POSTERN

United Kingdom

Innovator Founder visa. Britain’s option for someone starting a genuinely new, innovative, scalable business, once an approved endorsing body backs the plan — there is no fixed investment amount, but you must show enough money to run it.

Free, with the law behind every answer

Innovator Founder visa

Permission to live in the UK and run the endorsed business for up to 3 years.

Who qualifies

You keep your U.S. citizenship.

1

Does it fit your family?

One question, from the program’s own rules.

Savings you could move or invest?

Not legal advice.

2

What it takes.

Savings
About $1,650.
Time
Endorsement itself can take 8+ weeks; the visa decision typically follows within 3 weeks of a complete application.
Cost
About $3,500–5,000: the £1,357 (outside UK) visa fee, a roughly £1,000 endorsing-body fee, and £1,035 per year of Immigration Health Surcharge.
The hard part
Getting endorsed at all: only a handful of approved bodies exist and they are selective about what counts as genuinely innovative and scalable.

Dollar figures are converted from the local currency at the rate the program’s research used; the official figure is in the local currency.

3

Citizens by 2033.

If your first permit is issued in 2027 and you keep living there, this is the road.

  1. 2027
    First residence permit

    3 years, renewable for 3 years at a time.

  2. 2030
    Permanent residence

    Indefinite Leave to Remain: pass the Life in the UK test (ages 18–64), prove English at B1 or above, and spend no more than 180 days outside the UK in any 12 months.

  3. 2032
    Apply for citizenship

    With a language test and a civics test.

  4. 2033
    Citizenship

    The decision usually takes 6 months.

Language
English at B1 or above (an approved test or a degree taught in English); usually already shown for settlement.
Civics
The Life in the UK test: 24 questions in 45 minutes on British traditions, history and customs, £50. Passed once, it counts for both settlement and citizenship.
Time away
At least 5 years living in the UK, with no more than 450 days outside it in those 5 years and no more than 90 days in the last 12 months. You must also have held settlement for 12 months.
Two passports
Yes. You keep your U.S. citizenship.
  • Settlement after 3 years if the business meets its endorsed milestones; citizenship still needs 5 years living in the UK, so the earliest filing is at year 5.
The law behind these dates
4

Living there.

Time you must spend there
The program sets no minimum number of days. Renewal still expects it to be your home.
Tax
UK tax residence generally follows the Statutory Residence Test (broadly 183+ days); worldwide income and gains become taxable once tax-resident, with no special regime for this visa.

We never file a tax return. We tell you what applies and brief the professional who does.

5

Start today.

  1. Check eligibility and the current endorsing bodies.Open gov.uk ↗
  2. Gather these documents.
    • Proof of savings: at least $1,650
    • Request your FBI Identity History Summary
    • Health cover for the move
6

Postern can’t run this for you yet.

The official application forms, submission and recovery specification are not complete. Postern cannot run this application yet.

Options open to you today →
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ISSUED TO

YOUR FAMILY

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