JMW Solicitors does not offer services related to finding employment in the UK. If you are looking to speak to a solicitor about any legal matters concerning an immigration application, contact us today.
INNOVATOR VISA SOLICITORS
The Innovator Visa is designed for business professionals who have an original and innovative business, and want to bring it to fruition in the UK. The visa - which has replaced the previous Tier 1 Entrepreneur Visa - provides an exciting opportunity to set up a business in the UK with little-to-no initial investment. The application process does not only demand legal knowledge, but also a combination of highly specialised technical expertise with a creative world-smart approach.
JMW Solicitors is one of a handful of firms that have truly mastered Innovator Visa applications. We have proven experience in successfully handling these applications with a complete solution. Our team will be able to help you by offering expert advice and guidance throughout the entire process. We will explain each aspect to you, recommend methods to provide evidence, and analyse your situation from an angle that you would not be able to access without the help from immigration law experts.
To speak to a member of the immigration team about applying for an innovator visa, contact us by calling 0345 872 6666, or fill in our online enquiry form and we will get back to you. If you’re looking to start up a business in the UK, the start-up visa may be better suited to your needs.
How JMW Can Help
Our team of experienced solicitors will hold an initial no-obligation consultation with you in order to discuss how we may assist you in translating your innovative idea into a strong pitch, detailing core aspects of your business model. The 30-minute consultation will also help to determine the business concept and gauge whether you have the potential to make an application under the Innovator Visa category and advise accordingly.
We will then ‘stress test’ your business concept, which involves a deep dive into your idea to focus on and strengthen the innovative and business elements. We will do this to meet the criteria set by the Home Office and an endorsing body, which you will also need to appeal to.
The resulting information, which will be compiled into a critical synopsis, will then be presented to the endorsing body for feedback in order to determine whether your idea is likely to receive endorsement or not. This is a service unique to JMW, which is just one of the reasons we have become one of the few law firms in the UK to successfully complete numerous applications for innovators.
Once positive feedback on the business concept has been received from the relevant Home Office endorsement body, we will continue to work closely with you and the endorsing body to gain the required endorsement. You may need to make a formal pitch of your business concept or present a more detailed business plan.
The final stage of the Innovator Visa application process, following endorsement, will be to prepare and present your visa application in order to be granted leave as an innovator.
We will take your application in stages to manage expectations and fees. We would then only move to the next stage of the application process once the previous stage has been successfully completed.
What is an Innovator Visa?
Contrary to the misconception that this visa route is reserved for technological innovators, it does, in fact, encompass almost all areas of innovation. The crux of the application is to have a sound innovative idea that is viable and scalable, and has been approved by a Home Office endorsing body.
Currently, to successfully apply for an Innovator Visa, you are required to:
- Demonstrate that your business idea is innovative
- Prove you are an experienced entrepreneur
- Be in possession of at least £50,000
There is also an English-language requirement at CEFR level B2 that needs to be met, as well as a maintenance requirement.
Innovator Visas last for three years and can be extended any number of times. An Innovator Visa will enable you to launch your business in the UK and permits you to invest in either new or existing businesses. It will also provide a route to settlement for you and your family after three years on the proviso that the necessary legal requirements are met.
What Are the New Innovator Visa Rules?
The government has announced that they are planning to make changes to the Innovator Visa, but has not stated when exactly these will be implemented. However, it is important to be aware that the new rules will be due to the fact that immigration law is constantly changing - if you are planning to apply for an Innovator Visa in the future, the new rules may be enacted before you get a chance.
The planned updates are as follows:
- The eligibility criteria for businesses will be simplified; applicants will be required to demonstrate that their planned venture has a high potential for growth, will add value to the UK, and is innovative.
- A ‘lighter touch’ endorsement process will be introduced for applicants whose business ideas are particularly advanced. This is to streamline the process where an obvious acceptance may be present, in line with the ‘best-in-class’ innovator businesses.
- International applicants who have been accepted onto the Department of International Trade’s Global Entrepreneur Programme will be automatically eligible.
- It will no longer be a requirement that a business has at least £50,000 in investment funds where the endorsing body is satisfied that the applicant has sufficient funds to grow their business.
- The restriction stating that applicants can not complete work outside their primary business will be removed.
These changes are all welcome, making the process more accessible to a wider range of businesses, and relaxing the rules when working with an Innovator Visa.
As well as helping you through the process of applying for the visa, our team will assess whether you will need to consider these new rules, based on the timeframe that your application may be resolved. If our team thinks these new rules could affect or benefit you, we will suggest ways to gear your application towards them.
Why Choose JMW?
Recognised by the Legal 500 as a top law firm, we have had a large number of successes in the immigration sector. Our solicitors’ dedication to helping people enter the UK for a variety of reasons has helped us to become one of the top law firms in the country.
