UK Startup Visa (Discontinued)

Written by Mike Arnold Moderated by Oleksandra Dosii

Mike Arnold

Mike is a freelance writer with eight years of experience and a love for travel, all things business, tabletop games and green tea.

Oleksandra Dosii

Oleksandra is a dedicated marketer with a passion for growing HR-tech products. She believes content marketing is about delivering high-quality content that provides value—not just generating leads. Since 2016, Oleksandra has been involved in tech talent relocation.

Last update: September 15, 2024

Next update: Scheduled for February 1, 2025

The UK Startup Visa program is no longer accepting new applications.

While it once offered a pathway for aspiring entrepreneurs to launch their ventures in the UK, it’s now been replaced by the Innovator Founder Visa.

If you're looking for a UK entrepreneur visa with a groundbreaking business idea, the new Innovator Founder Visa could be your route to establishing and growing your business in the UK.

This new visa is designed for individuals with innovative, viable, and scalable business ideas that have been endorsed by an approved body. It provides a platform to bring your entrepreneurial vision to life in a country renowned for its thriving startup ecosystem.

 

Overview of the UK Startup Visa

The UK Startup Visa closed to new applications in 2021. It was designed to attract early-stage entrepreneurs who wanted to establish their first business in the UK, offering a two-year visa with the possibility of switching to the Innovator visa for further stay and potential settlement.

Key features of the Startup Visa included:

• No initial funding requirement
• Open to first-time entrepreneurs
• Required endorsement from an approved body assessing the business idea for innovation, viability, and scalability
• Allowed to switch to the Innovator route after two years.

Existing startup visa holders

If you currently hold a Startup Visa UK, you can still apply for your partner and children to join you in the UK. You might be able to switch to an Innovator Founder Visa if your Startup Visa is expiring and you wish to continue your business venture in the UK. If your Startup Visa expires, you’ll need to apply for the Innovator Founder Visa.

Innovator Founder Visa

While the Startup Visa is no longer an option, the Innovator Founder Visa is the current pathway for ambitious entrepreneurs seeking to launch their innovative businesses in the UK.

Overview

The Innovator Founder Visa is designed for individuals who have an innovative, viable, and scalable business idea and have secured endorsement from an approved body. This visa allows you to:

• Set up and run your innovative business in the UK
• Work for your business as a director or self-employed partner
• Take on additional skilled work outside your business
• Bring your partner and children to the UK as dependants, if eligible
• Travel abroad and return to the UK
• Apply for settlement (ILR) after three years, if you meet the requirements

Eligibility

To qualify for the Innovator Founder Visa, you must meet several criteria - much of this criteria is similar to the original requirements for the Startup Visa:

• Your business idea: Your business idea must be genuinely new and innovative, offering something unique to the market. You can’t join an existing business; you must be setting up a new one.
• Endorsement: Your business or business idea must be assessed and endorsed by an approved endorsing body. These bodies are authorised by the Home Office to evaluate your business proposal and confirm that it meets the innovation, viability, and scalability requirements.
• Other requirements:
  • You must meet the English language requirement.
  • You must be at least 18 years old.
  • You must provide evidence of sufficient personal savings to support yourself in the UK.
  • If you're setting up a new business, you'll need to demonstrate that you have enough funding and explain its source. However, no investment funds are required if your business is already established and has been previously endorsed or if you've changed your business and have already discussed it with your endorsing body.

What you can and can’t do with an Innovator Founder Visa

The Innovator Founder Visa grants you certain rights and privileges while residing in the UK, but it also comes with specific restrictions and limitations. It's also important to remember that although the Innovator Founder Visa is replacing the Startup Visa, the rights and limitations of this new visa have changed. Here’s a breakdown:

What you can do:

• Set up a business or multiple businesses: The primary purpose of this visa is to allow you to establish and run your innovative business in the UK. You can even set up multiple businesses if they align with your endorsed business plan.
• Work for your business: You're permitted to work for your business, either as a director or self-employed partner.
• Take on skilled work outside your business: In addition to working for your own business, you can also take on other skilled work outside your business, as long as it meets certain criteria. The additional work must be:
  • Skilled work as defined by the Skilled Worker visa eligible occupations list.
  • A job requiring at least a level 3 qualification.
• Bring your partner and children: If they're eligible, you can bring your spouse, civil partner, unmarried partner, and dependent children to the UK as your dependants.
• Travel abroad and return to the UK: You can travel freely outside the UK and return as long as your visa remains valid.
• Apply for settlement (ILR): After three years of continuous residence in the UK on an Innovator Founder Visa, you may be able to apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR), provided you meet the other eligibility requirements, including demonstrating significant business achievements and continued innovation.
• Stay in the UK for three years: If you’re eligible for the visa, you’ll be able to stay in the UK for up to three years. You can extend your stay for another three years once it expires, and there’s no limit to how many times you can extend.

What you can’t do:

• Work as a professional sportsperson: You are not allowed to work as a professional sportsperson or sports coach while on this visa.
• Apply for benefits: You’re not eligible to access most benefits while on an Innovator Founder Visa.

The UK Startup Visa is no longer accepting applicants, but this doesn’t mean your options for a UK visa no longer exist. The new UK Innovator Founder Visa offers a fantastic opportunity for entrepreneurs to establish and grow their businesses in the UK.

However, navigating the complexities of the visa process, securing an endorsement from an approved body, and meeting all the eligibility criteria can be a challenge.

Don't let these hurdles prevent you from building your business in the UK. By partnering with a visa consultant, you can streamline the process, gain insights and assistance when securing endorsements, and maximising your chances of a successful outcome.

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