Having an endorsement letter does not guarantee a visa, as the refusal rate for Startup and Innovator visas has increased by 45%.People were initially granted Startup and Innovator visas easily, but as the number of applicants increased, the Home Office toughened its scrutiny.
Now the majority of applicants are called for interviews, and poor performance in the interview leads to visa refusal. Besides, the home office evaluates the merits of the business plan on its own, so the endorsing body may be satisfied that your business is viable, innovative and scalable, but the home office takes its own point of view. Home Office caseworkers are not tech experts; they conduct a simple Google search and reject the plan if they find any similar businesses.
Even though your business is innovative, viable, and scalable, the Home Office rejects your application because they believe your business needs to be adequately scrutinised or, overall, you are not fit to set up a business. Home Office checks your CV, work experience, income and past records.
When evaluating your application, visa case workers ask you to provide a business plan, and submitting a different version of the business plan and CV than what the Endorsing body has presented results in visa rejection.
Immigration is a highly political issue, and as power shifts, so do immigration practices. The new government, led by Home Secretary Suella Braverman, now plans to reform the immigration rules by reintroducing an investment-based visa route. However, entry will not be granted solely on the basis of the applicant's personal wealth. Instead, the government is considering alternatives to the current Innovator Visa Programme where the applicant's track record as an investor in innovative businesses, as well as their plans to engage in innovation and investment activities in the UK, will be the key entry requirement.
