UK GLOBAL TALENT VISA
The Global Talent Visa UK is for exceptionally talented and promising individuals in the fields of academia or research, arts and culture or digital technology who wish to work in the UK.
The UK’s Global Talent visa opened for applications in February 2020, replacing the Tier 1 (Exceptional Talent) route.
Your Global Talent visa will be granted for up to 5 years at a time. You may be able to settle in the U after 3 or 5 years, depending on which field you work in and how you apply.
To apply for a 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
- academia or research
- arts and culture
- digital technology
To evidence this, you will need to have either won an eligible award or successfully applied for an endorsement from a Home Office-approved endorsing body.
Endorsement
To prove that you are a leader or show exceptional promise, you must first apply for an endorsement within your field.
Obtaining an endorsement from a Home Office approved endorsing body is the most complex stage of the application process.
The approved endorsing bodies for the Global Talent route are:
- Arts Council England and associated bodies– for arts, culture, architecture, fashion, film and television
- Tech Nation – for technical and business skills in the digital technology sector
- Other Endorsing bodies – science, engineering, humanities and medicine.
Other requirements
As with most visa categories, you must be at least 18 years old when you apply. You will also need to provide a tuberculosis test if you are applying from a listed country.
Once you receive your Global Talent visa, you should note that the following conditions will apply to your stay in the UK in this category.
You will be permitted the following activities on your Global Talent visa:
- 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
- Study in the UK.
- Bring your dependent family members.
You will not be able to do the following in the UK on your Global Talent visa:
- Work as a doctor or dentist in training (unless certain circumstances apply).
- Work as a professional sportsperson
- Claim public funds (most benefits)
Fairmont Lawyers can help you navigate the requirements and provide you with professional legal assistance every step of the way to obtain a Global Talent visa.
FAQ
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. Each extension can last from 1 to 5 years – you choose how long you want the extension to be.
You may be eligible to settle in the UK after 5 years. There is also a fast-track option to apply for ILR after 3 years.
It costs £608 to apply. If you’re applying based on an endorsement, you’ll pay the £608 in two parts:
- £456 when you apply for the endorsement
- £152 when you apply for the visa itself
If you’re applying based on an eligible award, you’ll pay the full £608 when you apply for the visa.
If you’re including your partner or children in your application, they’ll each need to pay £608.
You will also have to pay the healthcare surcharge as part of your application of £624 per each year of the visa.
You’ll usually get a decision on your visa within:
- 3 weeks, if you’re outside the UK
- 8 weeks, if you’re inside the UK
A Priority Service may be available at an additional cost.