Self-Sponsorship in the UK is not a specific type of visa, but rather a way for business owners to stay/live in the UK to run their business. It is a structure that combines two legal UK visa routes namely, Skilled Worker visa and Sponsor Licence.
A faster, smarter path to UK residency, led by UK regulated immigration solicitors and trusted by 200+ business leaders offering you long-term stability and a future built on your own terms.
Your self-owned company sponsors your visa legally
100% ownership of your business
Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) in 5 years.
Include spouse & Children under 18
Note: Key Personnel for the licence (e.g. Authorising Officer) usually need to be UK-based.
The government has proposed extending most work visas to 10 years for settlement, but this is not yet law (Aug 2025).
Start your own business without needing an employer sponsor
Direct pathway without third-party business endorsements
Full access to UK healthcare and education systems
Decision on an overseas application within three weeks or on an in-country extension within eight weeks, with priority services available.
Build and scale your enterprise independently, with the flexibility to match your vision.
Structured route to Indefinite Leave to Remain
Bring spouse and dependent children under 18
Reduces concerns about visa cancellation.
Developed infrastructure, better justice system, and enhanced safety and security.
Acquire or own a UK business which serves as the legal foundation for your visa and must fully comply with UK regulations.
Implement HR systems, payroll, and employment compliance frameworks
Apply for and obtain your Sponsor Licence from the Home Office
Apply for your Skilled Worker visa through your own company
Progress to Indefinite Leave to Remain after 5 years
Many clients come to us asking, “Can I buy a business and move to the UK?” The short answer is YES, provided the business is genuine, trading, and capable of meeting Skilled Worker sponsorship duties.
Our 3-Step Guide:
At A Y & J Solicitors, we even facilitate UK business acquisitions as part of our Self-Sponsorship Visa Route™, ensuring you start with a compliant, trading-ready company.
To get more insights on starting and registering a UK company as a foreigner, click here.
You may qualify if you:
Embarking on your journey to UK self-sponsorship includes a vital second step, applying and securing your Sponsor Licence. This is the key that unlocks the ability to sponsor yourself and others under the Skilled Worker Visa route. Without it, you’re stuck in neutral.
But once you’ve got your Sponsor Licence for self sponsorship, you’re on the path to gaining control over your future in the UK, legally sponsoring yourself and building your business with confidence. It’s not just about paperwork; it’s about creating a solid foundation for everything that comes next.
So, what does this look like in real terms?
This isn’t just a procedural step — it’s your gateway to setting up a legitimate business that allows you to sponsor yourself and thrive in the UK.
To learn more about eligible occupations, minimum salary requirements, Appendix A, the Immigration Salary List, Skilled Occupations, and securing a Sponsor Licence, read more here.
Now, with your Sponsor Licence for self sponsorship in hand, you’re ready to take the next leap: the Skilled Worker Visa. The great news? You can sponsor yourself, but this isn’t about cutting corners — it’s about compliance. The UK Home Office has clear rules, and your business must meet specific criteria.
Here’s what that means for you:
But here’s where it gets powerful: this route allows you to keep full control over your company’s direction, while legally establishing your presence in the UK. And guess what? You’ll be doing this within a legal framework that ensures your future is secure.
With your Sponsor Licence for self sponsorship, issuing that CoS becomes a simple, yet critical step in your journey. By following the rules, you’re not just securing a visa, you’re building a future.
To know about settlement as a skilled worker, read here.
The Skilled Worker route leads to Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) after 5 years of continuous residence. After an additional year, you may apply for British citizenship.
Key requirements:
For more insights on securing UK permanent residency, please read our article here.
Your job should closely match a job from the following list: click here As you would be working for your own business, you would likely be required to fulfill a job which is at least at a managerial level.
The Applicant must prove that they can read, write, speak and understand English to at least (CEFR) level B1. You can prove your knowledge of English by:
Understanding the self-sponsorship visa cost UK isn’t just about visa fees — it’s about planning for every step, from acquiring the business to staying compliant post-approval.
