uk visa business plan

• 02074940118
• [email protected]

Innovator Founder Visa Business Plan

Anne morris.

• 25 March 2024

IN THIS SECTION

The innovator founder visa is a new immigration route that opened to applicants on 13 April 2023. This replaces the previous innovator and start-up visas, and is now the primary visa category for overseas entrepreneurs looking to set up an innovative business in the UK.

However, even though this route introduces several favourable changes to attract foreign entrepreneurial talent to the UK — including removal of the requirement to invest a minimum of £50,000 and relaxation of the secondary employment rules — any new business venture must still be endorsed by an approved body. This means that all applicants seeking endorsement under the ‘new business’ criteria on the innovator founder route, must produce a detailed and persuasive business plan to demonstrate to the endorsing body that the idea for their proposed UK business is innovative, viable and scalable.

Below we provide some practical guidance on how to write an innovator founder visa business plan, one that will provide the applicant with the best possible chance of successfully securing an endorsement so that they can go on to apply for a visa.

Innovator founder visa: new business criteria

There are three types of endorsement that an endorsing body can given under this route: an endorsement for a new business, for the same business or to support an application for settlement, all with different criteria to reflect the stage at which a business should be at.

However, when it comes to a brand new business venture in the UK, in order to receive that all important endorsement letter — containing a unique reference number to be able to apply for the innovator founder visa — the applicant must satisfy what is known as the ‘new business’ criteria. Under this criteria, the applicant must show that their idea is:

• Innovative: where the applicant has created an original business plan meeting new or existing market needs and/or creating a competitive advantage
• Viable: this business plan is both realistic and achievable based on the applicant’s available resources, where the applicant must have the necessary knowledge, skills, experience and market awareness to be able to successfully run the new business
• Scalable: there must be clear evidence of structured planning, with potential for job creation, together with growth into both national and international markets.

The ‘new business’ criteria are in addition to the various immigration requirements that an applicant will need to satisfy when applying for a visa from UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI), including an English language and maintenance requirement. However, endorsing bodies are perceived as far better placed than UKVI caseworkers to identify innovative business ideas and assess the viability of those ideas in the context of what the applicant can contribute in terms of knowledge, skills, experience and market awareness.

The role of the business plan in Innovator Founder visa applications

To be successful in an application for an innovator founder visa, receiving an endorsement from an approved body is mandatory. The Innovator Founder visa business plan will be critical in securing your business’ endorsement.

The business plan will be used to assess whether your business venture is eligible for endorsement. It is not only the key document in establishing the ‘innovative’ requirement, where the applicant must have an original business plan that meets new or existing market needs and/or creates a competitive advantage, the business plan must also show how the business is both viable and scalable.

Below we set out how to approach these three key criteria — innovation, viability and scalability — within the business plan:

As part of the ‘innovation’ criterion, the applicant must have an innovative business idea to bring to the UK market. When assessing if an application meets this innovative requirement, the endorsing body will consider the following three core principles:

• a business proposition that demonstrates a clear and compelling unique selling proposition (USP). The USP should define and describe what it is about the product(s) or service(s) the business will be selling that differentiates these from its competitors;
• a concept for innovation within the proposed business that demonstrates a business proposition not easily replicable by others ‘and’ can demonstrate reasonable barriers of market entry to otherwise replicating the proposed innovation;
• an innovation element central to the success of the business proposition and one that will be primarily delivered within that business.

Business plan proposals that will not be considered as meeting the innovative standard include where the innovation element and associated research, design or implementation is largely outsourced to a third-party provider or, alternatively, a generic business idea with an only incidental innovation proposition, for example, a cleaning or taxi company “with an app”. The applicant must be able to clearly articulate within their plan what the research and development proposition looks like. They must also demonstrate a strong case for how their idea is new to the market and present a clear route to commercialisation.

As part of the ‘viability’ criterion, the applicant’s business plan must be both realistic and achievable based on the applicant’s available resources. The applicant must also have, or be in the process of actively developing, the necessary knowledge, skills, experience and market awareness to successfully run their proposed new business. In assessing these two core requirements, the endorsing body will consider a number of key questions, including:

• whether the applicant has access to sufficient funds to deliver the proposed business
• whether the supporting financial projections can be credibly defended
• whether the applicant can show that they have the necessary knowledge, skills and experience to credibly deliver the project in question, and
• if there is a credible demand for the business’s proposed product(s) and/or service(s).

The applicant must be able to show that they have undertaken rigorous and credible research around minimum set up costs, such as the price of buying in equipment and operating factory or laboratory space, and have considered and researched market demand and pricing. The applicant must also be able to show that the business will have access to a sufficient level of funding and the financial forecasts can be adequately defended.

Finally, the applicant must show that they and any co-founding entrepreneurial team have the necessary skills, knowledge and/or experience to credibly be capable of successfully developing and delivering the product(s) or service(s) to the UK market.

Scalability

As part of the ‘scalability’ criterion, the endorsing body will consider the following:

• evidence of structured planning demonstrating a credible path to business growth
• potential for ongoing high quality and skilled job creation
• scope for growth into both national and international markets
• projections based on credible market and other research.

The applicant must be able to show that they have completed their market research and have evidence of the demand for their product(s) and/or service(s), and be able to point to domestic and international customers that they intend to market to. The applicant must also articulate within their business plan a credibly costed and researched approach to how both production and sales can be scaled to serve this potential market demand.

What to include the Innovator Founder visa business plan

In addition to a proposed business venture being ‘innovative, viable and scalable’, the endorsing body will also be required to assess the applicant’s role within the proposed business, including their contribution to the creation of the business plan itself.

The applicant does not need to be the sole founder of the business, but must still be a key part of the founding team. As such, the business plan should make it clear that the applicant is either the sole founder or an instrumental member of the founding team ‘and’ that they have generated or made a significant contribution to the ideas contained within their business plan. The plan must also make it clear that the applicant will have a day-to-day role in the UK in carrying out that plan, describing how the applicant will manage and develop the business. This is because the innovator founder route, as with the predecessor routes, is designed to support an applicant in setting up and running a new business in the UK, rather than simply investing in an existing business without any other contribution.

There are various factors that the endorsing body will consider as part of making these assessments, including the circumstances surrounding the creation of the business venture and the applicant’s role in that, as well as their role in creating the business plan. Careful consideration will also be given to any explanation offered by the applicant as to how their knowledge, skills and experience will enable the delivery of the innovation proposition within the business. For example, where the applicant has a clear founding leadership role within the business and has had a genuine involvement in putting the business plan together, and where it is clear that they have the specific knowledge and skills necessary to the founding of that business, they are likely to satisfy the ‘other new business criteria’.

Finally, the applicant must also agree to attend two contact meetings with their endorsing body in the event that they are granted an innovator founder visa. These meetings, one at 12 months and one at 24 months, are so that the endorsing body can regularly monitor the progress of the business, ensuring that the applicant is making sufficient progress against their previously endorsed business plan and is involved in the day-to-day management and development of their business, as intended. By setting out the applicant’s agreement to these meetings within the business plan, this will help to illustrate a thorough understanding of their obligations and how their role within the business will be key to its success.

Under rules introduced in March 2024, there is now a charge of £500 per contact meeting for most Innovator Founder visa holders. Exemptions apply to those with limited leave to remain under Appendix Innovator, Appendix Innovator Founder or Appendix Start up.

What information should an innovator founder business plan contain?

When it comes to the information to include within a business plan, again much will depend on the nature of the proposed business idea and how best the applicant feels they can present that idea. However, the following basic structure can help to ensure that an applicant provides all of the key information required by an endorsing body:

• The applicant’s name and the name of their proposed new business
• The names of any entrepreneurial team members who are also seeking endorsement
• An executive summary or overview of the business proposal
• A detailed description of the business and its main product(s) and/or service(s)
• A detailed description of the applicant’s role in founding the business
• A detailed description of how the innovation, viability and scalability requirements have been met, including any key challenges or risks and how these will be resolved
• A detailed description of the applicant’s proposed role in their new business
• The applicant’s agreement to attend 12 and 24 month contact meetings to assess their business progress under the checkpoint monitoring requirement.

The business plan is the main document that will showcase the potential of the applicant’s business idea, where the executive summary should set out the business’s mission, vision and strategic direction, highlighting the key objectives and how the applicant intends to achieve them. The business description should then provide a comprehensive overview of the business, including what the business will do, the industry it will operate in, the legal structure and its location. Detail should also be given as to product line and services, market analysis, organisation and management, as well as marketing and sales strategy.

However, when addressing each of the ‘new business’ criterion, it is important not to shy away from any potential challenges and risks that the applicant may have identified. By highlighting these challenges and risks within the business plan, provided the applicant can clearly illustrate how these will be addressed, this will help to provide reassurance to the endorsing body that the business will work. By omitting any potential problems from the plan altogether, this may undermine the proposal and show weakness rather than strength.

Importantly, in addition to assessing whether an applicant and their proposed new business meet the relevant ‘new business’ requirements, the endorsing body will need to undertake a due diligence assessment to ensure that the applicant is a fit and proper person whose source of wealth is legitimate and that any funds associated with their business activities can be legitimately accounted for. This means that the applicant will also need to provide sufficient detail within their business plan around the source of the funding for their proposed venture, together with a declaration of suitability for endorsement.

The official online Home Office guidance for endorsing bodies provides a list of the types of activities that would make an applicant unsuitable for endorsement, such as prior convictions for money laundering or corruption, where a declaration will be sought from the applicant to confirm if any of these activities apply to them. For completeness, by including this declaration within the applicant’s business plan, this will help to demonstrate the applicant’s understanding of the endorsement process and that both they, and their proposed business, are suitable to be endorsed for an innovator founder visa.

How to structure your innovator founder visa business plan

When it comes to what a business plan should look like, there is no standard layout or set formula that must be used. This will very much depend on the nature of the proposed business and how best the applicant feels they can present their innovative business idea.

However, the business plan must be well-considered and clearly laid out, ensuring that each of the relevant criterion are addressed in turn ‘and’ in sufficient detail. It is also important to show passion and commitment to the proposal, where the endorsing body will not just be looking at the business idea alone, but the applicant’s capability to make it succeed.

Still, writing a business plan is not easy, where an applicant’s skills may lie more in technical development of their innovative product or service, rather than in articulating their proposals in writing. As such, it is often advisable to seek expert advice and assistance from an immigration specialist before seeking endorsement and submitting any plan. In this way, the applicant can maximise the prospects of being successfully endorsed.

Need assistance?

DavidsonMorris are recognised leaders in UK business immigration. For specialist advice on the Innovator Founder route endorsement requirements and visa applications , contact us .

Innovator Founder visa business plan FAQs

How much investment is required for innovator founder visa uk.

Under the innovator founder route, there is no arbitrary minimum investment requirement although an applicant must still have sufficient funds to establish their business and make it grow.

How much is the innovator founder visa?

To apply for an innovator founder visa, the application fee is £1,036. However, to be eligible to apply, an applicant must first secure endorsement for their innovative business idea. The fee payable to the endorsing body is £1,000, excluding VAT.

How to get endorsed for innovator founder visa?

To get endorsed for an innovator founder visa, an overseas entrepreneur must submit their business plan and supporting documentation to one of the four endorsing bodies and pay a fee of £1,000, plus VAT.

Last updated: 25 March 2024

Founder and Managing Director Anne Morris is a fully qualified solicitor and trusted adviser to large corporates through to SMEs, providing strategic immigration and global mobility advice to support employers with UK operations to meet their workforce needs through corporate immigration.

She is a recognised by Legal 500 and Chambers as a legal expert and delivers Board-level advice on business migration and compliance risk management as well as overseeing the firm’s development of new client propositions and delivery of cost and time efficient processing of applications.

Anne is an active public speaker, immigration commentator , and immigration policy contributor and regularly hosts training sessions for employers and HR professionals

• Anne Morris https://www.davidsonmorris.com/author/anne/ Family Visa UK: Explore Ways to Apply
• Anne Morris https://www.davidsonmorris.com/author/anne/ Ukraine Refugee Aid in UK
• Anne Morris https://www.davidsonmorris.com/author/anne/ Understanding British Values
• Anne Morris https://www.davidsonmorris.com/author/anne/ Family Reunion and Immigration

About DavidsonMorris

As employer solutions lawyers, DavidsonMorris offers a complete and cost-effective capability to meet employers’ needs across UK immigration and employment law, HR and global mobility .

Led by Anne Morris, one of the UK’s preeminent immigration lawyers, and with rankings in The Legal 500 and Chambers & Partners , we’re a multi-disciplinary team helping organisations to meet their people objectives, while reducing legal risk and nurturing workforce relations.

Contact DavidsonMorris

Sign up to our award winning newsletters, we're trusted, trending services.

DavidsonMorris Ltd t/a DavidsonMorris Solicitors is a company Registered in England & Wales No. 6183275

Regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority No. 542691

Registered Office: Level 30, The Leadenhall Building, 122 Leadenhall Street, London, EC3V 4AB

© Copyright 2024

Website design by Prof Services Limited . 

Mon - Sun, 8.30 am - 6pm

10 offices in the UK

How To Create a Good Innovator Visa Business Plan

If you intend to start a new business in the UK then you could be eligible for the Innovator Visa, as part of your application you will need to have a good business plan. Find out more about how you can create a good Innovator Visa Business plan.

For assistance with your business plan, get in touch with our immigration lawyers today on 020 4502 8582 .

Request a call back from our immigration experts

What is the innovator visa.

The Innovator Visa is a UK business visa that replaced the Tier 1 Entrepreneur Visa in 2019. The Innovator Visa is for people who plan to start a business in the UK. To start up visa and be eligible you must have at least £50,000 available to invest in your business.

The other main requirement for the Innovator Visa is that you must have your innovative business idea endorsed by an approved endorsing body. To do this you will need to present an original business plan

If your application is approved, the Innovator Visa will allow you to live in the UK for up to three years. The innovator visa route can also be extended after this and you may be eligible to apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain in the UK after just 3 years of living in the country.

What are the criteria for the business idea?

Your business proposal is a key part of your Innovator Visa application, you need a good business plan so that it will be endorsed by an approved body. If you do not have a business plan that has been endorsed then your application will not be approved.

There are 3 main endorsement criteria that your plan will need to meet, your business idea must be:

• Innovative –  This means that your business idea is original and it meets new or existing market needs or creates a competitive advantage.
• Viable –  This means that your business plan must be realistic based on the market awareness, skills and knowledge and experience that you have in relation to running a business.
• Scalable –  This means that there is evidence of structured planning and the protentional for job creation and growth into national and international markets.

An approved endorsing body will need to assess your business proposal to determine whether it meets the above criteria. If it does then they will send a letter of endorsement to the Home Office. Endorsing bodies must have a track record of supporting entrepreneurs in the UK and must be approved by the Home Office. A list of all the approved endorsing bodies can be found on the gov.uk website.

How to structure an Innovator Visa business plan

To give your plan a good chance of being endorsed it must be structured in a clear and coherent way. There is no set layout that you must follow but you should ensure that your plan clearly shows that you meet the criteria for this visa.

Some things that you should include in your business plan include:

• An executive summary – an introduction to you and your proposal
• Description of your business idea
• Organisation structure and legal considerations
• Product or service description
• Market analysis
• Marketing and promotion plans
• Competitor analysis – looking at any opportunities that you can exploit
• Finances and budget
• Risk management

By including these elements you will develop a strong business plan that is more likely to receive investment funds and an endorsement. As well as the above elements you should ensure that you clearly address how you meet the criteria for the Investor Visa, more details about this are given below.

Do you need help applying for an Innovator Visa? Our lawyers can assist you. Get in touch

Usually, in your business plan, you will need to demonstrate that your business idea is a genuinely new idea and that it is not merely competing with another business that already exists.

However, in some circumstances, your business plan may be counted as innovative if it is similar to another applicant’s business plan, but you have a competitive advantage to your plan such as a more cost-efficient model or a superior product. Whether this applies will depend on the endorsing body that is evaluating the business plan.

