UK Innovator Founder Visa Checklist — £1,357, Endorsement & 3 Years
The Innovator Founder visa is for founders setting up an innovative business in the UK. The gate is endorsement from an approved body (a £1,000 fee, then at least two £500 meetings), and the business idea must be new, innovative, viable and scalable. It costs £1,357 from outside the UK and runs 3 years, settling after 3. Verified against GOV.UK, September 2026.
Stage A — Who it is for
- ☐ You want to set up and run an innovative business in the UK, different from what already exists.
- ☐ Your idea is endorsed by an approved endorsing body.
- ☐ The idea is new, innovative, viable and scalable.
- ☐ Evidence of your English ability.
Stage B — Documents and process
- ☐ Endorsement is the prerequisite — obtain it before you apply.
- ☐ Apply online and prove your identity: use the UK Immigration: ID Check app, or give biometrics (fingerprints and photo) at a visa centre.
- ☐ The official pages do not itemise the supporting attachments, so this checklist does not invent a list — follow the endorsing body’s and the application form’s instructions.
Stage C — Fees and length
- ☐ Fee: £1,357 per person from outside the UK; £1,693 to extend or switch inside.
- ☐ Endorsement: £1,000 to the endorsing body, plus £500 per meeting (at least two after approval).
- ☐ Length: 3 years, renewable in 3-year blocks without limit; settlement after 3 years.
- ☐ The IHS healthcare surcharge also applies.
Stage D — Applying and what you can do
- ☐ Decision: usually 3 weeks from outside the UK, 8 weeks inside; paid priority available.
- ☐ You can: set up one or more businesses, work for them (including as a director or partner), take work outside them needing at least level 3 qualifications, bring partner and children, travel, and apply for settlement.
- ⛔ You cannot: claim most public funds, or work as a professional sportsperson. You must meet your endorsing body at 12 and 24 months; a withdrawn endorsement can cut your visa short.
Get it right the first time
- Get endorsed first — nothing proceeds without it.
- Budget the meetings — £1,000 once and £500 per meeting, minimum two.
- Keep the endorsement alive — meetings at 12 and 24 months are mandatory.
- Do not invent a document list — follow the form and the endorsing body.
Frequently asked questions
What is endorsement on the Innovator Founder visa?
The core requirement is an endorsement from an approved endorsing body. You pay the endorsing body £1,000, and after approval you must meet them at least twice, paying £500 per meeting.
What standards must my business idea meet?
It must be new, innovative, viable (with growth potential) and scalable, and different from anything already on the market.
How much does the Innovator Founder visa cost?
£1,357 per person from outside the UK, or £1,693 to extend or switch inside the UK, plus the £1,000 endorsement fee and the IHS.
How long can I stay, and can I settle?
3 years, renewable in 3-year blocks without limit; after 3 years you can apply for settlement.
Can I work for another employer?
You can work for your own business and take work outside it that needs at least level 3 qualifications, but you cannot claim most public funds.
How long does it take?
Usually 3 weeks from outside the UK or 8 weeks inside; paid priority is available.
Official source: gov.uk — Innovator Founder visa, retrieved 2026-09-27. Confidence A (official page, quoted verbatim). The itemised supporting-document list and the endorsing-body directory are not published on the page summarised here and are left open.
Related: see the UK visa checklist for other routes. Prepare your identity documents with the UK passport photo page, the digital file requirements guide, and check a finished photo with the passport photo checker. If your passport is near expiry, read the photo validity guide.