UK Innovator Founder Visa
Build Your Own Innovative Business in the UK
No employer sponsor required. Potential ILR after 3 years. Start with your CV. No business idea yet? We can suggest up to 2-3 based on your profile.
Your journey
From CV to UK founder in nine steps
From your first CV review to potential settlement, we stay with you.
01
Free CV Check
02
Profile Assessment
03
Up to 2-3 Innovative Business Ideas
04
Business Development
05
Endorsement Application
06
Endorsement Granted
07
Visa Application
08
Grow UK Business
09
Potential ILR After 3 Years
Free CV Check
Profile Assessment
Up to 2-3 Innovative Business Ideas
Business Development
Endorsement Application
Endorsement Granted
Visa Application
Grow UK Business
Potential ILR After 3 Years
What is it?
Two stages: get endorsed, then apply
A UK route for founders building an innovative, viable and scalable business. No employer sponsor, but your proposition must be endorsed.
Stage 1
Endorsement
Idea
Development
Business Plan
Market Research
Financial Model
Validation
Endorsement Application
Interview / Pitch
Decision
Stage 2
Visa application
Endorsement Letter
Visa Documents
Home Office Application
Decision
Endorsement must be used within 3 months
Benefits
Why founders choose this route
No employer sponsor required
Endorsement of your business replaces a job offer.
Build and run your own UK business
You found and grow the company, and stay in control.
Potential ILR after 3 years
Subject to settlement requirements at the time of application.
Work alongside your business
Eligible outside skilled employment is permitted, subject to conditions.
Bring eligible dependants
Your eligible partner and children can apply to join you.
No fixed £50,000 threshold
Funding should match what your venture actually needs.
Access to the UK market
Build from a leading economy, with room to scale internationally.
Eligibility
Four tests your business must pass
Endorsing Bodies assess every proposition against the same four pillars.
New
A qualifying new business, not one already trading.
Innovative
An original proposition with a real competitive advantage.
Viable
A realistic plan, backed by your skills and resources.
Scalable
Structured growth, job creation and room to expand.
You will also need
Endorsement process
The 12-step endorsement journey
Every engagement follows the same staircase, from your CV to a submitted visa application.
Step 1
Share Your CV
We review your experience, qualifications, skills and sector knowledge.
Step 2
Profile Assessment
We find where your profile becomes a credible business proposition.
Step 3
Suggest Up to 2-3 Innovative Business Ideas
Concepts matched to your profile, or we refine your existing idea.
Step 4
Choose & Refine the Idea
Problem, customer, solution, innovation, advantage, revenue and growth.
Step 5
Initial Market Research
Target market, competitors, existing solutions and market gaps.
Step 6
Business Plan & Financial Model
Business model, forecasts, scalability and job-creation planning.
Step 7
Validate the Business
Surveys, LOIs, MVP, company formation and web presence, by package.
Step 8
Review & Unlimited Revisions
Unlimited revision rounds until the proposition is ready.
Step 9
Endorsement Application
Prepared and submitted to the appropriate Endorsing Body.
Step 10
Interview / Pitch
Preparation for innovation, market, financial and scalability questions.
Step 11
Endorsement Decision
If successful, your endorsement is granted.
Step 12
Visa Application
We prepare the formal Innovator Founder visa application.
Timeline
A focused 4-week preparation roadmap
Before W1
Week 1
Week 2
Week 3
Week 4
Foundations
Refine & research
Build the evidence
Ready to submit
Before Week 1
Foundations
CV review, profile assessment, idea selection
Week 1
Refine & research
Idea refinement and initial research
Weeks 2-3
Build the evidence
Business plan, financial model, market research, LOIs
Week 4
Ready to submit
Final refinement, prepared for the Endorsing Body
Preparation time only. The Endorsing Body's decision time is separate and never guaranteed.
Endorsing Body assessment
What happens after submission
Assessed independently. Their fees are always separate from ours.
Submitted
Review & due diligence
Interview
where required
Further information
Decision
4-8 wks
Indicative assessment time
£1,000
Initial fee, per person
£500
Per contact-point meeting
3 months
Window to use your endorsement
Four approved Endorsing Bodies
UK Endorsing Services
Innovator International
Envestors Limited
Global Entrepreneurs Programme
Invitation only
Endorsement decisions rest solely with the Endorsing Body. Timings are indicative and never guaranteed.
Why applications fail
Eight reasons endorsements fail, and how to avoid them
Most refusals trace back to the same avoidable weaknesses.