(Required for all applicants — paid to the UK government or related agencies.)
The government fees shown above are just the starting point.
Acquiring a UK business and building a compliant self-sponsorship setup involves far more — from legal structuring to personnel, payroll, and compliance.
A Y & J Solicitors has handled over hundreds of successful Self-Sponsorship UK applications, making it a renowned leader in UK immigration law. Each case that we take is handled with meticulous professionalism by our experienced team, meeting every requirement and providing the highest possible likelihood of approval.
Through the self-sponsorship visa route, you can legally work for your business using the Skilled Worker visa by becoming both the employer (via your UK company) and the sponsored employee.
You’ll need two things in place:
Hold a Skilled Worker visa through your UK company while running it day to day.
Work in a genuine, skilled role you define — CEO, consultant, business manager, or technical expert.
Your role must meet salary and skill level thresholds, with proper payroll and reporting systems in place.
Work autonomously, but within a visa structure that meets all UK legal and immigration rules.
Yes, the UK self-sponsorship visa route allows entrepreneurs to acquire a UK company, obtain a sponsor licence, and assign yourself a Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) to apply for a Skilled Worker visa. This path gives you full control over your business and immigration status. However, you'll need to ensure your business meets the Home Office requirements, including a genuine UK presence, proper documentation, and a compliant role.
As of 2025, the cost for a CoS has increased to £525, highlighting the importance of proper budgeting. With the right planning and compliance, the self-sponsorship route offers an excellent opportunity for business owners seeking to establish themselves in the UK.
You may qualify if you:
No. It must be genuine, sustainable, and meet Skilled Worker visa requirements.
Any business can qualify for the self-sponsorship route
Yes — you can switch to the Skilled Worker route (self-sponsorship model) from within the UK if you hold a valid visa such as:
You cannot switch if you are on:
In these cases, you must leave the UK and apply from overseas.
Your job should closely match a job from the following list: click here As you would be working for your own business, you would likely be required to fulfill a job which is at least at a managerial level.
The Applicant must prove that they can read, write, speak and understand English to at least (CEFR) level B1. You can prove your knowledge of English by:
You may be required to provide a CV or evidence of your work experience or qualifications.
The timeline and process for obtaining your UK Self-Sponsorship Visa depend on several factors, including the processing time for your Sponsor Licence and the Self Sponsorship visa route application. You must follow a structured process to successfully obtain the skilled worker visa. Here are the four main stages involved in the process of self-sponsorship.
The full process usually takes 3 to 6 months, including:
While there is no fixed minimum investment requirement, you’ll typically need access to £25,000+ to establish and operate your business. This amount ensures that your company is financially stable to support both its operations and the salary of your role.
Read more about UK business visa investments.
Before the Sponsor Licence is submitted to the Home Office.
Yes, your company will need to pay you a guaranteed salary in line with the minimum pay requirements for your sponsored role.
At least four supporting documents showing lawful UK presence, e.g., bank statements, insurance certificate, VAT certificate, HMRC documents, company structure chart.
The company will be required to replace an Authorising Officer (AO).
Since 6 April 2024 most sponsor licences remain valid indefinitely unless surrendered or revoked, except Scale‑up Worker and UK Expansion Worker licences which expire after four years . You must continue trading and meet all sponsor duties including record keeping, reporting and right‑to‑work checks and notify the Home Office within 20 working days of stopping trading or major changes to avoid revocation . If your licence ends you cannot assign Certificates of Sponsorship and any sponsored migrants (including yourself under self‑sponsorship) will have their leave curtailed with a 60‑day notice to switch sponsors or leave the UK . To remain in the UK you must secure a new Skilled Worker sponsor or switch into another route such as Start‑up, Innovator Founder or Global Talent before your curtailed leave expires.
Yes
Common examples include Managing Director, Director of Operations, or other relevant roles.
You may be one of the majority shareholders in the UK business, and the job title may range from Managing Director, Director of Operations, and any other relevant role you may take to run your business.
