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Self Sponsorship Route

Sponsor Yourself Through
Your Own UK Company

The self-sponsorship route allows overseas nationals to establish a UK company and sponsor themselves as a director or senior employee a legitimate route to UK residence for entrepreneurs.

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Free Eligibility Assessment

Tell us about your business. We call you back within 2 hours on working days.

Your details are kept strictly confidential.

Legitimate
Home Office Approved Route
5 Years
Path to Settlement
Flexible
No Employer Required
2026
Requirements Updated
How It Works

Sponsor Yourself Through
a UK Business

The self-sponsorship route involves three stages:

Step 1 Establish your UK company

Incorporate a genuine UK business with real trading activity and appropriate structure. The business must demonstrate it can meet the sponsor licence eligibility requirements.

Step 2 Apply for a sponsor licence

The company applies for a Worker sponsor licence in the normal way. The same eligibility requirements apply HR systems, genuine roles, key personnel.

Step 3 Assign a CoS and apply for your visa

Once licensed, the company assigns you a Certificate of Sponsorship and you apply for a Skilled Worker visa as an employee or director of your own business.

Key Requirements

What You Need to
Make This Work

  • A genuine UK company with real commercial activity
  • A legitimate role that meets the Skilled Worker skill and salary thresholds
  • Sufficient investment or revenue to demonstrate business viability
  • Appropriate HR and compliance infrastructure
  • No adverse immigration history that would affect licence eligibility

This is not a workaround. The Home Office scrutinises self-sponsorship applications carefully. The business must be genuine and the role must be real. We advise honestly on whether your specific situation qualifies before you invest in the process.

"ACG guided us through the entire self-sponsorship process from company setup to visa grant. They were honest about what was needed and the application was approved first time."

Director
Technology Consultancy, London
Entrepreneur working on business
Is This Route Right for You?

Not Every Business Qualifies We Tell You Honestly.

Self-sponsorship is a legitimate route but it is not suitable for everyone. The role must genuinely meet the Skilled Worker requirements, the salary must be real and funded, and the business must have genuine commercial purpose. We assess your specific situation on a free consultation call and tell you honestly whether this route works for you before you spend money finding out the hard way.

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FAQ

Common Questions

Yes. The Home Office permits overseas nationals to sponsor themselves through a UK company they own or direct, provided the business and role meet all standard sponsor licence and Skilled Worker requirements.
Not necessarily. The role must be genuine and the salary must be commercially justified. A company with one person paying themselves a Skilled Worker salary without genuine business activity is unlikely to satisfy the Home Office's genuineness test.
The costs include: company formation, sponsor licence application fee (£536 or £1,476 depending on size), our advisory fee, and the visa application fee. We outline all costs clearly on your assessment call.
Typically 3 5 months from company formation to visa grant, assuming the sponsor licence is approved within the standard 8-week timeframe.
Yes. Your spouse/partner and children under 18 can apply as dependants on your Skilled Worker visa.

Get Your Free Assessment

Tell us about your business. We confirm eligibility and give you a clear cost within 2 hours.

  • No obligation at any point
  • Response within 2 hours on working days
  • 200+ applications completed
  • Direct access to your adviser throughout
+44 20 3951 8972 WhatsApp Us

Free Eligibility Assessment

We call you back within 2 hours on working days.

Your details are kept strictly confidential.