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Innovator Founder visa: endorsement and costs

The Innovator Founder visa needs an endorsement from a Home Office approved body for a new, innovative, viable and scalable business. The visa costs £1,357 from outside the UK or £1,693 inside, plus a £1,000 endorsement fee and £500 per contact meeting, plus the healthcare surcharge. It lasts up to 3 years and can lead to settlement after 3 years if the business meets set criteria.

The Innovator Founder visa is for people who want to set up and run an innovative business in the UK. It replaced the Innovator visa. It is not sponsored by an employer. The business or business idea must instead be assessed by an endorsing body that the Home Office has approved, and the endorsement letter is part of the visa application. GOV.UK says the idea must be new, innovative, viable with potential for growth, and scalable, and that you cannot join a business that is already trading.

This guide covers what the rules require, what each stage costs as at 10 October 2026 including the fees paid to the endorsing body, how the endorsement and the points test work, what the holder may and may not do, how extensions work, and what the Immigration Rules require for settlement. It describes the rules. It does not say whether a business idea qualifies, and it does not say which route anyone should use.

Fees come from the Home Office fee table dated 8 October 2026 and GOV.UK's Innovator Founder pages. Rules come from Appendix Innovator Founder as updated on 3 August 2026. Check the current figures on GOV.UK before you pay.

What the route requires

Appendix Innovator Founder describes the route as being for a person seeking to establish a business in the UK based on an innovative, viable and scalable business idea they have generated, or to which they have significantly contributed. The application must be supported by an endorsing body, and the applicant must have a key role in the day-to-day management and development of the business. A partner and dependent children can apply, and the route leads to settlement.

The rules add a "genuine Innovator Founder applicant" requirement (INNF 4.1) on top of the points table. GOV.UK sets out the four qualities in plain terms: the idea is new, innovative (different from anything else on the market), viable with potential for growth, and scalable, with evidence of planning that includes creating jobs and growing into national and international markets. Applicants must also be at least 18, meet the English language requirement and show enough personal savings to support themselves.

There is no sponsor and no minimum salary. There is also no fixed minimum investment stated on GOV.UK's route page. What the page says is that, if you want to set up a new business, you will need to prove to your endorsing body that you have enough funding and where it is from. You do not need investment funds if your business is already established and was endorsed for an earlier visa, or if you changed the business and agreed it with your endorsing body.

What it costs

Four kinds of cost apply. The first two are Home Office fees and the third is a payment to the endorsing body.

  • Visa fee: £1,357 per person if you apply from outside the UK; £1,693 per person if you apply to extend or switch inside the UK (fee table, 8 October 2026). Dependants pay the same per-person fee.
  • Healthcare surcharge: GOV.UK says it is usually £1,035 per year for each person, so £3,105 for the full 3-year grant for an adult. Under-18s pay £776 per year.
  • Endorsement fee: £1,000, paid directly to the endorsing body. The fee table lists it as "excluding VAT", so ask the body whether VAT is added.
  • Contact point meetings: £500 each, also paid directly to the endorsing body and also listed excluding VAT. GOV.UK says that if the visa application is successful you pay £500 each time you meet the endorsing body, and that you need to meet at least twice during your stay.

Worked example using only those published amounts: one adult applying from outside the UK for a 3-year grant pays £1,357 visa fee + £3,105 surcharge + £1,000 endorsement = £5,462, and then £500 for each of at least two contact meetings, bringing it to £6,462 before any VAT. A partner applying from outside the UK would pay £1,357 + £3,105 = £4,462.

The fee table lists the endorsement and contact-point lines in both the outside-the-UK and inside-the-UK sections. Biometric information taken inside the UK carries no fee. Funds you must hold are separate from fees, and are described below.

The endorsement

The endorsement is the central document. GOV.UK says that before you apply you need to have your business or business idea assessed by an endorsing body, which provides an endorsement letter if the business is eligible. The Home Office publishes a list of approved bodies, last updated on 7 August 2026, and states: "An organisation can only issue an endorsement if it is on this list." The same page says that if you have been offered an endorsement by an organisation that is not on the list, you can report it.

The rules set what the letter must show (INNF 6.1 and INNF 6.3):

  • the name of the endorsing body and its endorsement reference number;
  • the date of issue, which must be no earlier than 3 months before the date of application (INNF 1.2(d) adds that the endorsement must not have been withdrawn);
  • the applicant's name, date of birth, nationality and passport number;
  • the name and contact details of a person at the endorsing body who will verify the letter to the Home Office if asked;
  • confirmation that the applicant is considered a fit and proper person to receive endorsement under the rules and guidance of the route;
  • confirmation that the endorsing body has no concerns over the legitimacy of sources of funds or modes of transfer of funds invested into the endorsed business, and has identified no reason to believe the applicant or business may be the beneficiary of illicit or otherwise unsatisfactorily explained wealth.

