Innovator visa
Overview
You can apply for an Innovator visa if:
- you want to set up or run a business in the UK
- you’re from outside the European Economic Area (EEA) and Switzerland
- you meet the other eligibility requirements
- your business or business idea has been endorsed by an approved body
You must have at least £50,000 in investment funds if you want to set up a new business. You do not need funds if your business is already established and has been endorsed for an earlier visa.
Getting endorsed
You must be able to show that your business idea is:
- a new idea – you cannot join or invest in a business that is already trading
- viable, with potential for growth
Read the endorsing bodies list – you should only approach ones that are suitable for your business idea.
How long it takes to get a visa
The earliest you can apply is 3 months before you travel.
Example You can apply from 16 March if you plan to travel on 15 June.
You should get a decision on your visa within 3 weeks.
You can check the guide processing times to find out how long getting a visa might take in your country.
Fees
How much you pay for an Innovator visa depends on your situation and where you apply from.
| Who you’re applying for | Apply (outside the UK) | Extend or switch (in the UK) |
|---|---|---|
| You | £1,021 | £1,277 |
| You (if you’re from Turkey or Macedonia) | £966 | £1,222 |
| All dependants | £1,021 each person | £1,277 each person |
Healthcare surcharge
You’ll also have to pay the healthcare surcharge as part of your application. Check how much you’ll have to pay before you apply.
If you’re applying to extend or switch in the UK
You’ll need to pay £19.20 to have your biometric information (fingerprints and a photo) taken.
How long you can stay
You can stay for 3 years if you:
- come to the UK on an Innovator visa
- switch to this visa from another visa
You can apply to extend for another 3 years when your visa is due to expire. There’s no limit on the number of times you can extend.
You may be able to apply for settlement (known as ‘indefinite leave to remain’) once you’ve been in the UK for 5 years.
If your endorsement is withdrawn
Your visa may be cut short if your endorsement is withdrawn. If you want to stay longer, you must re-apply with a new endorsement before your current visa expires.
What you can and cannot do
You can:
- set up a business or several businesses
- work for your business – this includes being employed as a director, or self-employed as a member of a business partnership
- bring family members with you
You cannot:
- do any work outside your business, for example work where you’re employed by another business
- work as a doctor or dentist in training
- work as a professional sportsperson, for example a sports coach
- get public funds
-
Eligibility
Before you apply you need to have your business or business idea assessed by an approved body.
They will provide you with an endorsement letter if your business is viable.
You must also:
- meet the English language requirement
- be at least 18 years old
- be able to prove that you have enough personal savings to support yourself while you’re in the UK
Read the specific requirements for the Innovator visa before you apply.
If you want to set up a new business
You must have at least £50,000 in investment funds to apply for an Innovator visa if you want to set up a new business.
Your funding can come from any source.
You do not need any investment funds if your business is already established and has been endorsed for an earlier visa.
Supporting yourself
You need to have had at least £945 in your bank account for 90 consecutive days before you apply.
You cannot use either of the following to support yourself:
- money from your investment funds
- money earned while working in the UK illegally
Sharing investment funds
You can form a team with other Innovator applicants, but you cannot share the same investment funds.
Your team must have £50,000 for each Innovator applicant. For example, if you have 2 Innovator applicants, your team must have £100,000 to invest.
Knowledge of English
You may need to prove your knowledge of the English language when you apply.
You can prove your knowledge of English by either:
- passing an approved English language test with at least CEFR level B2 in reading, writing, speaking and listening
- having an academic qualification that was taught in English and is recognised by UK NARIC as being equivalent to a UK bachelor’s degree, master’s degree or PhD
You do not need to prove your knowledge of English if you’ve already proved it to be level B2 or above in an earlier successful application.
Exceptions
You will not need to prove your knowledge of English if you’re a national of one of the following countries:
- Antigua and Barbuda
- Australia
- the Bahamas
- Barbados
- Belize
- Canada
- Dominica
- Grenada
- Guyana
- Jamaica
- New Zealand
- St Kitts and Nevis
- St Lucia
- St Vincent and the Grenadines
- Trinidad and Tobago
- USA
Documents you must provide
When you apply you need to provide an ‘endorsement letter’ to show that an approved body has assessed your business or business idea.
You also need to provide:
- a current passport or other valid travel identification
- bank statements showing you’ve had at least £945 in savings in your bank account for 90 consecutive days before you apply
- proof that you meet the English language requirement
- evidence of your investment funds (if you’re setting up a new business)
- your tuberculosis test results if you’re from a country where you have to take the test
You need a blank page in your passport for your visa.
You’ll need to provide a certified translation of any documents that are not in English or Welsh.
You may need to provide additional documents depending on your circumstances.
Apply
You must apply online for an Innovator visa.
You’ll need to have your fingerprints and photograph taken at a visa application centre (to get a biometric residence permit) as part of your application.
You’ll have to collect your biometric residence permit within 10 days of when you said you’d arrive in the UK (even if you actually arrive at a later date).
You may be able to get your visa faster or other services depending on what country you’re in – check with your visa application centre.
Applying from North Korea
You cannot apply online if you’re living in North Korea.
To apply from North Korea you must:
- download the application form and guidance – read the guidance if you need help filling in the form
- read the instructions to find out where to take your completed form
Apply to extend or switch to this visa
Check if you can apply to:
- extend your existing Innovator visa
- switch to this visa from another visa
Switch to this visa
You may be able to switch to an Innovator visa.
