United Kingdom · Business / Startup
United Kingdom Innovator Founder
First stay: 3 yrs
Innovator Founder visa
Checked against official sources on Change log
Key facts
Innovator Founder is a business / startup route for United Kingdom. Checked 2026-10-12 against the official source.
- Government fees
- £1,357 ≈ $1,790 · £1,000 ≈ $1,320
- Processing
- 21–56 days
- First stay
- 3 yrs
Cost, time and long term
To apply: 2 government fees listed below; decision: 21–56 days. No lawyer or agent fee is included.
Government fees£1,357 ≈ $1,790 · £1,000 ≈ $1,320
- GBP 1,357 (≈ $1,790)Visa fee per person from outside the UK (GBP 1,693 (≈ $2,240) to extend or switch in the UK); healthcare surcharge extra.
- GBP 1,000 (≈ $1,320)Endorsement fee paid to the endorsing body; GBP 500 (≈ $660) for each of at least two meetings with the endorsing body during the stay.
Shown, not spent£1,270+ ≈ $1,680
- GBP 1,270 (≈ $1,680)Funds required for entry clearance applicants and those in the UK under 12 months.
RenewalRenewable
Extend by 3 years at a time with no limit on the number of extensions.
Permanent residenceAfter 3 years of residence
You may be able to apply for settlement once you have been in the UK for 3 years.
CitizenshipAfter 5 years of residence
British citizenship needs 5 years living in the UK and 12 months with settled status (no 12-month wait if married to a British citizen), with no more than 450 days outside the UK in the 5 years.
Processing21–56 days
Decisions usually come within 3 weeks from outside the UK and 8 weeks from inside the UK.
Where to applyAbroad or in-country
Apply online from outside the UK, or from inside the UK to extend or switch from another visa.
Presence rulesStay rule
You must meet your endorsing body at 12 and 24 months to show business progress, or the visa can be ended.
Why this route may not fit
Check this before you apply.
- Not open to passports from Ireland
What you'll need
Who can apply4
- The applicant is a non-British, non-Irish national who needs permission.
- Aged 18 or over.
- English at CEFR level B2.
- An experienced businessperson setting up an innovative, viable and scalable business.
What you must show4
- Personal funds of at least GBP1,270 (≈ $1,680) held for 28 days (entry clearance applicants and those in the UK under 12 months).
- Endorsement fee: GBP1,000 (≈ $1,320).
- Visa fee: GBP1,357 (≈ $1,790) per person from outside the UK (GBP1,693 (≈ $2,240) to extend or switch in the UK).
- There is no fixed minimum investment, but you must show the endorsing body that the business has enough funding and where it comes from.
Documents1
- An endorsement letter from an approved endorsing body.
After you arrive1
- At least two meetings with the endorsing body during the stay, at GBP500 (≈ $660) each.
When you become tax resident
How United Kingdom decides tax residence and treats foreign-source income, from its tax records.
- Stay on this route
3 years at first, renewable
- Tax residence
Statutory Residence Test.
- Foreign-source income
New-resident relief (4 years)
Qualifying new UK residents can claim relief on eligible foreign income and gains for their first four tax years of UK residence after at least ten years of non-UK residence; regime replaced the remittance basis on 6 April 2025.
- Special regime
Four-year Foreign Income and Gains regime · Tax relief
All tax rules for United Kingdom Tax records checked
Full official text
Visa for experienced businesspeople setting up an innovative, viable and scalable business, requiring endorsement from an approved endorsing body; there is no fixed minimum investment, but the endorsing body must be shown enough funding and where it comes from. 1 2 3 4 5
What you must show and pay
- Savings of at least GBP 1,270 (≈ $1,680) · Funds required for entry clearance applicants and those in the UK under 12 months. 3
- A fee of GBP 1,357 (≈ $1,790) · Visa fee per person from outside the UK (GBP 1,693 (≈ $2,240) to extend or switch in the UK); healthcare surcharge extra. 1
- A fee of GBP 1,000 (≈ $1,320) · Endorsement fee paid to the endorsing body; GBP 500 (≈ $660) for each of at least two meetings with the endorsing body during the stay. 4
Requirements
- The applicant is a non-British, non-Irish national who needs permission. 1 2 3 4
- Aged 18 or over. 2
- English at CEFR level B2. 2 6
- An experienced businessperson setting up an innovative, viable and scalable business. 1 2 3 4
- Personal funds of at least GBP1,270 (≈ $1,680) held for 28 days (entry clearance applicants and those in the UK under 12 months). 3 1 4
- Endorsement fee: GBP1,000 (≈ $1,320). 3 1 4
- Visa fee: GBP1,357 (≈ $1,790) per person from outside the UK (GBP1,693 (≈ $2,240) to extend or switch in the UK). 3 1 4
- There is no fixed minimum investment, but you must show the endorsing body that the business has enough funding and where it comes from. 1 2 3 4
- An endorsement letter from an approved endorsing body. 2
- At least two meetings with the endorsing body during the stay, at GBP500 (≈ $660) each. 1
Stay
- 3 years; extendable by 3 years with no limit; settlement possible after 3 years.
- Initial permitted stay: 36 months.
- Renewable, subject to the conditions in force at renewal.
Nationality
Non-British, non-Irish nationals needing permission Not open to: United Kingdom, Ireland.
Work
Work in the endorsed business.
Family
Partner and children can apply. Your spouse or partner may work in the United Kingdom without a separate permit.
