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Self Sponsorship Visa Route in UK

If you intend to start a business or work in the UK without a sponsor, you must go through the self-sponsorship route to enter the country. There is no self sponsorship visa but there are routes that would allow you to sponsor yourself to the UK.

To inquire further about the self-sponsorship visa routes and how to apply in the UK, you should contact our immigration lawyers today. Call us at +44 (0)333 414 9244, or reach us online.

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    What is Self-Sponsorship Visa in UK?

    Currently, the UK doesn’t offer a “self-sponsorship visa” though you would see a lot of mentions of UK self-sponsorship visa on several websites. Note that none of those are correct. What the UK has for a self-sponsorship visa are three different means to work in the UK while sponsoring yourself. These routes include the skilled worker and Innovator founder visa. The self-sponsorship visas are for foreigners who want to start or invest in another UK business.

    Both UK visas work differently and have separate eligibility criteria. For instance, the skilled worker permit usually requires that you work for a UK company. However, in this case, you must register your proposed business and get a sponsor licence. Through your sponsor licence application, you will obtain the Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS), allowing you to run your own company. However, for self-sponsorship, it is not so straightforward.

    The Innovator Founder visa requires applicants to have an innovative business idea endorsed by an approved body. While having investment funds can be beneficial, the primary requirement is the endorsement of the business idea.

    Alongside this, you should apply for the Innovator Visa at most three months before you plan to travel. Generally, Irish citizens don’t need any of the these self-sponsorship visa options or the EU Settlement Scheme to work in the UK. Find out the explicit details of each visa and how they work next.

    Skilled Worker Visa Route for Self Sponsorship

    The skilled worker permit allows you to stay in the UK while working for an approved UK company. Let’s see how the skilled worker visa works.

    How Does the UK Skilled Worker Visa Work for Self-sponsorship?

    The steps to apply for the skilled worker permit vary depending on whether you plan to own a UK business. Typically, if you want to qualify for the skilled worker visa, you must:

    • Work for a UK company approved by the Home Office.
    • Obtain a Certificate of Sponsorship from the UK company.
    • Earn at least the minimum wage in your field.

    However, it is a bit different when planning to have a UK business or be self-employed in the UK. Before applying for a skilled worker permit, your partner (or anyone you know who is already in the UK) must register a business in the UK and get a sponsor licence.

    Please note that your spouse or family member cannot be your sponsor, so if they registered the business, IAS or your spouse’s business partner can become a Sponsorship Management System (SMS) user and issue you the CoS for your visa application.

    The skilled worker visa is valid for up to 5 years, and you can choose to settle permanently after its duration. When applying for the skilled worker visa, you are to:

    • Pay the application fee between £769 to £1,751. You will likely pay a lower visa application fee if your job is on the shortage occupation list.
    • Pay the immigration health surcharge (£1035 per year).
    • Prove that you can support yourself when you arrive in the UK. You should have access to at least £1,270.

    See the requirements of a skilled worker visa next.

    Skilled Worker Route Requirements

    As a self-sponsor applying through the skilled worker route, you should:

    • Speak, read, understand and write in English. When applying, you must prove your English knowledge level.
    • Have a partner or spouse in the UK who can help with your business registration.
    • Pay the visa application fee.
    • Provide your criminal record certificate.

    If you are from the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and started living in the UK before December 31, 2020, you can apply for the free EU Settlement Scheme. It implies that you don’t need a skilled worker permit to work in the UK.

    What Documents Do I Need?

    The following are the documents you need when applying for a UK skilled worker visa:

    • Certificate of Sponsorship reference number
    • Proof of your English knowledge.
    • Copy your valid passport with a blank page or document showing your identity (if from outside the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein). Your document should be in English or Welsh.
    • Sponsor licence number
    • Evidence of your sufficient funds in the UK, i.e., bank statement
    • Proof of relationship with your partner and dependents
    • Copy of your criminal record certificate.

    The Criminal record certificate is necessary if you are applying outside the UK and working in the Education, Healthcare, Therapy, and Social Services sectors. You must provide a criminal record of the last ten years from each country you have lived in, depending on your age and how long you spent in each country.

