UK Start-up and Innovator routes

The Start-up and Innovator routes are designed to attract entrepreneurial talent and innovative, scalable business ideas to the UK. Start-up is for those setting up an innovative business for the first time, and Innovator is for those with industry experience and at least £50,000 funding. Applicants can be individuals or teams. Applicants must be able to speak, read, write and understand English.

Applicants can apply for a Start-up visa if:

• He /she wants to set up an innovative business in the UK – it must be something that’s different from anything else on the market
• He / she meets the other eligibility requirements

Applicants must be endorsed by an authorised body that is either:

• A UK higher education institution
• A business organisation with a history of supporting UK entrepreneurs

Applicants must be able to show that the business idea is:

• A new idea – applicants cannot join in a business that is already trading
• Innovative – applicants must have an original business idea that is different from anything else on the market
• Viable – it has potential for growth

The duration of the Start-up visa is for two years and cannot be extended. If a holder wants to stay longer in the UK, he / she may be able to switch to an Innovator visa if they have set up a business while on a Start-up visa and:

• An endorsing body assesses and agrees it
• It is active, trading and sustainable
• The applicant has day-to-day involvement in it

An applicant’s partner and children can apply to join the applicant or to stay in the UK as the applicant’s ‘dependants’ if they’re eligible.

Applicants can apply for an Innovator visa if:

• He / she wants to set up and run an innovative business in the UK – it must be something that’s different from anything else on the market
• The business or business idea has been endorsed by an approved body, also known as an endorsing body
• He / she meets the other eligibility requirements

Applicants must be able to show that their business idea is:

• New – applicants cannot join a business that is already trading
• Innovative – applicants must have an original business idea that is different from anything else on the market
• Viable, with potential for growth

The duration of the Innovator visa is for three years and can be extended for further three-year periods indefinitely. Applicants may be able to apply for settlement when they have been in the UK for three years. Applicants can include a partner and children in their application to stay in the UK if they are eligible.