Your Guide to Selecting the Right Endorsing Body for Innovator Founder Visas

Hello there,

Welcome back to our newsletter series on Innovator Founder Visas. If you're new here, no worries—just check out Part 1 to catch up on what you've missed so far.

Today, we're diving into a crucial topic: picking the right endorsing body for your Innovator Founder Visa application. But hold up, what does it even mean to get a "successful endorsement"? Well, that's exactly what we're here to break down for you.

A successful endorsement isn't just some stamp of approval. It's like getting a high-five from an endorsing body that totally gets your innovative business idea. We're talking about organisations selected by the Home Office as Endorsing Bodies.

These experts are like the mavens at finding gems in the rough—they can spot a game-changing idea from a mile away. And guess what? The Home Office trusts their judgement.

This isn't just about jumping through hoops. It's about having the right professionals on your side who can see the potential of your business idea. This endorsement isn't just a pat on the back; it's like a golden ticket that shows your idea is more than just good—it's groundbreaking.

In this edition, we're going to walk you through the stuff you need to think about when you're picking which endorsing body to go with. We're here to arm you with the info you need to make a smart choice—one that fits your dream and where you want to go.

Let’s Jump to:

Understanding the Endorsing Body

The Role of Endorsing Bodies

1. Issuing Endorsements and Endorsing Letters

2. Facilitating Legitimate Assessments

4. Extending and Settling Applications

The role of the Home Office

1. Making Immigration Decisions

2. Oversight of the Immigration System

Endorsing Organisations for Innovator Founder Visas

How should you choose an endorsing body?

Understanding the Endorsing Body

An endorsing body is the key player that can back your visa application. They'll be there to keep in touch with you and keep the Home Office in the loop about your progress at different points—namely, after 12 and 24 months. But it's not just about paperwork. These experts are also here to make sure you're not breaking any of the rules tied to your visa.

Think of them as your support crew, but with an official twist. They're not just there to cheer you on; they've got a role to play in making sure your entrepreneurial journey stays on the right track.

So, remember, when it comes to choosing the endorsing body, you're picking the team that'll be your ally on this innovative ride.

The Role of Endorsing Bodies

Endorsing Bodies role involves a spectrum of activities geared towards evaluating, supporting, and overseeing the progress of endorsed applicants. Let's delve into the key components of their role for better understanding:

1. Issuing Endorsements and Endorsing Letters

Their primary responsibility is to assess applications based on the criteria outlined in the guidance. After a successful evaluation, they issue endorsements in the form of endorsing letters. These letters act as crucial supporting documents for the applicant's visa application. To ensure transparency and accessibility, they are expected to provide a copy of the endorsement letter through their portal and notify the Home Office.

2. Facilitating Legitimate Assessments

By promptly supplying endorsement letters and notifying the Home Office, endorsing bodies enable efficient and effective assessments of applicants' legitimacy. This transparency contributes to a streamlined evaluation process, ensuring that only deserving and genuine candidates progress through the application stages.

4. Extending and Settling Applications

Their involvement doesn't conclude with the initial endorsement. For extension and settlement applications, their role continues as they issue further endorsements. While it's common for innovators to be endorsed by the same body that initially endorsed them, there might be cases where a different endorsing body is involved. This flexibility ensures that the program remains accessible to aspiring entrepreneurs, even if circumstances change.

The role of the Home Office

Let's take a moment to understand the pivotal role played by the Home Office in this journey. They've got some key tasks on their plate:

1. Making Immigration Decisions

Once an applicant or business has that valuable endorsement letter, the next step is to use it for an application to the Home Office. These folks are in charge of running all the immigration-related checks. Their job is to ensure that every aspect lines up correctly and meets the standards.

2. Oversight of the Immigration System

The Home Office serves as the guardian of the immigration system. They hold the ultimate authority when it comes to deciding whether to curtail a visa if an individual is not actively pursuing their business ideas as outlined. Their role is to uphold the integrity of the system and ensure that all participants adhere to the established rules and guidelines.

Endorsing Organisations for Innovator Founder Visas

The entities mentioned in this category possess the authority to grant endorsements for Innovator Founder Visas:

Envestors Limited

UK Endorsing Services

Innovator International

The Global Entrepreneurs Programme (GEP)

The Global Entrepreneurs Programme (GEP) is a governmental initiative administered by the Department for Business and Trade. It is tailored for tech-savvy entrepreneurs with a global perspective and aims to facilitate the expansion and internationalisation of their innovative enterprises with a UK-based global headquarters.

It's important to note that GEP exclusively offers visa endorsements to founders who have received invitations to participate in their program.

How should you choose an endorsing body?

Choosing the right endorsing body is a critical step on your journey to securing an Innovator Visa. Among the options available, it's vital to delve into the specifics of each body's requirements and preferences to make an informed decision.

Let's take a closer look at the differences among these endorsing bodies:

• UK Endorsing Services: If you go with this choice, you'll need to create a brief video pitch, limited to a maximum of 2 minutes. They do not generally call applicants for interviews but keep in mind if they wish to interview you they will ask you at any stage of your application. If you can choose UK Endorsing Services, if you are looking for an endorsement as well as support with business incubation, Sales and Marketing, Research and Development and Product development.

• Envestors Limited: If getting investment is on your radar, Envestors Limited is your go-to. They are themselves investors for businesses in the UK. Having their own network of angel investors and funds they can uniquely offer a range of fundraising options. They can also showcase your business to their network of early-stage and VC funds, angel investors, advisors, incubators and NEDs from the get-go with minimal effort from you. ?They also provide a variety of advisory services, valuations, marketing and fundraising support.

• Innovator International: If you are one of the people who detests long application forms and questionnaires, Innovator International can be your best choice. You can complete their application just under 5 minutes if you have your business plan, passport copy and evidence of funds ready.?

You can select any endorsing body irrespective of their offering if your primary goal is to get an endorsement only. However?

However, be aware that some of the endorsing bodies may reject applications solely to collect assessment fees. They might give you a silly reason like format and ask you to reapply. So be prepared mentally you might have to apply twice to get your endorsement.

Of course, the financial aspect is a crucial consideration. The total cost is ￡2000 which includes the assessment fee of ￡1,000 (+VAT if applicable) and a monitoring fee of ￡1,000 (+VAT if applicable).

The assessment fee is paid during the application process while the monitoring fee is expected to be paid after you receive your visa from Home Office. Remember, assessment fees are non-refundable, even if your Endorsement or Visa application doesn't succeed.

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