To prove that your proposed business is innovative you should explain in your plan what makes your business idea new, what gap in the market your business ideas will fill and if there are already similar businesses to yours you should explain what makes your idea different.

A company will only endorse your business plan if you can show that you will actually be able to deliver the business idea. To prove that your business plan is viable you will need to demonstrate that you have the necessary skills and, knowledge, experience and market awareness to deliver on your business plan.

To meet the viability requirement you should consider including the following information in your business plan:

• Information about your professional and academic background
• Details about how your experience will help you – you don’t necessarily need to have run a similar business before, transferable skills can also be included to help demonstrate the viability
• How you plan to handle competition
• When you project the business to begin making a profit by
• Information about who your clients/customers will be
• Details about your advertising and marketing plans
• Details about any recruitment or training plans you have to fill skill gaps

As well as being innovative and viable your business plan will also need to show that your business idea has the potential for growth and job creation into both national and international markets.

To demonstrate that your idea is scalable you should include information about your business start, which markets you plan to expand into, how you plan to expand into these markets and how you intend to fund your expansion.

It’s important to note that scalability is not just about whether your business has the potential to grow, a business can only be properly considered as scalable if it has operational leverage. This means that your business mustn’t add revenue and operating costs at an equal rate, instead, you will need to demonstrate that your own business model is capable of increasing revenue with only small additional operating costs.

How to find an endorsing body

Once you have completed your Innovator Visa business plan the next step is to find an endorsing body to approve the innovator visa endorsement plan.

The term “endorsing body” is used to refer to organisations that have expertise when it comes to identifying, actively developing and investing in businesses related to their sectors. The endorsing body for your Innovator Visa application must be one that has been approved by the UK government, the list of approved bodies changes but an up to date list can be found on the gov.uk website.

Every endorsing body will have a different process for how they evaluate your business and marketing strategies, so it’s important to choose the most appropriate endorsing body for you and that you follow the relevant process that they have.

Some endorsing bodies only open their applications for certain periods of the year, some only accept applicants who have been accepted onto one of their programmes and some only endorse applications for businesses in certain sectors in the UK market. There are important factors to consider when choosing which endorsing body to contact.

How can London Immigration Lawyers help?

The Innovator Visa is very competitive, this is because it offers a much quicker route to permanent residency in the UK than lots of other visas but also because endorsing bodies are limited to how many business plans they can endorse every year.

In order for your innovator founder visa application to be successful, you will need a very good Innovator Visa business plan to give you a competitive advantage. Our immigration lawyers have an in-depth knowledge of the immigration rules and know exactly what it takes to meet the eligibility criteria for the Innovator Visa. Our lawyers can assist you with writing your Innovator Visa business plan with structured planning, and can offer you professional legal advice throughout the application process.

As well as assisting you with your business plan, our lawyers can also help you with other parts of the UK Innovator Visa application process, including the application form and help with gathering your supporting documents.

For more information about how our immigration lawyers can help you, get in touch with our team today on 020 4502 8582 .

You may be interested in reading about.

British citizenship, spouse visa application, indefinite leave to remain, spouse visa extension, skilled worker visa, sponsor licence application.

We can help you if you need help with your Innovator Visa application. Call us now

Last modified on June 9th, 2023 at 1:27 pm

Advice Package

Comprehensive immigration advice tailored to your circumstances and goals.

Application Package

Designed to make your visa application as smooth and stress-free as possible.

Fast Track Package

Premium application service that ensures your visa application is submitted to meet your deadline.

Appeal Package

Ensure you have the greatest chance of a successful appeal. We will represent you in any case.

The Advice Package

During this untimed Advice Session with our professional immigration lawyers in London, you will receive our comprehensive advice, completely tailored to your needs and your situation.

The Application Package

With our Application Package, your dedicated immigration lawyer will advise you on your application process and eligibility. Your caseworker will then complete and submit your forms to the Home Office on your behalf.

The Fast Track Package

Our Fast-Track Application Package is a premium service for those who need to submit their application in time with their deadlines. Your case will become a top priority for our lawyers and you will benefit from our highest-quality services.

The Appeal Package

By choosing our Appeal Package, you can rely on our lawyers’ legal knowledge and experience to ensure you have the highest chance of a successful appeal. We will also fully represent you in any hearings/tribunals.

© 2024 All rights reserved

Aug 16, 2018 By visaandmigration.com

Writing a Business Plan for an Entrepreneur Visa

What is an entrepreneur visa, what do you need.

• Being able to prove you are able to, and will establish, take control of or become a senior member of at least one business in the UK within six months of arriving in the country.
• The required funds of £200,000 (or £50,000 in some circumstances) are genuinely available to you and will stay available until you have invested it into the business as a start-up investment or into an established company within the UK.
• Other than working for your specified business, you do not intend to seek further employment.
• You can fully support yourself during your stay in the country and will not need to rely on public funds.
• You have the necessary knowledge of English.

Business plans for an entrepreneur visa

• Executive Summary
• Financial Summary
• Director’s Background (this is where you would include your personal experience and qualifications)
• Service/Product Description
• Market Research
• Competitor Analysis
• SWOT Analysis
• Risk Analysis
• Sales & Marketing Strategy (include some objectives in here)
• Legal Requirements
• Management & Staff
• Financial Analysis
• 3-year financial forecast (inc. cash flow forecast & P&L Account)
• Relevant Appendices

Proving you are genuine

Why do applications get refused, previous post.

Visa and Migration is a private OISC regulated company (F201500999) and is not an official Government body. If you would like to prepare and submit your UK immigration application yourself you can do so by visiting the UKVI website.

• Unlocking Opportunities, Empowering Lives

Sign up for Newsletter

Signup for our newsletter to get notified about sales and new products. Add any text here or remove it.

• Book An Appointment
• Our Service Fees
• Visa Refusal
• Assess Your UK Eligibility
• Adult Dependant Visa (ADR)
• Parent of a British Child (5&10-Year Routes)
• Civil Partner Visa
• Child Route Visa (7-Year Route)
• Fiancé Visa
• Proposed Civil Partner
• Spouse Visa 5 year Route
• Spouse 10 year Route
• Spouse Entry Clearance
• Same-Sex Partner Visa
• Unmarried Partner Visa (5&10Year Routes)
• British Citizenship by Descent
• British Citizenship Fee Waiver
• British Citizenship by Naturalisation
• Register a Child Born in the UK as a British National
• Child British Citizenship After 10 Years of Residency
• Register a Child Born Abroad as a British Citizen
• Replace or Correct a British Citizenship Certificate
• Apply for ILR as a Spouse (5-Year Route)
• Apply for ILR as a Skilled Worker
• Apply for ILR as a Victim of Domestic Violence
• Apply for ILR as an Unmarried Partner (5-Year Route)
• ILR for Child on the basis of Private Life ( 7 years of continuous residency)
• Apply for ILR after 10 Years of Residency
• Business Visitor Visa
• Medical Visitor Visa
• UK Marriage Visitor Visa
• UK Standard Visitor Visa
• UK Visitor Visa from India
• EU Settlement Scheme Family Permit
• EU Settlement Scheme (Pre-Settled Status)
• EU Settlement Scheme (Settled Status)
• Appeal a decision
• Challenging UK Visa Refusals
• Global Talent Visa
• Skilled Worker Visa
• Health and Care Worker Visa
• Hong Kong National Overseas (HBO) Visa
• Minister of Religion Visa
• Religious Worker Visa
• Turkish Worker Visa Extension
• Innovator Visa
• Tier 1 Investor Visa
• Tier 5 Youth Mobility Scheme Visa
• UK Expansion Worker Visa
• UK Start-Up Visa
• Charity Worker Sponsor Licence
• Skilled Worker Sponsor Licence
• Graduate Route Visa
• Student Visa
• Child Arrangement Order
• Financial Settlement
• Non-Molestation and Occupation Orders
• Manual Handling Claims
• Defective Equipment Claims
• Industrial Deafness Claims
• Construction Accident Claims
• Scaffolding Accident Claims
• Factory & Warehouse Accidents
• Forklift Truck Accident Claims
• Struck by a Moving Object
• Assaulted at Work Claims
• Needlestick Injury Claims
• Skin Injury Claims
• Military Injury Claims
• Farm Accident Claims
• A&E Medical Negligence
• Amputation Negligence
• Birth Injury Accidents
• Brain Injury Compensation
• Cancer Misdiagnosis Claim
• Cardiac and Heart Surgery Negligence
• Cosmetic Surgery Accident Claim
• Dental Negligence Claim
• Gastroenterology Claims
• GP Negligence Claims
• Gynaecology Negligence Claim
• Medical Misdiagnosis Claim
• Medical Negligence – Cerebral Palsy
• Nursing Negligence Compensation Claims
• Orthopaedic Negligence Claims
• Pressure Sores Negligence Claims
• Radiology Negligence Claims
• Surgical Negligence Claims
• Cycling Accident Compensation
• E-scooter Accident Compensation
• Lorry Accident Compensation
• Motorcycle Accident Compensation
• Pedestrian Accident Compensation
• Public Transport Accident Compensation
• Road Car Accident Compensation
• Whiplash Injury Compensation
• Slips, Trips & Falls
• Supermarket Accidents Claims
• Pavement Accident Claims
• Holiday Accidents Claims
• Sports Injury Claims
• Claims against the Council
• Corporate/Commercial Litigation
• Insurance Dispute
• Disputes over a Contract
• Contract Disputes
• Breach of Contract
• Car Ownership Disputes
• Dilapidations
• Land Ownership Dispute
• Dispute Between Landlord & Tenant
• Debt Reclaiming
• Housing Disrepair Claims
• Criminal Injuries
• Immigration Judicial Review
• Pre-action Protocol (PAP)
• Immigration Bail
• Deportation

Business immigration

Uk business visas | a 2023/24 application guide.

Table of Contents

  Focus Area Key Takeaway Visa Types Choose the right UK business visa type based on your professional needs Fees Be aware of the fee structure and the upcoming fee increase Application Process Seek professional guidance to ensure a successful application Documentation Gather all necessary documentation in advance  

The United Kingdom has long been a hub for international business, making it a desirable destination for entrepreneurs, investors, and professionals from around the globe. Obtaining a UK business visa is a crucial step towards launching or expanding your business ventures in the UK. This guide aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the UK business visa process, including the different types of business visas available, fee structures, challenges in visa acquisition, and much more.

Understanding Different Business Visa Types

The uk offers a variety of business visas to cater to different professional needs., here are some of the prominent business visa types:.

• Business Visitor Visa : Ideal for individuals looking to attend meetings, conferences or short-term business engagements in the UK.
• UK Start-Up Visa : Perfect for early-stage entrepreneurs looking to establish a business in the UK.
• UK Expansion Worker Visa : Designed for individuals tasked with expanding a foreign business into the UK market.

Each of these visas has its set of requirements, eligibility criteria, and benefits, which are crucial to understand before embarking on the application journey.

UK Business visa Fees Structure

Understanding the cost associated with applying for a business visa is crucial as it aids in financial planning for your UK venture. The fees for UK business visas vary based on the type of visa you are applying for. As of 2023, the visa fees for work visas in the UK are £259 for Tier 5 (Youth Mobility Scheme) visa, £259 for Tier 5 (Temporary Worker – Charity Worker) visa, and £626 for the Tier 2 (General) visa. It’s noteworthy to mention that there will be a fee increase effective from 4 October 2023.

This includes a 15% increase in the cost of most work and visit visas, and at least a 20% increase in the cost of priority visas, study visas, and Certificates of Sponsorship.

For a more detailed breakdown of the fee structure, you can visit our Fees page .

What Is The National Success Rate For Business Visas?

The success rate for UK business visa applications has shown promising trends. In the year ending March 2023, the number of work visas granted to main applicants significantly increased, totalling 299,891 grants. This was a 61% rise from the previous year, mainly due to the increasing demand for skilled worker visas. Additionally, from 2019 to 2022, the average success rate for the UK Start-up visa was 89.58%, and for the UK Innovator visa, it was 87.8%.

  Visa Type National Success Rate Start-Up 89.58% Innovator 87.8%

Starting The the Application Journey

Initiating the application process for a UK business visa requires thorough preparation. Meeting the specific requirements, proving your identity, and awaiting the application decision are crucial steps in this journey. It’s advisable to seek professional guidance to ensure all your documentation is in order and to improve the likelihood of a successful application.

Gathering the Necessary Documentation

Before applying, gather all the necessary documentation. This typically includes a valid passport, recent photographs, proof of enough personal savings to support yourself in the UK, and for an Innovator Visa, having at least £50,000 in investment funds.

Venturing into the UK business landscape can be a rewarding experience, opening doors to numerous opportunities. However, navigating the visa application process can be challenging. Being well-informed about the different business visa types, fee structure, and application process, along with having all the necessary documentation ready, can significantly smooth your path to obtaining a UK business visa.

Final Recap Table : Focus Area Key Points Visa Types Business Visitor, Short-term Business, Innovator, Start-up, Global Business Mobility visas Fees £259 for Tier 5 visas, £626 for Tier 2 (General) visa; Fee increase from 4 October 2023 Challenges Restrictive new visa schemes; success rate varies Success Rate Significant increase in work visas granted; Average success rates: 89.58% for Start-up visa, 87.8% for Innovator visa Application Process Meeting specific requirements, proving identity, awaiting application decision Documentation Valid passport, recent photographs, personal savings, investment funds for Innovator visa

Your journey towards securing a UK business visa is a meticulous process, but with the right guidance and preparation, you are one step closer to realising your business aspirations in the UK.

Primus Sollicitors

Username or email address  *

Password  *

Remember me Log in

Lost your password?

Start-up visa business plan examples & costs

What kind of businesses can you set up in the UK if you’re applying for an innovator visa or startup visa?

• 1. Key factors
• 2. Minimum cost
• 3. Determining viability

Creating a successful Business Plan

Develop and create features for your business, easiest route into the uk.

The start-up visa is primarily for those that are at the concept stage of their business, so determining the viability of your business is a crucial criteria to fulfil in order to establish the amount of investment you will need. With this in mind, your business plan will need to set out what the problem is in the market and how your product will solve this problem. Despite there being no minimum investment amount required for the start-up visa, the easiest route into the UK is to invest this amount into your business.

However, if you choose not invest £50,000 into your business straight away, then it is advisable to have a business plan that will demonstrate the viability of your business and explain how you will secure investment for your business in the future. Securing investment should not be too hard to do as the UK government is looking to expand the innovation economy instead of traditional industries.

15. Business Plan Requirements in UK Startup Visa

• September 20, 2022

Business Plan for UK Startup Visa should have the main sectors: a description of your company, an analysis of your competitive environment, a marketing plan, a section on human resources (people requirements), and key financial data.

for UK Startup Visa , the following criteria must be included in your business plan in order for it to be approved:

Innovation – The applicant must have a genuine, unique business plan that addresses new or existing market needs and/or provides a competitive advantage.

Viability – The applicant is actively developing or already possesses the necessary skills, knowledge, experience, and market awareness to run a successful business.

Scalability – There must be evidence of structured planning, job creation prospects, and the potential to expand into national markets.

• Executive Summary of business plan(Business Summary, Goals, Success Factors, Vision, Mission, Core Values, Guiding Principles).
• Company Recourses.
• Complete Market Analysis (Market Size, Market Growth, Market Definition, Market Segmentation).
• Strategy and Implementation Summary.
• Management Summary.
• SWOT Analysis.
• Comprehensive Marketing Plan.
• The complete Financial Plan:

o Profit/loss (monthly, yearly, 3 years, 5 years) o Balance sheet (monthly, yearly, 3 years, 5 years) o Statement of cash flows (monthly, yearly, 3 years, 5 years) o Break Even Analysis o Revenue forecast model

9. Relevant chart and graphs

10. other requirements: Pitch Desk

You can find the templates for the Business Plan, financial projection, and pitch decks in the UK Startup Visa Toolkit section of our website.

