Important update: The UK Start Up and Innovator visa routes closed to new applicants on 13 April 2023 and were replaced by the Innovator Founder visa. The information below describes the Start Up route and is kept for reference only.
The UK Start Up visa was aimed at ambitious entrepreneurs looking to set up their first business in the UK. Replacing the Tier 1 (Graduate Entrepreneur) visa, the Start Up route was open to both graduates and non-graduates, and no initial funding was needed to be eligible.
The UK Start Up Visa opened to new applications on 29th March 2019 and closed to new applications on 13 April 2023. Aimed at aspiring and ambitious non-EEA national entrepreneurs looking to set up business in the UK, the new route will see applicants and their business ideas vetted by an approved industry body against set criteria, with no requirement to have initial capital investment.
What was the UK Start Up Visa? (historical)
The Start Up Visa offered an excellent opportunity for entrepreneurs to start their career by pursuing a business idea in Britain that would bring wider benefit to the UK economy.
The visa was available for a maximum of two years (also closed in April 2023), after which point the visa holder would either have had to apply to switch to another visa category, such as the Innovator visa, where they could continue to develop their business.
The visa was only open to applicants who had secured endorsement from an approved UK government endorsing body (historical list below — links no longer maintained).
Duration of Start Up Visa:
The Start up visa was issued for a maximum of two years. It was not extendable; however, it could be converted into the Innovator visa for business development. The Innovator visa was issued for three years. (Both routes closed to new applicants on 13 April 2023.)
What the visa allowed (historical)
Holders could:
- bring family members with you
- switch to this visa from some other visa categories
- work in another job, as well as working for your business
Holders could not:
- get public funds
- work as a doctor or dentist in training
- work as a professional sportsperson, for example a sports coach
- settle in the UK on this visa
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Eligibility for the Start Up visa (historical):
Before applying, applicants had to have their business or business idea assessed by an approved body. The body would provide them with an endorsement letter if the business was viable.
You must also:
- be at least 18 years old
- meet the English language requirement
- be able to prove that you have enough personal savings to support yourself while you’re in the UK (You need to have had at least £945 in your bank account for 90 consecutive days before you apply)
English language ability (historical):
Applicants had to prove their knowledge of English when they applied.
Knowledge of English could be proved by either:
- passing an approved English language test with at least CEFR level B2 in reading, writing, speaking and listening. Generally Ielts from 5.5 to 6.5 bands can be an equivalent to CEFR level B2.
- having an academic qualification that was taught in English and is recognized by UK NARIC (now Ecctis) as being equivalent to a UK bachelor’s degree, master’s degree or PhD
Applicants did not need to prove their knowledge of English if they had already proved it as part of an earlier successful visa application.
English language exemptions (historical):
Nationals of the following countries did not need to prove their knowledge of English:
- Antigua and Barbuda
- Australia
- the Bahamas
- Barbados
- Belize
- Canada
- Dominica
- Grenada
- Guyana
- Jamaica
- New Zealand
- St Kitts and Nevis
- St Lucia
- St Vincent and the Grenadines
- Trinidad and Tobago
- USA
How to apply for the Start Up Visa (historical process)
Before the route closed, applicants first had to prepare a business plan and send their business idea to an authorized Higher Education Institution or Business Organization listed by the UK Government. Once endorsement was secured, applicants applied for the UK Start Up Visa online at the official UK Visa Application Portal, filled in the online visa application form, paid the fee, and booked an appointment at a Visa application center like VFS Global to submit required documents.
Visa processing time (historical):
Once a visa application had been submitted online and at a visa application centre, a decision was usually made within three weeks.
Visa Fees (historical — these routes are now closed):
Historically, 363 Pounds if you applied from outside the UK.
Historically, 493 Pounds if you applied inside the UK for visa conversion.
Historically, 363 Pounds for each dependent outside the UK.
Historically, 493 Pounds for each dependent inside the UK.
Endorsing bodies for the Start Up visa were published in a 2019 snapshot of UK government guidance (business endorsing bodies and higher education institutions). That list is no longer maintained — some of its links, such as the Tech Nation directory page, are now dead. Readers should consult archived versions of the official GOV.UK guidance for the historical list.
The routes above are closed. For the current UK entrepreneur route, see the Innovator Founder visa on GOV.UK. (Historical reference: UK Government page for the closed Start-up visa.)