Innovator Founder Visa Solicitors
If you want to set up and run an innovative business in the UK, our Solicitors, who have over 25 years of experience in UK immigration law, can help with your Innovator Founder Visa application.
The Innovator Founder Visa replaced the Innovator Visa in April 2023. Its requirements are set out in Appendix Innovator Founder of the Immigration Rules. The route is for people who want to establish and run an innovative, viable, and scalable business in the UK. It requires endorsement from a Home Office-approved endorsing body. Unlike the earlier Innovator Visa, the Innovator Founder route does not require a minimum personal investment. There is no salary requirement, and applicants are expected to work actively in their business.
At Law Lane Solicitors, we advise applicants on the Innovator Founder route from our offices in Stratford, Holborn, and Croydon. We advise on the endorsement application, the immigration application, and the requirements for extensions and settlement. We hold an accredited quality mark in Immigration and Asylum and are regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority.
Many applicants on this route have either developed a business idea already or are in the early stages of building one. The endorsing body assesses the business, not just the applicant. The case must demonstrate that the proposed business is genuinely innovative, that it is viable, and that it has the potential to scale. Presenting that case in the way the endorsing body expects takes careful preparation.
Our Innovator Founder Visa Legal Services
We advise on the following:
- Assessing whether the proposed business meets the innovation, viability, and scalability criteria for endorsement.
- Advising on the choice of endorsing body and the evidence each body expects to see.
- Structuring the endorsement application and business plan to present the proposal clearly.
- Advising on the immigration application following a successful endorsement.
- Advising on the English language requirement and financial maintenance requirement.
- Advising on co-founder arrangements and where more than one person is applying to run the same business.
- Advising on the endorsement review process where an initial endorsement application is unsuccessful.
- Advising on extensions under the Innovator Founder route, including the progress review conducted by the endorsing body.
- Advising on the conditions attached to leave and what work the applicant can and cannot do during the visa period.
- Advising on changes to the business after endorsement, including what changes must be reported and whether a new endorsement is required.
- Advising on settlement applications for applicants who meet the three-year criteria and the endorsing body progress requirements.
- Advising on dependant applications for the partner and children of an Innovator Founder visa holder.
Why Choose Law Lane Solicitors for Innovator Founder Visa Advice?
The endorsement application is the stage at which most Innovator Founder applications succeed or fail. Each endorsing body has its own assessment process and its own expectations about how the business case should be presented. A proposal that is not framed in the right way for the right body will not succeed, even if the underlying business idea is strong. We advise on the framing as well as the content.
The route also requires ongoing engagement with the endorsing body after the visa is granted. Extensions require a progress review. If the business has changed significantly since endorsement, that change needs to be managed carefully. We advise on the obligations that continue after the initial application is approved.
We are a regulated law firm. The advice we give is subject to the Solicitors Regulation Authority Code of Conduct and covered by professional indemnity insurance. We give honest assessments of the strength of an application before preparation begins.
Get in Touch
If you want to set up a business in the UK and are considering the Innovator Founder route, contact our immigration team today.
Book a consultation and receive honest advice on whether your business proposal is likely to succeed at endorsement.
Phone: 020 7870 4870
Email: info@lawlanesolicitors.co.uk

Law Lane Solicitors is proud to be accredited under The Law Society’s Immigration and Asylum Accreditation.
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“I would like to express my sincere appreciation for the outstanding service provided by Law Lane Solicitors Limited. The entire team is highly professional, knowledgeable, and dedicated to supporting their clients. In particular, I would like to thank Salman Shah and Mariya Hussain for their exceptional work. I had six very complicated immigration cases, and throughout the process they handled everything with great professionalism, expertise, and care. Salman Shah and his team worked diligently on each case, always providing clear guidance and support. Thanks to their hard work and commitment, all of our cases were successfully approved. I highly recommend Law Lane Solicitors Limited to anyone seeking reliable and professional immigration legal services.“ – T on Trustpilot (March ’26)
Frequently Asked Questions – Innovator Founder Visa
Who can apply for an Innovator Founder Visa?
The route is for people aged 18 or over who want to establish and run an innovative, viable, and scalable business in the UK. Applicants must obtain endorsement from a Home Office-approved endorsing body. There is no minimum investment requirement, but the applicant must be able to show that the business idea meets the endorsement criteria.
What does endorsement involve?
Endorsement is the process by which a Home Office-approved endorsing body assesses the applicant’s business proposal and decides whether it meets the innovation, viability, and scalability criteria. Each endorsing body has its own assessment process and its own sector focus. The endorsing body’s decision is not subject to appeal.
Is there a minimum investment requirement?
No. The Innovator Founder Visa does not require the applicant to hold a minimum level of personal investment, unlike the earlier Innovator Visa. However, the business plan must demonstrate that the business is viable and can operate with the resources available to it.
Can two people apply for an Innovator Founder Visa to run the same business?
Yes, co-founders can both apply for an Innovator Founder Visa to run the same business, provided each is endorsed in their own right and each meets the immigration requirements individually. Each co-founder submits a separate endorsement application and a separate immigration application.
What happens if the endorsement application is refused?
A refusal of endorsement can be reviewed through the endorsing body’s internal review process, where one is available. A fresh application to a different endorsing body may be possible where the business proposal fits a different sector focus. We advise on the most appropriate response based on the reasons given for the refusal.
What financial requirement applies?
Applicants must show they hold at least £1,270 in funds. Those funds must have been held for a continuous period of 28 days immediately before the date of application. Applicants who have been in the UK for 12 months or more are exempt from the financial requirement.
What English language evidence is needed?
Applicants must demonstrate English at level B2 or above. This can be shown through an approved secure English language test, a degree taught in English, or citizenship of a majority English-speaking country. We confirm which evidence is appropriate for each applicant before submission.
Can I switch to the Innovator Founder route from inside the UK?
Yes, applicants on certain other routes can switch to the Innovator Founder route without leaving the UK, provided they meet the eligibility requirements. We advise on whether a switch is possible based on the applicant’s current leave.
What happens at the extension stage?
An extension application requires the endorsing body to carry out a progress review of the business. The review assesses whether reasonable progress has been made since the initial endorsement. If the endorsing body is not satisfied with progress, it may decline to re-endorse the applicant, which will affect the extension application.
Can I change my business after I receive the visa?
Some changes to the business, such as a change in the business model or the sector in which the business operates, may require a new endorsement. Minor operational changes generally do not. We advise on whether a proposed change requires reporting or a new endorsement application before the change is made.
Does the Innovator Founder route lead to settlement?
Yes. An applicant who has been on the Innovator Founder route for three years and who satisfies the endorsing body’s settlement criteria may apply for indefinite leave to remain. The endorsing body must confirm that the business has made a significant contribution and that it meets the prescribed settlement conditions.
How much does an initial consultation cost?
We offer a fixed-fee initial consultation. At that meeting, we review the business proposal, advise on whether it is likely to meet the endorsement criteria, and set out the cost of preparing the endorsement and immigration applications. Please call or email to arrange a time.
Get in Touch
Whether you are applying for the first time, extending your leave, or dealing with a problem mid-course, our immigration team is ready to help.
Phone: 020 7870 4870
Email: info@lawlanesolicitors.co.uk
Book a consultation with our immigration team and start your studies in the UK with your immigration status in order.
Immigration Team
Tahir Shahab Khan
Supervising Director, Solicitor AdvocateView Profile | ContactBook Appointment
Salman Shah
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Sikandar Ali Jatoi
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Ahmed Syed
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