We will assist you in preparing a business plan for the UK Startup Visa

1-Development of a qualified professional business plan 2- Obtaining Endorsing Body Approval for a UK Visa 3- Suggestions for additional preparation and how to improve any weaknesses; 4- Our financial advisor provides a five-year forecast. 5- We will enhance your creative idea. 6- Market research and market needs, as well as the creation of a competitive advantage viability, the necessary skills, knowledge , experience, and market awareness to run the business successfully 7- Your business plan’s scalability has the potential to create jobs and grow in national markets.

—————————————————

Share this uk startup visa post:, the full uk innovator founder visa endorsement service, success story: how global trade plaza unlocked new horizons with the uk innovator founder visa, ask your question.

14. UK Startup Visa Guaranteed Endorsement

Through years of our activities with the UK Startup Visa Endorsing Bodies, we can guarantee the acceptance of the businesses that pass our selection, modification, or preparation process.

16. Financial Projection Format in the UK Startup Visa

It should be a 5 year projection, based on IFRS standard. Financial forecast refers to a hypothetical forecast of business development based on factual data.

A brand of World Business Council.

We are a brand working under the World Business Council, specifically working on the preparation of Innovative startups to be able to enter the UK market. Our ultimate goal is to provide investors with investment-ready startups.  

Head Quarter: Aleje Jerozolimskie 85/21, Warsaw, Poland London Office: London E2 8JF, UK 

Latest Post on UK startup Visa Blog

The innovator founder visa process by innovator international, 20. application process for switching to uk innovator founder visa from your existing visa, 19. transitioning to the uk innovator founder visa from your existing visa, 18. application process for extension of uk innovator founder visa, 17.verifying identity and submitting supporting documentation for extension of uk innovator founder visa, 16. extending an innovator founder visa, 15. uk innovator founder visa – applying for your children born in the uk, search in site contents, useful tools for uk startup visa, business plan template for startup up visa, subscribe to uk startup visa newletter.

All rights of this website are reserved for World Business Council (2019-2023)

Want UK Residency, Have money to invest, But don't have an Innovative Business?

No worries, we find you an innovative company, with whom you can partner to get UK Residency.

• Spouse Visa
• Fiance Visa
• Unmarried Partner Visa
• Dependant Visa
• Child Dependant Visa
• Adult Dependent Relative Visa
• UK Ancestry Visa
• Skilled Worker Visa
• Scale-up Visa
• Global Talent Visa
• High Potential Individual Visa
• Health and Care Worker Visa
• Sports Person Visa
• Minister of Religion Visa
• Temporary Work Visa
• Youth Mobility Scheme Visa
• Innovator Founder Visa
• Start-up Visa
• Sponsor Licence
• Immigration Compliance and Audits
• Entrepreneur Visa Extension
• Investor Visa Extension
• Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR)
• British Naturalisation
• EUSS Family Permit
• British Citizenship By Marriage
• British Citizenship By Birth
• British Citizenship By Decent
• British Citizenship For Child Born Abroad
• Administrative Review
• Judicial Review
• Blog & News

UK Business Visa Requirements and Types

By Amar Ali, Immigration Solicitor

A UK business visa allows individuals to come to the UK to carry out activities specifically related to an overseas business. Under the current UK immigration rules for businesses, there are several types of business visas, including the following:

• Business visitor visa
• Short-term business visa

Innovator visa

Start-up visa, senior or specialist worker visa, graduate trainee visa, secondment worker visa, service supplier visa.

It is important to note that several changes have been made to the business immigration rules in the past couple of years. This means the Tier 1 entrepreneur visa, Investor visa, Intra-Company Transfer (ICT) visa, and the Sole Representative visa are no longer available to new applicants. However, current holders can still extend their stay or apply for ILR if they meet the eligibility requirements. There are new replacements for most of these visas mentioned.

In the following article, we will explain the purpose, benefits, and visa requirements for UK business immigration routes.

Business visitor visa (short-term business visa)

For individuals who need to need to come to the UK to carry out a business-related activity for a short period, there are two main visas available under the visitor category:

• Standard visitor visa (also referred to as the short-term UK business visa)
• Permitted Paid Engagement visa

The standard visitor visa provides permission to come to the UK for business purposes for up to 6 months.

Permitted business activities include:

• attending job interviews, work-related meetings, and events
• meeting with clients to negotiate and sign commercial contracts
• attend trade fairs for the purposes of business promotion (the rules state you are not permitted to sell items, however)
• receive work-related training if this is not available in your home country
• give a talk or series of talks (must be unpaid)
• conduct site visits and inspections in the UK
• oversee the delivery of goods and services being provided by a UK-based company to an overseas business
• provide training or share knowledge
• if your overseas company has a contract with a UK company or organisation - install, dismantle, repair, service, or provide expertise on equipment, computer software, and hardware

It is important to note that you cannot carry out paid or unpaid work for a UK-based business or as a self-employed person on a standard visitor visa. Instead, you will need to apply for a Permitted Paid Engagement visa.

The Permitted Paid Engagement visa allows a person to visit the UK for up to 1 month to carry out a paid engagement for which they have been invited as a specialist or expert in their profession by a UK-based business.

Short-term UK business visa requirements

To qualify for a short-term business visa, you must fulfil the following UK business visa requirements:

• Genuinely intend to leave the UK before their visa expires
• Have sufficient funds to support themselves and their dependants throughout their stay in the UK (it is also possible to have someone else provide the necessary financial support, however, evidence in the form of a letter of support must be provided).
• Have the means to pay for a return or onward journey
• Not intend to use this visa as a way of living in the UK for extended periods by making frequent or successive visits

The UK Innovator Visa is a business visa that allows overseas business people and entrepreneurs to come to the UK to set up a new innovative business. The Innovator visa replaces the old Tier 1 Entrepreneur visa. It is still possible to apply for a Tier 1 Entrepreneur visa extension . It is also possible to settle in the UK and bring dependant family members to the UK if you hold a valid entrepreneur visa.

Innovator visa applicants must show UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) that they:

• Are 18 years or above
• Have £50,000 or more in investment funds
• Have a business plan for a unique, innovative, viable, and scalable business
• Have the business plan endorsed by an approved UK endorsing body
• Meet the English language requirements
• Have sufficient savings to support themselves while in the UK

Successful Innovator visa applicants are normally permitted to stay in the UK for up to 3 years initially. After three years, it is possible to further extend an Innovator visa. The Innovator visa also provides one of the fastest routes to permanent settlement ( Indefinite Leave to Remain or ILR), allowing holders to apply after just 3 continuous years in the UK.

The Start-up visa is a business visa that allows overseas business people and entrepreneurs with entry-level business experience to set up a new and innovative business in the UK. There is no requirement to have investment funds if applying for a UK Start-Up visa .

Start-up visa applicants must show UK Visas and Immigration that they:

• Have their business plan endorsed by an approved UK endorsing body
• Have (or be developing) the business skills needed to establish a business in the UK

Start-up visas are normally issued for a period of 2 years; however, this cannot be further extended, and it does not provide a route to settlement. Start-up visa holders who wish to stay beyond the 2-year period and potentially settle will need to apply for another visa type that qualifies for settlement (ILR), such as the Innovator visa.

Global business mobility visa

The Global Business Mobility scheme was introduced by UKVI in April 2022 and includes 5 new visas designed to help overseas businesses to expand into the UK market. The Global Business Mobility visa types are as follows:

This replaced the Intra-Company Transfer (ICT) Visa and is for overseas senior managers and employees with specialist skills who wish to work in a UK branch or subsidiary of their employer. Applicants for this visa must be sponsored, hold a Certificate of sponsorship, have a job on the list of eligible occupations, and receive a salary of at least £42,000.

Senior or Specialist Worker visa holders can stay in the UK for up to 5 years and may be able to extend their stay if receiving an annual salary of £73,900 or more. Settlement is not possible with this type of visa; however, it is possible to switch to a different type of visa that qualifies for ILR.

This replaced the Intra-Company Transfer Graduate Visa and is similar to the Senior or Specialist Worker visa as it allows an overseas employee to work in the UK for a branch or subsidiary of their employer. Applicants must be sponsored for an eligible job and be on a graduate training programme. They must also have worked for their sponsor outside the UK for 3 months or more, hold a valid Certificate of sponsorship, and receive a salary of at least £23,100 per year.

UK Expansion Worker visa

The UK Expansion Worker visa replaced the Sole Representative of an Overseas Business Visa UK and enables overseas businesses to send a senior manager to the UK to establish a business presence here. Applicants must hold a valid Certificate of Sponsorship , have worked for their employer outside the UK (normally for 12 months), have an eligible job, and receive £42,400 per year or the ‘going rate’ for their occupation.

Expansion Worker visa holders can stay for up to 12 months initially and further extend this to a maximum of 2 years. Like the other routes under this scheme, it is not possible to apply for settlement as an Expansion Worker visa holder.

The UK Secondment Worker visa enables overseas workers to be transferred by their employer to work on a high-value contract with a UK business. Applicants must have worked for an overseas business with a high-value contract with the UK licenced sponsor for 1 year or more, have a valid Certificate of Sponsorship, and have a job on the list of eligible occupations.

Secondment Worker visa holders can stay for up to 12 months and further extend their stay to a maximum of 2 years. It is not possible to apply for settlement as a Secondment Worker visa holder.

The UK Service Supplier visa enables overseas employees and self-employed individuals to come to the UK to provide services to a UK company as part of a contract. Applicants must:

• work for an overseas business or an overseas self-employed service provider
• provide services under a contract as part of an international trade agreement in the UK (the UK-based business must be a licenced sponsor)
• have an eligible job and have any necessary qualifications and professional experience
• have a valid Certificate of Sponsorship

Service Supplier visa holders can stay for up to 6 or 12 months; this depends on the trade agreement under which the services are provided. It is not possible to apply for settlement as a Service Supplier visa holder.

How to apply for a UK business visa

The application process you will need to follow will depend on the type of visa you are applying for. In most cases, you will need to carry out the following steps:

• Review the requirements for the visa you are applying for and check if you are eligible.
• Depending on the type of business visa you apply for, you may need a valid Certificate of Sponsorship or an endorsement letter. If applying for a visitor visa, you may need a letter from the relevant business explaining what you will be doing in the UK.
• Prepare and submit your visa application – your application can be completed online on the UKVI website.
• Pay the visa application fees. For long-term visas, you may also be required to pay the immigration healthcare surcharge allowing you to access health services in the UK.
• Book an appointment with a UKVCAS service point (if in the UK) or visa application centre (VAC) (if outside the UK) to have your biometrics processed.
• Upload any documents required by UKVI to support your application (e.g., evidence of investment funds).
• Attend your biometric appointment to have your fingerprints scanned and your photo taken.
• Wait for a decision on your business visa UK application.

You may also be required to attend an interview to discuss your application.

When making any type of business visa application, the key to ensuring a positive decision is providing clear evidence to justify your eligibility. This is especially so when it comes to applying for long-term business visas such as the Start-up and Innovator visas.

At Reiss Edwards, we have helped hundreds of overseas businesses and business people to gain the immigration permission they need to operate in the UK. We also specialise in helping foreign nationals to gain UK citizenship by investment .

For best practice guidance and expertise on securing a business visa for the UK, please speak to our immigration lawyers for a free telephone consultation on 020 3744 2797 or by email at [email protected] .

Get In Touch

Reiss Edwards Awards

This was my first time using Reiss Edwards and I had a great experience with them, our solicitor was Zarish Aslam. Zarish was very attentive, organised, and a good communicator. Overall I am very happy with their service and wholeheartedly recommend their services.

Mohamed Mansour

"Reiss Edwards provides professional services. The team is a world-class team with great experience.

Ms Zarish is one of the best consultants at Reiss Edwards who has great knowledge and extensive experience.

Totally recommended!"

Simon Daniels

Absolutely amazing!! We were told our application wasn't possible with numerous other immigration attorneys. Thank you to Ben Inigo-Jones and Kader Gulbahce for all their support with our children's application for citizenship. You made the impossible, possible. We received their citizenship in under 3 months and couldn't be happier. Thank you from the Daniels Family

Simran Luthra

Amazing service from Baris, very informative and polite! 10/10

Reiss Edwards Reviews

This was my first time using Reiss Edwards and I had a great experience with the...

Reiss Edwards provides professional services. The team is a world-class team wit...

Absolutely amazing!! We were told our application wasn't possible with numerous ...

This website uses cookies to ensure you get the best experience on our website. Learn more about our privacy policy

uk residency

citizenship

• Citizenship
• Country Guides
• Uncategorized

How to make a business plan required for the UK Visa

Submitting the right business plan is key when applying for a UK Innovator Visa. To be successful in your application, you must have an innovative business idea to bring to the UK market and at least £50,000 of investment. Receiving an endorsement from a relevant body is crucial, and depends on the strength of your business plan.

In this blog we will highlight some of the key criteria and requirements needed for a successful application. 

What criteria should your business plan meet for an Innovator Visa?

There are three specific criteria that the business plan should meet, Innovation, Scalability and Viability. 

Innovation 

Your business idea must be original and exciting, offering something completely new and unique to the UK market. If your business idea itself is really strong, it will be easier to create an innovative business plan. 

Some key things to consider covering in your business plan include, what makes it different to anything else that is currently available and trading , how your product or business is business savvy and evidence you have undertaken in depth market gap analysts to show how your business or product would fit into the current market . 

Scalability

Having a strong idea is a great start, however your proposal alone will not get you the endorsement you need and therefore it is important that you can demonstrate your business’ capacity for growth.  

Areas to cover here would include, a breakdown of funding, especially if you already have some or all of the investment needed and where you will acquire further finance from , a list of markets you would want to break into and what resources would be required for this and strategies for promotion .

Viability 

Do you have the knowledge and skills to make your idea work? You must present your business plan as a founder that will be at the forefront of the business and heavily involved in the day to day operations. Ensure you set achievable goals and outcomes for your business and provide a clear plan on how you will drive towards them. 

Examples of what you could include here would be your experience and transferable skills , education and training and research about your target audience and industry market .

Structure of a business plan 

You’re already halfway there if you have a strong idea, but how you put your ideas across in your business plan is key to a successful application. Be sure to lay things out in a logical and coherent structure, as this makes it much easier for potential endorsers to see your innovative idea in full. 

Some key areas to include:

• An executive summary – an introduction to you and your proposal 
• Description of your business idea
• Organisation structure and legal considerations
• Product or service description 
• Market analysis 
• Marketing and promotion plans
• Competitor analysis – looking at any opportunities that you can exploit 
• Finances and budget
• Risk management

If you are looking to bring an innovative start up to the UK, get in touch with one of our advisors today. We can give you step by step guidance throughout the whole process, from application to settling in the UK. 

Recent Post

  16 March 2023

How Citizenship by Investment Programme can save your money

Getting citizenship in a foreign country is a challenging task that requires you to pass through mu[...]

Top Residence-by-Investment Cities for Business

With the rapid increase in private wealth, people constantly seek opportunities to invest in busine[...]

Business benefits of a Portugal golden visa

Grow your business with a Portuguese Golden Visa In recent times, more and more countries have given[...]

