UK Innovator Founder Forum
An independent community for founders on the UK Innovator Founder visa — endorsement, applications, waiting times, contact point meetings, extensions and settlement.
Not legal advice. This forum is independent and is not affiliated with the Home Office, UK Visas and Immigration, or any endorsing body. Posts are members’ own accounts and are not verified. For advice on your own case, consult an OISC-regulated adviser or immigration solicitor.
The Innovator Founder Route
Endorsing Bodies & Endorsement
Choosing an endorsing body, fees, endorsement criteria, interviews and decisions.
16 topics
Latest: Help required for appeal
Business Plan & Innovation Criteria
Meeting the innovation, viability and scalability tests. Plan structure, market research and financials.
9 topics
Latest: Feedback on my fintech data idea
Initial Application
Entry clearance and switching in-country. Documents, English, maintenance funds, fees and IHS.
6 topics
Latest: How long does UKVI take to do bank checks?
Waiting Times & Decisions
Processing times, document requests, delays and complaints. Post your timeline so others can benchmark theirs.
4 topics
Latest: Home Office asked for clarifications
Contact Point Meetings
The 12 and 24 month checkpoints. What to prepare, what gets assessed, and what happens if you miss one.
1 topic
Latest: Preparing for your 12-month meeting
Extension Applications
Extending for a further 3 years. Continued endorsement, progress evidence and common refusal reasons.
1 topic
Latest: What evidence of progress is needed?
Settlement / ILR
Indefinite leave to remain after 3 years. Business criteria, continuous residence, Life in the UK and dependants.
4 topics
Latest: Settlement after 3 years
Forum
Announcements & Forum Rules
Forum announcements, posting rules and site news. Read before posting.
1 topic
Latest: Read this before posting
Introductions & General Discussion
Introduce yourself, share your timeline, and discuss anything else about founding a company in the UK.
6 topics
Latest: PSW — Innovator Founder or self-sponsorship?
Recent topics
- Innovator Founder processing times — member-reported trackerReal Innovator Founder endorsement, visa and ILR timelines reported by members with dates, alongside the official GOV.UK service standards. Updated monthly.
- Innovator Founder visa costs in 2026 — the full fee breakdownWhat the Innovator Founder visa actually costs in 2026: endorsement, contact point meetings, application fees, the health surcharge and the £1,270 funds requirement.
- On a Graduate visa with 1.8 years left — Innovator Founder or self-sponsorship?Graduate visa holder weighing the Innovator Founder route against setting up a company and sponsoring themselves before their leave runs out.
- Director identity verification keeps looping on GOV.UK — verifying from outside the UKStuck in a loop between the GOV.UK app and website trying to complete company director identity verification from outside the UK.
- How long do UKVI bank checks take on an Innovator Founder application?UKVI asked for statements from four banks across three countries — do they verify directly with the banks, and how much time does that add to a decision?
- Does UKVI always come back with questions on an Innovator Founder application?Applied via priority last Friday — do UKVI always come back with follow-up questions on an Innovator Founder application, or do some get approved outright?
- Looking for an Innovator Founder co-founder in Scotland after the visa rule changesJob search stalled after the visa rule changes — now looking at the Innovator Founder route, ideally with a co-founder based in Scotland.
- Building a digital learning platform for neurodivergent learners in UK schools — anyone else working in this space?Edtech founder building a digital learning platform for neurodivergent and SEN learners in UK schools, looking for others on the Innovator Founder route.
- Settlement after 3 years — the business criteria and how people are meeting themSettlement on the Innovator Founder route after 3 years: the business performance criteria, continuous residence, and the Life in the UK requirement.
- Extension applications — what evidence of progress is actually needed?Innovator Founder extension applications: the progress evidence endorsing bodies want at the 3-year mark, and where extensions most often go wrong.
Board information
9 boards · 48 topics. You do not need an account to reply — open any topic and post at the bottom of the page. New topics are opened by the moderators; if you want one started, use the Start a Topic page. Please read the forum rules first.
Start here
Reference threads kept up to date, for anyone new to the Innovator Founder route.
- Which endorsing body can endorse a new application in 2026
- What the Innovator Founder visa costs — the full fee breakdown
- Processing times — member-reported tracker
- Initial application checklist — documents, funds, English and fees
- What satisfies the innovation, viability and scalability tests
- Preparing for your 12-month contact point meeting
- Extension applications — what evidence is needed
- Settlement after 3 years — the business criteria
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UK Innovator Founder Forum 