UK Innovator Founder Visa for Indian Entrepreneurs

This is the UK's only visa route for founders who want to start a new business rather than take a job. It replaced the Start-up visa, which no longer accepts new applicants. Below are the eligibility rules, the full cost, the application steps from India and the alternatives worth comparing. Figures are as published on the official sources, checked on 15 October 2026. For every UK visa type, see our UK visa guide for Indian applicants.

What is the Innovator Founder visa?

GOV.UK lists Innovator Founder under work visas to start a business. It is for people setting up an innovative, viable and scalable new business in the UK that has been endorsed by an approved endorsing body. The endorsement is the gate: the visa application cannot succeed without it, and the endorsing body, not UK Visas and Immigration, judges the business idea.

The visa lets you stay for 3 years and can be extended, and settlement is possible after 3 years. Your endorsing body stays involved during that time through contact point meetings, at least two during your stay. The older Start-up visa is closed to new applicants; founders who would once have used it now use Innovator Founder.

Who can qualify?

• Business idea: new, innovative, viable and scalable, as assessed by an endorsing body.
• Endorsement: from an approved endorsing body, for which you pay an endorsement fee.
• English: you must meet the English language requirement. Check the level and accepted evidence on the GOV.UK guide before you book a test.
• Money: at least £1,270 held for 28 consecutive days.

The full rules are in the GOV.UK Innovator Founder visa guide. For an Indian founder, the 28-day rule usually means keeping the balance in your account, untouched, for a full four weeks before you apply, and showing it on a bank statement.

How much does it cost an Indian founder?

UKVI publishes these fees in GBP only, with no official rupee amount. A standard appointment at a free-to-use VFS centre costs nothing, and you can self-upload your documents for free. VFS sells optional services in rupees, for example Document Upload Assistance at INR 2,400 or a Prime Time Appointment at INR 5,950 in New Delhi, and states that they do not affect the decision.

How do you apply from India?

1. Secure an endorsement for your business from an approved endorsing body and pay its fee.
2. Build up at least £1,270 and keep it for 28 consecutive days.
3. Apply online on GOV.UK, pay the £1,357 fee and the healthcare surcharge, and note your GWF reference number.
4. Book a VFS appointment at any UK Visa Application Centre in India; there is no state-based jurisdiction. Centres include New Delhi, Gurugram, Chandigarh, Jaipur, Lucknow, Kolkata, Mumbai North, Mumbai South, Pune, Ahmedabad, Goa, Bengaluru, Chennai, Hyderabad, Kochi and Thiruvananthapuram.
5. Give fingerprints and a photograph at the centre. GOV.UK tells you at the start of the application if you can use the UK Immigration: ID Check app instead.
6. Your passport is returned at the appointment. If you are approved, you receive an eVisa, viewed in a free UKVI account.

How long does a decision take, and can you speed it up?

GOV.UK's standard decision time for work visas applied for from outside the UK is 3 weeks. Check the Innovator Founder page for any route-specific estimate before you plan your move. Most work visas can be applied for 3 months before your start date.

Two paid options exist where offered: Priority Visa at £500, usually within 5 working days for most applications, and Super Priority Visa at £1,000, usually by the end of the next working day after a weekday appointment. Both are offered at the New Delhi VFS centre, but availability depends on visa type and centre, so confirm they cover Innovator Founder before you pay. VFS does not give status updates while UKVI decides.

For context, Home Office data shows that 91% of work visa decisions for Indian nationals were grants in the year ending June 2026 (47,009 granted; 4,377 refused; 51,386 decisions, provisional). That figure covers all work routes, not Innovator Founder alone.

Is Innovator Founder the right route for you?

If you are not launching your own business, another route without a job offer may fit better:

Whichever route you take, the healthcare surcharge applies on top.

Mistakes Indian founders should avoid

• Applying for the visa before the endorsement is in place.
• Moving money out of the account during the 28-day period.
• Leaving the contact point meeting fees out of your budget: they are £500 each and part of the route, not optional extras.
• Paying an agent for a VFS service you can do yourself for free.

Yatra For Fun's India office in Gurugram prepares flight reservations, hotel bookings, itineraries and cover letters for short-visit visa files, for example if you travel to the UK first to meet endorsing bodies on a visitor visa, from INR 1,000 to INR 3,000. WhatsApp +91 95230 91018 or use our contact page.

Frequently asked questions

Can I still apply for the UK Start-up visa from India?

No. GOV.UK says the Start-up visa is closed and you can no longer apply. New founders use the Innovator Founder visa instead.

How much money do I need in my bank account for the Innovator Founder visa?

GOV.UK requires at least £1,270 held for 28 consecutive days. This is separate from the £1,357 visa fee, the £1,000 endorsement fee and the healthcare surcharge.

Where do Indians give biometrics for a UK Innovator Founder visa?

At any UK Visa Application Centre run by VFS Global in India, chosen when you book; there is no state-based jurisdiction. Standard appointments at free-to-use centres carry no VFS fee.

Can the Innovator Founder visa lead to settlement in the UK?

Yes. The visa is granted for 3 years, can be extended, and GOV.UK says settlement is possible after 3 years on the route.