Founder and entrepreneur routes into nine of the world's most active business destinations — assessed honestly, planned clearly, and built around the profile you actually have. No guesswork. No shortcuts.
Last updated: June 2026 — reviewed against current government programme settings.
Free Founder Route Assessment — we match your business, funding and background to the visa that genuinely fits, then tell you honestly whether it's worth pursuing.
Get AssessmentMost founders arrive with a destination in mind and the wrong programme attached to it. The country may be right; the route usually needs work. A software founder with venture backing, a family business owner expanding abroad, and a self-employed consultant moving cities each need a different visa — even when they all name the same country.
The hub below maps nine of the strongest entrepreneur pathways we assess for clients in the UAE, the GCC and India. Each one carries a one-line summary so you can find your starting point quickly, then a dedicated page with the full eligibility picture, the honest risks, and what to prepare. The pattern we see most across our assessments: founders don't fail on ambition — they stall on whether the business and the paperwork match the programme's actual test. Find out where you stand — free assessment.
Nine founder and entrepreneur routes. Pick the one closest to your plan, or let an assessment narrow it for you.
| Programme | In one line | Learn more |
|---|---|---|
| Canada Start-up Visa | Permanent-residence route for innovative founders backed by a designated organisation — now in transition, with the federal intake closed to new applicants and a stricter pilot expected. | Canada Start-up Visa → |
| US L-1A Visa (New Offices) | Intra-company transfer for an executive or manager opening a new US office of an existing overseas business, with a recognised path toward EB-1C permanent residence. | US L-1A New Office Visa → |
| Singapore EntrePass | Founder pass for entrepreneurs running an innovative Singapore-registered company that meets a recognised funding, accelerator, intellectual-property or track-record criterion. | Singapore EntrePass → |
| Hong Kong Employment (GEP) Visa | Employer-sponsored work visa under the General Employment Policy for professionals with a market-rate offer, with seven years of residence leading to right of abode. | Hong Kong GEP Visa → |
| Japan Business Manager Visa | Visa for those establishing and managing a business in Japan — sharply reformed in October 2025, with a much higher capital requirement and a documented business plan. | Japan Business Manager Visa → |
| UAE Entrepreneur Visa | Self-sponsored UAE residence for entrepreneurs and the self-employed, via the Green Visa or the Golden Visa entrepreneur track for approved projects. | UAE Entrepreneur Visa → |
| France Talent Passport (Startup/Investor) | Multi-year residence for business creators, French Tech founders and qualifying investors, leading toward a long-term residence card. | France Talent Passport → |
| Spain Entrepreneur Visa | Residence under Spain's Startups Law for innovative business plans assessed by ENISA — no minimum investment and a notably quick evaluation. | Spain Entrepreneur Visa → |
| Belgium Professional Card | The mandatory permit for non-EEA self-employed people doing business in Belgium, assessed regionally on the economic value of the activity. | Belgium Professional Card → |
Not sure which row is yours? That's the normal starting point. A free assessment matches your profile to the right route — or message us on WhatsApp.
The honest note. Startup-visa rules move faster than almost any other category, and 2025–26 was a heavy year for change. Canada's federal Start-up Visa closed to new applicants on 31 December 2025. Japan raised its Business Manager capital requirement from ¥5 million to ¥30 million from 16 October 2025, pricing out many smaller founders. US L-1A new-office cases now face heightened scrutiny of speculative business plans. We'd rather walk you through what actually fits today — including "this one isn't realistic for your business right now" — than sell you a route that has already moved. Every figure here carries its as-of date for that reason.
Cosmos Immigration coordinates eligibility assessment, documentation and case management across all of the pathways above. For programmes where we hold direct regulatory standing — Canada, Australia and New Zealand — we work through our own registered professionals. For the startup and business routes on this hub, which sit in jurisdictions where we are not separately licensed, applications are prepared and submitted through government-authorised agents and regulated legal practitioners within our professional network, while Cosmos coordinates the eligibility assessment, documentation and case management end to end.
In practice that means a single point of contact who understands your file, a clear plan with milestones, and the right specialist engaged in the destination country when filing requires it. You always know who is doing what, and you can verify our own credentials before you commit to anything.
A startup or founder visa is for building a new, usually innovative company in the destination country — Spain's Entrepreneur Visa and Singapore's EntrePass are examples. A business or manager visa is broader: it covers establishing or running a business locally, like Japan's Business Manager Visa, or transferring an executive to a new branch, like the US L-1A. The right category depends on whether you're founding something new, moving an existing business, or self-employed.
Yes. None of the programmes on this hub restrict applicants by current country of residence. A founder based in Dubai, Abu Dhabi or India follows the same process as anyone else; what changes is the supporting evidence — attested experience letters, business documents and police clearances from each country you've lived in. Sequencing those early is usually what keeps the timeline on track.
It varies widely and is set by each government, not by us. Spain's Entrepreneur Visa, assessed through ENISA, has no fixed minimum investment, while Japan's Business Manager Visa requires ¥30 million in capital since its October 2025 reform. Because requirements change within a programme year, the honest answer for your situation comes from a current assessment rather than a headline figure.
For startup and business routes in jurisdictions where we are not separately licensed, applications are prepared and submitted through government-authorised agents and regulated legal practitioners within our professional network. Cosmos coordinates the eligibility assessment, documentation and case management throughout, so you have one accountable point of contact from start to finish.
Cosmos Immigration is a regulated immigration consultancy founded in Dubai in 2014, working through CICC-, MARA- and IAA-registered professionals, with offices in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Hyderabad and Oakville. Don't take our word for it — look up our credentials, free, on the relevant public registers, and run the same check on anyone else you're considering. Verify Our Credentials
Cosmos Immigration is a private consultancy, not a government body. Programme criteria and figures are set by the relevant governments and are subject to change; verified against official sources as of the date shown.
Start with a free assessment, not a sales pitch — or message us on WhatsApp. We'll tell you honestly which route fits your business — even if the answer is "not this one."
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