If your Innovator visa is approved, you will be given up to 3 years leave to remain in the UK in order to start your intended business. At the end of this 3-year period, you will be able to apply for an extension if you plan to stay. There is also no limit on extensions.
You will have no problems extending your Innovator visa as long as:
- You apply to extend your visa before it expires
- You still meet the eligibility requirements you met when you were originally granted an Innovator visa
- You are still running your business in the UK, or you plan to set up a new one
When extending your existing Innovator visa, you will not need to show you have investment funds of £50,000 if your business is already established and previously endorsed. This is also the case if you have changed your business idea since your initial visa was granted and this change was approved by the endorsing body.To make an Innovator visa extension application, you will need to:
- Complete the online application form
- Provide proof of identity (as explained above when applying for a new visa)
- Pay the online application fee of £1,277
- Provide any documents requested by the Home Office (you will be given a list of these when you apply).
Innovator visa extension applications typically take around 8 weeks to process, however, you can continue running your business while you are waiting for a decision from the Home Office.