• Citizenship 50
• Country Guides 2
• Investment 34
• Residency 36
• Uncategorized 7

• London Head Office  +44 203 490 4121
• Book a consultation
• Our company

• REGISTER UK COMPANY
• REGISTER OFFSHORE COMPANY
• ACCOUNTING SERVICES
• BUYING A BUSINESS
• BUSINESS PLAN DRAFTING
• TRANSLATION SERVICES
• INTERNATIONAL TAX PLANNING
• TAX PLANNING FOR HNWI
• TAX RESIDENCY
• TAX RESIDENCE TEST
• SELF-ASSESSMENT TAX RETURN
• TAX OPTIMISATION
• WILLS AND INHERITANCE
• PROPERTY TAXES
• OPEN A BANK ACCOUNT
• SUCCESION & WEALTH TRANSFER
• FAMILY-OWNED BUSINESS
• INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY

• BUYING A PROPERTY
• COMMERCIAL PROPERTY
• CYPRUS PROPERTY
• MALTA PROPERTY
• ST KITTS & NEVIS PROPERTY
• ANTIGUA & BARBUDA PROPERTY
• DOMINICA PROPERTY

• SKILLED WORKER VISA
• SPONSORSHIP LICENCE
• GLOBAL BUSINESS MOBILITY VISAS
• UK EXPANSION WORKER VISA
• UK SERVICE SUPPLIER VISA
• UK GRADUATE TRAINEE VISA
• START-UP VISA
• INNOVATOR VISA
• UK SCALE-UP WORKER VISA
• SPOUSE VISAS
• STUDENT VISAS
• STANDARD VISITOR VISA
• GRADUATE VISA
• GLOBAL TALENT VISA
• CREATIVE WORKER VISA
• MORE ABOUT VISAS
• INDEFINITE LEAVE TO REMAIN
• BRITISH CITIZENSHIP
• TAX RESIDENCY IN UK
• EUROPEAN NATIONALS
• VISA REFUSALS & APPEALS
• IMMIGRATION BAIL
• HUMAN RIGHTS
• UNITED KINGDOM
• ST KITTS & NEVIS
• ANTIGUA & BARBUDA
• SAINT LUCIA
• CITIZENSHIP BY INVESTMENT
• RESIDENCE BY INVESTMENT
• CARIBBEAN PASSPORT
• EUROPEAN PASSPORT
• DUAL CITIZENSHIP
• WORLDWIDE MOBILITY

Business plan drafting

It is difficult to overestimate the importance of business planning both for young English entrepreneurs and companies that already have experience working in the United Kingdom. A business plan is a universal tool to ensure the successful completion of the following tasks:

• Strategic planning for new or existing business projects;
• Attracting additional investment;
• Obtaining loans for business development;
• Obtaining mortgages in UK financial institutions for the purchase of commercial property;
• Applying for a UK visa to relocate to the UK .

No matter what type of company you have or why you need a business plan, Imperial & Legal will help you draft it according to British standards in proper and correct English.

Business Plan for New UK Businesses

If you intend to set up a company, especially if you plan to do this with a partner, a good way to start is to write a business plan. It needs to be quite detailed describing your targeted markets and customers, marketing and sales strategies, and financial forecasts.

A proper business plan will help you highlight all strengths and weaknesses of your business idea, forecast how it will be developing, do detailed budgeting, allocate resources in the right way, set goals, address potential issues and minimise risks.

How can young entrepreneurs benefit from a detailed business plan?

• Highlight all strengths and weaknesses of a business idea;
• Forecast how the idea will be developing;
• Do detailed budgeting;
• Distribute resources in the right way;
• Set realistic goals;
• Forecast and address potential issues;
• Minimise risks.

Business Plan for Operating UK Businesses

A business plan is often an answer to the already existing companies with the following needs:

• Restructuring or expansion;
• Development or improvements;
• Prompt resolution of issues accumulated during the company’s operation.

A business plan serves as a management roadmap for owners and top management that includes options for further development of a business venture.

Business Plan for Financial Planning

Another purpose of a good business plan is to secure investment or a loan from a bank, including through private investments, private capital, venture capital, bank financing, or crowdfunding.

A business plan guarantees a return on investment in due course and helps eliminate risks.

Business Plan for UK Visas

It is required by the Home Office to provide a valid business plan when applying for most UK business visas. However, when a business plan is optional, we still strongly recommend having one. For example, if you apply for a sponsorship licence , a business plan will provide evidence that a company will be operating in the UK.

A good business plan is a mandatory requirement if you apply for a UK Innovator Founder visa or a UK Expansion Worker visa . Why do foreign entrepreneurs need a business plan to relocate to the UK?

UK Innovator Founder Visa

A UK Innovator Founder applicant, just as applicants for the cancelled UK Start-up and UK Innovator visas, must get an endorsement letter before applying for a visa. It can be issued by endorsing bodies that promote relevant business activities in the UK and are authorised by the UK government.

A business idea is evaluated against three criteria: innovativeness, viability, and scalability. Besides, you will not be able to join an already operating UK company no matter how revolutionary your business ideas are. You will have to set up a new company. An endorsing body must get answers to the following questions:

• What business do you want to run?
• What is the demand for your goods or services in the oversaturated UK market?
• Will you be able to register a new UK company to sell goods and/or provide services in the country?
• Do you have enough experience, education, and resources to fulfil your business idea?
• Does your business idea leave room for expansion and further development?

With a business plan drafted according to British standards, you will be able to provide full answers to all the above questions and obtain an endorsement letter for your visa application.

UK Expansion Worker Visa

All the applicants for a UK Expansion Worker visa must draft a business plan and submit a copy together with a visa application.

Foreign specialists will work more effectively when they follow a properly prepared plan. Such a plan also simplifies the new company’s interaction with UK financial institutions, for example, when it comes to opening a corporate account or obtaining a loan for business development.

If you plan to get a UK Innovator Founder visa or one of the UK Global Business Mobility visas but cannot draft a detailed business plan in English yourself, you can contact Imperial & Legal’s experienced specialists. Our experienced team will be able to help you draft a business plan of any complexity as quickly as possible and to the highest standards.

Structure and Contents of Business Plan

A business plan for a UK company must contain 7–8 sections with the following information:

• Summary — a general and brief description of your business idea, market research results, assessment of the company’s prospects, as well as indication of target parameters of the venture and resources needed;
• Review — a mandatory section only for operating UK companies. This is the record of the company’s previous business activities, including financial indicators over the last operating period;
• Management — description of the company’s structure. If a business plan is drafted for an operating UK company, this section should include standard reports on commercial activity as well as the partners’ feedback. The section must also include an action plan in case the company has faced any issues throughout its operation;
• Detailed description of goods or services that you will offer in the UK. It is recommended to focus on the uniqueness of your products, including information about patents;
• Marketing. At the beginning, include the results of the market research, competitors, and clients. An operating company must include information about its size, growth over the previous periods, and expected future growth. You must also indicate who is going to sell your products and how, what channels and resources you will use to promote them, how the price for your goods or services will be formed, and what your sales targets are;
• Information about the company’s location, suppliers, employees, working conditions, and equipment;
• Financial analysis — a section devoted to the company’s financial indicators. It must include a general financial forecast, cash flow for each month for several years ahead, funding timeline, results of audits (if it is an operating UK company), and the company’s performance indicators;
• The final section is usually devoted to planning and prospects. It must include primary and secondary planning objectives, provide information on the venture’s investment needs, and detail the funding options (equity issue, investment, or bank loan) and attraction for investors.

Your business plan must describe your business idea in as much detail as possible, as well as your goals, potential issues, and effective measures to resolve them.

A properly drafted business plan is a kind of advertisement of your future or already existing UK business prepared specifically for:

• An authorised body that can issue an endorsement letter for you;
• Investors or banks so that you can get additional funding;
• Home Office official so that you can get approval for your visa application.

The number of mandatory sections of a business plan as well as their layout depend on your circumstances and goals. For example, a standard business plan would be 20-30 pages of text and tables. If you want to attract additional investment, it should be more like a presentation: not very detailed but containing enough data to allow your potential investors to decide in your favour.

For any business plan, you need to gather and analyse data as well as understand business English and British formatting rules. Imperial & Legal’s consultants are always ready to provide you with qualified assistance at all the stages of business plan preparation for both start-ups and already operating companies.

FAQs about Business Plans for UK Companies

What is the difference between internal and external business plans.

Internal planning is done for the company owners and directors so that they can understand at what stage of development (for an operating company) their business is or get forecasts for the development on the British market as well as highlight existing and potential issues and find effective ways to resolve them.

An internal plan can be in any language. However, Imperial & Legal’s specialists recommend following a structure described in UK standards. To get an objective assessment of your work and prospects in the UK market, you will require external expertise. In other words, you will have to ask an independent consultant who knows the British business environment well to help you.

An external business plan is drafted to get a UK business visa, open a UK bank account or get a loan in a British bank, as well as to attract additional investment. For these purposes, you will need business English and skills in presenting your business and its brilliant prospects in a commonly accepted format. If your business is operating, it will be important to describe its previous activities in the best light. To avoid any complications, it is recommended to contact Imperial & Legal’s specialists.

What are the common mistakes made by young entrepreneurs in drafting a business plan?

Imperial & Legal’s experts share the top three most common mistakes while drafting a UK business plan:

• Lack of preparation is at the top of the list. A foreign entrepreneur would normally have a vague understanding of the British market. That’s why, without preparation, thorough data collection, and professional consultations, they will hardly be able to assess their prospects objectively and provide a realistic forecast of the company’s development;
• The second common mistake is neglecting the UK formatting practices. As a result, a person who will evaluate your business plan may get confused with an unfamiliar layout and refuse a prospective idea;
• The third place, according to our experts, should be given to incorrect presentation of data and errors related to either lack of experience or the entrepreneur’s attempt to exaggerate the data. Inflated financial figures, inaccurate data about your product, and unrealistically short deadlines will cause suspicion in the person who will assess your documents and make the final decision.

You should pay close attention to the weaknesses of your venture, double-check all the data, and engage a competent expert for an objective assessment of the finished business plan. In this way, you will be able to eliminate all the above-mentioned mistakes.

Is it a normal practice to include potential and current business development issues in a business plan?

Yes, of course. A business plan is designed to demonstrate your business idea and its prospects. However, a good business plan is more than just a presentation of positives. Even the most successful ventures face challenges, so the main risks and solutions to potential crises must be included in your business plan.

Investors, banks, endorsing bodies, and the Home Office will trust your business plan more if there is an overview of the current and potential challenges and possible solutions. Mentioning challenges alongside positive indicators is a normal practice for a UK business plan drafting. It proves that you have considered all scenarios in your planning.

What is risk analysis and risk management?

Risk analysis is a separate section of a business plan or part of another section (for example, marketing or management section) that addresses the company’s potential risks.

As a rule, risk analysis is a table with five columns:

• Description;
• Potential consequences;
• Likelihood;
• Risk management.

The fifth column should include information on how to avoid risks, cope with the consequences, and minimise negative impact. Good analysis of potential risks is key to a well-developed business plan.

Need help with writing a business plan?

Imperial & Legal will help you develop and draft a business plan according to UK standards in proper and correct English.

Related services

Representative of an Overseas Business visa

Visa for entrepreneurs

Start a business in UK

Tax solutions

Open a bank account

Schedule a FREE online appointment with us today!

6000+ Words 750+ Minutes 8 Experts to create: ONE UK VISA BUSINESS PLAN

Every business starts with an idea

We put that idea into writing

UK Visa Business Plans have a team of specialist business plan writers in the UK when it comes to drafting plans for your Innovator Founder Visa, UK Expansion Worker Visa or any other UK visa application that requires a bespoke and tailored business plan.

You may have a great business idea. But have no idea how to draft a business plan. That's where we come in. 

We are UK's number one business plan writing service with a 98% Success Rate. 

Our Experience

Established over 10 years ago, we strive to ensure you have the best chance of obtaining an Endorsement from an official Endorsing Organisation and ultimately meeting the UK Home Office's Immigration Rules requirement.  

Our professional business plan services are used globally by leading UK Immigration Solicitors, Barristers and Lawyers who are ranked on Legal 500 and Chambers and Partners across the world. 

Working strictly within Endorsing Bodies' and UK Home Office's guidelines, we are here to help ensure your application is prepared swiftly and effectively. 

Here to Solve Your Problems

UK Visa Business Plans offer a fixed fee for all our business plan drafting services, which also includes an opportunity for our clients to make any amendment requests of the document before it is finalised. 

For Innovator Founder visa applicants, we offer several no-win, no-fee package services to eliminate the risk for clients. This is a testament to our result-driven services and confidence in the quality of our work. 

Our team of plan writers provide expert advice on how your UK Visa Business Plan can meet the criteria for obtaining an Innovator Founder Visa, Expansion Worker Visa, Global Talent Visa or any other UK Visa business plan matter. 

Our Clients

Uk visa business plans services, no-win, no-fee for pre -approval endorsement applications.

UK Visa Business Plans are able to provide a unique service to clients, by obtaining pre-approval of the applicants' business ideas with an Endorsing Body. 

We are confident of our professional service, to the extent that we can offer this service on a "no-win, no-fee basis". 

Our team of expert business plan writers can get a pre-approval decisions for your UK visa business idea within 2-3 working days, therefore saving clients time and helping them plan their next steps accordingly. 

Innovator Founder Bespoke Business Plan Writing

Once we have fully researched your key target market, the business plan will be drafted in accordance with the UK Immigration Rules. 

Before you receive the final draft, you will get an opportunity to make a list of amendments you want for a truly bespoke and tailored business plan that you are fully comfortable with. 

Our professional team of business plan writers certainly know how to write UK Visa business plans that are commercially viable and compliant, especially for the Innovator Founder Visa and UK Expansion Worker Visa routes. 

UK Expansion Worker Business Plan Writing

Our professional team of business plan writers specialises in drafting bespoke and tailored UK Visa business plans for your UK Expansion Worker Visa application, which is part of UK's Global Business Mobility route. 

Having assisted several companies with their business plan to set up a new branch in the UK, we have worked with some of the best UK Solicitors Firm to ensure the process is seamless and stress-free. 

We specialise in all aspects of the Innovator Founder Visa and UK Expansion Worker Visa business plans. 

Market Research and Financial Forecasting

At UK Visa Business Plans, we identify gaps in the market, training, and processes to ensure the business plan meets the criteria for Endorsing Bodies and helping you meet the "genuine entrepreneur" test. This is particularly important for applications under the Innovator Founder Visa and UK Expansion Worker Visa categories. 

Our professional team of business plan writers will conduct all the necessary research and financial forecasting is included in our fixed fee. We also include the sources of all our facts, which are disclosed in the business plan.

Why Clients Hire Us

Uk visa endorsement refusals.

At UK Visa Business Plans, our team of business plan writers strive to provide the best possible service for our clients. In essence, our service offers you the fastest way to getting your business plan approved by the relevant UK authority. 

Having prepared business plans and assisted with over £550 million (GBP) of foreign investment into the UK via the Innovator Founder Visa, Innovator Visa, UK Expansion Worker Visa, Tier 1 Entrepreneur Visa, Sole Representative and Global Talent Visa, we work with some of the largest organisations in the industry. 

Was your Innovator Founder Visa, Expansion Worker Visa, Start Up Visa, Innovator Visa, Sole Representative Visa or Tier 1 Entrepreneur UK Endorsement or Visa Application Refused?

 Do not worry! Our expert team of business plan writers at UK Visa Business Plans can help with amending or completely re-doing your original business plan to make sure you meet the UK Immigration Rules.

News & Insights

Drop us a line.

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

18 Ensign Street, Aldgate, London, United Kingdom, E1 8PA

Copyright © 2024 UK Visa Business Plans - All Rights Reserved. UK VAT Registered: 379636049

• Our Plan Writers
• Writing a Business Plan
• FREE Sample Business Plan
• FREE Mock Interview
• Testimonials
• New Clients
• Endorsement Application
• Innovator Founder Visa
• UK Expansion Worker
• What is a Business Plan
• Privacy Policy

Cookie Policy

This website uses cookies. By continuing to use this site, you accept our use of cookies. Privacy Policy

• Business Plan for Investors
• Bank/SBA Business Plan
• Operational/Strategic Planning Services
• L1 Visa Business Plan
• E1 Treaty Trader Visa Business Plan
• E2 Treaty Investor Visa Business Plan
• EB-1 Business Plan
• EB-2 NIW Business Plan
• EB-5 Business Plan
• Innovator Founder Visa Business Plan
• Start-Up Visa Business Plan
• Expansion Worker Visa Business Plan
• Manitoba MPNP Visa Business Plan
• Nova Scotia NSNP Visa Business Plan
• British Columbia BC PNP Visa Business Plan
• Self-Employed Visa Business Plan
• OINP Entrepreneur Stream Business Plan
• LMIA Owner Operator Business Plan
• ICT Work Permit Business Plan
• LMIA Mobility Program – C11 Entrepreneur Business Plan
• USMCA (ex-NAFTA) Business Plan
• Franchise Business Plan
• Landlord business plan
• Nonprofit Start-Up Business Plan
• USDA Business Plan
• Cannabis business plan
• Ecommerce business plan
• Online boutique business plan
• Mobile application business plan
• Daycare business plan
• Restaurant business plan
• Food delivery business plan
• Real estate business plan
• Business Continuity Plan
• Pitch Deck Consulting Services
• Financial Due Diligence Services
• ICO whitepaper
• ICO consulting services
• Confidential Information Memorandum
• Private Placement Memorandum
• Feasibility study
• Fractional CFO

How it works

• Business Plan Examples
• UK Start-Up Visa Business Plan

Get your UK Start-up Visa Business Plan that is fully compliant with requirements of the endorsement body

We have a 95% success rate.