A separate category of legacy endorsing bodies exists. A letter from one is accepted only in narrow cases set out in INNF 7.1 and 7.2, for example a letter issued before 13 April 2023 for use in the old Innovator route, or the same body as supported an earlier Start-up permission. For a new application the approved-body list is the starting point.

The points test: new business and same business

Rule INNF 5.1 requires 70 points. Fifty must come either from the new business criteria or from the same business criteria, but not both, and 20 come from two mandatory elements.

New business - Business plan: 30 points. The applicant must have a business plan and have generated it or made a significant contribution to its ideas; must show a day-to-day role in carrying it out; must confirm at least two contact point meetings with the endorsing body at regular intervals during the permission; and must be either the sole founder or an instrumental member of the founding team (INNF 8.2). - Innovative, viable and scalable: 20 points. The plan must be genuine and original, meeting new or existing market needs and/or creating a competitive advantage; realistic and achievable based on the applicant's available resources; the applicant must have, or be actively developing, the necessary skills, knowledge, experience and market awareness; and there must be evidence of structured planning and potential for job creation and growth into national and international markets (INNF 8.3).

Same business (for someone whose previous permission was Innovator Founder, Innovator, Start-up or Tier 1 Graduate Entrepreneur) - 10 points for pursuing a business already assessed by an approved body, either for the previous endorsement or at a contact point. - 20 points for a business that is active, trading and sustainable and shows significant achievements against the business plan. The business must be registered with Companies House and the applicant must be listed as a director or member (INNF 9.5). - 20 points for being active in the day-to-day management and development of the business. - Evidence that the applicant attended at least two contact point meetings, if they last held Innovator Founder permission (INNF 9.3).

Mandatory for everyone: English at B2 (10 points) and the financial requirement (10 points).

English and money

English at B2 is required in all four components: reading, writing, speaking and listening (INNF 11.1). GOV.UK lists ways to prove it: a UK school qualification begun under 18, a degree from a UK institution, a degree taught in English from an institution outside the UK with an Ecctis assessment, or a Secure English Language Test at B2 or above. Nationals of a listed group of countries do not have to prove it; the list is on GOV.UK's Innovator Founder knowledge of English page and includes Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the USA.

The financial requirement is at least £1,270, held for 28 consecutive days, for an applicant applying for entry clearance, or for permission to stay having been in the UK for less than 12 months (INNF 12.2 and 12.3). An in-UK applicant who has had permission for 12 months or longer meets the requirement without showing funds (INNF 12.1). GOV.UK says the savings cannot come from investment funds, or from money earned while working in the UK illegally. Dependants add £285 for a partner, £315 for the first child and £200 for each additional child. For example, a founder bringing a partner and one child needs £1,270 + £285 + £315 = £1,870, held for 28 days before applying.

These are separate from the investment funds the endorsing body asks about. The personal savings test is about supporting yourself; the funding test is about the business.

Conditions of the grant

The maximum grant is 3 years (INNF 14.1). The conditions in INNF 14.2 are:

  • no access to public funds;
  • no work, other than working for the business or businesses the holder has established, or other employment in a role that requires a skill level of not less than RQF Level 3;
  • study is permitted, subject to the Academic Technology Approval Scheme condition.

Rule INNF 14.3 adds that working for the business does not include an apprenticeship or any work under a contract of service with another business. Successful applicants cannot fill a position or hire out their labour to another business, even through their own business or through a recruitment or employment agency.

The endorsement stays important during the stay. GOV.UK says you need to meet your endorsing body after 12 months and 24 months to show progress with your business, and that your visa may be cut short if the endorsing body withdraws its endorsement.

Applying and timing

The application is online. From outside the UK you prove your identity with the UK Immigration: ID Check app or at a visa application centre, and the checklist includes the endorsement letter, a valid passport, bank statements showing at least £1,270 held for 28 consecutive days, proof of English, and tuberculosis test results if you are from a listed country. Documents not in English or Welsh need a certified translation.

GOV.UK says that once you have applied, proved your identity and provided your documents you will usually get a decision within 3 weeks from outside the UK and 8 weeks from inside the UK, and that you may be able to pay for a faster decision. Longer waits can happen if documents need verifying or an interview is needed. Switching from some statuses, including a visit visa, a short-term student visa, a Parent of a Child Student visa, a seasonal worker visa and permission given outside the Immigration Rules, is not allowed (INNF 1.5ZA). Students can switch only after completing the sponsored course or after at least 24 months of a full-time PhD (INNF 1.5A). Inside the UK, you must not travel outside the UK, Ireland, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man until you get a decision, or the application is withdrawn.

