Vlad Shifter
Founder
Entrepreneur and corporate consultant with 10+ years of experience with PwC, P&G, Coca Cola, Unilever and others. TechCrunch 200 Alum.
UK Innovator Founder Visa
Innovator Founder is the UK's entrepreneur residency under Appendix Innovator Founder of UK Immigration Rules. For founders with an innovative, viable, and scalable business plan endorsed by an approved Endorsing Body. Replaced the old Innovator and Start-up routes in April 2023.
- Endorsement from a UK Home Office–approved Endorsing Body required.
- No minimum investment threshold — the old £50,000 floor was removed in April 2023.
- 3-year visa, renewable indefinitely; ILR (settlement) possible at 3 years if criteria met.
- Secondary employment permitted alongside running the business.
- Family inclusion: spouse and minor children apply as dependants.
Benefits of the Innovator Founder Visa
No minimum investment requirement
The £50,000 funds threshold from the old Innovator route was removed in April 2023. Business viability and innovation matter — not a fixed cheque size.
Settlement (ILR) possible at 3 years
If your business meets two of seven progress criteria (revenue, jobs created, R&D, customer growth, etc.), you can apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain after 3 years. Most UK work routes take 5 years.
Secondary employment allowed
Unlike the old Innovator route, you can take additional skilled employment outside your business while on the visa. Useful for founders with consulting income or part-time advisory roles.
B2 English language requirement — predictable
Standard B2 IELTS or equivalent. We coordinate test booking and certification timing alongside endorsement.
Family inclusion straightforward
Spouse and minor children apply as dependants. Spouse gets unrestricted UK work rights — full-time employment, freelance, or running another business.
Co-founder structure supported
Multiple founders can apply against the same endorsed business, each filing separately. We've handled 2-4 cofounder Innovator Founder cases. Additional founders priced separately.
The benefits of moving to the UK
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Europe's largest English-language startup ecosystem
London concentrates the bulk of VC activity, accelerators, and angel networks. UK corporation tax sits at 25% (small profits rate 19% under £50,000 profit).
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SEIS/EIS investor relief schemes
British investors get significant tax advantages on SEIS/EIS investments — a real fundraising lever for UK-based companies.
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Endorsement quality varies by body
The route is administered by UK Visas and Immigration with endorsement by approved bodies (Envestors, UK Endorsing Services, others). Endorsement standards vary significantly by body — matching matters.
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Settlement at 3 years
Instead of the standard 5-year UK work-route settlement, Innovator Founder allows ILR application at 3 years if business progress criteria are met.
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Path to British citizenship
After ILR, naturalisation in one further year (typically 6 years total from initial visa).
How to get the UK Innovator Founder Visa with Relovisa
From Endorsing Body selection to settlement-eligibility tracking — your dedicated case manager handles every step.
1. Endorsing Body selection
We match you with the right approved Endorsing Body (Envestors, UK Endorsing Services, or others) based on your business profile and sector.
2. Business plan structuring
Business plan structured to the three endorsement criteria: innovation, viability, scalability. We avoid known rejection categories (HoReCa, generic consultancy, lifestyle businesses).
3. Endorsement application
Endorsement application filed with the Endorsing Body. Quality of the case file matters — endorsement standards are demanding.
4. B2 English certification
IELTS or equivalent test booking and certification coordinated alongside the endorsement timeline.
5. Visa application dossier
After endorsement: full visa application to UK Visas and Immigration, including financial proof, criminal record, TB test if applicable, and dependants.
6. UKVI biometrics + in-UK liaison
Biometrics booking, post-decision Home Office liaison, in-UK assistance with banking, address registration, and progress-criteria tracking for ILR.
Let your personal case manager and lawyer handle all the paperwork
No more dealing with bureaucracy — we take care of every detail.
1. Understand Your Immigration Options
During a consultation, our expert evaluates your profile and outlines pathways, helping you make an informed decision.
2. Tailored Strategy for Approval
Lawyer analyzes your case, identifies challenges, and creates a step-by-step roadmap to maximize success.