Full compliance

Your UK Start-up Visa Business Plan will be fully compliant with the endorsement body’s requirements. We monitor their guidelines carefully. This is the reason we can boast a nearly perfect success rate of 95%. If the endorsement body asks for revisions, we will provide them free of charge.

Entirely customizable

We prepare each OGS business plan from scratch. Each plan has unique graphics, and each features beautiful and modern design. Your tailored solution will highlight your business’s best features and provide the kind of structured outline that the endorsement body needs to see before they approve your visa.

Industry focus

Our team of experienced business plan writers have prepared 5,000+ business plans covering 42 industries and various locations across the UK. Our unique level of expertise allows us to provide first-rate and industry-specific business plans to satisfy needs of the endorsement bodies.

The OGScapital team includes a group of immigration-focused consultants who have spent the last 15 years focused exclusively on immigration. We create 120-150 Start-Up Visa business plans every year, and, with a 95% success rate, we can stand behind our work.

Operational guide

OGScapital will draw upon their wide-ranging knowledge of industry-specific best practices when preparing your Start-up Visa Business Plan. The result will be a reliable business development road map that will guide you towards your business goals, helping make your company a success.

Our solution

Our thorough and sophisticated business plan will get you the UK Start-Up Visa you need.

UK Start-Up Visa Business Plan:

• Users : Start-up Visa applicants and immigration lawyers

Document size : 35-45 pages

Timeframe : 10-12 days

• Graphic design: included

Assigned team : 2 senior consultants, including a project lead

Unlimited revision period : 3 weeks

Rush Delivery Service: Available

Document contents:

• Executive Summary
• Competitive Analysis
• Description of The Business Model
• Business/Operating Strategy
• 5 Forces Analysis and SWOT Analysis
• Financial Model
• Use of Proceeds
• Industry Analysis
• Market Forecast
• Mission/Goals
• Services/Products
• Marketing Strategy and Mix
• Management Team

All Self-Employed Visa Business Plans are prepared using our extremely user-friendly and eye-catching format. Review the sample and you’ll see what kind of quality you can expect from OGScapital.

• A UK higher education institution
• A business with a history of supporting entrepreneurs in the UK

The invesment amount is not specified.

Our fee is highly competitive. Talk to one of our experts about cost, as our prices change depending on task complexity.

Business plans vary depending on your needs, but all documents include a number of key sections: market analysis, business model description, operational strategy, goals, financial model, etc.

This is highly unlikely (our success rate, after all, is 95%). If it does happen, though, we will happily make the necessary amendments without additional charge.

No, applicants are no longer able to apply for a Tier 1 visa, but it is possible to extend a Tier 1 (Entrepreneur) visa.

UK Start-up Visa Business Plan

OGSCapital will provide you with a complete business plan for start up visa uk for a reasonable fee.

Special Offer for Legal Attorneys, Solicitors!

Join OGS partner program now

OGScapital will help you build a tailored business plan that will be a perfect fityou’re your needs.

Your UK Start-Up Visa Business Plan is just 4 steps away:

Fill in the contact form online

We will do the research and, within 10-12 days, we will draft a business plan

Once we’ve submitted the business plan to our law team for review, we will issue the final version of your UK StartUp Visa Business Plan.

Payment methods : wire transfer and debit/credit card

OGScapital was founded in 2006 by a group of 8 partners. Our immigration business plan writers have all worked closely with Home Office, and they are fully aware of the current requirements and are among the first to know when these requirements change. Thanks to our expertise and our multi-industry experience, we are proud to say that we are the #1 business plan company with a focus on immigration business plans. We serve 150 UK Startup visa clients every year, and our 95% success rate speaks to the quality of our team and our work.

OGScapital has been serving customers since 2006

We have a 95% success rate with our Start-up Visa applications.

Our team members have prepared presentations covering 42+ industries.

We create upwards of 150 Start-up Visa business plans annually.

Our team includes 60 consultants

OGScapital regularly cooperates with 45 law firms and solicitors

Testimonials

We take clients satisfaction extremely seriously, trying to exceed all of our clients’ expectations.

OGScapital has a 9.5/10 Trustpilot score

Clear and detailed

Alex provided us a detailed report on a business we were thinking of buying. The report was very clear and detailed, and he was available to answer any questions. We highly recommend his service

I highlyI am very satisfied with the service recommend them

I highly recommend them, they were in charge of creating my company's Business Plan, the delivery was faster than the established deadline, the work they did was excellent and the presentation of the document was very good, not to mention that the communication and feedback is constant, friendly and fast, I was really very satisfied with all the service they provided me.

Great experience

My experience with Alex and his team has been excellent! Alex always responds to my emails and texts very quickly and is always accommodating. I look forward to creating a long-term relationship with him and his team. I highly recommend him.

Great Service

Alex delivered my high-tech VC fund business plan in quality and on time. Strongly recommendation.

Very good service and deliverables. Alex was timely and professional throughout.

Alex was great to work with. He responded quickly and delivered quality workmanship with our Business Plan.

Business Plan

For the first time I created my own general overview of the plan, which providing me with a much clearer vision of my idea

Our experience with Alex was a great start to a long term relationship.

The thoroughness and responsiveness. Thank you!

OGS Capital delivers!

I was provided a questionnaire with basic company info. I was then called by an expert by the name of Mr. Alex Silensky who asked pointed questions about our company goals and objectives for our business plan. He delivered a quality product I could use for various purposes.

Our clients

OGScapital has served 5,000+ clients:

Knowing your options gives you the insight and relevant information to plan, execute, and implement a visa business plan. A visa business plan holds no water missing any one of the three: business, planning, and money.

Your visa business plan should elaborate your intent and methodical manner. You should know who you are visiting, your financial status, your target business fields, and your local knowledge about strategizing your business ploy with locals in the UK market.

Get your UK Startup Visa Business Plan that is Fully Compliant with the Requirements of the Endorsement Body

You may consider updates and the latest information once you finalize how to make a business plan for a visa? We are sharing here tips for your reference and adopting new and easier methods for starting business visas that are compliant with endorsement bodies.

However, you may check at the Govt. of the UK site for a list of authorized endorsement bodies.

A UK start-up visa business plan in the UK will allow businesspersons, executive, and managers from outside European Economic Area (EEA) and Switzerland to establish their business in the UK.

At times a pre-approval in close coordination may be viable to streamline the documentation part. If this pre-approval is in place that comes in 2 or 3 working days, it gives a sense of certainty to clients and helps them plan their UK visa business plans more effectively.

UK Start-up visa business plan has conditions like:

• You should be min 18 years of age
• No previous business in the UK (unless held leave as tier1 Graduate Entrepreneur)
• Should have an endorsement by the UK endorsing body. Endorsement letter should not be older than three months before the visa application date
• Latest passport and another form of valid travel identifications
• Passport size color photograph
• Financial evidence to show you can live at your means for the duration of your trip, like a bank statement or pay-slips for the last 6 months, will suffice

Time for Visas

It will take about 3 to 5 weeks for visa application processing. Once all clear and done, the next steps will ensue.

Foreigners Visa

Foreigners can search for types of business plans in the UK to get relevant visas, depending on what nationality they hold. You may be asked to apply for a work visa first before opting to cue your documents for a business visa. This will involve the following steps:

• Apply for a correct visa that entails your given data and details
• Weigh and assess your business legal structure
• Process your business details for an incorporation
• Get registration for Tax

Who is the Target UK Visa Business Customer?

UK Startup visa application for UK business will help attract entrepreneurs to set up businesses, which in return will boost local commercial hubs and give rise or jack-up the economy as a whole.

The Home Office is taking all the right steps in ensuring that foreign entrepreneurship gets the right, error-free information, service, and methods that are easier to follow. All proper documentation will ensure to get you an immigration business plan template for a smooth ride in a business venture in the UK.

Independent bodies within the country familiar with starting a business set-up will assess your business probabilities, expansion scope, and financial structure to keep it a seamless venture. They will investigate:

• Your options or proposals with an idea for your innovative extending scheme
• Its viability at par with local businesses, and
• Its scalability for revenue returns

The visa is for two years. After its expiry, you can switch to the innovator category on the same business ideas. This way, you can still retain an endorsement.

Types of UK visas

The UK, like other countries, has various visa categories. Once you have a sample of UK start-up visa business plan, you can make an informed decision:

For work visas, you need to get a job offer from an employer in the UK. You can get a Tier 5 visa without sponsorship if you are between 18 and 30 years old and want to live and work in the UK for up to 2 years.

If you are 16 or over and have been offered a course by a student sponsor and have enough money to support yourself, you can apply for this visa. English reading, writing is a must for this visa.

Business Visa

It’s a one-time or long-term visa that allows you to stay in the UK at a stretch for max up to 6 months. You must apply for this visa if you have to take part in a conference, meeting, or training. Not to mention, there are various types of business plans UK as well as visa immigration business plans.

Visitor Visas

It’s all online, where you will see what docs and information you need to share for such visas.

Settlement Visa

It’s a type of visa for those who intend to work, live, and study in the UK with no future restrictions. It almost carries no limits.

Family Visas

These visas facilitate you to establish a family life with your UK resident family members.

Transit Visas

This visa is a must when you are traveling in transit through the UK to another country. However, you need to show documentary evidence you have enough funds and have clear intent to move out of the UK.

Available Types of Business with UK Visas

Different types of visa business plans can be more effective if you know your business plan services for a visa.

The following types of visas can help you proceed with the nature of the business plan to buy UK Visa.

Types of Business visas:

Tier 1 Exceptional Talent Visa

It’s for people who are famous globally as world leaders, having rare talent in the field of science and arts. You need to score a minimum of 75 points to get an approving nod from a competent body for this visa.

Standard Visitor Visa

This category allows you to have fun and site seeing opportunities with your family members in the UK. You can land in the UK for business purposes also, such as

• If you have business activities relating to your intent to join or establish a business in the UK
• You are planning to attend a conference, training, and or meeting

Six months’ stay is its tag line.

Tier 1 Entrepreneur Visa

These are typical investor visas for those who are keen to establish a new business in the UK. You need 95 points with conditions to fulfill your financial obligation for business setup. Command in the English language is mandatory. It’s a three-year visa.

Tier 1 Investor Visa

It’s good for those who want to stay in the UK by investing part of their wealth in the UK. Such an investment must be a robust nature of an investment for contributing to the economy of the UK.

UK Sole Representative Visa

It is good for those companies who wish to extend their businesses overseas and run a branch office in the UK. However, the company rep should not be a director or shareholder in the company. It’s a three-year visa with an extension facility for another two years.

UK Turkish Businessperson Visa

It’s only for Turkish businesspeople looking to own a business in the UK. They must show sufficient financial muscle for such a venture. Applicant should be an active member of the business. It’s a one-year visa with three years pending visa extension.

Tier 1 Graduate Entrepreneur Visa

This visa is given to students who are very much positive about establishing a business in the UK after completing their graduation. It’s a UK point system method, and people outside EEA can also avail of this facility.

Draw a Business Plan

The above-given business visa information, their types, and duration will help you take a step ahead to plan your visa business plan cost. They are business visas, and each has a different amount tag and need financial involvement to set up your business in the UK.

Nonetheless, you need to ensure that your business needs staff members and directors, managers, and shareholders to be with you to run a successful business. All visa categories need you to evaluate costs for a business plan needed for UK startup visa .

Your plan must have room for a multi-layer system to be in place for creating a strategic business plan. You may look into local market norms, pros, and cons to enter a new market. Draw an outline for rules that will determine how you will run your business.

You need stakeholders, maybe investors, managers, and staff, to make it a business entity. Check for local regulations in this respect to have a clear budget cost in front. Also, evaluate the cost of a immigration business plan.

You must have a clear figure on your capital money, financials, and its immediate disbursement plans, majorly dealing with procurement, engaging tools, mobilization of machinery, staff, and management cost. Then you have certain daily operational costs for the project or service line you are adopting. Designing a proper sales business plan will keep your business up and running.

OGS Capital Consultants – Contact Us

We, at OGS Capital Consultants, have professionals who will offer top of the range services in a wide range of fields.

We have a unique thinking method to count in the first and last brick to give a business plan for a start-up visa to the UK, covering all intermediary steps with precision, leaving nothing undone. The UK startup visa is the tag line for you to see the variety of services and its further diversification we can couple it into.

mentioned in the press:

Change Your Life: Start a New Business with the help of OGSCapital

Successfully Making the Jump From Employee to Entrepreneur

Businesses and the Conscientious Consumer

5 Tips From 7 Leaders Getting More From Their Teams When Hiring More People Is Not An Option

Search the site:

OGScapital website is not supported for your current browser. Please use:

• UK Innovator Founder Visa
• Sole Representative
• Idea Selection
• KPI Monitoring
• Implementation Review
• Our Customers

UK Innovator Visa Business Plan

From 13 April 2023, only those who hold a valid innovator endorsement issued before 13 April 2023 will be able to apply for an Innovator Visa.  From 13 July 2023, the Innovator Visa route will be closed to new applications.  The replacement for both the start-up and innovator visa routes, the Innovator Founder visa route, will launch on 13 April 2023.  Entrepreneurs who are looking to establish a business in the UK and who have not yet been endorsed should therefore apply for an Innovator Founder Visa instead. 

Following the closure of the Tier 1 Entrepreneur visa on 29 March 2019, the UK innovator visa is now officially open for applications.  However, the initial take-up of this visa has proven to be slow largely because of several challenges that these changes have thrown up for entrepreneurs looking to own and operate a business in the UK.  In theory, the Innovator visa should be attractive to even more foreign entrepreneurs than the Tier 1 (Entrepreneur) visa, as the minimum capital requirement has been substantially reduced from £200,000 to £50,000.  However, the criteria for the Innovator Visa is more demanding now that the "genuine entrepreneur" test administered by an Entry Clearance Officer has been replaced with the need to obtain a letter of endorsement from a Home Office approved endorsing body.  

Endorsing Bodies is an umbrella term for organisations which have expertise in identifying, investing and developing businesses in their respective sectors.  They include incubators, accelerators, business development organisations, and government agencies.  The list of endorsing bodies is constantly changing as this visa route matures, with bodies withdrawing and new bodies becoming authorised.  An up to date list can be found here, whilst we have written and will regularly update an article on our blog which outlines what we have been able to learn thus far about each endorsing body.  

Applicants must have a business idea that has been assessed by a Home Office approved Innovator Visa endorsing body as being innovative, viable and scalable   More details on these criteria are provided in Part W5.2 of the Immigration Rules:  

• Innovation — does the applicant have a genuine, original business plan that meets new or existing market needs and/or creates a competitive advantage?
• Viability — does the applicant have, or are they actively developing, the necessary skills, knowledge, experience and market awareness to successfully run the business?
• Scalability — is there evidence of structured planning and of potential for job creation and growth into national markets?

It makes perfect sense to have business ideas be assessed by endorsing bodies with entrepreneurial experience, commercial insight, and technical knowledge rather than by Entry Clearance Officer who is ill-prepared to make a sound judgment about the viability or otherwise of a particular enterprise.  However, this new innovator visa scheme throws up a series of challenges for entrepreneurs looking to make the move into the UK market. 