Extending

GOV.UK says you can apply to extend for another 3 years when your visa is due to expire, with no limit on the number of times you can extend. You must still meet the eligibility requirements and be running a business in the UK or wanting to set up a new one, and a new assessment by an endorsing body is part of the extension. An extension under the same-business criteria needs the business to be active, trading and sustainable, with significant progress against the business plan and the applicant involved day to day.

Dependants do not extend automatically. GOV.UK says partners and children must apply to extend, at the same time or at any time before their current visa expires; if they do not, their permission is valid until its original end date.

Settlement, and the proposal that could change it

Under the rules now, an Innovator Founder can apply for settlement after at least 3 years in the UK with permission as an Innovator Founder (INNF 18.1). GOV.UK says you cannot include time spent on any other visa. The application is made on the "Settlement Innovator" form, with a new endorsement letter issued no more than 3 months before the application (INNF 15.2(e)). The continuous residence rules apply, which limit absences to 180 days in any 12-month period (INNF 19.1; Appendix Continuous Residence). The Knowledge of Life in the UK test applies (INNF 20.1).

The endorsement letter for settlement has to confirm, among other things, that the business is registered with Companies House with the applicant as director or member, is active and trading, appears sustainable for at least the following 12 months, and that the applicant has an active key role. It must also confirm the business has met at least two of these (INNF 17.1(f)):

  • at least £50,000 invested and actively spent furthering the business;
  • customers at least doubled within the most recent 3 years and currently higher than the mean for comparable UK businesses;
  • significant research and development and an application for UK intellectual property protection;
  • minimum annual gross revenue of £1 million in the last full year covered by its accounts;
  • minimum annual gross revenue of £500,000 in that year with at least £100,000 from exporting overseas;
  • the equivalent of at least 10 full-time jobs for settled workers;
  • the equivalent of at least 5 full-time jobs for settled workers, each with a mean salary of at least £25,000 a year.

The same criterion cannot be counted twice, and team members applying together cannot share the same means of meeting a criterion (INNF 17.2 and 17.3). Jobs must have existed for at least 12 months, involve on average at least 30 hours a week, and comply with employment law (INNF 17.4). The settlement fee is £3,226 per person (see the ILR fee guide). If the settlement requirements are not met but the decision maker believes the applicant is likely to meet the requirements for permission to stay, the application can be varied to one for permission to stay with no additional fee, and the settlement fee is not refunded (INNF 21.2). A partner needs 5 continuous years with permission as a partner (INNF 37.1).

Earned settlement is a proposal, not a rule. The consultation paper proposes a 10-year baseline qualifying period for settlement with adjustments, and proposes a reduction of 7 years for people with 3 years of continuous residence as a Global Talent worker or Innovator Founder. See the earned settlement guide for what is proposed and for the dates published. The periods above are those in the Immigration Rules as read on 10 October 2026.

Partners and children

The dependants' rules mirror the other points-based routes. A partner can show a marriage or civil partnership recognised in the UK, two years living together, or two years in a relationship where living together is not possible. A child must live with the main applicant (unless away in full-time education) and not be married or in a civil partnership. Each family member applies separately, pays the visa fee and surcharge, and gives the main applicant's application number. They can work, except as a sportsperson or coach, and can study. GOV.UK says they cannot claim most benefits or the State Pension. Dependants' English requirement for settlement is B1 before 26 March 2027 and B2 on or after that date (INNF 39.1).

When people use a regulated adviser

The endorsement body assesses the business, not the immigration history, so a regulated adviser is typically asked about the immigration side: whether the evidence meets the points table, how the extension and settlement criteria are evidenced, and how dependants' applications fit. Only IAA-registered advisers, solicitors and a few other regulated persons may lawfully give immigration advice in the UK. See the guides on choosing an adviser and on questions to ask before paying.

The Migratio directory lists IAA-registered advisers (with their level) and SRA-regulated solicitors, each with their regulator and registration number. Migratio is not regulated by the IAA or the SRA and does not give immigration advice. This page explains how the rules work; it does not tell you what to do in your case.

Questions people ask

How much does the Innovator Founder visa cost?

£1,357 per person from outside the UK and £1,693 per person to extend or switch inside the UK, plus the healthcare surcharge (usually £1,035 per year for adults). The endorsement costs £1,000 and each contact point meeting £500, paid to the endorsing body and listed excluding VAT.

