If you would like to set up a business in the UK, you are able to apply for a start-up visa. However, you must be from outside the European Economic Area (EEA) and Switzerland and meet the requirements below.
In order to apply for the start-up visa in the UK you must be endorsed by an authorised body that is either:
You must be able to show that your business idea is:
You must also be:
There are many endorsing bodies and you should only approach ones that are suitable for your business idea. The endorsing body will provide you with an endorsement letter if your business is viable
The earliest you can apply is 3 months before you travel. You should get a decision on your visa within 3 weeks.
How much you pay for a start-up visa depends on your situation and where you apply from. However, if you are applying for outside the UK it would cost £363. If you are a citizen of Turkey or Macedonia it would cost £308 and the cost for dependants would be £363 each.
You will also have to pay the healthcare surcharge as part of your application.
You can stay in the UK for 2 years on a Start-up visa. You cannot apply to extend this visa.
If your endorsement is withdrawn, your visa may be cut short. If you want to stay longer, you must re-apply with a new endorsement before your current visa expires.
You can only stay for a total of 2 years even if you are granted a new visa with a new endorsement.
You must provide the following documents. However additional documents may need to be provided depending on your circumstances:
When you apply you need to provide an ‘endorsement letter’ from an authorised body.
You will also need to provide:
You will need to provide a certified translation of any documents that are not in English or Welsh.
You can:
You cannot:
If you need help with your Start-Up Visa application, call us on 020 7903 6888 or request a call back at a time convenient for you. You can also drop us an e-mail at contact@davenportsolcitors.com. We aim to reply within 24 hours.
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