You should apply before your current visa expires.
You can apply to switch to this visa if you meet the eligibility requirements and you’re already in the UK on one of the following visas:
- Start-up visa
- Tier 1 (Graduate Entrepreneur)
- Tier 1 (Entrepreneur)
- any Tier 2 visa
- Standard Visitor visa – if you came to the UK to get funding and had a supporting letter from an endorsing body
You must leave the UK and make your application from abroad if you’re here on a different type of visa.
How long you can stay
You can stay for 3 years after switching to an Innovator visa.
There’s no limit on the number of times you can extend your visa.
How to apply to switch your visa
You must apply online.
Providing biometric information and supporting documents
When you apply, you’ll be asked to make an appointment at a UK Visa and Citizenship Application Services (UKVCAS) service point to provide your biometric information (your fingerprints and a photo).
You’ll also need to submit your supporting documents. You can:
- upload them into the online service
- have them scanned at your UKVCAS appointment
You must not travel outside of the UK, Ireland, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man until you get a decision. Your application will be withdrawn if you do.
Get help using a computer to apply online
You can get help with:
- accessing a computer or the internet
- finding the right information on GOV.UK
You cannot get advice on:
- whether you’re eligible to apply
- what information to put in your application
- an application you’ve already made
Telephone: 03333 445 675
Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm
Find out about call charges
Text: ‘VISA’ to 07537 416 944
visa@we-are-digital.co.ukHow long it takes
A decision will be made on your application within 8 weeks.
You’ll be contacted if your application is complex and will take longer. This could be because:
- your supporting documents need to be verified
- you need to attend an interview
- of your personal circumstances, for example you have a criminal conviction
Once you’ve applied you can stay in the UK until you’ve been given a decision, as long as you applied before your last visa expired.
Family members
Your family members (‘dependants’) can come with you when you come to the UK on this visa. Your family members must have a visa if they’re from outside the European Economic Area (EEA) or Switzerland.
A ‘dependant’ is any of the following:
- your partner
- your child under 18
- your child over 18 if they’re currently in the UK as a dependant
Read the guidance on dependant applications before you apply.
Adult family members must provide a criminal record certificate from any country they have lived in for 12 months or more in the last 10 years.
Savings
You must have £630 for each dependant in addition to the £945 you need to support yourself. This is to show that your dependants can be supported while they’re in the UK.
You need proof you have the money, and that it’s been in your bank account or your dependant’s bank account for at least 90 days before you or they apply.
Example You must have £2,205 if you want to bring your partner and 1 child with you to the UK: £945 to support yourself + £630 for your partner + £630 for your child.
Dependants applying outside the UK
Your family members must apply online.
They’ll need to have their fingerprints and photograph taken at a visa application centre (to get a biometric residence permit) as part of their application.
They’ll have to collect their biometric residence permit within 10 days of when they said they’d arrive in the UK (even if they actually arrive at a later date).
They may be able to get their visa faster or other services depending on what country they’re in – check with the visa application centre.
If your child is over 18 they cannot apply if they are outside the UK. They can apply from inside the UK if they are already here as your dependant.
Applying from North Korea
Your family members cannot apply online if they’re applying from North Korea.
Each family member will need to make their own application. They must:
- download the application form and guidance – they can read the guidance if they need help filling in the form
- read the instructions to find out where they need to take their completed form
Dependants applying in the UK on their own
Your dependants can apply to extend or switch their visas to stay with you if they’re already in the UK. Dependants must either:
Family members cannot apply in the UK as your dependant if they hold a visitor visa.
Providing biometric information and supporting documents
When they apply, they’ll be asked to make an appointment at a UK Visa and Citizenship Application Services (UKVCAS) service point to provide their biometric information (their fingerprints and a photo).
They’ll also need to submit their supporting documents. They can:
- upload them into the online service
- have them scanned at their UKVCAS appointment
They must not travel outside of the UK, Ireland, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man until they get a decision. Their application will be withdrawn if they do.
How long it takes to get a decision
A decision will be made within 8 weeks of their application date if they use the standard service.
If they pay an extra £800 to use the super priority service a decision will be made:
- by the end of the next working day after their UKVCAS appointment if their appointment is on a weekday
- 2 working days after their UKVCAS appointment if their appointment is at the weekend
Working days are Monday to Friday, not including bank holidays.
They’ll be contacted if their application is complex and will take longer, for example:
- if their supporting documents need to be verified
- if they need to attend an interview
- because of their personal circumstances (for example if they have a criminal conviction)
Once they’ve applied they can stay in the UK until they’ve been given a decision, as long as they applied before their last visa expired.
Get help using a computer to apply online
You can get help with:
- accessing a computer or the internet
- finding the right information on GOV.UK
You cannot get advice on:
- whether you’re eligible to apply
- what information to put in your application
- an application you’ve already made
Telephone: 03333 445 675
Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm
Find out about call charges
Text: ‘VISA’ to 07537 416 944
visa@we-are-digital.co.ukChildren born in the UK
If you have children who are born in the UK while you’re here on an Innovator visa, you can apply for permission for them to stay.
You must do this if you want to travel in and out of the UK with them.
When you apply, send a full UK birth certificate for each child showing the names of both parents.
You must apply online for children born while you’re in the UK.