Our team handles each case with the utmost respect and professionalism, and we pride ourselves on our ability to work efficiently without sacrificing care and quality. Legal cases can be extremely stressful and financially draining for those involved, and we understand this. We will break down applications and documentation, explaining each part to you in easy-to-understand terms, and making suggestions along the way that you may not have thought of.
See our accreditations page for more examples of the positive experiences our clients have had when working with us.
FAQs
What are the criteria for settlement through the innovator visa?
The Innovator Visa leads to settlement after three years; however, you must meet certain milestones set by your endorsing body and report your achievements and results.
In order to qualify for settlement in addition to the general requirements, you would need to demonstrate that you continue to be endorsed by the relevant body and take a key role in the day-to-day management of the business, have registered your business with Companies House (or listed yourself as a director or member of an existing business) and have met certain milestones.
The milestones that are required to be met for settlement are detailed - here is an overview:
- You have made the required minimum investment of £50,000
- You have created at least 10 full-time jobs (or five, depending on salary amount)
- You have a proven increase in customers
- You had annual gross revenue of £1 million in the last financial year
Further to obtaining indefinite leave to remain in the UK, you would be permitted to apply for British citizenship further to having held indefinite leave to remain status for 12 months, and total residency in the UK of five years.
What fee structure can JMW offer for innovator applicants that would offer a high-quality service, as well as the best value of their money?
At JMW, we operate a client-focused approach where your interests come first. Thus transparency for all parties in all matters, including professional fees is central to our ethos. There are no surprise or hidden fees since we operate in a fixed fee structure and spell out the scope of our work prior to engagement.
For innovator clients, we offer a staged fixed fee structure so that our fees are fully transparent and you are only liable to pay fees for the next stage of the process upon a successful outcome in the previous stage.
Following a free no-obligation consultation to determine whether you have an innovative concept, our fees are broken into three stages:
- Stage 1: Business concept and synopsis
- Stage 2: The endorsement stage, which will include pitching your business concept and providing a more detailed business plan
- Stage 3: The visa application stage
Can you help if I have an innovative business idea but I have yet to crystallise this into a business concept?
As part of our stage one process, we offer two options, each of which attracts a different fee:
Option A:
This is for the applicant who has a business concept in mind and has already conducted research, facts and figures. We will work on the concept to crystallise core elements and formulate a detailed synopsis. The synopsis will be used to gauge interest from the endorsing body and where interest is expressed we then move to stage two.
Option B:
This is for the applicant who has a business concept in mind but may not have conducted any research. We would spend greater time working in more detail on the concept and the ‘stress test’ to crystallise core elements meeting the criteria to formulate a detailed synopsis. The synopsis will be used to gauge interest from the endorsing body and where interest is expressed we then move to stage two.
Will I be interviewed or required to pitch my business concert to a Home Office endorsing body?
As part of the endorsement process, certain endorsing bodies may wish you to pitch your business concept either in person or via a video conference. While you may be able to talk about your business concept for hours, condensing your concept into a 15-minute presentation and conveying all relevant information is an art in which we are extremely experienced.
Can I form a team with other innovator applicants?
Yes, you can form a team with other innovator applicants but you cannot share the same investment funds. Your team must have £50,000 for each innovator applicant. Thus, if you have two innovator applicants, your team must have £100,000 to invest. The Home Office will also consider the experience and credibility of each team member when assessing the application.
Can I change my business concept once I have been granted an innovator visa?
The Home Office recognises that many new businesses fail and this is not necessarily an indication that you did not have a strong business idea. There is no limit to the number of times that an applicant can be endorsed for an Innovator Visa. However, each time you will need to present a new business idea to a Home Office-approved endorsing body and show that you have £50,000 funding available.
Am I able to include dependent family members on my application for an innovator visa?
It is possible to include your spouse and any children under the age of 18 years old as your family members. They will be given leave to enter/remain in the UK in line with any that is granted to the applicant.
Can I switch to an innovator visa from within the UK?
Yes, you would be permitted to switch to an Innovator Visa from within the UK if you have previously been granted leave under the start-up category or Tier 1 (Graduate Entrepreneur) category. It is also possible to switch if you hold valid leave to remain under any Tier 2 category or as a Tier 1 (Entrepreneur) migrant.
In addition, if you came to the UK as a visitor in order to secure funding and had a supporting letter from an endorsing body, you would also be permitted to switch your visa from within the UK.
Talk to Us
If you are looking to make an application for an Innovator Visa, contact JMW Solicitors’ immigration team today by calling 0345 872 6666. Alternatively, fill in our online enquiry form and we will get back to you.