Uk

The Start-up visa category is aimed at new entrepreneurs starting their first UK business and has no requirements for initial capital investment. To qualify for a visa, applicants must first obtain an endorsement from an approved endorsing body confirming that their business is innovative, viable and scalable. Applicants who are successful are granted 2 years leave. After a set period of time, holders of Start-up visas may be able to progress to the Innovator category in order to extend their stay and further develop their businesses in the UK.

On 29^th March 2019, the UK Start-up visa category opened to new applicants. This category is aimed at aspiring and ambitious entrepreneurs who are non-EEA nationals looking to set up a business in the UK for the first time. The key requirement for the Start-up visa is the same as the Innovator visa, which is to obtain an endorsement letter from an approved endorsing body. All applications will be assessed for Innovation, Viability and Scalability.

This assessment will be carried out by an approved endorsing body, who will need to confirm this is an endorsement letter. There is a number of specific rules about the format of this letter and what should be included.   

Innovation – The applicant must have a genuine, original business plan that is in line with new or existing market needs and/or has a competitive advantage.

 

Viability – The applicant is actively developing or already has the required skills, knowledge, experience and market awareness to run their business successfully.

 

Scalability – There needs to be evidence of structured planning and of job creation prospects as well as potential to grow into national markets.

The initial visa is granted for 2 years with no requirement for initial capital investment.

During this period of leave, applicants will be expected to dedicate most of their time to developing their businesses. Applicants can also undertake other work outside of their businesses in order to support themselves.

After 2 years, Start-up visa holders can change to the Innovator visa category in order to extend their stay and further develop their businesses in the UK.
 

Eligibility Criteria (initial application): 
Applicants should:

• Be at least 18 years old.

• Must not have previously set up a business in the UK.

• Be endorsed by an authorised body – this can be either from a UK higher education institution or a business organisation who has previously supported UK entrepreneurs.
• Provide an endorsement letter issued by the endorsing body.
• Have a sufficient amount of personal savings to support yourself while you are in the UK.
• Meet the English language requirement of at least CEFR Level B2 in reading, writing, speaking and listening. There are two exceptions which may apply, depending on your specific circumstances.

You can:

• Work in another job, as well as working for your start-up business.

• Switch to this visa from some other visa categories.

• Bring your dependent family members with you to the UK.
   

You cannot:

• Work as a doctor or dentist in training.

• Work as a professional sportsperson.

• Receive public funds.

Processing time:

• The earliest you can apply is 3 months before you travel.

• Priority Service may be available for entry clearance applications which should result in a decision within 10 – 15 days.

• Standard processing times for entry clearance applications is approximately 3 weeks when you apply from outside the UK. For applications submitted from within the UK, processing time is currently approximately 8 – 12 weeks.
   

Permitted duration of stay:

• Start-up visa is valid for 2 years and you can not apply to extend this.

INNOVATOR VISA:

On 29th March 2019, the Innovator visa opened as a replacement for the Tier 1 Entrepreneur visa category. This new category aims to encourage the development of and investments in viable, innovative and scalable businesses in the United Kingdom in order to drive economic growth.
 

You will need £50,000 available to invest in your business, unless you are switching from the Tier 1 Graduate Entrepreneur or Start-up category, or extending your visa as an existing Innovator to pursue the same business venture. You will also need an innovative, viable and scalable business idea which is supported by an approved endorsing body.
 

It is not a requirement to be the sole founder of your business and you may be a member of an innovator team. However, innovator team members are each required to satisfy an investment funds requirement and cannot share the same £50,000. Each member of the team must individually hold £50,000 or more.
 

Applicants must obtain an endorsement from an approved endorsement body. For a new business, the endorsing body will decide if the business plan and required documentation meets the endorsement criteria of innovation, viability and scalability and is genuine and credible. If so, an endorsement letter will be issued to the applicant in support of their application to the Home Office.
 

Innovation – The applicant must have a genuine, original business plan that is in line with new or existing market needs and/or has a competitive advantage.

 

Viability – The applicant is actively developing or already has the required skills, knowledge, experience and market awareness to run their business successfully.

 

Scalability – There needs to be evidence of structured planning and of job creation prospects as well as potential to grow into national markets.

The endorsing body must be satisfied that applicant will spend their entire working time in the UK on developing business ventures. Applicants must remain in contact with their endorsing body with checkpoints at 6, 12 and 24 months after approval of application, to allow the endorsing body to ensure that the migrant is continuously working on their business venture. 
 