    For instance, if you are up to 28, you will likely provide the criminal record certificate from countries where you have stayed at least 12 months since you turned 18. If you stayed in Japan and India for at least 12 months each since your 18th birthday, you must present your criminal record from both countries.

    How Do I Apply under the Skilled Worker Route?

    The following is the self-sponsorship process involved when applying for the skilled worker visa:

    Register a Business 

    Firstly, you must set up the new UK company with your spouse as the director. We can assist with formulating the business plan and the initial set-up for the business. But to achieve this, your spouse must already be in the UK on a valid work visa, ILR or use the Innovator or the Start-up route.

    Get a Skilled Worker Sponsor Licence

    Once the UK company is set up, your spouse would apply for a sponsor licence for the UK company. IAS can assist with this and deal with the Home Office on your behalf. We can also advise you and help prepare all other forms and documentation. Additionally, we will register as a “Level 1 user”, which allows us to manage your sponsor management system.

    When the Sponsor licence is granted, we will issue you a Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) as the primary applicant for the skilled worker permit. Your spouse cannot issue the CoS to you as it is not permitted to assign a CoS to a family member.

    Skilled Worker Visa Route

    With the CoS, your skilled worker visa application process will go more smoothly. You can apply for the skilled worker visa inside (when switching from another visa or extending your visa) or outside the UK. Your location determines how the rest of your application process goes.

    Our lawyers are experts at handling the challenging aspects of transforming a skilled worker visa into a self-sponsorship route. Contact us at +44 (0)333 414 9244, or reach us online.

    If you have any questions about your Visa for Self Sponsorship in the UK, our team is happy to assist.

    Innovator Founder Visa for Self Sponsorship

    The UK Innovator Founder Visa was established in April 2019 to replace the Tier 1 Entrepreneur Visa. It is intended for business-minded people who seek to invest in a great business idea in the UK.

    How Does the Innovator Visa Work for Self-sponsorship?

    When applying for the Innovator Founder visa, you will need to show you have a viable, scalable business. There is no longer a minimum investment amount (previously £50,000 to invest and qualify). The Innovator Founder visa lasts three years, but you can extend it for another three years. However, the law may permit you to apply for indefinite leave to remain (ILR) after only three years of lawful residence with the Innovator Visa.

    Also, the visa fee depends on if you are applying alone and where you are applying. For instance, a single application outside the UK will cost £1,274, and applying with dependents costs £1,274 per person. While it costs £1,590 per person when applying within the UK.

    Innovator Visa Requirements

    If you would like to start or invest in a UK business under the Innovator Visa, you should:

    • Be at least 18 years of age.
    • Speak, write and read in English.
    • Have a viable business plan

    If you have further enquiries about the Innovator Visa, you should meet our immigration lawyers to learn the step-by-step approach when applying for any of them. Contact us at +44 (0)333 414 9244, or reach us online.

    Setting Up a Business in the UK

    The first requirement for both the Skilled Worker and the Innovator Founder self sponsorship routes is to have your own business in the UK. If you do not already have a company established in the UK, you must set up a new business or acquire an existing one. Your UK company must be registered with Companies House, have a UK business bank account, and meet all legal and tax obligations as applicable.

    If you are exploring the self-sponsored Skilled Visa route, your UK company will then need to obtain a Skilled Worker sponsor licence. Upon successfully obtaining the same, your company will issue a CoS to you, asserting the genuineness of the job offer and the salary details.

    On the other hand, if you want to take the Innovator Founder visa route, you must have an innovative business idea meeting the relevant requirements. Your business plan must then be endorsed by one of the designated UK innovator visa endorsing bodies. Once you receive the endorsement letter, you can go ahead and apply for your Innovator Founder visa.