• Highly Competitive Visa Route - This visa route is more competitive than previous schemes as an applicant hoping to receive an endorsement as a first step to obtaining a visa will have to compete not only with other non-EEA nationals but with UK and EEA applicants too.   
• Limited Supply of Endorsements - Each endorsing body is limited in terms of the number of endorsements they can offer.  Endorsing bodies currently require specific Home Office approval if they want to endorse more than 25 business ideas per year so capacity is substantially lower than with previous schemes which operated without any effective constraints in terms of the number of applicants.  In excess of 1,000 visas were granted each year under the significantly more expensive and less attractive Tier 1 (Entrepreneur) scheme which suggests that demand is likely to be much greater than the available supply of endorsements.       

There is a sense of uncertainty, caution, and hesitance among many in the business immigration industry in the UK and there are very few definitive answers for those to the prospective innovator visa applicants' who are looking for clarity whilst everyone, including the endorsing bodies, iron out their own processes and figure out their place in the new business immigration landscape.  At Continuous Business Planning, we have invested the time and effort into understanding the new innovator visa scheme and encourage prospective applicants to lean on our expertise in order to maximise the chances that any attempt to secure an endorsement for an innovator visa proves successful. 

We can help you in the following ways:  

• We can help you identify and develop an innovative, viable and scalable business idea.
• We can advise you as to which of the endorsing bodies would be the most suitable for you and your business idea.     

Identify and Develop an Innovative, Viable and Scalable Business Idea 

Unlike the previous UK business visa schemes such as Tier 1 (Entrepreneur), a strong business plan which is viable and able to expand within the UK market may not satisfy the conditions of the new Innovator Visa.  In order to secure an innovator visa endorsement, your business idea will need to be deemed innovative, viable and scalable by the endorsing body.  

Innovative  - Prospective applicants need to develop a business plan that brings something new to the UK market rather than a "me-too" business which merely competes with other similar businesses.  Depending on the endorsing body you are targetting, it is possible that a more cost-efficient model or one with a superior but similar product or enhanced customer service may not be deemed sufficiently innovative.  We will help you to take your idea and co-create with you points of differentiation and competitive advantage that will make your business truly unique.  We will also help you find the necessary clarity to accelerate execution.    

Viable  - The endorsing body will be looking to support business plans that the entrepreneur and their team can actually deliver and that have a clear and credible pathway to profitability.  We will also demonstrate that you and your team have the skills, knowledge, experience and market awareness to deliver on your business plan or help develop a clear recruitment and training plan to ensure that where there are skill gaps that could hamper business growth, there is a plan to close those gaps.  We can help you to establish your funding requirements for the two year period of the start-up visa, identify the most suitable source of start-up funding and map out what needs to be done in order to firmly establish your business as a viable venture.  

Scalable  - Scaling a business is an often misunderstood concept.  It does not simply mean that the business is capable of getting bigger. That would be true of almost every business.  A business can only truly be said to be scalable if it has operating leverage.  If additional revenue requires relatively smaller and smaller additions to operating costs, you have operational leverage and your business can accurately be said to scale. However, a business that adds revenue and operating costs at an equal rate or even adds costs at a greater rate than it can add revenue cannot be properly said to scale, even if the business could get a lot larger in terms of both their revenues and gross profitability.  We can help you verify that your business idea is truly scalable by carrying out detailed the financial modelling necessary to map out the relationship between revenue and operating costs in your business, now and in the future.     

Advise on Selection of the most suitable Endorsing Body for your Business

Once you have a fully formed business idea that meets the start-up visa criteria, your next consideration for prospective applicants is to select the most appropriate endorsing body for their business idea.  There are several factors that must be weighed up when making a decision.  

Some Endorsing Bodies require participation in an existing incubator/accelerator programme to qualify for an endorsement

As mentioned in the Home Office Guidance, there is no requirement that Endorsing Bodies have to operate an ‘open system’.  In other words, these endorsing bodies can insist that a pre-existing working relationship or activity with the body, such as received investment from them or participated in their accelerator programme, is a prerequisite to endorsement.  Many of the endorsing bodies have, at least initially, adopted this approach and are not accepting ‘open’ or ‘independent’ endorsement applications.  Royal Society Edinburgh, Ignite and Bethnal Green Ventures, are just some of the Endorsing Bodies requiring acceptance on to a programme before even considering endorsing visa applicants. 

Some Endorsing Bodies have Fixed Application Windows

Many endorsing bodies only recruit once or twice a year for entry to these programmes.  For example, Tech X offer places to one "cohort" of applicants each year in May whilst Zinc is currently open for "Mission 3" which will start at the end of September.  There is a chance that your preferred endorsing body will not be accepting applications at the time that you want to move forward with your start-up visa application.  You can check our up to date information on each endorsing body for more details on the application windows for each endorsing body.       

Some Endorsing Bodies are Specialised and Sector-Focused        

Some Endorsing Bodies consider themselves ‘sector-agnostic’ and open to a diverse range of business ideas (e.g. SeedCamp, RBS and Natwest) while others are much more specialised and sector-focussed. For example, CyLon focus on cyber-security only, TechX focus exclusively on the oil and gas industry and Deep Science Venture focus on pharma, energy, food and agriculture start-ups.  Other Endorsing Bodies have a regional focus and require investment and/or relocation to a specific area.  For example, Ignite (focus on North-East) and Med City (London and the South-East).

Some Endorsing Bodies Insist Upon Taking an Equity Stake in your Company

Many Endorsing Bodies state that in return for acceptance into a programme, the investment of funds into your business and the expertise and support offered, they will require an equity stake in the proposed business.  While this might seem a fair trade for some start-up ventures, it will be a cause of concern for those considering the Innovator route who may not require additional investment funds and who have the professional skills and experience to steer their businesses to succeed in the UK market.  

We will help you to identify which, if any, of the endorsing bodies would be most suitable for your business idea and will make the necessary introductions so that you can get started with them on qualifying for visa endorsement.      

Our Services

There are two services we provide that may be of interest to potential innovator visa applicants.  

Innovator Visa Business Plan Review 

For those people that have already written their own business plan but need advice as to whether this is an innovative, viable and scalable business idea that meets the start-up visa criteria and want a recommendation as to which Endorsing Body they should approach, we offer our comprehensive visa business plan review service.  The result is an actionable report with recommendations for improvement of the business model in terms of the degree to which it satisfies the visa criteria and also improvements in the content of the plan itself.   

Innovator Visa Business Plan Writing   

If you would prefer to outsource the writing of the business plan to our team, we will ask detailed questions about your business idea and vision during an initial consultation and would then transform it into a visa-compliant business plan in a way that is easy and stress-free for you.  We will then review the full draft together and make sure you know your business plan thoroughly so you can pitch this idea to the endorsing body with confidence and expertise.  Finally, unlike many business plan writers, we will not abandon you during the endorsement process.  The endorsing body may ask questions that you won’t feel fully comfortable answering, at which point you can simply reach back out to us, even if it is months after we finished the business plan and we’ll help clarify anything that comes up.

If you want to own and operate a high-growth potential business in the UK and are interested in the Innovator Visa, please reach out today for a free, no-obligation initial consultation.    

Latest Articles

UK: +44 (0)161 5311380

US: +1 (702) 670 4848

INNOVATOR VISA CONSULTING LIMITED, Company number 11899735, 779 Atherton Road, Hindley Green, Wigan, England, WN2 4SB. | American Dream Ventures LLC |10845 Griffith Peak Drive, Summerlin, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA. 89135. | Web Design by The Smarter Web Company | Terms | Privacy Policy | XML Sitemap

Money: Manifestation warning as people swear it's bagged them '£2,000 in bank account'

We delve into the world of manifestation - but will a one-day course help our reporter land some extra cash and an engagement ring? Enjoy our weekend reads, and leave a comment, below, and we'll be back with all the latest personal finance and consumer news on Monday.

Saturday 27 April 2024 13:45, UK

Weekend Money

• '£2,000 landed in my account' - The people who say they're manifesting riches
• Iceland's new slogan and cash for grades: What our readers said this week
• Calculate how much your take-home pay will change this month with national insurance reduction
• Why are mortgage rates going up?

Best of the week

• The world of dark tourism - what is it, is it ethical and where can you go?
• Virgin Media customers share their bad experiences of customer service
• More Britons paying inheritance tax after chancellor freezes threshold - so how can you beat it?
• 'More important than a will': What are lasting power of attorneys and how much do they cost?
• 'I have a mortgage offer - will it change now rates are rising?'

Ask a question or make a comment

By Jess Sharp , Money team

My journey into the world of manifestation (the belief that you can attract success in your life through positive affirmations and visualisation) has taken me places I never thought I'd go.

Like woods in Edenbridge, where I stood meditating under a tree in the pouring rain. I don't yet know where my journey will end (I've been hoping for an engagement ring but my boyfriend hasn't yet seen my visualisations), but it started with a conversation with Jamie Greenlaw-Meek, one of many people who say manifestation has transformed their lives.

"About a year ago, there was something happening and I thought we just need two grand to cover the expense," Jamie, a former dancer from London, told me. "The following day £2,000 landed in my account."

It sounded like a coincidence to me, too.

But Jamie was adamant. His husband calls him "the master manifester" because of his "ability to bring in money".

"It's happened on so many occasions, like four, five times," he said. "I've become very clear on what I want and the amount of money I need and literally it can be within 24 hours that I get a phone call for a job and it's almost identical to what I asked for money-wise."

When I asked the now-psychic where the £2,000 actually came from, he said it was payment for a modelling job he had been offered.

"With manifesting you don't get caught up in the how, and often it comes in ways that you don't expect," he added, explaining it could come as the result of a claim after being in a car crash.

"It's not always coming in the way that you think but money is out there for us to take in the world. It's just having the confidence to receive it and we are worthy of it."

"Even if it is a placebo effect, does it matter?" he said.

The 43-year-old also believes he manifested his husband Fiongal after being diagnosed with cancer. While going through treatment and dating "a lot" of people, he decided to take matters into his own hands, or rather his own head, and started visualising his perfect partner.

"I decided to spend a good couple of weeks getting really, really, super clear in my mind what this person looked like. Then I started creating lists asking about personality traits, and all the things that I wanted that person to be," the former dancer said.

"The day I got the all clear from cancer I randomly met my husband and when I look at the list of the things I asked for, he pretty much ticks every single box. I really, really believe that is because I got super clear on what I wanted and I put that out to the universe to bring to me."

Jim Carrey and manifestation

If you think this is a new practice, it isn't. Jim Carrey was doing it back in the 90s. He famously wrote himself a $10m cheque for "acting services rendered" and dated it years in advance. Then in 1995, he was told he was going to make the exact amount for filming Dumb and Dumber.

The idea shot up in popularity again in 2006 after Rhonda Byrne published her self-help book The Secret.

Since then, it has hit every inch of the internet and has resurfaced on TikTok with videos posted under #manifesting accumulating a huge 13 billion views.

I tried to learn manifesting - I felt like an idiot

After hearing Jamie's story and seeing the idea was popular with so many people, I thought it best to try to learn manifestation myself. I mean, who wouldn't want money landing in their account and a work promotion from the universe?

As I stood in the woods, in the pouring rain, being told to imagine roots growing from the soles of my feet, I felt like an idiot.

I was soaking wet (of course I had forgotten a coat with a hood) and while my mind kept wandering through thoughts about being cold, if I'd hit traffic on the way home and how dirty my white trainers were getting, a gentle, soothing voice kept bringing me back to what I was supposed to be thinking about.

"How we are all connected, how the trees and plants produce oxygen that we breathe, and we breathe out carbon dioxide which they need to survive"

While some people focus their manifestation practices on being grateful to the universe, Tansy Jane Dowman believes we need to get "out of our heads, into our bodies", connect with nature and find our true selves before we can practice it successfully.

My meditation in the woods was just one part of a six-hour workshop run by Tansy, which aimed to send me off with a clearer vision of what I truly desired.

Tansy charges anywhere from £25 to £580 for her courses, which range from one-on-one sessions and an online six-week programme, to forest bathing workshops and weekend-long nature retreats.

But some courses have popped up online which cost more than £1,000.

Tansy started practising manifestation in 2018 after going through a difficult period in her life. She eventually quit her job in events management and started teaching others how to do it successfully.

"The way I manifest is not to focus on material wealth or gain. I would ask my clients what an abundant life means to them in terms of feelings, experiences, connections, people and places," she explained.

"The more authentic you are, the more of a beacon you become for those things to find you."

After spending time walking in the rain and meditating under a tree, Tansy and I sat in her dining room and explored some of the happiest moments in my life and the feelings I experienced. It became clear I like feeling accomplished, needed and excited.

We also spoke about challenging times, but the conversation focused on the positives, like how I had overcome them and what I had learned.

"It's so important to bring in your values with manifestation because sometimes we can get really confused with what we want, with social media especially," she told me.

Throughout her house, Tansy has a number of "abundance boards" proudly on display - some she has made with her children, others are from her annual January tradition of setting out her desires for the year.

"I've had some really wonderful goosebump things happen to me. I did a board at the beginning of 2020... I put a picture of a microphone on it. I just thought I really like that image and I didn't immediately place any meaning onto it," she said.

"Then as the world was shutting down for lockdown, I did a press event and I met a lady who worked for Wellbeing Radio and she wondered if I would be interested in trying out as a presenter."

She explained that some people will be very specific with their desires, like selecting a photo of the exact car they want, or the perfect house, but that isn't how manifestation works. There needs to be an element of trust in the universe giving them what they attract.

As we created my abundance board, which Tansy describes as being like a "personal algorithm", she told me to select images and words from heaps of magazines that called to me intuitively.

As you can see from the picture below, mine calls for being "financially fabulous", travelling, getting engaged (coughs loudly in earshot of boyfriend) and living stress-free.

And while I'd love a big cash injection, Tansy explained to me that money is "only a stepping stone to a feeling" and, ultimately, I'm aiming to create an emotion with it.

Manifesters more likely to go bankrupt

While all the manifestation believers I spoke to said there was no downside to the practice, a researcher has been looking into whether it really does pay off.

Based in Australia, Dr Lucas Dixon (who specialises in consumer psychology) created a scale from one to seven to rank a person's strength of belief and found those who practice it are more likely to have been victims of fraud and declared bankruptcy.

He said there was a "danger" that manifesting could become harmful if taken to an extreme level.

He found those who believe in manifesting tend to think more positively and have a confident attitude when it comes to success, and while that can be helpful in business, it can also cause them to take unnecessary risks.

"They weren't more objectively successful in terms of having higher income or higher education attainment," he said.

"We also found that they are more likely to believe in get-rich-quick schemes, more likely to take higher risks... to have risky financial investments and more likely to have investments in cryptocurrency rather than traditional stock."

Using the scale he created, Dr Dixon found those who have "very strong beliefs", ranking at a seven, were 40% more likely to have gone bankrupt.

"The danger comes in a couple of different forms," he said, explaining that a "worst case scenario" could see people getting into financial difficulty by being encouraged to "just look at the positives".

"Someone might say it's not harmful because it is really just thinking positively but I think even that can be harmful because of what you might call an opportunity cost," he said.

"You're spending time, energy and money doing something that doesn't have a lot of evidence behind it. We found it does make you feel good but you don't need to pay thousands to do it."

Okay, so back to me...

I did my manifestation course about two months ago, and I have done as I was instructed - my abundance board is up in sight inside the flat, and I often have a cup of coffee in front of it.

But, so far I'm still using a credit card, the most travelling I've done has been to work and back and there is still no rock on my finger. I have been given an annual pay rise, though, and would say I am less stressed.

Perhaps believing that I'm just doing my best and there's a chance that I'll be rewarded for that one day, eventually, in the future, maybe, is making me feel better... who knows?

Each week, Money blog readers share their thoughts on the subjects we've been covering, and over the last seven days your correspondence has been dominated by these topics...

