ILR Innovator Founder: Settle After 3 Years
Enter the day your Innovator Founder or Innovator visa started to see when your three years end.
Put in the date and you will see the day you can apply.
After spending three years in the UK on an Innovator Founder visa, the older Innovator visa, or a mix of both, most people can put in an ILR application. ILR stands for indefinite leave to remain, which gives you the right to stay in the UK without any time limit. Your business also has to be approved a second time, and there are several other conditions to meet.
Time That Counts Towards Innovator Founder Settlement
The three years only build up while you hold an Innovator Founder or Innovator visa. Time under a different visa type does not count, even when you changed over to this route without leaving the UK.
You may send in your application as early as 28 days before your three years are complete. Applying a little early is allowed, but check the date carefully so you don't apply too soon.
The Settlement Endorsement You Need First
You need a settlement endorsement before applying. This takes the form of a letter from an approved body that has reviewed your business. The business has to hit at least two of the goals in this table.
Some of these goals mention full-time-equivalent jobs. That means full-time positions, or part-time positions with hours that total the same as full-time work.
| Area of your business | What your business has to achieve |
|---|---|
| Money invested | £50,000 or more of investment spent on developing the business |
| Overall turnover | £1 million of turnover across the most recent full year of accounts |
| Turnover and exports | £500,000 in turnover, of which £100,000 comes from exports |
| Jobs created | 10 full-time-equivalent roles, held for 12 months |
| Better-paid roles | 5 full-time-equivalent roles, held for 12 months, paying £25,000 on average |
| Growing your customer base | Twice as many customers over three years, with growth above the average for similar businesses |
| Protecting your ideas | An application for intellectual property protection in the UK |
Each of these goals comes straight from the official endorsement guidance.
Once the letter arrives, you have three months to apply. It is worth thinking through the dates so the letter has not expired by the time you qualify.
Time Spent Abroad During Your Three Years
Across your three years, the limit is 180 days outside the UK within any 12-month window. That counts for any rolling 12-month stretch, not just per calendar year. Keeping a simple log of your travel dates helps you stay on top of this.
Life in the UK Test
Anyone aged between 18 and 64 has to pass the Life in the UK Test ahead of applying.
Cost of Applying
It costs £3,226 for each person, so a couple applying together pays for two.
Could the Qualifying Period Change?
Proposed reforms to settlement, described by the government as earned settlement, are on the table. The proposals would leave the Innovator Founder and Global Talent routes with a qualifying period of about three years. For now these remain proposals and have not become the rules.