Formal requirements
The UK does not offer a golden visa.
For entrepreneurs seeking to establish a business in the UK, the primary route for doing so is via the Innovator Founder route:
1. Entrepreneurs – Innovator Founder route
- For individuals seeking to establish a business in the UK. The business must be new (not already trading), innovative (different from anything else on the market), viable (with potential for growth) and scalable (you must give evidence of planning that includes creating jobs and growing into national and international markets).
- To be eligible, the following requirements must apply:
(a) Endorsement: the individual must obtain an endorsement from one of the Home Office approved bodies;
(b) Role: the individual must have a key role in the day-to-day role management and development of the business;
(c) English language skills; the individual must:
(i) provide evidence that they are a citizen of a majority speaking English country;
(ii) pass an English language test (level B2 or higher of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR);
(iii) hold a UK bachelor’s degree or higher (or foreign equivalent); or
(iv) have received previous permission as a migrant in a qualifying category.
(d) Maintenance: the individual must provide evidence of at least £1,270 of personal funds held for a minimum of 28 consecutive days (further requirements apply for dependents);
(e) Age: the individual must by aged 18 or older at the time of the application’s decision.
You can stay for three years if you come to the UK on an Innovator Founder visa and this can be extended for periods of 3 years. You may be able to apply for settlement once you have been in the UK for 3 years.
Home Office fees are £1,191 per person if you apply outside the UK and £1,486 per person if you apply to extend or switch your visa in the UK.
Other unsponsored routes available:
2. Global Talent route
- For exceptionally talented and promising individuals, who are currently leaders in the fields of science, engineering, humanities, medicine, digital technology, arts and culture, academia or research and wish to work in the UK.
- You can usually only apply for a Global Talent Visa to work in the UK if you have successfully applied for an endorsement to prove that you are a leader or potential leader.
- You can apply for the Visa without an endorsement if you have won an eligible award.
- Home office fees are £716.
3. High Potential Individual route
- For individuals who do not have a job offer but are graduates from top global universities who wish to work in the UK. Although you can work in most jobs and also be self-employed, with this visa you cannot apply to settle permanently in the UK or extend it.
- A High Potential Individual Visa gives you permission to stay in the UK for at least 2 years. To apply you must have been awarded a qualification by an eligible university in the last 5 years.
- Applicants must also demonstrate that they can read, write, speak and understand English to at least level B1 of the CEFR scale.
- Those holding Bachelor or Masters’ qualifications from a qualifying university will be granted permission for two years while those holding the equivalent of a UK PhD will be granted permission for three years.
- Home Office application fee is £822 however there are also additional fees payable to check your qualification and a healthcare surcharge (usually £1,035 for each year you will be in the UK).
Link to the UK Government Visa information page Work in the UK - GOV.UK