A Guide to Applying for the Innovator Visa from South Africa

What are the Innovator Visa requirements?

To be eligible, you must meet the following requirements:

• Be at least 18 years of age
• Have at least £50,000 to invest in your business idea
• Be able to prove your English language proficiency
• Have endorsement from a external body
• Create a business plan
• Meet certain financial requirements

Your business idea 

The Home Office are interested in three main criteria for a business ideas under the Innovator Visa:

• New – you cannot join a business that is already trading
• Innovative – does the idea differ from anything else currently on the market
• Viable – do you have the required skills to make the idea grow and provide scalability

The Innovator visa is designed for start up visa, for people with considerable capital to invest, and likely those who have quite a lot of business experience already.

£50,000 of investment funds

The applicant must show they have £50,000 of capital ready to invest. This is true for each applicant if you are applying as part of a team of innovators. You cannot share the £50,000 investment funds.

According to the immigration rules, you must be able to evidence the availability of the investment or that it has already been invested into your business in one of the following ways:

• Confirmation from the endorsing body that they are providing some or all of the investment
• Or confirmation from the endorsing body that they understand it is coming from another source (this can include the applicant)
• Evidence that £50,000 has already been invested in the business
• Or be able to show proof that the investment is coming from an external source

If the funds are being provided by the endorsement body, they must be confirmed in their endorsement letter.

If they are being provided by an external organisation of any kind, a confirmation along with the details of the business, investment amount and contact details for a company representative to verify this fact, if requested, to the Home Office.

If the investment is held by the applicant, you must provide:

• Bank statements to show the funds are held by a regulated financial institution (if the UK does not recognise the institution your application will not be accepted)
• Evidence you have held the funds for at least three months
• A letter of confirmation from the bank that holds the funds

If any of the money has already gone into the business as an investment, you must be able to show bank statements and evidence to confirm this.

Getting your business idea endorsed 

Where you are applying with a new business idea, you must obtain a letter of endorsement from a body approved by the Home Office. You will require a business plan which shows:

• You have generated or made a large contribution to the ideas
• The applicant will have a day-to-day role in the operations of the business, and
• You are the sole founder or part of a founding team of ‘innovators’
• Realistic and achievable goals based on costings and budget

Endorsing bodies will only endorse the idea if it adequately meets these criteria. Bodies can work across multiple sectors or just one. Consult this list of approved bodies to check which one you should contact.

English language requirement

You’ll need to prove your level of English when you apply, unless you have already done so for a different visa application. If you have, you will need to provide this evidence uk visa application.

Otherwise, you will need to prove English at a B2 level. This classes you as an “independent user”, meaning you can “understand the main ideas of a complex text…including technical discussions in his or her field of specialisation.” You should also be able to interact with native English speakers “without strain for either party.” For the Innovator+ visa category, this is an important aspect as you will be expected to have heavy involvement day-to-day in the management of your business.

To do this, you will be required to take a Secure English Language Test (SELT) at a registered centre or online to approve your writing, reading, speaking, and listening skills. You can book to take a SELT either inside or outside the UK here.

Showing you studied GCSE’s, A-Levels or their equivalents at a UK school before you were 18 will also prove your English to the required level. Furthermore, if you studied a degree in English in the UK or at an institution overseas, this will usually fulfill the language requirement.

Personal savings/financial requirement 

If you are applying for the visa for entry into the UK, or have been in the UK for less than a year when you apply for student visa, you will need to show that you have the financial means to support yourself on the Innovator visa. This means covering your living costs for yourself and your dependents when you move.

You will need to show you have £1,270 in your bank account for at least 28 consecutive days before you apply. This money cannot come from investment funds.

Documents you’ll need to apply

As well as your letter from your endorsing body, and any evidence to prove your endorsement and investment funds, you will also need other documents to support your application. These are as follows:

• A valid passport or another identity document
• Bank statements
• Your Secure English Language Test result or other evidence from your studies that prove your English language level
• Evidence of a tuberculosis test

If any of your documents are not in English or Welsh you will need to pay an additional fee to get them translated.

Depending on your circumstances you might also need additional documents to send to the Home Office with your application, as the above is a non-exhaustive list.

Visas for partners and children (dependants) 

Your partner and any dependant children that you want to bring with you should also apply online for their own visa as your dependants. If they are eligible and successful, their visas will start on the same date as yours.

Your partner must be married or in a civil partnership with you, or be able to prove you have been living together for at least two years.

Any children who are 16 or over must live with you unless they are in full-time education, and be financially supported by you. With their application, they must provide two documents to prove their address.

For dependants, you will need extra money available to support yourself when in the UK. For a partner, you must show you have at least £285, for your first child £315 and £200 for each additional child.

Costs 

Fees differ depending on each individual situation. For you (the applicant) applying from South Africa or anywhere outside the UK, visa fee for the Innovator visa application costs £1,357. For your partner and child, it also costs £1,357 each.

You will also have to pay the Immigration Health Surcharge every year you are in the UK.

Do You Need Immigration Advice?

If you are an entrepreneur looking to start a business in the UK, our highly experienced immigration lawyers are here to offer you all the support you may need.

Call our friendly team now on 0333 305 9375 to find out more.