The start-up visa route is intended for those starting a business for the first time in the UK. The start-up visa replaces the Tier 1 Graduate Entrepreneur route, however will not just be limited to recent graduates. Additionally, entrepreneurs will have double the amount of time (instead of one year, it will now be two years) to ensure their business is successful.
It’s imperative to ensure that the business is:
- Innovative
- Viable
- Scalable
Once the business has grown, the proposal is to allow applicants to progress to the innovator route from the initial start-up visa.
As always, it’s imperative that you can prove that you have (via assessment along with evidence):
- Command of the English language
- Funds for maintenance
- Credibility
Prior to this was the tier 1 (graduate entrepreneur) visa, which required graduate applicants to seek endorsement from a Higher Education Institution or the Department for International Trade. As mentioned above, graduates were under pressure to establish their business within one year.