Start-Up Visas

Start a business in the UK & stay here for 3 years with the new Innovator Founder Visa

If you came here seeking information on the UK’s Start-Up Visa programme the most important thing to know is that the Start-Up Visa has now been combined with the old Innovator Visa to create the brand new Innovator Founder Visa.

Applying for the Innovator Founder Visa

Applications for Start-Up Visas are no longer being accepted. Instead, you are encouraged to apply for the Innovator Founder Visa that has taken its place. The requirements for an Innovator Founder Visa are as follows:

• You must be at least 18 years of age.
• You must have an endorsement letter from a certified UK endorsing body.
• The endorsement letter must be issued within 3 months of your application for an Innovator Founder Visa.
• You must meet all current English language competency requirements.
• If you have been in the UK for less than 12 months you must show you have access to at least £1,270 to support yourself. If you have a dependent partner you must show at least an additional
• £285 to support them as well as £315 to support a first child and £200 for each additional child.
• No part of your application can trigger the General Grounds for Refusal.
• In some cases, you may need to supply a negative TB test certificate.

About the Endorsement Letter

To qualify for an Innovator Founder Visa you must have an endorsement letter from a certified UK endorsement body. That endorsement letter must confirm that:

• You are fit to receive an Innovator Founder Visa
• You have satisfied the endorsing body’s financial criteria.
• You have demonstrated that none of your finances are the result of illicit activities.
• You have a sound business plan.
• You will play a fundamental role in the day-to-day operations of the business.
• You have agreed to have a minimum of 2 contact point meetings with the endorsing body.
• Your business idea is innovative, viable and scalable.
• You are either the sole founder or a critical member of the founding team.

Switching from a Start-Up Visa to the Innovator Founder Visa

If you already have a Start-Up Visa that you wish to renew you will instead have to switch over to the new Innovator Founder Visa, as the Start-Up Visa programme is now closed to new applicants and renewals. Below we will cover the process of switching from the Start-Up Visa to the Innovator Founder Visa based on the assumption that you are using the same business as the basis for your application.

General Requirements for Switching

To switch from the Start-Up Visa to the Innovator Founder Visa using the same business you will need to meet the following requirements:

• You must be at least 18 years old.
• You must have an endorsement letter from a certified UK endorsing body or a legacy endorsement body.
• You must meet current English language competency requirements.
• If you have been in the UK for less than 12 months you must have at least £1,270 available to support yourself. If you have a dependent partner you must show at least an additional £285 to support them as well as £315 to support a first child and £200 for each additional child.
• No part of your application can trigger any of the established General Grounds for Refusal.

About Using an Endorsement Letter from a Legacy Endorsing Body

New applicants must obtain an endorsement letter from a currently certified UK endorsing body. However, those switching from a Start-Up Visa to an Innovator Founder Visa will be able to obtain an endorsement letter from a legacy endorsement body.

That means you can go back to the body that issued your original endorsement letter and ask them to issue a new one to support your application to switch to the Innovator Founder Visa. The advantage here is that they are already familiar with you and previously approved of your Start-Up application.

The new endorsement letter will, however, need to satisfy the following criteria:

• The legacy endorsement body issuing the letter must be the same as the one that supported the application for the original Start-Up Visa.
• The new endorsement letter must not be issued more than 3 months before you apply for the Innovator Founder Visa.
• The new letter must confirm that the business being used for the Innovator Founder Visa application is the same one used to obtain the Start-Up Visa.
• The letter must also confirm that the business continues to comply with the business criteria established during the original application process.
• The letter must confirm that the applicant satisfied the need to attend at least 2 contact point meetings with members of the legacy endorsement body.

Recent Amendments to the General Grounds for Refusal

As the former Innovator and Start-Up Visas were folded into the new Innovator Founder Visa programme amendments were made to the General Grounds for Refusal. According to UK Immigration, the reason for these recent additions is to ensure that only genuine innovators benefit from the Innovator Founder Visa programme.

If you are applying to switch from the Start-Up Visa to the Innovator Founder Visa you will need to ensure no part of your application or personal history violates the new rules. Those rules are:

Any applicant that is the subject of a serious civil or criminal proceeding or investigation in the UK that relates to financial misconduct, corruption or other financial crimes will be refused.
Any applicant that has been barred from being a company director or from conducting financial transactions in any country will have their application refused.

The Bottom Line

If your application to switch from a Start-Up Visa to an Innovator Founder Visa is approved the new visa will be valid for a period of 3 years. Those 3 years can later be applied toward the 3 years’ continuous residence required to obtain Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) status.

However, it is important to keep in mind that any time you already spent in the Start-Up route will not count towards the 3-year continuous residency requirement to obtain ILR status.

If you would like to discuss or require more information about applying for or switching to an Innovator Founder Visa, please do not hesitate to contact our team of expert UK Immigration lawyers at barar.london@bararassociates.co.uk or on 0207 487 8370.