Startup Visa

Our program is approved by the UK government home office. All the information can be found at the following link: https://www.gov.uk/start-up-visa Some of most frequently asked questions:

Who can apply?

You can apply for a Start-up visa if:

You want to set up a new business in the UK
You are from outside the European Economic Area (EEA) and Switzerland
You meet the other eligibility requirements

In order to apply for this programme, you must be endorsed by an authorised body that is either:
• A UK higher education institution
• A business organisation with a history of supporting UK entrepreneurs

You must be able to show that your business idea is:
• A new idea – You cannot join or invest in an established business.
• Innovative – You must have an original business idea that’s unique from anything else in the marketplace.
• Viable – Your business idea must have the potential for growth.

How Long Does It Take to Get a Visa?

You can apply 3 months before your planned travel date.

What Are the Application Fees?

The cost for a start-up visa depends on a few variables such as where you live, whether dependents will be joining you and other personal information.
Applying for yourself:
• Outside the UK £363
• Switch (in the UK) £493
• All dependents cost £363 each or £493 for those switching
• For those who are citizens of Turkey or Macedonia, the outside UK fee will be £308 and the switch fee (in the UK) will be £438.

Healthcare Surcharge

A healthcare surcharge is assessed for each applicant, but this charge varies. The exact fees for healthcare can be found on the UK government website. Check your healthcare surcharge fees here.

How Long Can You Stay?

With a start-up visa, you are allowed to stay in the UK for 2 years.
You cannot extend this visa, but you may be able to switch to a Tier 1 (Entrepreneur) visa under certain circumstances.
If you’ve completed your second year on a Graduate Entrepreneur Tier 1 visa, you may be able to extend your start-up visa. If you have switched from a Graduate Tier 1 visa for your second year, you may also qualify.

What If My Endorsement is Withdrawn?

If your endorsement is withdrawn for some reason, then your start-up visa may be cut short. In order to stay longer, it will be necessary to re-apply with a new endorsement. This must be done before your current visa expires. Even if this happens, you are still not allowed to remain in the UK for more than 2 years total.

Miscellaneous Rules That Apply

You can switch to this visa from a few other visa categories. You can also bring family members with you but there is a charge for each one. You can work at another job while still maintaining the operations of your business.
You are not allowed to obtain public funds. You cannot work as a dentist or doctor in training. You cannot work as a coach in any professional sports organisation.

Eligibility Requirements

You must:

• Have a viable business idea that has been approved by an acceptable body
• Be 18 years old or older
• Have enough money to sustain your lifestyle during your 2 year stint

• Be able to meet the English language requirements

English Knowledge Requirements

You may be asked to provide proof of your knowledge of the English language at the time of your application. There are certain countries of origin where this is not required. Please check the UK government’s start-up visa website for a full list of those.

If you do need to prove knowledge of English, this can be accomplished by:

• You must pass an approved English language test with a minimum of a CEFR Level B2 in speaking, writing, reading and listening.
• If you have an academic degree in English that is recognized by the UK NARIC, this will be accepted as proof. A degree that is equivalent to a Bachelor’s degree, Master’s degree or PhD from the UK is acceptable.

Note: If you’ve already proved your knowledge of English to be that of B2 or higher in an earlier application, then you will not need to prove it again.

What Documents Do You Need to Provide?

There are a variety of documents that you must provide in order to be approved for a start-up visa. These include:

• A current passport or other valid travel ID
• Proof of knowledge of English language
• A tuberculosis test if you are from a country that requires this
• Bank statements showing that you’ve had at least £945 in savings for the 90 days prior to your application
• Certified translation of any documents that are not in English
• A blank page in your Passport on which to put the visa

Note that you may be required to provide other documents based on your individual circumstances.

Eligibility Requirements for Those Switching Visas

You may be able to switch to the start-up visa if you’re already in the UK on another type of visa. You must meet all eligibility requirements.

• You’re in the UK on a Tier 1 or Graduate Entrepreneur visa
• You have any Tier 2 visa
• You have a Tier 4 (general) student visa
• You have a standard visitor’s visa-you must obtain a supporting letter from an endorsing body to prove you have funding

Note: When switching from a Tier 1 (Graduate Entrepreneur) visa, it is not necessary to prove that your business idea is original and has a potential for growth.

Family Members

You can bring family members with you but they must have their own visa if they live outside the European Ecomonic Area (EEA) or Switzerland. A dependent is defined as any of the following:

• A spouse or partner
• A child under the age of 18

Please read the guidance information on the UK government website concerning dependants before making application.

Savings

Each applicant must have the required £945 to support themselves. For each dependent, they must also have £360 for support. This is required in order to prove that you can support yourself and your dependents while in the UK.
It’s necessary to show that this money is in your bank account and has been there for at least 90 days prior to your travel date.