Frequently Asked Questions

The UK Innovator Founder Visa is an immigration route for experienced entrepreneurs who want to establish an innovative, viable, and scalable business in the United Kingdom.

Key Requirements:

• Investment: Minimum £50,000
• Endorsement: Required from one of 4 authorized bodies
• Innovation: Business must be new to UK market
• Duration: 3 years initially, renewable
• Settlement: Eligible for permanent residence after 3 years

Note: Previously called “Innovator Visa” before 2023 reform.

Source: UK Home Office (gov.uk/innovator-founder-visa)

You’re eligible if you meet ALL of these criteria:

• At least 18 years old
• Have a genuine, innovative business idea that’s new to the UK market
• Can invest at least £50,000 in your business
• Can demonstrate business experience or skills
• Meet English language requirements (B2 level)
• Have sufficient personal savings (minimum £1,270)
• Can secure endorsement from an approved body

TorlyAI’s eligibility assessment checks all these criteria instantly.

Yes! You can switch to an Innovator Founder Visa from certain visa categories while remaining in the UK:

Allowed:

• Student visa (NEW as of Nov 25, 2025) – Must have completed your course
• Graduate visa – Up to 2 years (3 years for PhD) to prepare your business
• Skilled Worker visa
• Global Talent visa
• Scale-up visa

Not allowed:

• Short-term visitor visa
• Seasonal worker visa
• Domestic worker in private household

Requirements for Student visa holders:

• Must have completed the course for which Student visa was issued
• Must apply while Student visa is still valid
• PhD students eligible after 24 months of full-time study

Switching from inside the UK means you don’t need to return to your home country to apply.

Source: UK Home Office Statement of Changes HC 1333 (October 2025)

“Innovative” doesn’t mean world-first invention. According to Home Office guidance, innovation means:

• New to the UK market (not necessarily globally unique)
• Different from existing competitors (unique selling proposition)
• Uses technology or processes differently
• Improves on existing solutions

Example: A delivery app with AI route optimization would be innovative even though delivery apps exist.

While not officially required by Home Office, endorsing bodies typically expect:

• Previous startup or business management experience, OR
• Relevant industry expertise (5+ years), OR
• Strong track record in your field with demonstrable achievements

First-time entrepreneurs with strong industry expertise are regularly approved.

Total Timeline: 16-22 weeks (approximately 4-5 months)

Stage 1: Endorsement (6-8 weeks)

• Prepare business plan and documents: 2-4 weeks
• Submit to endorsing body: Immediate
• Endorsing body review: 4-6 weeks
• Interview (if required): 1-2 weeks wait time

Stage 2: Visa Application (10-14 weeks)

• Complete visa application: 1 week
• Submit and pay fees: Immediate
• Biometrics appointment: 1-2 weeks
• UKVI processing: 8-12 weeks

TorlyAI helps you prepare Stage 1 documents in days, not weeks.

For Endorsement Stage:

• Comprehensive business plan (typically 20-30 pages)
• Financial projections (3-5 years)
• Evidence of investment funds (£50,000+)
• CV/resume demonstrating experience
• Market research and competitive analysis
• Pitch deck (10-15 slides)

For Visa Application:

• Valid passport
• Endorsement letter from approved body
• English language certificate (B2 level)
• TB test certificate (if from required country)
• Bank statements (maintenance funds)
• Criminal record certificate (if required)

Yes! You can reapply:

• Same endorsing body: Usually after 6 months, after addressing rejection reasons
• Different endorsing body: Immediately, if your business fits their criteria better

Common rejection reasons include:

• Insufficient innovation demonstration
• Weak financial projections
• Unclear market opportunity
• Poor interview performance

TorlyAI identifies weak points before submission to maximize approval chances.

Two-stage success rates (2024 statistics):

Stage 1 – Endorsement Approval: ~36%

Only about 1 in 3 applicants successfully obtain endorsement from an approved body. This is the most challenging part of the process.

Stage 2 – Visa Approval (after getting endorsement): 86-88%

Once you have endorsement, visa approval rate is very high.

Overall Combined Success Rate: ~31%

Of all initial applicants, approximately 31% successfully receive both endorsement and visa approval.

