Start-up visa
Key Facts
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* No funding required
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* You do not need to be a Graduate
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* 2years non-extendable visa: To reach ILR you will probably have to move to an Innovator visa
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Start-up visa
The UK Start-up visa is for individuals wanting to set up their first business in the UK. It replaces the old Tier 1 Graduate Entrepreneur visa. The start-up visa is not open to anyone that has previously established a business in the UK, unless they are switching from the Tier 1 (Graduate Entrepreneur) category. Unlike the Graduate Entrepreneur visa, the Start-up visa does not require you to have a degree or to have £50,000 to invest. But it does require you to demonstrate high potential, and to be endorsed by one of the listed Endorsing Bodies.
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https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/endorsing-bodies-start-up/start-up
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The endorsing bodies include universities, who generally only endorse their own graduates, and incubator/Venture Capital funds who generally only endorse companies in which they have an equity stake.
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The application process for the Start-up visa is in two stages.
Stage 1: Apply to an Endorsing Body & get endorsed.
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Stage 2: Apply for the visa, within 3 months of receiving the endorsement.
To get endorsed, you will need a business plan, and probably also a good presentation that pitches your idea, and shows why it is viable, innovative and scalable,
We can help with both stages of the process.