Innovator Founder Visa 2026: Key Changes for Founders

Alexandra Mokrova

29.05.2026

Key takeaways

The Innovator Founder visa is the UK’s main immigration route for entrepreneurs with a business idea that is new, innovative, viable and scalable. It replaced the older Innovator and Start-up routes for new applicants on 13 April 2023.
You cannot apply without an endorsement from a Home Office-approved endorsing body. For new applications there are currently three active business endorsing bodies, plus one programme that endorses invited founders only.
There is no fixed minimum investment. The previous £50,000 rule no longer applies, although your endorsing body will still want to see that you can realistically fund the business in your plan.
You must meet the English language requirement at level B2 (a confident, independent standard) and, unless exempt, show personal savings of at least £1,270 held for 28 days.
The route leads to settlement (indefinite leave to remain) after three years, provided your business meets the agreed milestones and you satisfy the residence and Life in the UK requirements.

The Innovator Founder visa allows overseas entrepreneurs to set up and run a genuinely new business in the United Kingdom. Unlike many work visas, it does not require an employer to sponsor you. Instead, an independent expert organisation, known as an endorsing body, assesses your business idea and decides whether to support it. Only once you hold that endorsement can you apply to the Home Office.

The route opened on 13 April 2023 and brought together two earlier categories, the Innovator visa and the Start-up visa, into a single, more flexible system. The Start-up route is now closed to new applicants, and most people who would once have used it are expected to apply under the Innovator Founder route instead.

What changed from the Innovator and Start-up routes

Feature	Old Innovator / Start-up routes	Innovator Founder (current)
Minimum investment	£50,000 (Innovator); none (Start-up)	No fixed minimum
Work outside your own business	Not allowed (Innovator); allowed (Start-up)	Allowed, if the role is skilled (RQF Level 3 or above)
Endorsing body contact points	6, 12 and 24 months (Innovator)	Two meetings, around 12 and 24 months
Current status	Closed to new applicants	Open; a single combined route since 13 April 2023

Do you still need an endorsement?

Yes. Endorsement is required before the visa application can be made.

An endorsement letter must come from an approved endorsing body or, in limited cases, a legacy endorsing body. A legacy endorsing body is an organisation that previously endorsed the applicant under the old Start-up or Innovator routes and is still allowed to support certain further applications under the rules.

For most new applications, applicants must use a current authorised endorsing body. As of the latest GOV.UK list, the business endorsing bodies include UK Endorsing Services, Innovator International and Envestors Limited. The Global Entrepreneurs Programme can also issue Innovator Founder endorsements for founders who are already invited to participate in that programme.

What must the endorsement letter confirm?

The endorsement letter must usually confirm that:

the applicant is suitable to receive endorsement;
the endorsing body has no concerns about the source or transfer of funds invested into the business;
the business meets the relevant new business or same business criteria;
the applicant will have a real role in developing the business;
the applicant will attend contact point meetings during the period of permission.

The letter must be recent. In most cases, it must be issued no more than 3 months before the visa application date and must not have been withdrawn.

What is the difference between new business and same business criteria?

The route distinguishes between applicants with a new business and applicants continuing a business that was already assessed under a relevant previous route.

New business criteria

The new business criteria apply where the applicant is relying on a new business proposal. The endorsing body will assess whether the business is innovative, viable and scalable.

The applicant should be ready to provide a clear business plan, market evidence, financial assumptions, team details and proof that they will take an active role in the business.

Same business criteria

The same business criteria may apply where the applicant has, or last had, permission as an Innovator Founder, Start-up or Tier 1 Graduate Entrepreneur and is continuing a business that was previously assessed.

In these cases, the focus shifts from the initial idea to progress. The business should usually be active, trading, sustainable and moving forward against the plan previously endorsed.

Is a business plan required for the Innovator Founder visa?

Yes. A business plan is central to the endorsement process.

The business plan should do more than describe an idea. It should show why the business can work in the UK, how it will make money, what resources it needs, who will run it and how it may grow.

A strong Innovator Founder business plan usually covers:

The product or service and the problem it solves.
The UK market need and target customers.
Competitors and the proposed competitive advantage.
Revenue model, pricing and financial forecasts.
Launch and growth milestones.
Operational plan and team structure.
Funding needs and source of funds.
Risk assessment and practical mitigation steps.

The plan should be specific to the applicant’s business. Generic market descriptions, unsupported growth forecasts or unclear financial projections can weaken the endorsement request.

Does your business have to be innovative, viable and scalable?

Yes, if you are applying with a brand-new business. Your endorsing body must be satisfied that the venture meets three core tests, which it will examine closely:

innovative means the idea is original and clearly different from what is already on the UK market. It should not simply copy an existing business;
viable means the plan is realistic and you have the skills and market knowledge to make it work commercially;
scalable means there is genuine potential for growth and job creation, rather than a venture designed only to support one person.

If you already hold, or recently held, permission as an Innovator Founder, Innovator, Start-up or Tier 1 Graduate Entrepreneur and you are continuing a business that an endorsing body has already assessed, you may be able to rely on the “same business” basis instead, which is judged a little differently.

Is there still a £50,000 investment requirement?

No. The rule that required Innovators to have access to at least £50,000 has been removed as a mandatory entry requirement. This is one of the main reasons the separate Start-up route was no longer needed.

That does not mean funding is irrelevant. Because your plan still has to be viable, an endorsing body will expect you to show that you can realistically pay for what your business needs. If your idea requires significant capital, you should be ready to evidence both how much you have and where it came from.

What are the financial and English language requirements?

Maintenance funds

Unless you are exempt, you must show that you have at least £1,270 in personal savings, held for 28 consecutive days before you apply. You are generally exempt if you have already been in the UK with permission for 12 months or more.

