- Prepare evidence and lettersUsually the longest partWeeks to months
- Apply online to the Home OfficeEndorsement fee£561
- Endorsing body decidesDepends on the endorsing body2 to 8+ weeks
- Apply for the visa£205 visa fee plus healthcare surchargeWithin 3 months
New
A new business, not one that is already trading
GOV.UK says you cannot join a business that is already trading. You can set up one or more businesses, but the endorsed business must be a new venture that you are starting.
GOV.UK: Innovator Founder visaInnovative
Different from what is already on the market
GOV.UK describes this as an original business idea that is different from anything else on the market. In practice, a named comparison with the closest competitors is the clearest way to show it. A business that is conventional at its core, such as a standard café, agency, consultancy or reseller, with only a small new feature added, usually struggles here.
- Name the closest competitors and say exactly how your offer differs.
- Show the difference in the product or service itself, not only in the marketing.
- Explain why customers would switch, with evidence where you have it.
Viable
A business you can run, with room to grow
GOV.UK describes a viable business as one with potential for growth. The Immigration Rules add that you must have, or be actively developing, the necessary skills, knowledge, experience and market awareness to run the business successfully. Your CV, your track record and your plan should all point to the same thing: that you can lead this business.
Immigration Rules: Appendix Innovator FounderReading the rules is one thing. Knowing how they apply to your own evidence is another.
Book a free 30-minute callScalable
Plans for jobs and wider markets
GOV.UK asks for evidence of planning that includes creating jobs and growing into national and international markets. A hiring plan by year, linked to the financial forecasts, and a clear plan for reaching markets beyond your first city help show this.
GOV.UK: Innovator Founder visaYour idea
The idea and the plan must be yours
The Immigration Rules require that you have generated or made a significant contribution to the ideas in the business plan, and that you are the sole founder or an instrumental member of the founding team. A plan written for you by someone else, or a business where the core innovation is handed to an outside provider, puts this at risk. A good test: could you explain and defend the idea, the market and the numbers on your own?
Immigration Rules: Appendix Innovator FounderRelated guides
Keep reading
Guides applicants usually read next on this topic.
The UK Global Talent visa: what it is and how Stage 1 endorsement works
The Global Talent visa needs no job offer or sponsor and lets your family join you. Stage 1 is the endorsement application, where an endorsing body decides whether you are a leader or a potential leader in your field.
Read related guideGlobal Talent endorsement requirements: what each endorsing body asks for
Each endorsing body sets its own Stage 1 tests, so the requirements for a software founder, a researcher and a theatre director are very different.
Read related guideGlobal Talent endorsement documents: a checklist for each endorsing body
Each endorsing body has its own document rules, from page limits to who can write your letters.
Read related guideApplying from outside the UK. Facts for founders preparing an Innovator Founder endorsement, checked against GOV.UK and the Immigration Rules on 22 October 2026.
Article FAQ
Questions to settle before you spend time or money.
Use these answers to check the practical risks, documents, and decisions connected to this topic.
Can someone give me a business idea for the Innovator Founder visa?
The Immigration Rules require that you generated or made a significant contribution to the ideas in your business plan. An idea handed to you by someone else puts that at risk. We help you find and test ideas drawn from your own experience; you choose and shape the idea.
Is a consultancy or agency innovative enough?
Usually not on its own. A conventional service business with only a small new feature tends to fail the innovative test. The difference needs to be in what the business actually offers, compared with named competitors.
Do I need technical skills for a technology idea?
You need the skills, knowledge, experience and market awareness to run the business, or to be actively developing them. If the core innovation is technical, the plan should show how you lead its development, not that it is fully handed to an outside provider.
Who can help me test my idea against these requirements?
Tier 1 Global Talent Visa, led by founder Mihir Thaker, works only on the endorsement stage. We test each candidate idea against the four requirements, with a named competitor scan, and tell you plainly whether it is ready. The first call is free and lasts 30 minutes.
Innovator Founder
Not sure your idea passes all four tests?
Book a free 30-minute call and we will test it with you.
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