Do I still need £50,000 to apply?

No. The old £50,000 investment requirement was removed when the Innovator Founder route replaced the earlier Innovator and Start-up visas. There is no fixed minimum now. Your endorsing body decides whether you have enough funding to make your plan credible, so you still need real capital behind the business.

Who are the endorsing bodies?

There are four: Envestors Limited, UK Endorsing Services, and Innovator International, which take open applications, and the Global Entrepreneurs Programme (GEP), which is a government programme that endorses by invitation only. You must have an endorsement before you can apply for the visa.

How is GEP different from the other bodies?

GEP is run by the Department for Business and Trade and focuses on scale ups: established, innovative, IP rich businesses ready to grow globally from a UK headquarters. It works through senior dealmakers around the world who mentor founders, and you join by invitation, not an open form. The other three bodies are better suited to earlier stage founders.

What makes a business idea strong enough?

Endorsing bodies test three things: is the idea innovative, is the plan viable given your skills and the market, and is it scalable with real growth and job creation potential. Most founders are strong on one or two of these and need to build up the rest. That shaping work is where eMigr8 focuses.

Can I work in another job while I build my business?

Yes. Unlike the old Innovator route, the Innovator Founder Visa lets you take on work outside your own business. Your main focus still has to be running your business, but the extra flexibility helps you support yourself while the company grows.

Does eMigr8 give legal or immigration advice?

No. We give coaching, idea and profile review, and guidance to help you prepare your endorsement and application. We do not give legal advice or immigration consultation. For legal questions we can connect you with professionals in our network.

UK Innovator Founder Visa

Q: How do I get to settlement (ILR)?

You can apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain after 3 years. Your endorsing body must confirm the business is still active, trading, and sustainable, and the business usually has to meet at least two contribution measures, such as investment, job creation, revenue growth, research and development with UK intellectual property, or a doubled customer base. You also meet the general ILR requirements like English and the Life in the UK test.

The Innovator Founder Visa lets entrepreneurs set up and run an innovative business in the UK. There is no fixed minimum investment and no annual cap. The key step is an endorsement from an approved body that backs your idea as innovative, viable, and scalable.

The four endorsing bodies

Envestors Limited, UK Endorsing Services, and Innovator International take open applications. The Global Entrepreneurs Programme (GEP), run by the Department for Business and Trade, is a scale-up programme with global dealmakers that endorses established, high-growth businesses by invitation only. The eMigr8 Endorsing Body Selector matches you to the right body by founder profile, idea, sector, and traction.

Costs and family

Costs include a £1,000 endorsement fee, contact point meeting fees, the visa fee, the Immigration Health Surcharge, and maintenance funds. A partner and children can join as dependants, partners can work, and children can study.

Settlement

You can apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain after 3 years if the business is active and trading and meets at least two contribution measures, such as investment, job creation, revenue growth, research and development, or a doubled customer base.

How eMigr8 helps

Choosing the right endorsing body, shaping a viable and scalable idea, and coaching through the endorsement process. eMigr8 provides coaching and guidance, not legal advice or immigration consultation.