    How to Apply for Sponsor Licence in the UK

    Here’s a step-by-step process for a UK sponsor licence application:

    1. Register your details online by completing the UKVI Online sponsor application registration
    2. Go to the UKVI ‘Sponsor application log in’ page and start filling up the online application form
    3. Email the soft copies of relevant supporting documents along with the scanned copies of the submission sheet (as received upon the completion of your online application) to the Home Office within five working days of your application. The relevant Home Office email ID is provided on the submission sheet
    4. The online application process may take between 20 and 30 minutes to complete if you have all necessary information ready with you while filling up the form

    Sponsorship Duties and Responsibilities

    The sponsor licence guidance as specified by the Home Office mentions four main responsibilities, which are:

    • Record-keeping: As a sponsor licence holder you must maintain relevant records relating to your sponsored employees including yourself, e.g., right to work in the UK documentation, NI numbers (if applicable), updated contact details, immigration status documents, etc. 
    • Monitoring and reporting: You must set up systems and processes to track and monitor your sponsored employees, and report to the Home Office for any breach of working conditions (e.g. unauthorised absence for consecutive 10 days) or immigration conditions
    • Absence monitoring: You must authorise and record all absences of their sponsored employees, including sick leaves, annual leave, study leave and overseas travel

    Notifying the Home Office of changes in circumstances: Changes in certain circumstances–such as changes in key personnel or business premises, opening or closing branches in the UK or overseas, etc.–must be immediately reported to the Home Office to maintain valid sponsor licences

    Self Sponsorship Visa UK cost

    For both the self sponsorship options, you must have a genuine business either already lawfully operating or to be set up in the UK. Although there is no minimum investment threshold specified by the Home Office, you must take professional help to understand how much it costs to set up a UK business or acquire an existing one, and what taxes you need to pay.

    In addition, there will be other costs as well as sufficient funds in your bank account to cover your (and your family members’, if any) expenses. The following table provides a detailed cost breakdown:

    Cost HeadSkilled WorkerInnovator Founder
    Visa processing fees (main applicant and dependants)For three years or less: £769
    For over three years: £1,519
    £1,274
    Endorsement feeN/A£1,000
    Immigration health surcharges£1035
    For applicants under 18: £776
    Sponsor licence cost£1,579 or £574, depending on the company sizeN/A
    Certificate of sponsorship charges£525N/A
    Savings in your bank account (for 28 consecutive days)At least £1,270 for yourself, £285 for your partner, £315 for one child, and £200 for each additional child

    How Can IAS Help you Obtain a Self-Sponsorship Visa?

    The Home Office will receive countless visa applications, so you should apply with the highest standard because it is stressful to repeal or reapply. As each visa has different requirements, it is easy to mistake them, leading to potential undue stress, difficulty, and anxiety.

    It’s why our immigration lawyers are here to guide you and handle your application process to the highest standard. If you are also worried about your eligibility due to your criminal record, we will help you choose the right approach, depending on your criminal history.

    Alongside this, we would prepare you adequately for your interview, so your responses leave no room for doubt about your eligibility. It may look complicated, but with the help of IAS, you will not have to do it alone.

    For more information about our services and how we can help you with your UK self-sponsorship visa interview, contact us at +44 (0)333 414 9244 or online.

    We offer immigration advice sessions as face to face appointments at all of our UK offices, or via the phone.

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    Frequently Asked Questions

    The processing time for the Skilled Worker Visa is about three weeks if you are a non-UK resident and eight weeks inside the UK. But consider the time it takes to submit a business proposal and the sponsor licence. The Innovator Founder Visa also takes up to 3 weeks to receive a decision from the Home Office if you are outside the UK and eight weeks within the UK.

    Usually, you cannot appeal when your Start-up Visa is rejected, so you may have to re-apply, but you may still be able to request an administrative review of the decision. In the case of an Innovator Visa, you can submit an appeal if you believe the rejection was a mistake.

    Yes, if you have a company lawfully operating and actively trading in the UK that holds an A-rated Worker sponsor licence, you can sponsor yourself as an employee of your own company to come and work in the UK.

    Yes. You may either self sponsor yourself to come and work in the country on a Skilled Worker visa for your UK-based company. Alternatively, you may apply for an Innovator Founder visa to set up and run your own business in the UK.

    A Skilled Worker visa is valid for up to five years while an Innovator Founder visa is valid for three years, both renewable thereafter, provided you continue to meet the eligibility conditions for your chosen self sponsorship route. After living and working in the UK on a Skilled Worker visa for five years or on an Innovator Founder visa for three years, you may apply to settle permanently in the UK if you meet the requirements.

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