Innovator Founder Route

The Innovator Founder’s Route was opened in April 2023 and replaces the Innovator visa and Start Up routes. This route is for entrepreneurs intending to start a business in the UK.

This write-up summarises the requirements for migrants applying for Entry Clearance (a visa) to enter the UK from abroad on the Innovator Founder route.

Key Features

• Applicants must obtain an endorsement from one of the four Home Office endorsement bodies and where appropriate from a legacy endorsement body.
• Applicants are required to have a significant role in the day–to–day management and development of their business.
• The Innovator Founder Route, like the Innovator route leads to Indefinite Leave to Remain, also referred to as Settlement.
• Applicants may bring their partner and dependent children aged under 18 to the UK.

Validity Requirements

As with other Immigration routes, Innovator Founder visa applicants must satisfy the following requirements to be valid:

• Applicants must apply for a visa to enter the UK under the Innovator Founder route.
• Applicants must pay the Home Office application fees and the Immigration Health Surcharge.
• Applicants must have a valid document establishing their identity and nationality, such as a passport or other travel document.
• The Applicants must have been issued with an endorsement letter from an endorsement body which must not have issued earlier than 3 months prior to the date of their application or have been withdrawn.
• Applicants must be at least 18 years of age on the date the application is submitted.
• Applicants that have been sponsored by a government or international scholarship agency which covered their fees and living cost in the UK within 12 months of the date of their application must obtain written consent from that government or scholarship agency.

Suitability requirements for an Innovator Founder

Applicants who are currently in breach of the Immigration rules will be unable to satisfy the requirements for the Innovator Founder route. Applicants for example, who have overstayed their leave in the UK or are subject to a ban under the Immigration Rules will have their applications refused.

Eligibility requirements for an Innovator Founder

There are several eligibility requirements that Innovator Founder applicants must satisfy, which include the following:

• Applicants must have obtained a visa before arriving in the UK.
• Applicants from certain countries in Africa and Asia are required to obtain a medical certificate confirming that they do not have tuberculosis.
• Applicant must be deemed to be genuine. Applicants deemed to have an intention to enter the UK for purposes other than to be Innovator Founders will be refused, as will Applicants who are unable to provide documents supporting their intention to enter the UK as Innovator Founders.

Points required for the Innovator Founder route

Applicant applying under the Innovator Founder route must score 70 points, 50 of which must either be under the new business criteria or under the same business criteria.

An Applicant cannot rely on a mix of the new business criteria and the same business criteria.

New Business Criteria

Same Business Criteria

Criteria relevant to both New Business and Same Business

How is the English Language requirement satisfied?

This requirement is satisfied by having met the requirement in any of the following ways listed below:

1. The Applicant having met the requirement in a previous application.
2. The Applicant being a national of a majority English speaking country as defined by the Home Office.
3. The Applicant holding a degree taught in the UK or a degree taught in English outside the UK accompanied by confirmation from Ecctis that the degree meets or exceeds the standard of UK a degree taught or researched in English.
4. Passing an English Language Test offered at a Home Office approved showing English language ability on the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages in reading, writing, speaking and listening of at least level B2.

Financial Requirement (Visa Applicants only)

To satisfy the Financial Requirement applicants must have funds of at £1,270 for a consecutive 28 – day period and the documents confirming this must not be dated earlier that 31 days from the date of application. 

Letters of Endorsement

It is important to state that whether applications are made under the New Business criteria or the Same Business criteria, applicants must obtain a Letter of Endorsement. Letters of Endorsement must contain the relevant information set out under Immigration Rules Appendix Innovator Founder.

Letters of Endorsement may be issued by an Endorsement Body and in limited circumstances by a Legacy Endorsement body. A Legacy Endorsement body was a body with the authority to issue Letters of Endorsement under the discontinued Start up and Innovator routes prior to 13^th April 2023. They are now only permitted to issue Letters of Endorsements to existing endorsees.

This write – up is only intended as a guide and persons intending to submit an application for the Innovator Founder route should obtain legal advice or consult the relevant Immigration guidance and Immigration Rules.

Further Reading:

Appendix Innovator Founder (The Immigration Rules)

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/immigration-rules/immigration-rules-appendix-innovator-founder

Innovator Founder: caseworker guidance

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1149551/Innovator_Founder.pdf

Innovator Founder and Scale-up visas endorsing bodies

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/endorsing-bodies-innovator-founder-and-scale-up-visas/innovator-founder-and-scale-up-visas-endorsing-bodies