The initial Innovator visa is granted for 3 years which can be extended numerous times for additional 3 years After migrants  have been in the UK for 5 years, they can apply for permission to permanently settle in the UK – Indefinite Leave to Remain. Having lived in the UK with an Indefinite Leave to Remain for 12 months, migrants can apply for British Citizenship.
 

Eligibility Criteria (initial application):

• Applicant should be least 18 years old.

• The business or business idea must  be assessed and approved by an endorsement body, an organisation which has been approved by the Home Office to endorse applicants in the relevant category. 

• Applicants must have enough money to support themselves whilst they are in the UK without recourse to public funds. They need to have had at least £945 in cash funds in their bank account for 90 consecutive days before they apply for a visa. These must be in addition to the investment funds.

• Applicant must meet the English language requirement of at least CEFR Level B2 in reading, writing, speaking and listening. There are specific circumstances where an applicant will be exempt from this. This is not required if you are a national of a majority English-speaking country, or have an academic, English-taught qualification equivalent to a UK bachelor’s degree, masters or PhD as recognised by NARIC.

Funds Requirements:

• The immigration rules regarding the investment funds criteria are complex and can be difficult to follow.  The Home Office will refuse applications where enough evidence to prove the investment funds. 
• Applicants can form a team with other Innovator applicants, but cannot share the same investment funds. Each Innovator applicant must have access to at least £50,000.

Conditions of Your stay in the UK with Innovator Visa: 

• 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 your dependent family members with you to the UK.

• Apply to settle in the UK after 5 years.

• Extend your visa multiple times.
   

You cannot:

• Do any work outside your business, for example be  employed by another business.

• Work as a doctor or dentist in training.

• Work as a professional sportsperson.

• Receive  public funds.
   

Switching to Innovator visa:
 

It is possible to switch to Innovator category if the applicant is already in the UK on specific types of business visa.

Processing time:
 

• The earliest you can apply is 3 months before you travel and should receive a decision within 3 weeks of your application.

• Priority Service may be available at some visa application centres for entry clearance applications which should result in a decision within 10 – 15 days. However, as the processing time depends on the complexity of the case, personal circumstances of the applicant and the amount of applications under consideration at a certain time, it is not guaranteed that the application will be processed quicker with Priority Service.

• For applications submitted from within the UK by switching from a different visa category, processing time is set at approximately 8 – 12 weeks

Following the abolition of the Tier 1 (Exceptional Talent) visa in February 2020, the UK visas and Immigration introduced the Global Talent visa. The Global Talent visa will be an option for talented and promising individuals in the fields of science, digital technology and arts and culture wishing to come to the UK to work in said their relevant field.

You can apply for a Global Talent visa if you work in a qualifying field and have been endorsed as either a recognised leader, known as exceptional talent, as an emerging leader, known as exception promise or under the UK research and Innovation endorsed funder option. To be considered for the Global Talent visa, applicants must gain an endorsement from one of the endorsing bodies engaged by the Home Office.

The application process takes place across two stages. You first need to apply to be endorsed online. You can be endorsed in the fields of science, engineering, medicine, humanities, digital technology, the arts and culture (including film and television, fashion design and architecture). If you are applying as a digital technology specialist, you will also need to apply directly to Tech Nation. Applications for endorsements can take up to 8 weeks.

Each endorsing body has its own set of criteria, but in each case you will need to provide substantial evidence of your work and support from experts in your field.

If your application is successful, you will receive an endorsement letter. Once you have this letter, you can then make the application for the visa. You must do this within 3 months of receiving your endorsement letter.

How Long is the Visa For

The length of your visa will depend on how long you applied for. You can apply for a visa for between 1 to 5 years. The choice is down to each applicant. If you wish to stay longer than anticipated, you can also apply to extend your visa. There is no limit as to how many times you can apply for an extension. Similar to the initial application, each extension can last for a period between 1 – 5 years.

Global Talent visa holders who continue to satisfy the requirements for an extension and demonstrate sufficient knowledge of the English language and life in the UK are eligible to apply for indefinite leave to remain. How soon you can apply for settlement depends on which category you are in:

• Exceptional talent visa: 3 years
• Exceptional talent endorsement in science: 3 years
• Endorsement under the UKRI endorsed funder scheme: 3 years
• Exceptional promise endorsement in either arts and culture or digital technology: 5 years