UK Business Visa Route- Self Sponsorship:
A Pathway for International Expansion

The UK is very popular right now for business owners from India. This includes entrepreneurs and professionals looking to set up a business there in the UK.

Why is the timing so good? The UK-India Free Trade Agreement (FTA) is being finalized. Even before it’s ratified, both governments are already encouraging business movement between the two countries. India is a major investor in the UK already. In fact, Indian companies support over 95,000 jobs across the nation.

If you run a small or medium-sized enterprise (SME) in tech, manufacturing, or healthcare, this is your pivotal moment. The FTA should make business travel and trade much easier. It will also open up smoother paths for skilled workers.

When we talk about the “UK business visa route,” it covers a few types, like the UK Innovator Founder Visa, UK Expansion Worker Visa but many entrepreneurs especially favour the Skilled Worker Self-Sponsorship option.

This path is ideal if you already run a business outside the UK. You get to keep control over your visa. You don’t have to rely on a third-party sponsor. The goal is to actively manage and grow your new UK company.

Self-sponsorship simply allows you to become your own employer in the UK, legally and compliantly. You establish your UK company and then sponsor yourself as an employee of that business.

Getting the self-sponsorship requires four straightforward stages:

1. Register Your Company: You must register a new UK company. You need to hold 20% or more of the shares. Crucially, you must appoint a UK-based director or shareholder. This is necessary to satisfy banking requirements.
2. Get a Sponsor License: You apply to the UK Home Office for this license. It allows your business to sponsor skilled workers, including yourself.
3. Assign a COS: Once your license is approved, your company gives you a Certificate of Sponsorship (COS).
4. Apply for the Visa: You use that assigned COS to apply for the Skilled Worker Visa. This lets you work for your company in the UK.

Once approved, you and your family can live and work in the UK. After five years, you can apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR).

You need full clarity on the costs involved. Remember, this is a legitimate business and employment pathway. It is not a way to “buy a visa”.

You should plan to budget £5,000 to £8,000 overall for the process. This cost excludes any direct investment you put into the business itself.

The Home Office conducts spot audits. They need proof that your company is genuinely trading. It must not be just a “shell setup”. Avoid these mistakes to prevent delays or refusal:

• Don’t set up your UK company without genuine business plans or contracts.
• Don’t appoint only overseas directors. This often makes banking and compliance impossible.
• Show that you truly need the specific role you are sponsoring yourself for.
• Use the correct job codes (SOC codes).
• Do not neglect your ongoing sponsor compliance once the visa is approved

The FTA promises significant cross-border growth. It is set to simplify customs. It will also facilitate smoother business mobility.

The most promising sectors include IT and SAS, food and beverages, pharmaceuticals, education, and renewable energy.

The FTA lets Indian entrepreneurs scale faster in the UK market. You can hire local staff. You can even bid for public contracts. This new framework transforms international expansion into a smarter, much more achievable strategy.