, or the equivalent of at least five full-time jobs for settled workers, each of which has a mean salary of at least £25,000 a year.

If an applicant does not meet the requirements for ILR, it is possible to extend permission to stay for further three years.

Applying for any visa can be stressful, and an Innovator Founder Visa can be a particularly challenging application. Our immigration solicitors will get to know you and your short and long-term business goals to advise you on the best way forward. We’ll also assess your other visa options to discuss the most suitable route for you.

If an Innovator Founder visa is the best option for you, we’ll guide you through the process of applying for the visa and ensuring each requirement is met and evidenced correctly. We can help you plan a strategy to give you the best chance of a successful visa extension application and Indefinite Leave to Remain application in future.

Moving to a new country can be daunting, especially if you’re bringing dependants. As a full-service law firm, we can help you with a range of other legal matters, such as tax, employment and real estate, helping you to settle in the UK as quickly and easily as possible.

If you are interested in applying under the Innovator Founder route for the first time, or you are looking to extend your visa or apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain, please contact a member of the team to discuss how we can help you.