Why TorlyAI Helps:

• We identify weaknesses before submission
• Well-prepared applications significantly improve endorsement chances
• Our users have above-average success rates

Source: UK Home Office Immigration Statistics (March 2024)

Total Cost Breakdown (2024-2025):

Applying from outside UK:

• Visa application fee: £1,191
• Immigration Health Surcharge: £1,035/year × 3 years = £3,105
• Minimum business investment: £50,000
• Endorsement body fee: £1,000 + VAT
• Contact point meetings (2 required): £1,000 + VAT
• English language test: £150 – £200
• TB test (if required): £100 – £150

Minimum Total (outside UK): £56,550 – £56,650

Applying from inside UK:

• Visa application fee: £1,486 (higher for in-country applications)
• All other costs remain the same

Minimum Total (inside UK): £56,850 – £56,950

Professional Services (Optional):

• Immigration consultant: £2,000 – £5,000
• Business plan writer: £1,000 – £3,000
• TorlyAI AI-powered preparation: From £99

Important Notes:

• Dependants pay the same visa fees and IHS
• Contact point meetings are mandatory at 12 and 24 months
• All fees subject to change – check gov.uk for latest

Source: UK Home Office (Updated November 2025)

Yes, with conditions:

• Bank loans: Allowed if secured against assets
• Family gifts: Allowed with gift letter and proof of funds
• Investor funding: Allowed with investment agreement
• NOT allowed: Unsecured personal loans without assets

You must prove:

• Funds are genuinely available
• You have legal right to use them
• Funds will be invested in UK business

No immediate job creation required. However:

At endorsement stage:

• Show POTENTIAL for job creation in business plan
• Demonstrate scalability of business model

At renewal (3 years):

• Must show significant progress
• Job creation helps demonstrate growth
• Alternative: revenue growth, customer acquisition, funding raised

Most successful applicants project 5-10 jobs within 3 years.

As of October 2024, there are 4 active business endorsing bodies authorized to issue endorsements for new Innovator Founder applications:

1. Envestors Limited – Investment-ready businesses
2. UK Endorsing Services (UKES) – General businesses
3. Innovator International – International entrepreneurs
4. Global Entrepreneurs Programme – High-growth businesses

Important Note: Other organizations may appear on legacy lists, but they can only provide endorsements for applicants they previously endorsed under the old Innovator or Start-up visa routes (before April 13, 2023). They cannot accept new initial applications.

TorlyAI recommends the best fit based on your industry and business stage.

Source: UK Home Office – Official List (Updated October 2024)

Consider these factors when choosing from the 4 active endorsing bodies:

1. Industry Focus:

• Tech/digital businesses → Innovator International or Global Entrepreneurs Programme
• General business → UKES or Envestors
• Investment-backed → Envestors Limited

2. Endorsement Fee:

• Standard fee: £1,000 + VAT per person
• Check each body’s website for current pricing

3. Processing Time:

• Typical range: 4-8 weeks for decision
• Varies by application complexity and current workload

4. Specific Requirements:

• Each body has slightly different criteria
• Review their website and eligibility guidelines
• Some may specialize in certain sectors

TorlyAI Recommendation: We analyze your business profile and recommend the endorsing body most likely to approve your application based on their track record and criteria.

Our AI analyzes your business against three Home Office criteria:

1. Innovation (Is it new?):

• Uniqueness in UK market
• Competitive differentiation
• Technology or process innovation

2. Viability (Will it work?):

• Business model sustainability
• Financial projections realism
• Market opportunity size

3. Scalability (Can it grow?):

• Job creation potential
• Market expansion opportunities
• Revenue growth trajectory

You receive instant feedback with specific improvement recommendations.

Best of both: Use TorlyAI for preparation, consultant for final review if needed.

Step 1: Instant Analysis (2 minutes)

• AI analyzes your business idea
• Checks against Home Office criteria
• Generates eligibility score (0-100)

Step 2: Personalized Report

• Detailed assessment of innovation, viability, scalability
• Recommended endorsing bodies (from the 4 active bodies)
• Specific improvement areas
• Timeline estimate

Step 3: Action Plan

• Document checklist
• Business plan outline
• Financial modeling templates
• Next steps guidance

Step 4: Ongoing Support

• AI chat assistant for questions
• Document generation tools
• Application tracking dashboard

No, TorlyAI provides guidance, not legal advice. Our assessment:

What it IS:

• AI-powered analysis based on Home Office guidelines
• Probability indicator for endorsement success
• Identification of application strengths/weaknesses
• Preparation tool to improve application quality

What it is NOT:

• Legal immigration advice
• Guarantee of visa approval
• Substitute for endorsing body decision
• Official UKVI assessment

Final decisions are made by:

• Endorsing body → Endorsement approval/rejection
• UK Visas & Immigration → Visa approval/rejection

TorlyAI maximizes your chances but cannot guarantee outcomes.