Innovator Founder Visa UK: pathway to ILR and settlement
You can apply for indefinite leave to remain after 3 years as an Innovator Founder. Your endorsing body must confirm your business meets at least two of seven criteria, such as £50,000 invested and spent, customers doubled, £1 million revenue, or 10 jobs created for settled workers. You also need the Life in the UK test and to meet the continuous residence rules.
The Innovator Founder visa has one of the shortest routes to settlement in the UK: 3 years. But unlike most routes, settlement depends on how your business performs. Founders who plan for the settlement criteria from the start usually meet them. Those who find out about them in year three often don't.
The basic rule
The Immigration Rules say you must have spent at least 3 years in the UK with permission as an Innovator Founder. Your endorsing body must then confirm that your business has met at least two of seven criteria.
The seven criteria (you need two)
| # | Criterion |
|---|---|
| 1 | At least £50,000 has been invested into the business and actively spent furthering it |
| 2 | The number of customers has at least doubled within the most recent 3 years |
| 3 | The business has done significant research and development and applied for intellectual property protection in the UK |
| 4 | Minimum annual gross revenue of £1 million in the last full year covered by its accounts |
| 5 | Minimum annual gross revenue of £500,000 in the last full year, with at least £100,000 from exporting overseas |
| 6 | The business has created the equivalent of at least 10 full-time jobs for settled workers |
| 7 | The business has created the equivalent of at least 5 full-time jobs for settled workers, each with a mean salary of at least £25,000 a year |
"Settled workers" broadly means people who don't need a visa to work in the UK, such as British citizens and people with settled status. Check the exact definition in the rules before you plan hiring around it.
Which two are realistic?
It depends on the business. These pairs tend to be the most realistic:
- Investment plus customer growth. Common for early-stage software and service businesses. Keep clear records of what the £50,000 was spent on, and a customer count you can prove at two points in time.
- R&D plus investment. Suits deep-tech and life-science companies. An IP application in the UK and records of research spending.
- Jobs. Five jobs at a mean salary of at least £25,000 is achievable for a business that has raised money, but the jobs must be for settled workers, so plan hiring accordingly.
The £1 million revenue criterion is reachable for some businesses in three years, but we would rarely plan around it alone.
Pick your two target criteria in year one and keep evidence for them every month. Rebuilding three years of records at the end is where settlement applications fall apart.
The other requirements
- Knowledge of Life in the UK. You need to pass the Life in the UK test and meet the English requirement for settlement.
- Continuous residence. Time outside the UK is limited during the qualifying period. The general rule is no more than 180 days outside the UK in any 12-month period, with some exceptions. Plan long trips carefully.
- Contact point meetings. Keep up with your endorsing body. It's the body that has to confirm your business meets the criteria.
What if you don't meet two criteria after 3 years?
You can usually extend for another 3 years and apply to settle later, as long as your endorsing body continues to support you. There's no limit on the number of extensions. That buys time, but costs another fee and health surcharge.
A note on changes to settlement
The government has consulted on making 10 years the standard wait for settlement across most routes, with reductions for certain groups. Its published proposals say Innovator Founders with 3 years on the route should keep a 3-year path. Nothing is certain until the rules change, so check the current position before you rely on a date.
Planning backwards from settlement
When we help founders build their plan, we start with the settlement criteria. If the business can't realistically hit two of them in three years, it's better to know now. That might mean a larger funding round, an earlier hiring plan or protecting your IP sooner. See our Innovator Founder service for how we approach it.
Official sources
Checked on 29 September 2026. Fees and rules change, so confirm the current position on these pages before you pay or apply.
- GOV.UK: Innovator Founder visa overview and fees
- GOV.UK: Innovator Founder eligibility
- GOV.UK: Knowledge of English (B2)
- GOV.UK: Endorsing bodies for Innovator Founder and Scale-up
- GOV.UK: Immigration Rules, Appendix Innovator Founder
Common questions
When can an Innovator Founder apply for ILR?
After at least 3 years in the UK with Innovator Founder permission, if your endorsing body confirms the business meets at least two of the seven settlement criteria.
What are the Innovator Founder settlement criteria?
Two of: £50,000 invested and spent, customers doubled in 3 years, significant R&D plus a UK IP application, £1 million annual revenue, £500,000 revenue with £100,000 from exports, 10 full-time jobs for settled workers, or 5 full-time jobs at a mean salary of £25,000 or more.
Do I need the Life in the UK test for Innovator Founder settlement?
Yes. You must meet the Knowledge of Life in the UK requirement, which includes the Life in the UK test and English.
What if my business does not meet the criteria after 3 years?
You can usually extend for another 3 years if your endorsing body still supports you, and apply to settle once the business meets two criteria.
This guide is general information based on the official rules as they stood on 29 September 2026. It is not legal advice for your situation. Immigration rules and fees change, so check the official sources above or speak to us before you apply.
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