If family members apply with you, you must show additional personal savings on top of your own. These are separate from any money your business needs:

Family member	Additional savings required
Dependent partner	£285
First dependent child	£315
Each additional dependent child	£200

English language

You must demonstrate English at level B2 across all four skills, reading, writing, speaking and listening. In everyday terms, B2 is the level of a confident, independent user who can hold a detailed conversation and follow complex discussion, rather than basic conversational English.

Can you work or study while holding the visa?

Yes, within limits. The route is deliberately more flexible than the old Innovator visa, which only allowed you to work in your own business. As an Innovator Founder:

you can run your own endorsed business;
you can take a second job outside your own company, provided that role is reasonably skilled, at least RQF Level 3 (broadly the level of A-levels);
you can study, although some courses are subject to the ATAS clearance requirement;
you cannot use this to effectively hire yourself out to another business, including through your own company or an agency. The secondary work has to be a genuine separate job.

Keeping in touch with your endorsing body

Once you are granted permission, your relationship with the endorsing body continues. It must meet you at least twice during your permission, with the Home Office expecting these contact-point meetings to fall as close as practical to the 12-month and 24-month marks. This is a minimum, and a body may ask to meet more often if it feels closer monitoring is needed.

Endorsing bodies also carry out integrity checks. They must be satisfied that you are a fit and proper person to be endorsed and that there are no concerns about the source or transfer of the money going into your business. An application can be refused, and existing permission cancelled, where these concerns arise.

New for 2025-26: switching from a Student visa

This is one of the most significant recent changes. From 25 November 2025, holders of a Student visa who have completed their course can switch directly into the Innovator Founder route from inside the UK, rather than having to leave and apply from overseas. Graduate visa holders are also covered by the change.

For graduates with a strong business idea, this removes a long-standing obstacle and lets them begin building their venture without the disruption of returning home to apply. The standard eligibility rules still apply, including endorsement, English at B2 and the maintenance funds requirement.

How much does the Innovator Founder visa cost?

Costs come in several parts, and government fees were increased on 8 April 2026, so always confirm the current figures on GOV.UK before budgeting. As a general guide for 2026:

Cost	Approximate amount (2026)	Notes
Home Office application fee (from outside the UK)	around £1,357 per person	Charged for the main applicant and each dependant
Home Office application fee (switching or extending in the UK)	around £1,693 per person	Charged for the main applicant and each dependant
Endorsing body assessment fee	around £1,000	Set by each body and may vary
Contact-point meetings	around £500 each	Two are required, so roughly £1,000 over the visa
Immigration Health Surcharge	£1,035 per adult / £776 per child, per year	Paid upfront for the full visa length; gives NHS access

Can you settle in the UK?

Yes. The Innovator Founder visa is a route to settlement, and you can apply for indefinite leave to remain after three continuous years on the route. This three-year timeline is notably faster than many other UK work routes, which is one of the route’s main attractions.

Time you previously spent as an Innovator counts towards the three years, because the rules treat former Innovators as Innovator Founders for this purpose. Time spent on the old Start-up route does not count.

To settle, you will need a valid settlement endorsement, you must meet the continuous residence rules, and you must pass the Life in the UK test. The settlement endorsement confirms that:

you have made significant progress against the business plan assessed in your previous endorsement;
the business is registered at Companies House and you are listed as a director or member;
the business is still active and trading;
the business is financially sustainable for at least the next 12 months, based on its assets and expected income against its costs;
the venture has met at least two of the route’s settlement success criteria.

Why choose Sterling Law?

Sterling Law assists entrepreneurs, founders and business owners with UK business immigration matters, including Innovator Founder visa applications, endorsement preparation and settlement planning.

Our team can help with:

assessing whether the Innovator Founder route is suitable for your circumstances;
reviewing the business idea against the endorsement criteria;
advising on the structure of supporting evidence;
preparing the immigration application and dependant applications;
explaining the rules in clear language before documents are submitted;
planning ahead for contact point meetings, extension or settlement.

Sterling Law combines immigration experience with wider business, corporate and compliance support. This is useful for founders who need legal guidance beyond the visa form itself, including company setup, contracts, regulatory issues or long-term UK planning.

To discuss your Innovator Founder visa strategy, contact Sterling Law and arrange a consultation with our immigration team.

Frequently asked questions

Is the Start-up visa still available?

No. The Start-up visa is closed to new applicants. Founders who want to establish an innovative business in the UK usually need to consider the Innovator Founder route.

Do I need endorsement before applying for the visa?

Yes. A valid endorsement is required before the Home Office visa application is submitted. Without endorsement, the application will not meet the route requirements.

How recent must my endorsement letter be?

In most cases, the endorsement letter must be issued no more than 3 months before the date of the visa application. It must also remain valid and must not have been withdrawn.

Is £50,000 still required for the Innovator Founder visa?

No. There is no fixed £50,000 minimum investment requirement for an initial application. However, applicants still need to show that the business is viable and has the resources needed for its proposed plan.

Can I apply as part of a founding team?

Yes. A founding team can apply, but each applicant must normally obtain their own endorsement and show that they are an important member of the team.

Can I work for another employer while holding this visa?

Yes, but only if the outside role is skilled to at least RQF Level 3. You must also continue to develop the endorsed business.

Can my family join me in the UK?

Yes. A partner and dependent children may apply if they meet the dependant requirements, including financial and relationship rules.

Does the Innovator Founder visa lead to British citizenship?

The route can lead to indefinite leave to remain after 3 years if the requirements are met. After obtaining ILR, an applicant may later be able to apply for British citizenship if they meet the naturalisation rules.