• Iceland's new slogan
• Rising mortgage rates
• Giving kids cash for grades

Iceland's new catchphrase

We learnt on Monday that Iceland had dropped its tagline "That's why mums go to Iceland", replacing it with "That's why we go to Iceland".

The move was made to reflect the store is for everybody, said brand ambassador Josie Gibson. Readers were split - with some feeling so strongly that they're prepared, they suggest, to sacrifice those frozen Greggs steak bakes forever...

I previously contacted Iceland about their slogan because I didn't think it did single dads justice, as dads can go to Iceland too. Their response was that people understood that it's not just mums that go to Iceland. It's about time they changed the message. Dave T  

Neither I, my wife or my children will shop in Iceland again due to this stupidness and woke attitude. To hell with you [Iceland boss] Richard Walker. John  

Banks hike mortgage rates

This week we reported that high street lenders such as Halifax, TSB, NatWest, Barclays, Leeds Building Society, HSBC and Coventry had all hiked mortgage rates. 

You said...

With house prices at already extortionate levels, now mortgage rates rising again, is there any hope for first-time buyers? Honestly, the situation is so bleak, people may need to consider other countries. GenZ 

Why would this happen? So many young couples struggling to get on the property ladder. I live in Dorset - a one-bedroom flat costs from £230,000. In Scotland, one can get a beautiful two-bed house for that price. Feel sorry for all couples living down in the South. Need huge deposits. Barbs

Why are they called high-street banks? Most banks in my town have closed. Martin J

Parents offering cash for good grades

A lot of views came in after our feature exploring the positives and negatives of parents incentivising good school grades with cash...

We had scores of comments on this - with a fairly even split...

We did it for our son at GCSE time. We think it made a difference of about a grade on most subjects. Got a two-grade lift on maths. Cost us £350. Thought it was good value as it has taught him how things work in the world. Andy

The whole world is built on a reward system which symbolises access to money commensurate with effort and excellence. The Nobel prize goes with a cash reward! Tom Deggs

Employees are offered incentives for achieving targets, so why not offer kids incentives for better grades? Claire228 

But others had concerns...

I think it puts too much pressure on kids who are under enough pressure at exam time. Parents should encourage their kids to do the best they can, not add to their stress levels. Emma

Children should value their education without it being monetised. My parents expected my brother and I to have the motivation, maturity and self-discipline to work hard for our GCSEs. We both achieved all As and A*s. Eliza 

When I was at school, from 1964-83, my parents never gave me money for good exam results, because "I should want to do well for myself". No matter what my grades were, they said that they would be proud of me if I had tried my best. Cash kills self-motivation. Nicola B 

National insurance was cut this month, for the second time this year, from 10% to 8% on employee earnings between £12,570 and £50,270.

The change, announced by the chancellor in his March budget, impacts around 27 million payroll employees across the UK - starting this pay day.

The cut is worth almost £250 to someone earning £25,000 a year and almost £750 for those earning £50,000

Use our tool below for a rough guide to what tax changes can be expected for most people, as there are other variables not included which might affect how much tax you pay including being in receipt of the blind person's allowance or the marriage allowance. It also assumes you are not self-employed and are under pension age...

There are also national insurance cuts for the self-employed. This includes the scrapping of Class 2 contributions, as well as a reduction of the rate of Class 4 contributions from 9% to 6% for the £12,570 to £50,270 earnings bracket.

These will impact nearly two million self-employed people, according to the Treasury.

While many campaigners welcomed the national insurance announcement last month, they pointed out that the tax burden remains at record high levels for Britons - thanks in part to the threshold at which people start paying income tax being frozen, rather than rising with inflation.

The money story of the week has been mortgage rates - with a host of major lenders announcing hikes amid fears the Bank of England may delay interest rate cuts.

Swap rates - which dictate how much it costs to lend money - have risen on the back of higher than expected US inflation data, and concerns this could delay interest rate cuts there. 

US trends often materialise elsewhere - though many economists are still expecting a base rate cut from 5.25% to 5% in the UK in June.

The reliable Bloomberg reported this week: "Still, while some economists have since scaled back their predictions for BOE cuts, most haven't changed expectations for a summer move.

"Analysts at Morgan Stanley, Goldman Sachs Group, Capital Economics and Bloomberg Economics are all among those still anticipating a shift toward easing in June."

The publication also quoted Sanjay Raja, chief UK economist at Deutsche Bank, as saying: "Markets have superimposed the US cycle on the UK, but the US and UK are on very different tracks.

"The UK is coming out of technical recession. Inflation is falling more convincingly. Pay settlements are following inflation expectations. And crucially, real policy rates in the UK will be higher than in the US."

None of this reassurance changes the fact that financial markets, which dictate swap rates, are pricing in delays.

This week's hikes came from Halifax, BM Solutions, TSB, NatWest, Virgin, Barclays, Accord, Leeds Building Society, HSBC and Coventry.

This is what average mortgage rates looked like as of Thursday...

The next Bank of England decision on rates comes on 9 May - and pretty much no one is expecting a cut from the 16-year high of 5.25% at that stage.

The Money blog is your place for consumer news, economic analysis and everything you need to know about the cost of living - bookmark news.sky.com/money.

It runs with live updates every weekday - while on Saturdays we scale back and offer you a selection of weekend reads.

Check them out this morning and we'll be back on Monday with rolling news and features.

The Money team is Emily Mee, Bhvishya Patel, Jess Sharp, Katie Williams, Brad Young and Ollie Cooper, with sub-editing by Isobel Souster. The blog is edited by Jimmy Rice.

The family home where Captain Sir Tom Moore walked 100 laps to raise nearly £40m for the NHS during the first COVID lockdown is up for sale for £2.25m.

The Grade II-listed Old Rectory is described as a "magnificent seven-bedroom property" by estate agents Fine & Country.

In a video tour of the house, a sculpture of Captain Tom with his walking frame can be seen in the hallway, while a photo of the fundraising hero being knighted by the Queen is on a wall in the separate coach house building.

Introducing the property, an estate agent says in the tour video: "I'm sure you'll recognise this iconic and very famous driveway behind me as it was home to the late Captain Sir Tom Moore who walked 100 laps of his garden, raising over £37m for NHS charities."

It comes less than three months after the demolition of an unauthorised spa pool block in the grounds of the property in Marston Moretaine, Bedfordshire.

Speaking at an appeal hearing over that spa, Scott Stemp, representing Captain Tom's daughter Hannah Ingram-Moore and her husband, said the foundation named after the fundraising hero "is to be closed down" following a Charity Commission probe launched amid concerns about its management.

For the full story, click here ...

"Status symbol" pets are being given up by owners who get scared as they grow up, an animal charity has said, with the cost of living possibly paying a part in a rise in separations.

The Exotic Pet Refuge, which homes parrots, monkeys, snakes and alligators among others, says it receives referrals across the country, including from zoos and the RSPCA.

"They're a status symbol. People will say, 'OK, I'll have an alligator or a 10ft boa constrictor'," co-owner Pam Mansfield told the BBC.

"But when the animal gets big, they will get too frightened to handle them, and then the pet has to go."

She added people who want to get rid of the pets sometimes call zoos for help, which then call on her charity.

In some cases, owners don't have licences to own dangerous animals, she says, blaming a "lack of understanding" for what she says is a rise in the number of exotic animals needing to be rehomed.

She says people "just don't have the space" for some snakes, for example, with some growing to as much as 12ft and needing their own room.

The cost of living crisis has also forced owners to give their pets away, she says.

Her charity has also been affected by those increased costs, with the electricity bill rising to £10,000 a month at their highest, to fund things like heated pools for alligators.

Private car parks are accused of "confusing drivers" after introducing a new code of conduct - despite "doing all they can" to prevent an official government version.

The code of practice launched by two industry bodies - British Parking Association and the International Parking Community - includes a ten-minute grace period for motorists to leave a car park after the parking period they paid for ends.

It also features requirements for consistent signage, a single set of rules for operators on private land and an "appeals charter".

Private parking businesses have been accused of using misleading and confusing signs, aggressive debt collection and unreasonable fees.

That comes after a government-backed code of conduct was withdrawn in June 2022, after a legal challenges by parking companies.

RAC head of policy Simon Williams said: "We're flabbergasted that the BPA and the IPC have suddenly announced plans to introduce their own private parking code after doing all they can over the last five years to prevent the official government code created by an act of Parliament coming into force.

"While there are clearly some positive elements to what the private parking industry is proposing, it conveniently avoids some of the biggest issues around caps on penalty charges and debt recovery fees which badly need to be addressed to prevent drivers being taken advantage of."

BPA chief executive Andrew Pester said: "This is a crucial milestone as we work closely with government, consumer bodies and others to deliver fairer and more consistent parking standards for motorists."

IPC chief executive Will Hurley said: "The single code will benefit all compliant motorists and will present clear consequences for those who decide to break the rules."

Sky News has learnt the owner of Superdry's flagship store is weighing up a legal challenge to a rescue plan launched by the struggling fashion retailer.

M&G, the London-listed asset manager, has engaged lawyers from Hogan Lovells to scrutinise the restructuring plan.

The move by M&G, which owns the fashion retailer's 32,000 square foot Oxford Street store, will not necessarily result in a formal legal challenge - but sources say it's possible.

Read City editor Mark Kleinman 's story here...

NatWest says its mortgage lending nearly halved at the start of the year as it retreated from parts of the market when competition among lenders stepped up.

New mortgage lending totalled £5.2bn in the first three months of 2024, the banking group has revealed, down from £9.9bn the previous year.

The group, which includes Royal Bank of Scotland and Coutts, also reported an operating pre-tax profit of £1.3bn for the first quarter, down 27% from £1.8bn the previous year.

An unexplained flow of British luxury cars into states neighbouring Russia continued into February, new data shows.

About £26m worth of British cars were exported to Azerbaijan, making the former Soviet country the 17th biggest destination for UK cars - bigger than long-established export markets such as Ireland, Portugal and Qatar.

Azerbaijan's ascent has coincided almost to the month with the imposition of sanctions on the export of cars to Russia.

Read the rest of economics and data editor Ed Conway 's analysis here...

Rishi Sunak has hailed the arrival of pay day with a reminder his government's additional National Insurance tax cut kicks in this month for the first time.

At last month's budget, the chancellor announced NI will be cut by a further 2p - so some workers will pay 8% of their earnings instead of the 12% if was before autumn.

The prime minister has repeated his claim this will be worth £900 for someone on the average UK salary.

While this additional cut - on top of the previous 2p cut in January - does equate to £900 for those on average full-time earnings of £35,000, there are two key issues with Mr Sunak's claim:

• Once the effect of all income tax changes since 2021 are taken into account, the Institute for Fiscal Studies reports an average earner will benefit from a tax cut of £340 - far less than £900;
• Moreover, anyone earning less than £26,000 or between £55,000-£131,000 will ultimately be worse off.

In short, this is because NI cuts are more than offset by other tax rises.

We explain below how this is the case...

Tax thresholds

This is partly down to tax thresholds - the amount you are allowed to earn before you start paying tax (and national insurance) and before you start paying the higher rate of tax - will remain frozen. 

This means people end up paying more tax than they otherwise would, when their pay rises with inflation but the thresholds don't keep up. 

This phenomenon is known as "fiscal drag" and it's often called a stealth tax because it's not as noticeable immediately in your pay packet.

That low threshold of £12,570 has been in place since April 2021. 

The Office for Budget Responsibility says if it had increased with inflation it would be set at £15,220 for 2024/25.

If that were the case, workers could earn an extra £2,650 tax-free each year.

Less give, more take

Sky News analysis shows someone on £16,000 a year will pay £607 more in total - equivalent to more than three months of average household spending on food. 

Their income level means national insurance savings are limited but they are paying 20% in income tax on an additional £2,650 of earnings.

In its analysis , the IFS states: "In aggregate the NICs cuts just serve to give back a portion of the money that is being taken away through other income tax and NICs changes - in particular, multi-year freezes to tax thresholds at a time of high inflation."

Overall, according to the institute, for every £1 given back to workers by the National Insurance cuts, £1.30 will have been taken away due to threshold changes between 2021 and 2024.

This rises to £1.90 in 2027.

Be the first to get Breaking News

Install the Sky News app for free

Blog Home Office in the media

https://homeofficemedia.blog.gov.uk/2024/04/17/media-factsheet-evisas/

Media factsheet: eVisas  

eVisas are a key part of delivering a border and immigration system which will be ‘digital by default’ by 2025. This process is already underway, and millions of people in the UK who applied for their visa through the EU Settlement Scheme or used the ‘UK Immigration: ID Check’ app already have an eVisa (digital proof of their immigration status). These changes bring significant benefits to customers, deliver excellent value, and increase the UK immigration system’s security and efficiency.     

An eVisa is an online record of a customer’s immigration permission in the UK, and any conditions which apply. It can be viewed by logging into the online ‘View and prove your immigration status’ service using their UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) account. It is usually linked to a customer’s passport to facilitate straightforward international travel.  

Using a phased approach to implementing digital services, the intention is that by 2025 most customers will have a secure and seamless digital journey when they interact with the UK’s immigration system.    

Over time this will see physical and paper-based products and services replaced with accessible, straightforward online and digital services (such as the ‘view and prove’ service) and products such as the eVisa.    

The Home Office has launched a phased rollout of eVisas to biometric residence permit (BRP). Initially this is to BRP holders by email invitation only, being sent in phases. The service will open to all BRP holders from summer 2024. Customers with BRPs do not need to do anything unless they receive an email, and don’t need to contact the Home Office if they do not receive an email immediately because the service will open to all in the summer.   

The latest information on eVisas is available at www.gov.uk/evisa .  Holders of other physical immigration documents, including (for those who hold indefinite leave to enter or indefinite leave to remain) passports containing vignette visa stickers or ink stamps, and biometric residence cards (BRCs), can also find information there on how to create a UKVI account to access their eVisa. It is free, and straightforward for customers who hold physical and paper documents to create a UKVI account to access their eVisa. Creating a UKVI account will not change, impact or remove customers’ current immigration status or their rights in the UK.    

Customers who already have an eVisa, including anyone granted status through the EU Settlement Scheme, do not need to do anything. This is also the case if a customer holds both a physical document, such as a BRP, and an eVisa. Customers who are not sure if they already have a UKVI account and eVisa can either check here on GOV.UK or refer to their original grant email or letter.   

Further information and future updates, including details of the support available, is available at www.gov.uk/evisa . This will be updated throughout 2024.  

An eVisa partner pack comprising further information and factsheets for stakeholders is also available here to download.     

What is an eVisa?  

An eVisa is an electronic record of a person’s immigration status.    

It removes the need for physical documents such as the biometric residence permit (BRP), ink stamps or vignette visa stickers in passports, or the biometric residence card (BRC).     

It explains the immigration status of the holder, including the conditions of the immigration permission such as any limitations on their right to work.   

Customers can view their eVisa by logging into the view and prove service using their UKVI account and share relevant information about their status securely with third parties, such as employers or private service providers such as letting agencies.  

What are the benefits of eVisas?  

eVisas bring significant benefits, deliver excellent value and increase the UK immigration system’s security and efficiency.  

They will also bring significant benefits to customers who hold an immigration status in the UK:  

• An eVisa cannot be lost, stolen or damaged.  
• Customers can prove their rights instantly, accurately and securely to anyone who requests it while sharing only necessary information.  
• With an eVisa, fewer customers will need to leave their passport with the Home Office while awaiting a decision. eVisas also mean that customers do not need to collect documents like BRPs or wait for these documents to be sent to them.  
• With a UKVI account, customers can easily keep the Home Office updated with any changes in their details or documentation. For example, customers can tell us about changes to their name and nationality, travel document (such as passport), email, telephone and postal address contact details.  
• Customers can access many UK government services and benefits without needing to present proof of immigration status. This is because selected government departments and authorities including the Department for Work and Pensions and the National Health Service in England and Wales, can securely access immigration status information automatically through system to system checks. Immigration data is held securely, and government will never sell customer data. Further information on how the Home Office handles customer data can be found here on GOV.UK .  

