Table Of Contents:
- The Transition from Innovator Founder Visa to ILR
- Residence and KOLL Requirement
- Fresh Endorsement
- Mandatory Requirement for Your Business
- How to Apply
- When to Apply
- Supporting Documents
- UK Innovator Founder Visa to ILR Fees
- How Long Does it Take to Get a Decision
- Including Family Members
- Final Thoughts
If you are a start-up entrepreneur or an experienced business owner and you want to establish a business in the UK, you should apply for an Innovator Founder Visa. You are not required to invest any specific level of funds in your proposed business in the UK, but your business idea must be innovative, viable, and scalable, supported by a business plan. Your business idea must have been endorsed by an approved body, also known as ‘endorsing body.’
The UK innovator founder visa allows you to settle in the UK, which means you can apply for indefinite leave to remain.
The ‘Innovator Founder’ visa has replaced the previous ‘Innovator’ visas. However, if you are in the UK on an Innovator visa, you can still apply for ILR if you meet the requirements. In this article, we will discuss some important things to know about the Innovator Founder Visa ILR.
The Transition from Innovator Founder Visa to ILR
The transition from an Innovator visa to indefinite leave to remain allows businesspersons to settle in the UK after establishing and growing their business successfully in the UK. You may qualify for ILR after three years on an Innovator visa in the UK. However, you must obtain a fresh endorsement from an approved body demonstrating significant achievements based on your original business plan.
If you want to move to ILR, proving the sustainability and growth of the business will be an important part of the ILR application process. Your business must be registered with Companies House, active, trading, and you must either be a director or a member. You must also show that your business will be able to continue for at least 12 months.
Residence and KOLL Requirement
You must have lived in the UK for 3 years on an Innovator Founder visa or Innovator visa. However, you cannot include time spent in the UK on any other visa.
You must not have spent, in any 12 months, more than 180 days outside the UK. Unless exempt, you must meet the KOLL (Knowledge of English and Life in the UK) requirement.
You must prove your knowledge of life in the UK if you are 18 to 64. To prove this, you must pass the ‘Life in the UK’ test.
Fresh Endorsement
You must have a new endorsement from an approved body proving that you have grown your business. If you meet the criteria, you will be given a letter from the endorsement body to show that you’re eligible for ILR. You must apply for ILR within 3 months of getting your letter. You do not need to get endorsement from the same body that endorsed you for your Innovator Founder or Innovator visa.
Mandatory Requirement for Your Business
Your business must meet at least two performance criteria, such as significant investment, job creation for settled workers, revenue thresholds, or substantial research and development activity.
This means your business must have done at least 2 things out of the following:
- Had invested £50,000, which you’ve spent on developing the business.
- Increased the number of customers by 2 times in the last 3 years, and this number is higher than the average for similar businesses.
- Made £1 million revenue in the last full year covered by accounts.
- Made £500,000 revenue in the last full year covered by accounts, with £100,000 of this coming from overseas exports.
- Applied for intellectual property protection in the UK.
- Created the equivalent of 10 full-time jobs for ‘settled workers’ that have existed for 12 months.
- Created the equivalent of 5 full-time jobs for ‘settled workers’ that have existed for 12 months, with an average salary of £25,000 a year.
Some of these criteria you may already have met when you applied for your visa.
The same criterion cannot be used twice. For example, if you have invested £100,000, which is two times the investment amount required, in your business venture, your business will be considered to have met one criterion, not two.
How to Apply?
You must apply online for ILR before your current visa expires.
You must prove your identity as part of your ILR application. Depending on where you are from and what type of passport or resident permit you have, you can prove your identity in one of the following ways:
- Scanning your identity document on the ‘UK Immigration: ID Check’ app.
- Enrolling your biometric information (your fingerprints and facial photo) at a UKVCAS (UK Visa and Citizenship Application Service) point in the UK.
You also need to submit the supporting documents.
When to Apply?
You can apply for the Innovator Founder visa ILR:
- You should apply for ILR during the last month before your current permission to be in the UK ends.
- You’ll be able to apply for an Innovator Founder visa ILR 28 days before you’re eligible. If you apply earlier, your application may be refused.
- You should not wait to apply until your current visa expires. You will need to renew your visa first if it expires before you can apply for ILR.
- You must apply for ILR within 3 months after getting your endorsement letter.
Supporting Documents
To make an innovator founder visa ILR application, you will need the following documents:
- A valid passport or other travel document to prove your identity and nationality.
- An endorsement letter from an endorsement body proving that your business has grown.
- Your ‘Life in the UK’ test unique reference number, to show the Home Office that you have passed the test.
- Any exemption letter from a qualified medical professional if you are exempt from taking the ‘Life in the UK’ test
Your endorsement must not have been withdrawn at the time of your Innovator Visa to ILR application.
UK Innovator Founder Visa to ILR Fees
You will need to pay the ILR application fee, which is £3,029 for each person applying. Each person means the main applicant and their dependent partner and children (if any).
How Long Does it Take to Get a Decision?
Applicants usually get a decision on their ILR applications within 6 months. However, it may take longer if your application is complex. The Home Office will contact you if it is going to take longer to decide on your application.
If you want a quicker decision, you may pay to use the ‘priority’ service, which will get you a decision within 5 working days, or the ‘super priority’ service, which will get you a decision within 2 working days. You may be asked to attend an interview also.
You must not travel outside of the UK, Ireland, the Isle of Man, or the Channel Islands until you get a decision. If you travel outside of these places, your ILR application will be withdrawn.
Including Family Members
Your partner and children can apply at the same time as you or separately at a later date if they’re eligible. If they cannot apply at the same time as you, for example, because they are not eligible, they can apply to extend their visa as your dependent even after you have obtained your ILR.
Final Thoughts
UK innovator founder visa ILR is a process to settle after having established and grown your business in the UK. This visa route allows you to settle in the UK after 3 years, unlike other visa routes that usually allow you to apply for settlement after 5 years of continuous residence. Your business is expected to achieve a few things during these 3 years, which have been mentioned in this article. You must also get a fresh endorsement for your business from an approved body, and you must apply for ILR within 3 months of getting your endorsement letter.
Your dependent partner and children can also apply at the same time as you or later to join or stay with you in the UK.
Read Similar Blogs:
How to Sponsor a Skilled Worker: Employer Responsibilities Explained
UK Expansion Worker Visa: Expanding Your Overseas Business
Good Character Requirement for British Citizenship Applications