UK Innovator Visa
(Residency By Investment)
Apply for UK residency with the UK Innovator Visa
A UK innovator visa is available to experienced entrepreneurs who wish to establish or run a business in the UK. Investors with innovative ideas may qualify for UK residency through investment.
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This pathway allows candidates to spend at least £50,000 on their business for a three-year visa that can be extended for another three years. Migrants would be entitled to permanent residency, indefinite leave to remain, and citizenship six years after their initial entry into the UK.
Program Highlights:
- To start a new business, you must have at least £50,000 in investment funds.
- If your company is founded and has already received approval for an earlier visa, you do not require finances.
- When your visa is about to expire, you can request to extend it for another three years. There is no limit to how many times you can extend.
- Once you’ve lived in the UK for three years, you may be able to apply for settlement (known as ‘indefinite leave to remain’).
- Your financing can come from any source.
- Although you may establish a group with other Innovator applicants, you couldn’t share the same investment funds.
Overview of UK Innovator Visa:
You can apply for a UK visa if:
- Do 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
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
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
Applying for Settlement:
If the applicant is making a settlement application, the endorsement letter must confirm both of the following:
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(a) The applicant meets all of the same business endorsement criteria set out in paragraph W6.6(a)-(e).
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(b) The applicant’s business venture meets at least two of the following requirements:
(i) At least £50,000 has been invested into the business and actively spent furthering the business plan assessed in the applicant’s previous endorsement.
(ii) The number of the business’s customers has at least doubled within the most recent 3 years and is currently higher than the mean number of customers for other UK businesses offering comparable main products or services.
(iii) The business has engaged in significant research and development activity and has applied for intellectual property protection in the UK.
(iv) Annual gross revenue of £1 million or more for the last full year covered by the business’s accounts.
(v) The business is generating a minimum annual gross revenue of £500,000 in the last full year covered by its accounts, with at least £100,000 from exporting overseas.
(vi) The company has created the equivalent of at least ten full-time jobs for residents.
(vii) The business has acquired at least five full-time employment positions that pay at least £25,000 a year in gross pay, excluding expenses.
The overall processing time for UK Innovator Visa is nearly 3-5 Months*
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