What is the Start-up visa?

• For early-stage but high potential entrepreneurs (who want to start a business in the UK for the first time);
  

• No funds are required (applicants do not need any funds to invest in their business at this stage);

• Two-year visa offered (it offers a one-off, two-year visa, during which the applicants will spend the majority of their time developing their businesses but can also take on other work outside of their businesses to support themselves);

• You can bring your family members (successful applicants can bring their family members (spouses/partners and children under 18 can be brought into the UK); and

• Switch to Innovator visa (at the end of the two years, applicants can switch into the Innovator category - see below - to extend their stay and develop business in the UK).
  

What is the Innovator visa?

• For more experienced business people (who seek to establish a business in the UK);
  

  £50,000 required (applicants need a minimum of £50,000 funding available to invest in their business - which can come from an endorsing body such as Sapphire Capital Partners LLP);

• You must work 100% on the business (innovators must work entirely on developing their business ventures and not take on other employment outside their business);

• Three-year visa offered (applicants are granted leave for three years at a time);

• You can bring your family members (successful innovators can bring their family members (spouses/partners and children under 18 can be brought into the UK); and

• Extend your stay (successful innovators can apply to extend their stay for a further three years or to settle permanently in the UK).

Our services include the following:

• Issue endorsements (we use our own measures in order to assess if your business meets the three key criteria - being:

  • Innovation: Do you have a genuine, original business plan that meets new or existing market needs and/or creates a competitive advantage?

  • Viability: Do you have the necessary skills, knowledge, experience and market awareness to successfully run the business?

  • Scalability: Is there evidence of a structured planning and of potential for job creation and growth into national and international markets?

  • Our endorsement will be in the form of an endorsing letter which you will use to support your visa application); 

• Stay in contact (we will stay in touch with you at checkpoints after six and 12 and (in the Innovator category) 24 months, and assess your progress); and

• For innovator visas (we can issue further endorsements for extension and settlement applicants).