UK Innovator Founder Visa Eligibility
Of course, all applicants must meet all general eligibility requirements of the UK Home Office.
Furthermore, an applicant must be able to show that their business idea is:
• NEW - business idea you have generated, or to which you have significantly contributed. You cannot join a business that is already trading.
• INNOVATIVE - you must have an original business idea that is different from anything else on the market
• VIABLE - your idea has clear potential for growth

 Knowledge of English is required.
You must be able to speak, read, write and understand English. You’ll usually need to prove your knowledge of English when you apply.

Innovator Founder Visa Duration - How Long Can I Stay in the UK?
The Innovator Founder visa allows you to stay in the UK for 3 years if you:
• come to the UK on an Innovator Founder visa
-or-
switch to this visa from another visa while in the UK
If you want to stay in the UK longer than three years, you can apply to extend your stay for another 3 years when your visa expires.
Persons residing on an Innovator Founder visa can generally apply for settlement once they’ve been in the UK for 3 years. This is officially known as Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) and is a full permanent residency. 
This means one can apply for benefits such as public funds and state pensions just as a citizen would.

What if your Innovator Founder visa endorsement is withdrawn?
The endorsement process is relied upon to vet applicants for Innovator Founder visa suitability. If your endorsing body withdraws its endorsement, your visa may be cut short. 
If you want or need to stay in the UK longer after such, you must re-apply with a new endorsement before your current visa expires.
Every situation is unique to the parties involved, but seeking the expert advice of a consultant or solicitor at this point is a good idea. Consultants are industry-savvy professionals who network as they breathe, and solicitors can navigate the complex UK bureaucracy in a similar fashion.

The UK Innovator Founder Visa Application Process
Once an applicant has all necessary documents double-checked and in order, the application process is fairly painless. Still, it pays to bear in mind that once an application is submitted, it must run its course. Any errors, amendments, or omissions will result in processing delays (if not rejection).
Even those committed to tackling an Innovator Founder visa application packet themselves should consider a third-party documentary review. There is limited space for the presentation of evidence, making it necessary to include correct and accurate documents first.
 

How to Apply
Firstly, you must apply online. How you apply depends on whether you’re:
• outside the UK and are coming to the UK
• inside the UK and extending your current visa
• inside the UK and switching from a different visa
Eligible partners and children can be included in your application to stay in the UK. 

How Long it Takes

As part of your application, you’ll need to prove your identity and provide your documents.
You should allow for extra time if you are asked to make an appointment for submitting evidentiary documents. Ultimately, you’ll find out if you need to make an appointment when you start your application. 

Getting a Decision
Once you’ve applied online, proven your identity, and provided all necessary documents, you’ll usually get a decision on your visa within:
• 3 weeks, if you’re outside the UK
• 8 weeks, if you’re inside the UK

Currently, it’s taking a little longer to get a decision on Innovator visas when applying from outside the UK. The Home Office provides a page for visa decision waiting times.

What you can and cannot do
With an Innovator visa you can:
• 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 partner and children with you as your ‘dependants’, if they’re eligible
• travel abroad and return to the UK
• apply to settle permanently in the UK (also known as ‘indefinite leave to remain’) if you’ve lived in the UK for 3 years and meet the other eligibility requirements

With an Innovator Founder visa you cannot:
• work as a professional sportsperson, for example, a sports coach
• apply for most benefits (public funds), or the State Pension

Documents You’ll Need to Apply
Perhaps the most important document you need to provide when applying for an Innovator Founder visa is an ‘endorsement letter’. This letter proves that an endorsing body has assessed your business or business idea to be innovative, scalable, and viable. It also shows that the endorsing body has evaluated you as the leader of this business and found you suitable.
And while we overstress the importance of endorsement, it is important to ensure the applicant is able to provide all other required documents. These are generally related to proving one’s identity, confirming financial stability, and meeting medical requirements for entry.
Currently, you’ll need to provide:
• a valid passport or another document that shows your identity and nationality
• bank statements showing you’ve had at least £1,270 in savings in your bank account for 28 consecutive days before you apply
• proof that you meet the English language requirement
• evidence of your investment funds (if you’re setting up a new business)
• your tuberculosis test results if you’re from a country where you have to take the test

It’s important to note that the personal maintenance funds must be separate from any financial requirements of the Innovator Founder visa endorsement. 

Personal Maintenance Funds
You need to have kept at least £1,270 in your bank account for the 28 consecutive days  prior to:
• applying for an Innovator Founder visa
• applying to extend your Innovator visa or switch to an Innovator Founder visa if you’ve been in the UK for less than a year

You cannot use either of the following to support yourself:
money from your investment funds
money earned while working in the UK illegally
Read the guidance on financial evidence for more information about the money you need and how to prove it. 

Conclusion
In closing, we hope to have clearly explained how to apply Innovator Founder visa, who it is for, and its basic eligibility requirements. We realize this route is not for everyone, and while it is a competitive visa, it is ultimately a matter of providing the proper evidence of eligibility and clearly presenting the business idea’s innovations that determine an applicant’s success.