United Kingdom — founder
United Kingdom — UK Innovator Founder visa
Guide last reviewed: . Check the linked official guidance for current rules and application availability.
Requirements we check
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3 more requirements for UK Innovator Founder visa
- ✓See every requirement this route actually checks
- ✓Find out which ones you already meet
- ✓Get your single highest-impact next action
The full guide
Innovator Founder is a two-stage, sponsor-free route for founders: first an approved endorsing body assesses whether your business idea is new to the market, viable, and scalable, then — if endorsed — you apply for the visa itself. There's no job offer, no sponsor, and (unlike the old Innovator visa) no minimum investment threshold. Endorsement isn't a one-off approval either: you'll need to meet your endorsing body again at 12 and 24 months to show real progress, and your visa can be cut short if endorsement is withdrawn.
Cost: £1,000, paid directly to the endorsing body
The full guide is locked
See exactly what UK Innovator Founder visa requires
- ✓Every document you'll need, with what assessors actually look for
- ✓The real stage-by-stage process, with fees and processing times
- ✓Common pitfalls that actually cause refusals for this route
- ✓See if YOU qualify — your real fit score, not a generic checklist
This is everything your application involves. Start a plan to get it done.
Check my own fitTurn your research into a relocation plan
Use these free resources alongside the official instructions for your chosen route.
- Relocation planning guide
Organise your destination research, preparation timeline and next steps.
- Visa document checklist and evidence tracker
Build a document list from your route's instructions and track what is still missing.
- Relocation budget calculator
Use your own cost estimates to calculate your budget, savings gap and monthly target.
Pasage provides immigration pathway information and preparation help based on official public criteria. We are not immigration lawyers, regulated advisers, or agents, and we do not guarantee any visa outcome. Rules and thresholds change — always confirm against the official source linked above before you apply.