Yes, your spouse/partner and children under 18 can join you as dependants.
One of the most attractive features of the UK Self-Sponsorship Visa Route is the ability to bring your family with you.
Yes, after 5 continuous years as a Skilled Worker.
You may be required to extend/renew your visa if the length of your sponsorship is less than 5 years. If your CoS is for 5 years, you can apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) at the end of this period. If your CoS is for less than 5 years, you may be required to extend your visa to reach 5 years along with meeting the requirements for ILR. If an ILR is not desirable, you can continue to extend your visa. The company must still need to have a job position vacant for the renewal.
Once you have completed five years in the UK as a skilled worker, you can apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain.
| We specialise in Home Office case presentations | We offer comprehensive and expert legal support | We will support your case through to its conclusion |
|---|---|---|
| Our expert team knows what it takes to mitigate challenges and present your case to the Home Office in the best light for a positive outcome. | With more than 15 years’ experience managing sponsor licence compliance for our clients, our in-depth knowledge gives you an added advantage. | We endeavour to challenge any rare negative outcomes through administrative review, pre-action protocol letters or judicial review proceedings, within our fixed fees. |
| We specialise in Home Office case presentations |
| Our expert team knows what it takes to mitigate challenges and present your case to the Home Office in the best light for a positive outcome. |
| We offer comprehensive and expert legal support |
| With more than 15 years’ experience managing sponsor licence compliance for our clients, our in-depth knowledge gives you an added advantage. |
| We will support your case through to its conclusion |
| We endeavour to challenge any rare negative outcomes through administrative review, pre-action protocol letters or judicial review proceedings, within our fixed fees. |
If your sponsor licence is ever suspended, your visa could be curtailed. At A Y & J Solicitors, we manage contingency plans quickly and efficiently, helping you maintain legal compliance and protect your UK residency path.
When applying for the Sponsor Licence, it's important to avoid some common pitfalls that could lead to delays or refusals. These include submitting fake or incomplete documentation, operating from ghost offices or virtual-only addresses, or paying nominal salaries that do not meet the Home Office's required thresholds. To help you stay compliant and avoid these issues, A Y & J Solicitors provides a Free HRMS (HR Management System) as part of our Sponsor Licence process.
The main challenges are setting up the business! and obtaining the relevant documents, going through the compliance visit with the home office (if any) as well as justifying to the Home Office that this is a genuine vacancy.
Depending on the reasons for refusal, we may be able to assist with an Administrative Review, or you may be eligible to apply again and rectify the reasons for refusal.
Applicants are required to obtain ‘points’ when applying for a skilled worker visa. Points can be obtained for the meeting the English requirement, having an offer from an approved sponsor (this can be your own company under self-sponsorship route), having a job at an appropriate skill level and meeting the salary threshold.
When it comes to navigating the Self-Sponsorship route, you need a partner with deep expertise, end-to-end support and a dedicated commitment to your success. Here’s why A Y & J Solicitors stand out:
Our firm has dedicated more than a decade and a half exclusively to business-immigration services, helping countless entrepreneurs secure their Self-Sponsorship on the first try. You benefit from insights honed by real-world case work and a proven track record of success.
We cover and help you at every step:
Beyond securing your visa, we help you build a rock-solid compliance framework, including HRMS tools and regular audits. Partner with A Y & J Solicitors and transform the complexity of Self-Sponsorship into a seamless pathway for you and your family to live, work and thrive in the UK.
A Y & J Solicitors has more than 1,200 positive client reviews across Google and Trustpilot and is listed in The Legal top 500 best UK law firms, so you can rest assured your immigration challenges are in safe hands when you take these three simple steps:
Self‑sponsorship means your company holds its own sponsor licence and you sponsor yourself to work in the UK. In practice, your business assigns a Certificate of Sponsorship to your role under the Skilled Worker route. Then, you meet all record‑keeping and reporting duties as both employer and employee. This setup gives you full control over your visa status and compliance.
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