Why you need an endorsing body
The Innovator Founder visa is not granted on a business plan alone. An approved endorsing body must first agree that your business is new, innovative, viable and scalable, and that you have the skills to run it. The visa then depends on keeping that endorsement. See the Innovator Founder visa.
The bodies that accept new applications
At the time of review, the Home Office lists these endorsing bodies as accepting new Innovator Founder applications:
| Body | Covers | Fees |
|---|---|---|
| UK Endorsing Services | Innovator Founder visas and Scale-up licences | £1,000 for the endorsement application; £500 for each mandatory contact meeting |
| Innovator International | Innovator Founder visas and Scale-up licences | £1,000; £500 for each mandatory contact meeting |
| Envestors Limited | Innovator Founder visas and Scale-up licences | £1,000; £500 for each mandatory contact meeting |
| The Global Entrepreneurs Programme (GEP) | Innovator Founder visas only; a government programme for tech-based entrepreneurs, run by the Department for Business and Trade | Not specified by the Home Office |
A larger group of “legacy” bodies, more than sixty organisations that endorsed under the earlier Innovator route, no longer accept new applications. They look after the migrants they have already endorsed.
How to choose
- Sector fit. Some bodies are stronger in certain sectors. Look at their track record and the businesses they have endorsed.
- The criteria. Each body publishes how it assesses applications. Read them and test your business plan against them.
- The cost. Fees are £1,000 to apply and £500 for each contact meeting, and there are at least two. Add the Home Office visa fee and the health surcharge. See our fees page.
- Timing. Endorsement can take weeks, and the endorsement letter is valid for a limited period, so plan the visa application around it.
What happens after endorsement
You apply for the visa with the endorsement letter. You then meet the body at set points, around 12 and 24 months, to show progress. If the body withdraws its endorsement because the business is not progressing, your visa can be curtailed.
How we help
We help you shape the business plan to the body’s criteria, prepare the evidence of your experience and your forecast, and manage the visa application and the check-ins that follow. Book a consultation below.
