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INNOVATOR FOUNDER SETTLEMENT (ILR)

Your Path to Permanent Residence After 3 Years

ILR CONSULTATIONMAIN VISA GUIDE

SETTLEMENT IN JUST 3 YEARS

The Innovator Founder Visa offers one of the fastest routes to UK settlement (Indefinite Leave to Remain), requiring only 3 continuous years compared to the standard 5-year requirement for most other visa categories.

This accelerated pathway recognises the economic contribution of entrepreneurs who successfully establish innovative, viable, and scalable businesses in the UK. However, meeting the settlement requirements demands careful planning and continuous business development from day one of your visa.

IMPORTANT: ILR is not automatic after 3 years. You must actively demonstrate significant business achievements and meet all Home Office settlement criteria.

SETTLEMENT REQUIREMENTS

You must meet all of these criteria

The 7 ILR Target Options

To qualify for settlement, you must demonstrate you have achieved at least ONE of the following seven targets. Choose the target that best aligns with your business achievements:

Target J1: Job CreationCreated at least 2 new full-time jobs for settled workers, each lasting at least 12 months
Target J2: Job Creation + R&DCreated at least 1 new full-time job for a settled worker (12+ months) AND made a significant contribution to UK research, development, or innovation
Target R1: High RevenueGenerated at least £1 million in revenue, with at least £500,000 coming from UK customers
Target R2: Revenue + ExportsGenerated at least £500,000 in revenue AND at least £100,000 from overseas export sales
Target I1: Major InvestmentRaised at least £1 million in investment funding for your business
Target I2: Investment + RevenueRaised at least £500,000 in investment AND generated at least £500,000 in revenue (with £250,000+ from UK customers)
Target G1: Significant GrowthAchieved at least 2x growth in any of: customer numbers, revenue, or profitability PLUS demonstrated additional significant achievements in the business

Same Business Requirement

CRITICAL: You must still be operating substantially the same business that was originally endorsed. If your business has pivoted significantly, you may need to discuss this with your endorsing body before applying for settlement.

Re-Endorsement for Settlement

For ILR, you need a fresh endorsement letter from your endorsing body confirming:

Your business is actively trading
You have met at least one of the 7 ILR targets above
You are genuinely engaged in the business day-to-day
The business has made significant progress since initial endorsement

Continuous Residence Requirement

You must have spent a continuous period of 3 years in the UK on the Innovator Founder visa:

No more than 180 days outside the UK in ANY 12-month period (not just total)
Track all international travel carefully with exact dates
Breaks in continuous residence can be fatal to your ILR application

Knowledge of Language & Life in UK

English language at B1 level (note: this is lower than the B2 required for initial visa)
Pass the Life in the UK test
If you qualified with English for your initial visa, you likely already meet this requirement

Path to British Citizenship

After obtaining ILR:

You can apply for British Citizenship after 12 months on ILR
Must meet residence requirements (not more than 450 days outside UK in 5 years, not more than 90 days in final year)
British citizenship allows visa-free travel to 180+ countries

SETTLEMENT FAQ

Get Answers About UK Immigration Law

Have more questions? Book a consultation with our expert immigration lawyers.

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PLANNING FOR SETTLEMENT FROM DAY ONE

Settlement success requires planning from the start of your visa journey

Track Everything

From day one, maintain detailed records of:

Employee contracts, payslips, and PAYE records (for job creation targets)
Revenue invoices showing UK vs overseas customers
Investment documentation and shareholder agreements
All international travel dates

Contact Points

Your endorsing body will conduct progress reviews at:

6 months after visa grant
12 months after visa grant
24 months after visa grant

Missing contact points or showing insufficient progress can result in endorsement withdrawal, which would prevent visa extension or settlement.

Choose Your Target Early

Identify which ILR target is most achievable for your business and work toward it from day one. Most founders aim for either:

Job creation (J1) - if planning to hire
Revenue targets (R1/R2) - if focused on sales growth
Investment (I1/I2) - if raising external funding

READY TO APPLY FOR SETTLEMENT?

Expert ILR application support for Innovator Founders

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+44 20 3576 1275

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