Overview

You can apply for a Start-up visa if:

you want to set up an innovative business in the UK – it must be something that’s different from anything else on the market you meet the other eligibility requirements

Eligibility

Before you apply you need to have your business or business idea assessed by an endorsing body

They will provide you with an endorsement letter if your business is viable.

You must also:

• be at least 18 years old
• meet the English language requirement
• be able to prove that you have enough personal savings to support yourself while you’re in the UK

Supporting yourself

You need to have had at least £1270 in your bank account for 28 consecutive days before you apply, or if you’ve been in the UK for less than a year and applying to switch to this visa.

Knowledge of English:

You’ll usually need to prove your knowledge of the English language when you apply, unless you did this in a previous successful visa application.

Level of English:

You must prove you can read, write, speak and understand English to a level B2 on the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) scale.

How long you can stay

You can stay for 2 years if you either:

• come to the UK on a Start-up visa
• switch to this visa from another visa while in the UK
• If you want to stay longer in the UK
• You cannot apply to extend this visa.

You may be able to switch to an Innovator visa if you set up a business while on a Start-up visa and:

• your endorsing body is assessed and agreed to it
• it is active, trading and sustainable
• you have day to day involvement in it
• If your endorsement is withdrawn
• Your visa may be cut short if your endorsement is withdrawn by the endorsing body. 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’re granted a new visa with a new endorsement.

You can prove your knowledge of English by:

• passing a Secure English Language Test (SELT) from an approved provider
• having a GCSE, A level, Scottish National Qualification level 4 or 5, Scottish Higher or Advanced Higher in English gained through study at a UK school that you began when you were under 18
• having a degree-level academic qualification that was taught in English – if you studied abroad, you’ll need to apply for confirmation through Ecctis (formerly UK NARIC) that your qualification is equivalent to a UK bachelor’s degree, master’s degree or PhD

Who does not need to prove their knowledge of English:

You do not need to prove your knowledge of English if you’re a national of one of the following countries or territories:

• Antigua and Barbuda
• Australia
• the Bahamas
• Barbados
• Belize
• the British overseas territories
• Canada
• Dominica
• Grenada
• Guyana
• Jamaica
• Malta
• New Zealand
• St Kitts and Nevis
• St Lucia
• St Vincent and the Grenadines
• Trinidad and Tobago
• USA

Overview

A UK Expansion Worker visa allows you to come to the UK to set up a branch of an overseas business that has not started trading in the UK yet.

You must already work for the overseas business as either a senior manager or specialist employee.

Eligibility

To be eligible for a UK Expansion Worker visa you need to:

• have a valid certificate of sponsorship from your employer
• have worked for your employer outside the UK
• do a job that’s on the list of eligible occupations
• be paid the minimum eligible salary required for your job
• The specific eligibility depends on your job.

How long you can stay in the UK

You can stay in the UK with a UK Expansion Worker visa for whichever is shorter of:

• 12 months after the start date of the job on your certificate of sponsorship
• the time given on your certificate of sponsorship plus 14 days
• If you want to stay longer in the UK, you can extend your visa by 12 months. The maximum time you can stay in the UK on a UK Expansion Worker visa is 2 years.

If you’ve spent time in the UK on this or another visa, you might not be able to stay on a UK Expansion Worker visa for as long. You can only stay in the UK for a maximum of 5 years in any 6 year period if you’ve spent time on any of these visas:

• Intra-company Graduate Trainee visa
• Intra-company Transfer visa
• Graduate Trainee visa (Global Business Mobility)
• Secondment Worker visa (Global Business Mobility)
• Senior or Specialist Worker visa (Global Business Mobility)
• Service Supplier visa (Global Business Mobility)
• UK Expansion Worker visa (Global Business Mobility)
• How to apply
• You must apply online.

How you apply depends on whether you’re:

• outside the UK and are coming to the UK
• inside the UK and extending your current visa
• inside the UK and switching from a different visa
• You can include your partner and children in your application to stay in the UK if they are eligible.

Apply from outside the UK
You must apply online for a UK Expansion Worker visa.

Check which documents you’ll need to apply.

Your partner or children will need to apply separately.

Proving your identity and providing supporting documents
As part of your application, you’ll need to prove your identity. How you do this depends on where you’re from and what type of passport you have.

You’ll either:

have your fingerprints and photograph taken at a visa application centre – this is to get a biometric residence permit

use the ‘UK Immigration: ID Check’ app to scan your identity document (you’ll also create or sign into your UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) account)

You’ll be told what you need to do when you apply.

If you do need an appointment:

the visa application centre may need to keep your passport and documents while they process your application.

you may have to travel to get to your nearest centre (this could be in another country).

Extend your visa
You can apply to extend your UK Expansion Worker visa if all the following are true:

• you have the same job as when you were given your previous permission to enter or stay in the UK
• your job is in the same occupation code as when you were given your previous permission to enter or stay in the UK
• you’re still working for the employer who gave you your current certificate of sponsorship
• you have not reached the maximum total stay
• Your partner or children will need to apply separately to extend their visa. They can either apply at the same time as you, or at any time before their current visa expires