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Innovator Founder visa

If you are an entrepreneur based overseas and wish to initiate a business in the UK, you might be required to apply for the newly introduced Innovator Founder route.

In April 2023, the innovator founder visa is now available to non-UK citizens who desire to establish a business in the UK.

The Innovator Founder route enables successful applicants to come to the UK and implement their business plans. This route is designed to facilitate the practical execution of innovative business ventures by providing entrepreneurs the opportunity to bring their ideas to fruition within the UK.

The Innovator Founder visa could be perceived as combining the most appealing features of its predecessor routes, encompassing:

• One notable feature of the Innovator Founder visa is the absence of a £50,000 minimum investment requirement. This distinguishes it from its predecessor routes, offering flexibility to entrepreneurs without mandating a specific initial capital investment.
• The Innovator Founder visa allows for secondary employment under specific conditions.
• The time spent in the UK under this route can contribute towards meeting the residence requirement for indefinite leave to remain. This pathway provides individuals the opportunity to establish a long-term settlement in the UK.

Innovator visa Ext.

The Innovator visa was introduced on March 29, 2019, to succeed the Tier 1 Entrepreneur visa category. This fresh classification is designed to foster the growth of viable, innovative, and scalable businesses in the United Kingdom, contributing to economic expansion.

The initial visa duration is for three years, and it can be renewed for an additional three years, with no set maximum time limit within this category.

Applicants are eligible to apply for a visa extension if they meet the following criteria:

• 
  to extend their visa if they fulfil the eligibility requirements.

actively operating a business in the UK or have the intention to establish a new one.

• To establish a new business, applicants are required to have £50,000 in investment funds. However, if their business is already established and has received endorsement for a previous visa, additional funds are not necessary

Representative of an Overseas Business visa

UPDATE: April 11, 2022, the application process for a Sole Representative visa has been discontinued. Instead, applicants are now required to apply for a UK Expansion Worker visa. The UK Expansion Worker visa replaces the Sole Representative visa for those seeking to represent an overseas business while expanding its presence in the UK. Please be aware of this change and follow the updated procedures for the UK Expansion Worker visa.

Representing an Overseas Business:

The visa is designed for individuals who will act as the sole representative of an existing overseas company. This representative is tasked with setting up the initial commercial operations of the business in the UK.

Establishing Commercial Presence:

The primary purpose of the visa holder is to establish the first presence of the overseas business in the UK. This could involve activities such as negotiating contracts, forming partnerships, or making arrangements for the company’s expansion.

Initial Grant and Extension:

The Sole Representative visa is granted for a period of 3 years. After this initial period, the visa can be extended for another 2 years through a subsequent application. The extension allows the representative to continue their role in facilitating the business’s presence in the UK.

UK expansion worker visa (GBM)

The UK Expansion Worker route caters to international businesses planning to deploy senior managers and specialized employees to the UK for tasks related to business expansion. The following outlines the essential aspects of this route:

• tailored for businesses established and operating outside the UK seeking to send a senior manager to expand their business presence in the UK. Similar to the Representative of an Overseas Business route, the foreign company should not currently have a trading presence in the UK. However, the commonalities between the two categories largely cease at this point, as they differ significantly in various aspects.

Settlement/ indefinite leave to remain ILR

An individual who has been awarded Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) in the UK is permitted to stay in the country without any limitations on their duration of stay. This implies that someone with ILR can reside and work in the UK without facing restrictions on the length of their stay, commonly known as achieving settlement in the UK.

To be eligible for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) in the UK, individuals must meet specific criteria based on their current visa category:

• Applicants must ensure they do not encounter refusal under the general grounds for refusal. These grounds encompass factors that could, such as previous criminal convictions or an unfavourable immigration history. It is essential for applicants to be aware of and address these potential concerns to enhance the likelihood of a successful application.
• Applicants must satisfy the continuous residence requirement pertinent to their visa category; this entails maintaining continuous residence in the UK for a period of 5 years.
• Applicants are required to exhibit a sufficient level of proficiency in the English language, typically at the B1 level or higher.

British citizenship/neutralization

To apply for a British Passport, an individual must first undergo the process of naturalization as a British Citizen. The prevalent method for achieving naturalization is to hold Indefinite Leave to Remain status continuously for a period of 12 months.

• Indefinite Leave to remain (ILR)
• Indefinite leave to remain under the Eu settlement scheme
• Indefinite leave to enter the UK

UK Citizenship requirements:

Applying for British passport you need to provide the following documents;

• Passport: As part of the British citizenship application process, you must provide your current passport and any previous visas held, whether for the UK or other countries. It’s important to emphasize that only the original document of your passport is acceptable.
• Biometric Residence Permit: This document is issued by the Home Office for individuals staying in the UK for more than 6 months. The BRP includes comprehensive details such as immigration status, fingerprints, and a photograph. It is a mandatory requirement to possess a valid BRP when applying for British citizenship.
• National insurance number: If your National Insurance (NI) is not endorsed in your Biometric Residence Permit (BRP), it is necessary to apply for a National Insurance number. It’s important to note that you must be physically present in the UK to initiate the application process for a National Insurance number.
• Evidence of English Language:
  In order to meet the language proficiency requirements for the British citizenship application, you must furnish evidence demonstrating either the completion of a valid degree taught in English (or in the UK) or successful completion of one of the approved tests with a recognized test provider in the UK.

• Living history or previous employment: As part of the application process, you are required to furnish details about your prior employment and living circumstances. This encompasses information about both your past and present addresses. If you have spent time outside the country, you must provide the dates, duration, and the purpose of your visit.
• Two referees: you are required to furnish the names and personal details of two referees who can attest to your identity. It is crucial to select referees who are not relatives, migration agents, or employees of the Home Office. Consideration needs to be careful and necessary in choosing referees, as they are ineligible if they have had a criminal conviction within the last 10 years.

Processing time for British Citizenship:

• As a consulting firm specializing in immigration, we frequently field inquiries from individuals seeking British citizenship through naturalization.
• It is crucial to recognize that the naturalization process can be intricate and time-intensive, requiring strict adherence to all eligibility criteria before initiating an application.