United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland · entrepreneur · Leads to settlement
Innovator Founder visa
By Sam Parks · Last reviewed:
Source check: all 5 official citations reconfirmed 11 July 2026
Endorsement-based visa for founders launching an innovative, viable and scalable business in the UK.
- Processing time
- After identity and documents are submitted, GOV.UK says decisions usually take 3 weeks for applications outside the UK and 8 weeks for applications inside the UK. Endorsement happens first and has no single government processing standard.
- Government fees
- From 8 April 2026: £1,357 to apply outside the UK or £1,693 inside the UK, plus the Immigration Health Surcharge (normally £1,035 per year). A new endorsement costs £1,000 excluding VAT, and at least two mandatory contact-point meetings cost £500 excluding VAT each.
- Typical duration
- 3 years per grant, with no fixed limit on extensions. Settlement may be available after 3 years if the route’s separate endorsement and business-growth requirements are met.
- Sponsorship required
- No
- Leads to permanent residency
- Yes
In short
As of 21 July 2026, the Innovator Founder visa for United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland has typical processing of 3 weeks – 8 weeks. Sources: official United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland government pages, reviewed 21 July 2026.
Cite this: https://visaatlas.org/visas/uk/innovator-founder#answer
What is the Innovator Founder visa in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
Innovator Founder visa is an unsponsored United Kingdom route. Indicative government fees are From 8 April 2026: £1,357 to apply outside the UK or £1,693 inside the UK, plus the Immigration Health Surcharge (normally £1,035 per year). A new endorsement costs £1,000 excluding VAT, and at least two mandatory contact-point meetings cost £500 excluding VAT each; indicative processing time is After identity and documents are submitted, GOV.UK says decisions usually take 3 weeks for applications outside the UK and 8 weeks for applications inside the UK. Endorsement happens first and has no single government processing standard; typical duration is 3 years per grant, with no fixed limit on extensions. Settlement may be available after 3 years if the route’s separate endorsement and business-growth requirements are met. This route can lead to permanent residence.
Verified against UK Home Office on 21 July 2026.
Overview
The Innovator Founder visa is for a founder who will take a key day-to-day role in a new UK business. A currently authorised endorsing body must confirm that the applicant is a genuine founder and that the plan is innovative, viable and scalable. There is no fixed minimum investment amount, but the applicant must show that the funding in the plan is available and explain its source. Permission is granted for 3 years at a time; extension has no fixed limit, and settlement can be possible after 3 years if the separate business-growth tests are met.
Guidance by nationality
Specific information for applicants from these countries. Don’t see yours? The general eligibility criteria above apply to everyone.
Indian applicants
Indian founders are one of the largest Innovator Founder cohorts. The removal of the £50,000 threshold in 2023 opened th…
Nigerian applicants
Nigerian founders face extra diligence on source-of-funds documentation. Commercial bank statements for 12–24 months, no…
American applicants
US founders often use Innovator Founder as an alternative to the costly E-2 equivalent. The route leads to ILR in 3 year…
Chinese applicants
Chinese Innovator Founder applicants face enhanced source-of-funds scrutiny, particularly in dual-use technology sectors…
Brazilian applicants
Brazilian founders use Innovator Founder for SaaS, fintech, and renewable-energy ventures. Brazil is not on the UK TB-te…
Russian applicants
Russian Innovator Founder applications post-2022 face significantly heightened diligence on source of funds and on prior…
Iranian applicants
Iranian nationals can use this route unless an individual restriction applies; UK sanctions do not create a blanket nati…
Additional sources
Primary source
GOV.UK — approved Innovator Founder endorsing bodies ↗ · UK Home Office
Link last verified:
Eligibility
Typical criteria
- ✓Be at least 18 and hold an endorsement issued no more than 3 months before the application by a body authorised for new Innovator Founder endorsements.UK Home Office ↗
- ✓For a new business, be a genuine founder who generated or significantly contributed to the plan and will have a key day-to-day role; the plan must be innovative, viable and scalable.UK Home Office ↗
- ✓Show English ability at CEFR level B2 in reading, writing, speaking and listening, unless an exemption applies.UK Home Office ↗
- ✓Show £1,270 held for 28 consecutive days, unless the applicant has already been in the UK with permission for at least 12 months or another rule-based exemption applies.UK Home Office ↗
Common blockers
- !Using an organisation that is not authorised to issue new endorsements, or applying after the endorsement’s 3-month validity window.UK Home Office ↗
- !A generic or easily replicable proposition that does not give the business a defensible competitive advantage, or a plan without credible demand, resources or growth potential.UK Home Office ↗
- !The applicant is not a genuine founder or cannot show the skills, knowledge, market awareness and active day-to-day role needed to deliver the plan.UK Home Office ↗
- !Investment funds are not available as described, or their source and transfer route cannot be shown to be legitimate.UK Home Office ↗
Typical evidence
- ·A valid endorsement letter from an authorised endorsing body.UK Home Office ↗
- ·Passport or other valid identity and nationality document, plus a certified translation for any document not in English or Welsh.UK Home Office ↗
- ·English-language evidence and, where required, bank evidence for the £1,270 maintenance requirement.UK Home Office ↗
- ·A detailed business plan with market evidence, forecasts, founder credentials, traction and a clear explanation of available investment funds and their source.UK Home Office ↗
Application pathway
Build an endorsement-ready case
Define the founder’s key role and document the product, innovation, market need, delivery plan, credible growth and funding source.