How long is the Innovator Founder visa?

Up to 3 years on each grant (rule INNF 14.1). GOV.UK says it can be extended for another 3 years, with no limit on the number of extensions, if the eligibility requirements are met.

Do I need money to invest for an Innovator Founder visa?

GOV.UK says that for a new business you must prove to your endorsing body that you have enough funding and where it is from. It does not state a fixed investment amount on the route page. Separately you need at least £1,270 in personal savings held for 28 days, unless exempt.

Can I work for someone else on an Innovator Founder visa?

Only in other employment in a role that needs a skill level of at least RQF Level 3. The grant does not allow filling a position at another business, or hiring out your labour to one (rules INNF 14.2 and 14.3).

When can an Innovator Founder apply for settlement?

After at least 3 years with Innovator Founder permission, with a new endorsement letter showing the business has met at least two of the listed criteria (rules INNF 17.1 and 18.1).

Does earned settlement change the Innovator Founder settlement rules?

Not yet. Earned settlement is a consultation proposal. The Immigration Rules read on 10 October 2026 still contain the 3-year qualifying period. The earned settlement guide sets out the proposal and its published dates.

Sources

Last checked 2026-10-10.

Related guides

  • Global Talent visa: endorsement routes and fees — The Global Talent visa has no employer sponsor. Most applicants first pay £561 for an endorsement from an approved body, then £205 for the visa (£766 in total); prize winners pay £766 and skip the endorsement. Each grant lasts up to 5 years, and settlement is possible after 3 or 5 years depending on how you were endorsed.
  • High Potential Individual visa: cost and length — The High Potential Individual (HPI) visa is an unsponsored UK route for recent graduates of universities on the Home Office global list. It costs £880 plus £252 for the Ecctis qualification check and the healthcare surcharge, lasts 2 years (3 for a PhD), cannot be extended and does not lead to settlement. It is capped at 8,000 applications a year.
  • Earned settlement: what is proposed vs the rules now — Earned settlement is a proposal in a Home Office consultation that opened on 20 November 2025 and had a closing date of 13 February 2026. It is not in the Immigration Rules. The rules read on 10 October 2026 still set 5 years for Skilled Worker settlement and 3 or 5 years for Global Talent, and 3 years for Innovator Founder.
  • ILR fee in 2026: £3,226 per person and extras — Indefinite leave to remain (ILR) costs £3,226 for each person applying, and the Home Office fee table of 8 October 2026 shows no change from the current fee. Most applicants aged 18 to 64 also pay £50 for the Life in the UK Test, and can pay £500 or £1,000 more per person for a faster decision where the application type allows it. There is no health surcharge for ILR.
  • ILR absences: the 180-day rule explained — For most routes to indefinite leave to remain, the Rules say you must not have been outside the UK for more than 180 days in any 12-month period, counted on a rolling basis for permission granted since 11 January 2018. A short list of absences does not count, and time on long residence before 11 April 2024 follows older limits.
  • B2 English for UK settlement from 26 March 2027 — The Immigration Rules already say that, for applications for settlement made on or after 26 March 2027, speaking and listening English must be shown at level B2 instead of B1 on a long list of routes, including Skilled Worker, Long Residence, Global Talent, Private Life and partner and parent settlement. It is a rule that has been laid, not a proposal, and it applies to people already on the path.
  • Skilled Worker visa cost: worker and employer totals — A worker applying from outside the UK for up to 3 years pays £819 plus £1,035 a year in healthcare surcharge, and usually needs £1,270 held in savings. The employer separately pays a £525 certificate fee and the immigration skills charge, and its licence fee if it is new.
  • Administrative review of a UK visa refusal — Administrative review is a Home Office check of whether a refusal was caused by a caseworking error. It costs £80 and must be requested online within 14 days if you were in the UK, 28 days if you applied from outside, or 7 days if detained. It only covers routes listed in Appendix AR, usually ignores new evidence, and GOV.UK says results can take 12 months or more.
  • How to check a UK immigration adviser is registered — In the UK only a "qualified person" may give immigration advice: an IAA-registered adviser, a solicitor, barrister or chartered legal executive, or someone working under their supervision. Ask for the regulator and registration number, then check it yourself on the IAA Adviser Register or the SRA Solicitors Register.
  • Questions to ask an immigration adviser before you pay — Before you pay, a UK immigration adviser should be able to show you their registration, their level, a fee scale and a written client care letter. IAA advisers must invoice you, give a receipt, keep money paid in advance in a separate client account, and wait seven days after an invoice before taking a pre-authorised card payment.