Where applications fail
How we prevent it
The idea is not genuinely innovative
A real market problem, an original solution, a clear advantage.
The founder cannot explain the innovation
You stay involved, so the idea is genuinely yours to defend.
Weak link between founder and business
The concept is built around your background and track record.
Weak market research
Competitor analysis, surveys, LOIs and pilot evidence.
Unrealistic financial forecasts
Defensible pricing, costs, acquisition and growth assumptions.
Weak scalability
Realistic job creation, operational scaling and expansion.
Poor interview preparation
Rehearsal on innovation, finance, competition and delivery.
Plan and interview answers do not match
One consistent story across written and verbal evidence.
Why we're different
You don't need a business idea to start
Most advisers wait for your idea. We start from your CV.
You send this
We assess your experience and skills
IDEA 01
Matched to your sector
IDEA 02
Built on your experience
IDEA 03
Backed by market need
We send these back
Immigration work is handled and supervised by IAA-regulated immigration lawyers experienced in UK immigration matters.
Packages & fees
Choose how far we take you
All packages include unlimited revisions. Professional fees are separate from Endorsing Body and Home Office fees.
Basic
£2,500–£3,000
Professional fees only. Endorsing Body and Home Office fees are separate.
Innovative idea development if needed
Up to 2-3 business concepts
Idea refinement
Initial market research
Standard business plan
Basic financial model
Application guidance
Unlimited revisions
Market survey
LOI support
MVP
Priority turnaround
Company creation
Website
Social media
Standard
£3,500–£4,500
Professional fees only. Endorsing Body and Home Office fees are separate.
Everything in Basic
In-depth market research
Market survey
Full financial model
LOI drafting support
Endorsing Body submission support
Company creation
Unlimited revisions
Free re-application if rejected, no additional legal fee
MVP
Dedicated priority support
Website
Social media
Premium
£4,500–£6,000
Professional fees only. Endorsing Body and Home Office fees are separate.
Everything in Standard
MVP creation included
Priority turnaround & scheduling
Dedicated advisor
Post-submission query support
Pitch & interview preparation
Website development
Social media development
Free re-application if rejected
No additional legal fee on qualifying re-application
No Endorsing Body fee on qualifying re-application
Support at 12-month meeting
Support at 24-month meeting
Continuous guidance through the 3-year journey towards ILR
After the visa
The three-year journey to potential ILR
Three qualifying years can potentially lead to ILR, subject to requirements.
Year 1
Develop and grow
Year 2
Continue scaling
Year 3
Prepare for settlement
Visa granted
~Month 12
Contact-point meeting
Mandatory
~Month 24
Contact-point meeting
Mandatory
Year 3
ILR assessment
Visa granted
Year 1: develop and grow
~Month 12
Contact-point meeting
Year 2: continue scaling
~Month 24
Contact-point meeting
Year 3: prepare for settlement
Year 3
ILR assessment
Premium includes support at both contact-point meetings and through to the ILR stage.
FAQs
Frequently asked questions
A UK immigration route for qualifying entrepreneurs seeking to establish and develop an innovative, viable and scalable UK business.
No. The route relies on Innovator Founder endorsement rather than employer sponsorship.
Send your CV. We can assess your background and suggest up to 2-3 innovative business ideas based on your profile.
We can assess, refine and develop your existing concept towards an endorsable proposition.
A genuine, original proposition that meets a market need or creates a meaningful competitive advantage.
A realistic plan in light of the founder's experience, resources and market understanding.
Structured growth potential, including job creation and national or international expansion.
The Endorsing Body charges an initial fee of £1,000 per person, paid directly to the Endorsing Body. This is separate from our professional fees, which depend on the package you choose.
Around 4-8 weeks is a useful planning range, but processing time sits with the Endorsing Body and is not guaranteed.
You have a 3-month window to use your endorsement for the visa application.
There is no fixed universal threshold, but your funding should match the needs of the venture.
Not necessarily; it depends on the business and its stage of development. MVP creation is included in our Premium package where useful.
Eligible outside skilled employment is permitted alongside the business, subject to your visa conditions.
Your eligible partner and children may apply as dependants.
Potentially, if the settlement requirements are met at the time of application.
Yes. Mandatory contact-point meetings take place around months 12 and 24 (£500 per meeting, paid directly to the Endorsing Body).
Yes, under the agreed stage-payment plan, with an invoice and receipt at each stage.