5 Top Tips to make your self-sponsorship visa application a success

The process of self-sponsorship is complex, and small mistakes can lead to costly refusals. To boost your chances of success, here are five expert tips from our immigration team.

The UK’s self-sponsorship route is opening doors for ambitious entrepreneurs and skilled professionals who want to live and work in the UK. Unlike other work visas, this route allows you to establish your own UK company, secure a sponsor licence and sponsor yourself as a Skilled Worker.

The UK does not have a self-sponsorship visa per se, rather, the term refers to the Skilled Worker route, under which a person establishes a business in the UK and obtains a sponsor licence to sponsor their own Skilled Worker visa.

1. Build a strong business plan

Your business plan is the backbone of your application. The Home Office want to see that your business is genuine, viable and scalable. This means including:

• A clear business idea;
• Market research and competitor analysis;
• Financial forecasts and funding details;
• Job creation plans for the UK economy.

2. Secure your sponsor licence

Before you can sponsor yourself, your UK company must first be licenced as a sponsor. The Home Office will assess whether your business can handle compliance responsibilities, such as:

• Appointing key personnel (Authorising Officer, Key Contact, Level 1 User);
• Maintaining accurate HR records;
• Reporting changes promptly.

3. Prove your Skilled Worker eligibility

Even though your company will be your own sponsor, you must still meet the Skilled Worker visa requirements. This requires:

• Holding a genuine, eligible role in your business;
• Meeting the minimum salary and skill thresholds;
• Providing evidence that you are an appropriate candidate for the role.

4. Organise financial evidence early

The Home Office need proof that both you and your business are financially prepared. Be ready to provide evidence, such as:

• Proof of any investment funds;
• Business bank statements (you will need to have opened a bank account for the company if you are trading for less than 18 months);
• Personal maintenance funds.

5. Avoid pitfalls

Self-sponsorship will attract closer scrutiny by the Home Office to ensure that the entity is a legitimate business with a genuine vacancy, and that it has not been established for the purpose of obtaining a visa.

Many refusals are issued as a result of missing documents, weak business plans or poor compliance. By working with immigration solicitors, you can avoid these mistakes and ensure your application is as robust as possible.

Self-sponsorship offers a unique chance to take control of your UK immigration journey while building your own business. By applying these five top tips and seeking legal guidance, you can turn your UK ambitions into reality.

Gherson’s Immigration Team are highly experienced in advising on all UK visa matters. If you have any questions arising from this blog, please do not hesitate to contact us for advice, send us an e-mail, or, alternatively, follow us on X, Facebook, Instagram, or LinkedIn to stay-up-to-date.

The information in this blog is for general information purposes only and does not purport to be comprehensive or to provide legal advice. Whilst every effort is made to ensure the information and law is current as of the date of publication it should be stressed that, due to the passage of time, this does not necessarily reflect the present legal position. Gherson accepts no responsibility for loss which may arise from accessing or reliance on information contained in this blog. For formal advice on the current law please do not hesitate to contact Gherson. Legal advice is only provided pursuant to a written agreement, identified as such, and signed by the client and by or on behalf of Gherson.

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