Use the current official endorsing-body list
Check which listed Business Endorsing Bodies accept new cases, then follow that body’s own assessment process. Legacy bodies can support existing clients only.
Secure endorsement
Obtain the letter confirming the founder and innovative, viable and scalable business tests; it must be no more than 3 months old on the visa application date.
Apply for the visa
Submit the online application, identity evidence and supporting documents, and pay the application fee and Immigration Health Surcharge.
Run the business and keep endorsement
Take the key day-to-day role and complete at least two contact-point meetings during each grant. The endorsing body can withdraw endorsement if progress or contact requirements are not met.
Extend or assess settlement
Before permission expires, obtain a fresh endorsement. Settlement after 3 years has additional business-achievement tests and is not automatic.
Official application links
Where to actually go next
These are the official pages to use for this route. Open them before preparing documents: the forms, fees, appointment systems, and sponsor steps can change without warning.
- ChecklistApplicantCheck approved endorsing bodies ↗
Start with the current Home Office list; only bodies shown as Business Endorsing Bodies can endorse new applicants.
UK Home Office · verified
- ApplyApplicantApply from outside the UK ↗
Submit the official application after securing a valid endorsement.
UK Home Office · verified
Fees and processing time
Indicative government fees: From 8 April 2026: £1,357 to apply outside the UK or £1,693 inside the UK, plus the Immigration Health Surcharge (normally £1,035 per year). A new endorsement costs £1,000 excluding VAT, and at least two mandatory contact-point meetings cost £500 excluding VAT each.. A decision then typically takes 3 weeks – 8 weeks. Both change over time, so the dedicated pages below carry the itemised breakdown and the current official figures.
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Frequently asked questions
Is there a minimum investment for the Innovator Founder visa?+
No. Unlike the previous Innovator visa, there is no £50,000 minimum investment threshold. However, applicants still need to demonstrate realistic financial planning and access to funds appropriate to the business plan.
Can two founders apply together?+
Yes. Joint founders can apply under the same business provided each meets the eligibility criteria and each is individually endorsed.
Does 3 years on this visa guarantee settlement?+
No. A fresh settlement endorsement must confirm that the business is active, trading and sustainable, that the applicant has played a key day-to-day role, and that at least two specified business-achievement criteria are met. Always assess the settlement rules separately from initial visa eligibility.
What endorsement costs should I budget for?+
GOV.UK currently specifies £1,000 excluding VAT for a new endorsement and £500 excluding VAT for each mandatory contact-point meeting. At least two meetings are required during each period of permission. These are separate from the visa fee and Immigration Health Surcharge.
How quickly can the Innovator Founder visa lead to permanent residence?+
Each grant is for 3 years and is extendable, and the route can lead to settlement after 3 years, subject to business progress checks at the 12- and 24-month contact-point meetings. Always verify the current settlement requirements on GOV.UK.
What English language level does the Innovator Founder visa require?+
The Innovator Founder visa requires English at CEFR Level B2. Since 8 January 2026 this is the same level as Skilled Worker and Scale-up Worker, which both moved up from B1 on that date. Check the accepted evidence on GOV.UK.
What is the most common reason Innovator Founder applications fail?+
The most common blockers are a business that lacks genuine novelty - a copy of an existing UK or foreign business rarely meets the innovation criterion - and a plan that does not show a realistic path to market and growth. Securing endorsement from an approved body is the critical bottleneck. Review the endorsement guidance on GOV.UK.
Need tailored advice?
We do not provide legal advice. For an application that depends on your exact circumstances, consult a regulator-listed immigration advisor.
Find a regulated advisor in United KingdomHow we verified this
We check every figure on this page against the primary government source, record the date it was last checked, and re-check it on a regular schedule. Rules change, so always confirm time-sensitive details with the official source before you rely on them. Visa Atlas is an information-only publication and does not give legal advice.
Primary source: UK Home Office
Last checked: 21 July 2026