3. Complete Document Preparation
With minimal input from you, we handle certificates, translations, and applications.
4. Smooth Application Process
Your manager schedules appointments, ensures compliance, communicates with authorities, and tracks progress.
5. Bureaucratic Tasks Solved
We handle finding housing, tax registrations, and residence permits, eliminating paperwork stress.
Book a
consultation
Not sure which visa or country suits your needs?
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Recommended
Innovator Founder — Single founder
from €11,900
+ €1,900 per family member
For solo founders applying against an endorsed business.
- Personalized strategy guide
- Initial consultation
- Ongoing chat with a dedicated advisor — across both stages
- Stage 1 — Endorsement: business-plan review against Endorsing Body criteria (innovation, viability, scalability); upgrade where needed. If no plan exists — full build from scratch: market research, financial model, investment-attraction case
- Stage 1 — Endorsement: founder CV / profile preparation for the Endorsing Body (the founder is assessed alongside the project)
- Stage 1 — Endorsement: translation of all dossier documents into English
- Stage 1 — Endorsement: selection of the right Endorsing Body + joint submission of the project for evaluation
- Stage 1 — Endorsement: coaching for the 1–2 online assessment calls with the Endorsing Body
- Stage 1 — Endorsement: appeal handling or full business-plan rework and resubmission if a first attempt does not pass
- Stage 2 — Visa application: full visa-application dossier assembly
- Stage 2 — Visa application: online submission via the Home Office portal
- Stage 2 — Visa application: guidance on identity verification (biometrics at a visa center OR passport scan via the "UK Immigration: ID Check" app)
- Stage 2 — Visa application: case management through to visa decision
Innovator Founder — Additional cofounder
+€3,900/cofounder
+ €1,900 per family member
Same Stage 1 + Stage 2 scope applied to each additional cofounder's profile on the same endorsed business.
- Personalized strategy guide
- Initial consultation
- Ongoing chat with a dedicated advisor — across both stages
- Stage 1 — Endorsement: business-plan review against Endorsing Body criteria (innovation, viability, scalability); upgrade where needed. If no plan exists — full build from scratch: market research, financial model, investment-attraction case
- Stage 1 — Endorsement: founder CV / profile preparation for the Endorsing Body (the founder is assessed alongside the project)
- Stage 1 — Endorsement: translation of all dossier documents into English
- Stage 1 — Endorsement: selection of the right Endorsing Body + joint submission of the project for evaluation
- Stage 1 — Endorsement: coaching for the 1–2 online assessment calls with the Endorsing Body
- Stage 1 — Endorsement: appeal handling or full business-plan rework and resubmission if a first attempt does not pass
- Stage 2 — Visa application: full visa-application dossier assembly
- Stage 2 — Visa application: online submission via the Home Office portal
- Stage 2 — Visa application: guidance on identity verification (biometrics at a visa center OR passport scan via the "UK Immigration: ID Check" app)
- Stage 2 — Visa application: case management through to visa decision
About “Relovisa Advisors”
Relovisa is a premium full-service immigration consultancy (HQ Portugal, "Made in Portugal"). It is not a law firm: it works with licensed immigration lawyers and tax advisors per jurisdiction. Relovisa delivers EU/UK/US residency and citizenship to founders, skilled professionals, investors, and remote workers, handling the paperwork end-to-end. Distinctive: its own Portuguese EOR/payroll entity, packaged with the Portugal D3 and Spain DNV routes, plus deep specialist depth on the France Talent (Passeport Talent) innovative-project route, including DRIEETS dossiers and the no-incubator route with two letters of support.
99.2%
Average success rate
99.2% of clients get their visas and residence permits
7000+
Cases · 30+ countries
Clients across North America, Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and the CIS
80+
Experts and lawyers
Professionals from around the world
8 years
Average experience
In immigration law & consulting
Our team, lawyers and partners
Our legal experts and professionals take care of everything — from document preparation to final approval — with 24/7 support, so you don't have to worry about a thing.