Official sources
- Innovator Founder visa · UK Government (Home Office) · checked 2026-10-10
- Innovator Founder visa: eligibility · UK Government (Home Office) · checked 2026-10-10
- Immigration Rules Appendix Innovator Founder · UK Government (Home Office) · checked 2026-10-10
- Innovator Founder visa: how much it costs · GOV.UK (Home Office) · checked 2026-10-10
- Innovator Founder visa: your partner and children · GOV.UK (Home Office) · checked 2026-10-12
- Innovator Founder visa: knowledge of English · UK Government (GOV.UK) · checked 2026-10-11
- Apply for citizenship if you have indefinite leave to remain or settled status · GOV.UK (Home Office) · checked 2026-10-11
Innovator Founder and its alternatives
| Route | Money needed | Stay | Work |
|---|---|---|---|
| Innovator Founder | – | 3 yr, renewable | – |
| UK Expansion Worker visa | Needs income of £53k+ a year ≈ $69k | 1 yr, renewable | Yes |
| Startup Visa Portugal | Needs savings of €6,446+ ≈ $7,200 | 2 yr, renewable | – |
| Entrepreneur visa Spain | – | 3 yr, renewable | – |
| Startup Visa Italy | Needs savings of €50k+ ≈ $56k | 1 yr, renewable | – |
Questions people ask
How much money do I need for the Innovator Founder?
Savings of at least GBP 1,270 (≈ $1,680). Funds required for entry clearance applicants and those in the UK under 12 months. A fee of GBP 1,357 (≈ $1,790). Visa fee per person from outside the UK (GBP 1,693 (≈ $2,240) to extend or switch in the UK); healthcare surcharge extra. A fee of GBP 1,000 (≈ $1,320). Endorsement fee paid to the endorsing body; GBP 500 (≈ $660) for each of at least two meetings with the endorsing body during the stay.
How long can I stay on the Innovator Founder?
3 years; extendable by 3 years with no limit; settlement possible after 3 years.
How long does the Innovator Founder take to process?
Decisions usually come within 3 weeks from outside the UK and 8 weeks from inside the UK.
Can I work on the Innovator Founder?
Work in the endorsed business.
Can I bring my family on the Innovator Founder?
Partner and children can apply.
Who can apply for the Innovator Founder?
Non-British, non-Irish nationals needing permission Not open to: United Kingdom, Ireland.
Does the Innovator Founder lead to permanent residence in United Kingdom?
Time on the Innovator Founder counts toward permanent residence in United Kingdom, which the rules allow after 3 years of residence. Time on the Innovator Founder counts toward citizenship, which the rules allow after 5 years of residence.
Is there a tax break for Innovator Founder holders in United Kingdom?
Four-year Foreign Income and Gains (FIG) regime: Qualifying new UK residents can claim relief on eligible foreign income and gains for their first four tax years of UK residence after at least ten years of non-UK residence; regime replaced the remittance basis on 6 April 2025. It's separate from the visa and has its own conditions.
Tax
Special regime
Four-year Foreign Income and Gains (FIG) regime
Tax relief
Details
- Who: UK tax resident under the Statutory Residence Test
Qualifying new UK residents can claim relief on eligible foreign income and gains for their first four tax years of UK residence after at least ten years of non-UK residence; regime replaced the remittance basis on 6 April 2025.
Taxed on
Claimed eligible foreign income and gains arising in the first four UK tax-resident years after at least ten years’ non-UK residence. Examples include foreign trade conducted wholly outside the UK, overseas property-business profits, non-UK dividends and foreign interest. Foreign employment earnings and specified employment income are outside FIG.
Who it applies to
- UK tax resident under the Statutory Residence Test.
- Within the first 4 years of UK tax residence after at least 10 years as non-UK resident.
- Claim made annually; unused years do not roll over; temporary years abroad are skipped.
- If the 4 years began before 6 April 2025, claims are available from 2025 to 2026 to the last year of the period.
Exclusions
- UK-source income stays taxable.
- Foreign earnings and foreign specific employment income are not eligible, though Overseas Workday Relief may apply.
- A claim loses Income Tax and Capital Gains Tax tax-free allowances, Marriage Allowance, Married Couples Allowance and Blind Person's Allowance.
Tax residence
Qualifying resident means UK tax resident under the Statutory Residence Test and within the first four years of UK residence after at least a 10-year period as non-UK tax resident.
Visas
Immigration permission does not qualify anyone; eligibility is tax residence only.
Other taxes
National Insurance, VAT, payroll, UK-source income, treaties and home-country taxes are outside the claim.
Checked against official sources on Change log
More in United Kingdom
Business / startup visas elsewhere
≈ USD figures are approximate: daily reference rates from ExchangeRate-API, dated 12 Oct 2026, refreshed when the site is updated.
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How this was checked
Checked on 2026-10-12 against 7 official sources. Status: verified against the official sources.
Every figure on this page comes from the official source it links to. The record was researched against these sources, then reviewed separately, with special attention to effective dates and amendments. Where a source does not state something, the page leaves it out.
- Innovator Founder visa · UK Government (Home Office) · checked 2026-10-10
- Innovator Founder visa: eligibility · UK Government (Home Office) · checked 2026-10-10
- Immigration Rules Appendix Innovator Founder · UK Government (Home Office) · checked 2026-10-10
- Innovator Founder visa: how much it costs · GOV.UK (Home Office) · checked 2026-10-10
- Innovator Founder visa: your partner and children · GOV.UK (Home Office) · checked 2026-10-12
- Innovator Founder visa: knowledge of English · UK Government (GOV.UK) · checked 2026-10-11
- Apply for citizenship if you have indefinite leave to remain or settled status · GOV.UK (Home Office) · checked 2026-10-11
Tracked since 2026-10-10. Rule changes and corrections are listed on the changes page, and the methodology page explains how facts are checked. Found something out of date? Email contact@stayglobe.app with a link to the official source.