United Kingdom · Permanent Residence
Settlement for UK Innovator Founders
Indefinite leave to remain, the UK's form of permanent residence, is open to Innovator Founders after 3 years. The endorsing body must confirm the company has reached real milestones, and the founder must pass the Life in the UK Test.
- Startup route
- Innovator Founder visa
- Minimum capital
- No fixed sum; endorsing body assesses the funding
- Permanent residence
- 3 years (indefinite leave to remain)
- Citizenship
- 5 years' residence incl. 12 months with ILR
Indefinite leave to remain (Innovator Founder)
After 3 years in the UK with permission as an Innovator Founder or under the older Innovator visa, a founder can apply to settle. Time spent on other visa types does not count toward the 3 years. A new endorsement must confirm significant achievements against the business plan, Companies House registration with the founder as director or member, active trading, viability for at least the next 12 months and a key day-to-day role. The company must also satisfy two of seven growth benchmarks. Applicants aged 18 to 64 pass the Life in the UK Test, and the Home Office aims to decide within 6 months.
- Qualifying period
- 3 years on the Innovator Founder or Innovator visa
- Government fee
- GBP 3,226 per person
- Processing time
- Usually within 6 months; complex cases take longer
- Absence limit
- No more than 180 days outside the UK in any 12 months
- Life in the UK Test
- Required for applicants aged 18–64
- Family
- Partners settle after 5 years' continuous permission
- Leads to
- British citizenship once residence tests are met
Requirements
- Three years with permission as an Innovator Founder or Innovator; other visa time is excluded.
- A settlement endorsement confirming the business is registered, actively trading, sustainable for 12 months and led day to day by the founder.
- At least two of seven benchmarks, such as GBP 50,000 invested and spent or GBP 1 million annual revenue.
- A pass in the Life in the UK Test for applicants aged 18 to 64.
- No more than 180 days outside the UK in any 12-month period of the qualifying time.
- Partners and children applying from 26 March 2027 need B2 speaking and listening; earlier applications need B1.
How to apply
- Collect evidence of the benchmarks the company meets, such as accounts, payroll records or IP filings.
- Request a settlement endorsement from the endorsing body.
- Book and pass the Life in the UK Test if aged 18 to 64.
- Apply online before current permission ends and pay GBP 3,226 per person.
- Attend a UKVCAS appointment for fingerprints and a photo if asked.
The seven settlement benchmarks
The endorsing body confirms that the business meets at least two of these: GBP 50,000 invested and actively spent; customer numbers at least doubled within 3 years and above the UK mean for comparable firms; significant research and development with a UK intellectual property application; gross revenue of GBP 1 million in the last full year; revenue of GBP 500,000 including GBP 100,000 from exports; the equivalent of 10 full-time jobs for settled workers; or 5 such jobs paying an average of GBP 25,000 or more. One achievement cannot be counted twice under different headings.
Earned settlement: proposed, not yet in force
In November 2025 the Home Office published A Fairer Pathway to Settlement, proposing to raise the default qualifying period from 5 to 10 years and to apply the change to everyone in the UK who does not yet hold indefinite leave to remain. Innovator Founder and Global Talent holders were offered a 7-year reduction after 3 years of continuous residence, which would preserve their current timeline. The consultation closed on 12 February 2026. In October 2026 the consultation page still reported that feedback was being analyzed, and no Statement of Changes had introduced the 10-year baseline.
Questions and answers
Does time on a Skilled Worker or Graduate visa count toward Innovator Founder settlement?
No. GOV.UK limits the 3-year qualifying period to time spent on the Innovator Founder visa or its predecessor, the Innovator visa. A founder who switched from another category starts counting from the date the Innovator Founder permission began, although the earlier time may still matter for citizenship residence.
Can a partner settle at the same time as the founder?
Not usually. The Appendix Innovator Founder rules require a partner to have 5 years of continuous permission as a partner before settling, so a founder can reach indefinite leave to remain 2 years earlier. Partners and children also meet the Life in the UK and English requirements unless an exemption applies.
Would a 10-year settlement rule apply to people already in the UK?
The consultation proposed applying earned settlement to everyone in the UK who has not yet received indefinite leave to remain, while leaving existing grants untouched. The final policy had not been announced by October 2026, and any change needs new Immigration Rules. For Innovator Founders the proposal itself kept a 3-year path.
Official sources
- Indefinite leave to remain if you have an Innovator Founder visawww.gov.uk
- Immigration Rules Appendix Innovator Founderwww.gov.uk
- Earned settlement (consultation)www.gov.uk
- A Fairer Pathway to Settlement: statement and accompanying consultationwww.gov.uk
Reviewed October 2026. Immigration rules change often. Confirm the current requirements with the official authority or a licensed adviser before applying.
Your path in United Kingdom.
Startup visa
Innovator Founder visa backed by an endorsing body, up to 3 years
02Temporary residence
Unlimited 3-year extensions, each with a fresh endorsement
03Permanent residence
Indefinite leave to remain after 3 years if business tests are met
04Citizenship
Naturalization after 5 years' residence and 12 months holding ILR