It is also simpler for those who need to check someone’s UK immigration status (such as employers and landlords), to use online services, rather than having to maintain awareness of, and look through, different types of physical immigration documents, some of which may be in bad condition, or even fraudulent. As more and more customers create UKVI accounts, checkers can increasingly conduct one quick and simple check using a secure online service on GOV.UK  

When are eVisas launching?   

Although millions of customers already have and use eVisas, including everyone granted status under the EU Settlement Scheme, throughout 2024 customers who currently use physical immigration documents to prove their status and rights in the UK, will be asked to take action to create a UKVI account to access their eVisa.   

This process launched in April 2024, with BRP holders emailed directly with instructions on how to create UKVI account to access their eVisa. These email invitations are being sent in phases, before the service is made available to all BRP holders in the summer. BRP holders who have not yet received an email should not worry as the process will soon be opened to all without an invitation, and there is no need to contact the Home Office in the meantime.  

As we rollout the online process for BRP holders to create a UKVI account to access their eVisa we will send emails to BRP holders when they are able to take action. BRP holders who have not yet received email instructions but have been made aware of the process by friends, family or online forums may find the process does not yet work for them. There is no need to contact the Home Office in this case as the online process will be open for all BRP holders in summer 2024 at www.gov.uk/evisa .  

Holders of other physical immigration documents, such as a passport containing ink stamps or vignette visa stickers, or BRCs can take steps to acquire an eVisa now, and further instructions are available at www.gov.uk/evisa .   

Will this impact British citizens?  

British passport holders and Irish citizens, including those who previously held an immigration status but have since acquired British citizenship, do not need to do anything. British citizens who do not have a British passport because they are dual nationals (excluding Irish passport holders) may need to take action in future regarding how they prove their right of abode. Updates on this will be provided in due course.    

Will the Home Office be communicating about eVisas?   

A comprehensive range of communications activity on the implementation of eVisas is underway and will be delivered throughout 2024.   

This includes a range of direct emails which will be sent, in phases, to BRP holders with instructions on how to create a UKVI account to access their eVisa. We are also proactively engaging with a wide range of targeted stakeholders to engage those impacted by the move to eVisas, and have developed a range of partner pack content (see above) to equip them to communicate widely about eVisa changes.   

We will also be using official communication channels, including videos and regularly updated content on gov.uk to communicate these changes.   

What is a UKVI account? How is it different to an eVisa?    

A UKVI account is a secure way for customers to log into online services such as view and prove, whereas an eVisa is an electronic record of a person’s immigration status.   

Using their UKVI account, customers can view their eVisa and share the relevant information via the online view and prove service, by generating a share code, which provides time-limited access to the relevant data. A person can have a UKVI account but no eVisa, for example, where the application for permission to stay in the UK was refused or expired.   

A customer can also update personal details such as address and contact details in their UKVI account. This service is free, unlike updating physical immigration documents for which customers may be charged. This service is available at: www.update-your-UK-Visas-and-immigration-account-details .  

The UKVI account is currently created automatically for everyone who uses the ‘UK Immigration: ID Check mobile App’ to make an immigration application.    

Customers who already hold a physical document will need to create a UKVI account to access their eVisa and to be able to use the full range of online services.   

As physical documents that evidence immigration status expire, the view and prove service, accessed via the UKVI account, will be the way people can view and prove their immigration status and associated rights in the UK.  

Can you still use a physical document if it expires, and you don’t get an eVisa?    

The expiry of a physical document, for example, a BRP card, does not affect a customer’s immigration status. However, how they prove their status will change from 2025. Customers will have to use our online services to prove their rights in the UK and to do so they will need to create a UKVI account.   

What do customers need to do if they hold a BRP that expires at the end of 2024?  

Customers who have a BRP and are living in the UK will need to create a UKVI account to access their eVisa unless their immigration leave expires before 31 December 2024. From April 2024, BRP holders are being emailed directly with instructions on how to do this. These email invitations are being sent in phases, before the service is made available to all BRP holders in the summer. BRP holders who have not yet received an email should not worry as the process will soon be opened to all without an invitation, and there is no need to contact the Home Office in the meantime. BRP holders should visit www.gov.uk/evisa for the latest information.  

For now, customers should continue to use their BRP as they have previously and visit www.gov.uk/evisa for updates. This includes taking their BRP with them when they travel internationally.     

The expiry of their BRP card does not affect their immigration status. However, how they prove their status will change from 2025.   

Customers who already have an eVisa (a digital immigration status) as well as a BRP, will not need to create a UKVI account, as they already have one. Customers can find out if they already have a UKVI account by checking the email or letter that they were given when they were granted immigration status in the UK or go to www.gov.uk/evisa for further information.   

Should customers whose BRP expires on 31 Dec 2024 before their immigration leave is due to expire, apply now to renew their BRP?    

No, customers should not apply to renew their BRP, as all BRPs issued to customers who hold immigration leave beyond 2024, including renewals, are due to expire on 31 Dec 2024 and will be replaced by the eVisa.    

What should customers do if they’ve lost their BRP?   

If a customer has lost their valid BRP then they should apply for a replacement in the usual way. As with all BRPs, if their leave extends beyond the end of 2024, their replacement BRP will expire on 31 December 2024, and they will need to create a UKVI account to access their eVisa to prove their rights.    

Once you have received your replacement then you should visit www.gov.uk/evisa for details of how to create a UKVI account and access your eVisa.   

If a customer has a BRP but it expires before the end of 2024 what do, they need to do?    

If a customer’s BRP expires before 31 Dec 2024 then their immigration leave may also expire at that point. If it does, and if they plan to remain in the UK then they should make a visa renewal application in the usual way.    

Will a BRP holder be able to use an expired BRP to generate a share code after it has expired but while they still have immigration leave?      

How a customer proves their status will change from 2025 and they should take action to create a UKVI account to access their eVisa before their BRP expires.   

Information on what steps a BRP holder will need to take to create a UKVI account and access their eVisa is available at www.gov.uk/evisa .    

We would encourage all BRP holders to create an account and access their eVisa as soon as it is possible for them to do so.  Where individuals have not created an account before their BRP expires at the end of 2024, we will put in place mechanisms to ensure they are still able to prove their rights while they create an account. Holders of expired BRPs will still be able to use these to create an account.  

BRP holders should take steps to create a UKVI account and access their eVisa before it expires to prevent any unnecessary delays in proving their rights.   

What do legacy paper document holders need to do to evidence their rights in the UK – and what do they need to do to get an eVisa?    

Customers who have indefinite leave to enter or indefinite leave to remain and prove their rights using a passport containing an ink stamp or vignette visa sticker or use another type of legacy paper document should make a ‘No Time Limit’ application.  

As part of the application process customers may need to travel to a UK Visa and Citizenship Application Services Centre (known as a UKVCAS) to provide a photograph, and in some cases provide fingerprints.   

Once an application has been processed successful No Time Limit applicants will be issued with a biometric residence permit (BRP), which can then be used to prove the customer's rights and to create a UKVI account.  

By the end of 2024 No Time Limit applicants will receive an eVisa, rather than a BRP. Further updates on this change will be available in due course.

It is free to make a No Time Limit application, and information on how to do so is available at http://www.gov.uk/biometric-residence-permits/replace-visa-brp  

Why do holders of legacy documents such as passports containing ink stamps or vignette visa stickers need to get an eVisa?    

The border and immigration system is becoming ‘digital by default’, a change that will enhance the customer experience, deliver excellent value, and increase the immigration system’s security and efficiency. This move also reflects a broader societal move towards a digital approach.    

The phasing out of legacy documents, such as passports containing ink stamps or a vignette visa sticker, is a key part of this process, but will bring a range of benefits to customers. This includes the fact that an eVisa cannot be lost or damaged, like a vignette, and there is no need for a potentially costly replacement.   

Customers who replace their legacy document with an eVisa will benefit from the automated access that public bodies, including the Department for Work and Pensions and the National Health Service in England and Wales will securely have to their immigration status, which will streamline access to key services.    

Creating a UKVI account to access an eVisa will also help to prevent unnecessary delays when travelling internationally (if travelling on the document linked to the UKVI account).    

If legacy document holders do not acquire an eVisa by 2025, then they may experience challenges and delays in proving their rights and when travelling internationally.    

What do eVisas mean for international travel?   

Customers should continue to carry their in-date physical immigration documents with them when they travel internationally. Customers who already have an eVisa should tell the Home Office about any travel document on which they intend to travel using the Update your UK Visas and Immigration account details’ service at www.gov.uk/update-uk-visas-immigration-account-details .‘ if this is not already linked to their account.   

During 2024, the Home Office is taking steps to allow carriers, including transport operators such as airlines, ferry, and international train operators, to securely and automatically access the immigration status of passengers travelling on their services when they present their travel document which is linked to their UKVI account.   

This will automate the existing routine checks completed whenever a passenger presents their travel document when travelling internationally. This will provide a more convenient customer journey, and enhanced border security.   

While the UK government is delivering a digital border and immigration system including plans to trial contactless entry using facial recognition only, there are no current plans to replace physical passports with digital equivalents.  

Will all international carriers have automatic access to immigration details? Or will it just be airlines?    

From later this year, carriers operating across air, rail & sea will be able to securely access passenger immigration information. Further updates will be provided in due course.  

Is there help and support for vulnerable groups?   

We are developing our digital products and services for use by all, including vulnerable users.     

Customers can contact the UK Visas and Immigration Contact Centre, which provides telephone and email support to those using the online immigration status services.    

This includes supporting users through the online journey by:    

• helping them to access or recover their account.  
• helping them to update their personal details.   
• sharing status on behalf of individuals if they are unable to do so themselves.

The UK Visas and Immigration Contact Centre will also be able to assist users who are experiencing technical issues with their online immigration status, and where necessary, enable individuals’ status to be verified through alternative means.  

Individuals can nominate a ‘helper’ and give them limited access to their account, so that they can assist with creating a UKVI account, completing details to access an eVisa, and with any immigration application. Where a person is unable to manage their own affairs due to, for example, age or disability, a ‘proxy’, who is authorised, can create and manage the account on behalf of the person.  

Our Assisted Digital service is also available to provide individual support by phone and email to individuals who require assistance with IT-related aspects of creating a UKVI account.    

Additionally, we work collaboratively with a range of third-party stakeholders on the move to eVisas. Many of these organisations offer support to individuals requiring assistance in creating a UKVI account and accessing their eVisa.    

We are exploring options to provide additional eVisa support and will provide further updates in due course.   

What support is there for those who are digitally excluded?   

Assisted Digital is a free service provided by UKVI to support customers in the UK who are digitally excluded to create a UKVI account and access their eVisa. Customers are classified as being digitally excluded if they have access needs or if they have low or no digital skills.     

Access needs can include any disability that requires support to use online services, a lack of device or a lack of internet access.   

Will children be impacted by the move to eVisas?   

In the case of children, the expectation is that their parent or guardian will have access to their UKVI account and use the online services on their behalf, as they would have looked after and used a BRP/C on the child’s behalf. They can subsequently transfer ownership of the account and access to the online services when the child reaches majority.   

Parents and guardians can create a UKVI account for their children at the same time they create an account for themselves.   

Sharing and comments

Share this page, related content and links, about this blog.

Home Office in the media is the Home Office's blog on the latest topical home affairs issues. It features a review of leading media stories, responses to breaking news, rebuttal to inaccurate reports, and ministerial comment.

Find out more about the blog.

Sign up and manage updates

• Twitter @UKHomeOffice

Recent Posts

• Latest statement in response to small boat crossings 26 April 2024
• Media factsheet: eVisas   17 April 2024
• Windrush Schemes Factsheet – February 2024 11 April 2024

Other useful websites

• Home Office
• Media enquiries - Home Office
• Border Force
• HM Passport Office
• Disclosure and Barring Service
• General Register Office

Comments and moderation

Cookies on GOV.UK

We use some essential cookies to make this website work.

We’d like to set additional cookies to understand how you use GOV.UK, remember your settings and improve government services.

We also use cookies set by other sites to help us deliver content from their services.

You have accepted additional cookies. You can change your cookie settings at any time.

You have rejected additional cookies. You can change your cookie settings at any time.

• Entering and staying in the UK
• Visas and entry clearance

eVisa rollout begins with immigration documents replaced by 2025

Millions are being invited to switch from physical immigration documents to an eVisa – a key step in creating a modernised and digital border.

Photo: Getty Images

The next stage in the government’s plan to modernise the border and introduce a digital immigration system is under way, as the Home Office moves closer to the implementation of eVisas for nearly all visa holders living in the UK by 2025.

From today (17 April 2024), the Home Office will begin to send emails to all those with physical immigration documents, called biometric residence permits (BRPs), inviting them to create a UK Visas and Immigration ( UKVI ) account to access their eVisa, a digital proof of their immigration status.

Invitations will be issued in phases before the process opens to all BRP holders in summer 2024.

eVisas are central to making the UK safer by reducing the risk of fraud, loss and abuse of physical documents, strengthening border security, and providing a more secure way to prove immigration status. This will pave the way for increased automation to deliver the government’s vision for a contactless border.

It is free and straightforward for customers who hold physical and paper documents to create a UKVI account to access their eVisa. Creating a UKVI account will not change, impact or remove customers’ current immigration status or their rights in the UK.

Minister for Legal Migration and the Border, Tom Pursglove MP, said:  

We’ve already taken really significant steps to digitally transform the border and immigration system, and this wider rollout of eVisas is a key part of that process.  Replacing physical immigration documents with eVisas will ensure firm control over who comes here to live, work or study, strengthening border security and preventing abuse of the immigration system, while delivering cost savings for UK taxpayers.

eVisas bring substantial benefits to the UK public and to visa customers. They are secure, and, unlike a physical document, cannot be lost, stolen or tampered with. They can be accessed anywhere and in real time, putting customers in control of their own data and allowing them to swiftly update the Home Office with new contact or passport details.

An eVisa is securely linked with the holder’s unique biometric information in the same way as a BRP or BRC , to protect against identity fraud.

People checking immigration status will be able to conduct one quick and simple check using a secure online service on GOV.UK. Selected public bodies are already able to access immigration status to determine eligibility for public services automatically through system to system checks.

eVisas are tried and tested, with millions of customers already using them across routes including the EU Settlement Scheme ( EUSS ). Most physical documents, such as biometric residence permits or cards (BRPs or BRCs), are being gradually phased out, with most BRPs expiring at the end of 2024.

This move to eVisas is in line with other countries which have replaced, or are planning to replace, their physical immigration documents with digital forms of immigration status.

Customers who already have an eVisa do not need to do anything as we make this change, but should continue to update their UKVI account with any changes to personal information, such as a new passport or contact details. Customers should continue to carry their in-date physical immigration documents with them when they travel internationally, until they expire.

Physical immigration documents will be gradually phased out by 2025, as we transition to a fully digital border and immigration system for new and existing customers. This will deliver enhanced security and cost savings for the UK public and greater convenience for customers and status checkers. 

Customers who already have an eVisa should tell the Home Office about any passport on which they intend to travel using the online Update your UK Visas and Immigration account details service on GOV.UK, if this is not already linked to their account, to avoid delays when travelling.

As part of the wider transformation of the UK border and immigration system, the government has already introduced the Electronic Travel Authorisation ( ETA ) scheme. ETA is a digital permission to travel to the UK for those wanting to visit but who do not need a visa. It gives the government greater ability to screen travellers in advance of travel and prevent those who pose a threat from coming here.

Share this page

The following links open in a new tab

• Share on Facebook (opens in new tab)
• Share on Twitter (opens in new tab)

Is this page useful?

• Yes this page is useful
• No this page is not useful

Help us improve GOV.UK

Don’t include personal or financial information like your National Insurance number or credit card details.

To help us improve GOV.UK, we’d like to know more about your visit today. We’ll send you a link to a feedback form. It will take only 2 minutes to fill in. Don’t worry we won’t send you spam or share your email address with anyone.