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The UK Global Talent Visa came into inception from February 2020 and replaced the Tier 1 (Exceptional Talent) route. The UK Global Talent Visa is for exceptionally talented and promising individuals who wish to come to the UK to seek work in the fields of digital technology, academia or research or arts and culture.
Eligibility:
To apply for a UK Global Talent Visa to work in the UK, you must be over 18 years old and be a leader or a potential leader in one of the following fields:
- Architecture
- Arts and Culture
- Digital Technology
- Engineering
- Fashion
- Film and Television
- Humanities
- Medicine
- Social Science
- Science
- Research
To prove that you are a leader or show that you are a potential leader, you must first apply for an endorsement within your field from a Home Office approved Endorsing Body.
How it works:
Stage 1: Make a formal application for Endorsement application from a Home Office approved Endorsement Body.
The approved endorsing bodies for the UK Global Talent route are:
- Arts Council England and associated bodies– for Arts, Architecture, Culture, Fashion, Film and Television;
- Tech Nation – for technical and business skills in the Digital Technology sectors
- Other Endorsing Bodies – Engineering, Humanities, Medicine and Science
Stage 2: Once endorsement has been received from the Home Office approved Endorsement Body- the formal Visa Application must be submitted.
- You must apply within 3 months of receiving the endorsement.
- If the organisation endorsing you withdraws their approval, you will no longer be able to apply for a UK Global Talent Visa.
- You can apply for this visa online before you travel to the UK. You will need to provide supporting documents and your endorsement.
- As part of your online application, you will need to prove your identity. You will either book an appointment at a visa application centre to have your Biometrics (fingerprints and photograph) taken, or you may be able to scan your identity document with the ‘UK Immigration: ID Check’ app.
Fast Track Applications:
Applicants who hold a ‘qualifying prestigious prize’ can fast track the endorsement application and instead make a single visa application. The following are examples of ‘qualifying prestigious prizes within the sectors:
Arts & literature
- Dorothy and Lillian Gish Prize
- Hugo Boss Prize
- Nobel Prize – Literature
Engineering and Maths, Science, Technology
- Fields Medal
- Nobel Prize winners in Chemistry, Economic Science, Medicine and Physics
- Queen Elizabeth Prize for Engineering
- Turing Award
Film, TV and Theatre
- Bafta – Best Film Actress/Actor/Director
- Golden Globe categories and Various Academy Award
- Olivier Awards and Tony Awards
Music
- Brit Award – International Male/Female
- Grammys – Lifetime Achievement Award
- Mobo – Best International Act
What you can do:
- You can apply for settlement after five years if you enter the UK on the Exceptional Promise route or three years if you gain a UK Global Talent visa.
- You are free to change jobs without having to tell the Home Office.
- You can bring family members with you as dependants. If you are applying from inside the UK, you can apply for your dependant’s visa at the same time as you apply to extend or switch your own visa. If you are applying from outside the UK, you will need to apply for your visa before your partner and children can make their own separate applications as they will need your Global Web Form (GWF) or a Unique Application Number (UAN).
- You can travel abroad and return to the UK.
- You can study.
- You can work for an employer, the director of a company, or be self-employed in the field you were endorsed
- If a company wishes to employ you, they do not have to hold a UK Sponsor Licence
- If you do not intend to extend your stay or settle in the UK you can choose not to work
What you cannot do:
- You are not permitted to have access to or benefit from public funds which includes most benefits or the State Pension.
- Unless certain exemptions apply- You cannot work as a Doctor or Dentist in training.
- You cannot work as a professional sportsperson or sports coach.
FAQs:
The endorsement stage of the application can vary from application to application as the Applicant will need to prove that they are a Leader or Potential Leader in their sector by applying for an endorsement from one of the Home Office approved Endorsement Bodies.
You must apply for the UK Global Talent Visa within 3 months of receiving an endorsement. Once you apply online, you should get a decision on your visa within 3 weeks when you apply from outside the UK.
If you are applying outside the UK- and your country provides a Priority Service you can take this up by paying an additional fee. If you opt for the standard Priority Service collection is usually within 5 working days. If a Super Priority Service is available collection time is usually within 24 hours.
The UK Global Talent Visa is valid for five years. You will be after the period of three years be eligible for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR). There is also a fast-track option to apply for ILR after 3 years.
Each period of stay in the UK on this visa is for 5 years, but there is no limit on the amount of time you can stay if you can prove that you have earned money in the field that you received your endorsement. Equally, you can apply for a shorter visa to reduce the health surcharge cost.
I am already in the UK on another Visa route- can I switch to the UK Global Talent Visa?
You can switch to the UK Global Talent Visa if you meet the eligibility before your current visa expires. You cannot apply to switch from within the UK on one of the following visas:
- You have permission to stay in the UK outside the immigration rules, for example on compassionate grounds
- Visitor Visa
- Domestic worker in a Private Household Visa
- Seasonal Worker Visa
- You are subject to Immigration Bail
- Short-Term Student Visa
- Parent of a Child Student Visa
You can switch to the UK Global Talent Visa if you meet the eligibility before your current visa expires. You cannot apply to switch from within the UK on one of the following visas:
- You have permission to stay in the UK outside the immigration rules, for example on compassionate grounds
- Visitor Visa
- Domestic worker in a Private Household Visa
- Seasonal Worker Visa
- You are subject to Immigration Bail
- Short-Term Student Visa
- Parent of a Child Student Visa
- A valid passport or other document that shows your identity and nationality.
- Your tuberculosis test results if you’re from a country where you have to take the test.
- If you’ve had an award or scholarship to study in the UK in the last year, you’ll also need written permission to apply from the agency or government that granted it. If you’ve won an eligible award, the Home Office will look at publicly available information to confirm that you’ve won. You’ll only be asked for evidence of your win if they cannot find this.
- You need a blank page in your passport for your visa if you’re:
- from outside the EU, EEA or Switzerland
- from the EU, EEA or Switzerland but do not have a biometric passport with a chip in it
Contact White Horse Solicitors & Notary Public for expert advice by experienced professionals on all areas of Immigration law. The many conditions and immigration requirements that must be met are handled by White Horse Solicitors and Notary Public with excellent professionalism, reliable conduct and integrity. We will ensure that our advice focuses on your personal circumstances and will always aim to achieve brilliant results for our clients.
White Horse Solicitors & Notary Public is well placed and highly qualified in providing professional advice and assistance on making a UK Global Talent Visa. We recommend getting in contact with us on 020 7118 1778 for our specialist and professional advice on such an application before any action is taken.
The information contained on this page is sourced from UK Visas and Immigration and is subject to change. White Horse Solicitors & Notary Public makes every effort to keep this information current, however prices and information cannot be guaranteed and should always be checked on www.gov.uk.