Olia Nemirovski
COO
10+ years specialist in client and partner relations, driving innovation through deep customer understanding.
Evgenia
Immigration lawyer
Licensed lawyer with deep knowledge of UK immigration law, she excels as a case manager for Talent Visas with 99.8% success rate.
Vladimir
Immigration consultant
Over three years of project management experience in German work immigration processes.
Daniela
Immigration Lawyer
Her expertise includes legal representation in court proceedings, expedited solutions for delayed residence processes, and all visa programs.
Petra
Immigration consultant
Specializes in D visas: Digital Nomad, D7, D2, D3, etc. She has experience working with various types of income.
Marilia
Immigration Attorney
Lawyer with 4 years experience works with global mobility processes for self-employed individuals through D8, D2, or IT workers through D3/Blue Card.
Thiago
Immigration Attorney
Relocated more than 300 high-qualified professionals to Portugal since 2018. Currently holding 100% success in lawsuits against AIMA (200+).
Vladislav
Tax Advisor
A licensed tax consultant with thousands of cases handled worldwide, from EU countries to Hong Kong and the USA. Specializes in finding solutions in the most unique and challenging situations.
Thomas
Tax Advisor
Thomas specializes in crypto business consultancy, with notable projects including market research for Bit2Me, a major Southern European cryptocurrency exchange.
FAQs
What's the difference between Innovator Founder and the old Innovator visa?
The Innovator Founder route replaced both the old Innovator and Start-up routes in April 2023. Key changes: (1) £50,000 minimum investment requirement removed, (2) secondary employment now permitted, (3) endorsement criteria refined around innovation + viability + scalability. The old Innovator route is closed to new applicants.
What does an "Endorsing Body" actually do?
Approved Endorsing Bodies (Envestors, UK Endorsing Services, and a small number of others as of 2026) assess whether your business meets the innovation + viability + scalability criteria. They issue an endorsement letter that you then submit with your visa application to UK Visas and Immigration. Endorsement is not automatic — endorsement standards are demanding, and rejection rates vary by body.
How much money do I actually need to start?
There's no statutory minimum, but in practice Endorsing Bodies look for credible funding for the first 12-18 months of operations. This usually means £30,000–£75,000 of capital — either personal savings, committed investor funds, or grant funding. Less than that and the "viability" criterion is hard to meet.
What businesses get endorsed?
Tech-enabled businesses with clear differentiation, SaaS with credible go-to-market, scalable services with proprietary IP, deep-tech / biotech with research backing. What doesn't get endorsed: HoReCa (cafes, restaurants), consultancy without proprietary methodology, generic e-commerce, lifestyle businesses, real estate plays.
When can I apply for settlement (ILR)?
At 3 years, if your business has met two of the seven progress criteria: (1) £50,000 of investment received and spent on furthering business, (2) doubled customer base, (3) significant R&D activity with IP registered, (4) £1m+ revenue in last full year, (5) £500k+ revenue with £100k+ from exports, (6) 10+ FTE created, (7) 5+ FTE with £25,000+ average salary. We help track progress against these criteria during the visa term.
Can I take a job while on this visa?
Yes — secondary employment in skilled roles is allowed, as long as your primary activity remains running the endorsed business. This is one of the major improvements over the old Innovator route, which prohibited employment.
How does this compare to <a href="/uk-visas-and-residency" class="underline">UK Global Talent</a>?
Global Talent is for established experts (Tech Nation digital tech, Royal Society science, Arts Council arts, etc.) — based on individual track record. Innovator Founder is for founders building a specific business — endorsed on the business, not the individual. Different routes, different audiences. We help applicants pick based on profile.
What about Brexit and EU citizens?
Post-Brexit (since 1 January 2021), EU citizens apply for UK visas on the same basis as non-EU citizens. EU citizens already in UK pre-Brexit are typically on EU Settlement Scheme status (separate). For new arrivals from EU, Innovator Founder works the same as for non-EU applicants.