Global talent visa is for talented and promising individuals from around the world who are leaders or potential leaders in one of the following three fields:
- Academia or research
- Arts and culture
- Digital technology
Endorsing Bodies for the Global Talent visa
To make a successful application for the Global Talent visa you either have to be a winner of one of the eligible international prizes or you need an endorsement from one of the six endorsing bodies appointed by the Home Office.
The six endorsing bodies are:
- Arts Council England - ACBF (including those for sub-endorsing bodies such as Pact) - for arts and culture endorsements, including architecture, fashion design and film
British Academy - BA - for humanities and social sciencesRoyal Academy of Engineering - RAE - for engineeringRoyal Society - RS - for sciences- Tech Nation - TN - for a digital technology endorsement
UK Research and Innovation - UKRI - for applicants in all disciplines in science, engineering, humanities and medicine who meet specific requirements for this route
Each endorsing body has its own criteria for endorsement and the documents you will need will depend on the specific route you choose.
Once endorsement is granted the final immigration decision is made by the Home Office.
Exceptional Talent vs Exceptional promise
There are two subcategories in the Global Talent
Exceptional promise is a subcategory available in all three fields - Research and Academia, Arts and Culture and
The criteria for exceptional promise may be slightly lower than for exceptional talent. This option is available for only selected routes under the Global Talent scheme.
Exceptional Promise in Arts and Culture
Arts Council England supports applications for exceptional promise endorsement in the following fields:
- ombined arts
- dance
- literature
- music
- theatre
- visual arts
-
fashion design (
British Fashion Council ) - architecture (RIBA)
Exceptional promise is not available in:
- animation
- film
- post-production
- television
- visual effects
Exceptional Promise in Research and Academia
In academia and research, you may apply under Exceptional Promise criteria under individual fellowship route or under peer review route if you are at an early stage of career.
An application for endorsement can be made to the
All applications made under Endorsed Funding route operated by UKRI are made under exceptional talent category and all applications made under Academic Appointment route are also made under exceptional talent subcategory.
Unlike exceptional promise endorsements by the
Two stage application process for the Global Talent visa
Unless you are a winner of an eligible prize, your application for a Global Talent visa will be done in two stages.
The first stage is an application for endorsement to an approved body in your field or discipline. It will take from 7 days to 5 weeks to get a decision, depending on the route your have chosen and the type of endorsement you are applying for.
Once you have received your endorsement letter you may proceed to stage 2 - immigration application. You will have three months from the date of endorsement to submit the stage 2 application.
You may also make both stage 1 and stage 2 applications at the same time and you may choose to do so if you are in the
Requirements for the immigration application
Global talent immigration application is usually made as stage 2 application after you have received endorsement from an approved endorsing body.
If you are a winner of a prestigious prize approved by the
There is no English language requirement for the Global Talent visa.
Whether you need a job offer depends on the specific route you have chosen for endorsement.
Once the endorsement is issued, you have to submit the immigration application within 3 months of the letter of endorsement.
There are no additional requirements in the initial applications but if you are applying for an extension, you will have to demonstrate that you have earned money in the
Dependants of Global Talent applicants
You may bring with you your partner (spouse, civil partner or unmarried partner) and children under the age of 18.
For your partner, you will have to show that you are in a marriage or civil partnership which is recognised in the country where it was solemnised.
If you are unmarried partners, you will be required to show that you have lived together in a relationship for at least two years.
For children over 16 you have to show that they live with you (unless they are in a boarding school, college or university) and do not have a family of their own.
Applications for dependants are made on a separate form. If they are applying from outside the
If they are applying inside the
There is no additional requirements for dependants of Global Talent migrants, except proof of relationship and address. Their application will stand or fall in line with the main applicant.
Dependants of Global Talent visa holders have the right to work in the
Children of Global Talent visa holders can enrol in a state funded school. For higher education institutions, they have to pay foreign student fees before they get indefinite leave to remain.
Dependants don't qualify for accelerated settlement and will be entitled for ILR only after five years of residence on condition that the main applicant has already settled or is applying for settlement at the same time.
Global Talent
Global Talent visa fee is Ł623. The same fee applies to dependants.
If your application is based on an endorsement, you will pay the fee in two parts:
- Ł456 when you apply for endorsement
- Ł167 when you make the immigration application
There is also the Immigration Health Surcharge payable at the time of application. This is Ł624 per year for adults and Ł470 for applicants under the age of 18.
How long it takes to get a decision on a Global Talent application
If you are applying for an endorsement you will usually receive the decision within three weeks if your application is fast track or within eight weeks if it is not.
Stage 2, immigration application, takes around 3 weeks if you are applying from outside the
You can apply for priority service for the immigration application for an additional fee.
Period of grant of the Global Talent
Global Talent visa can be granted for any period from 1 year to 5 years. It is your decision, how long you need the visa for.
You can extend it as many times as necessary.
Dependants will be granted leave for the same period, or with the same expiry date, as the main applicant, but dependants' visas can be extended for a further period if the main applicant becomes settled after 3 years.
Permitted activities - what you can and cannot do
Global Talent visa offers you maximum flexibility. You have the right to take up employment, work as self-employed or start your own business.
You can study in the
You can travel abroad and if your research or art project takes you out of the
You are not allowed:
- to access public funds;
- be employed as a professional sportsperson or coach.
Eligibility for ILR and British citizenship
There are two substantive requirements for indefinite leave to remain:
- the endorsement (if you relied on an endorsement in the initial application) must not have been withdrawn; and
-
you must have earned money in the
UK during your last period of permission in the field related to your initial application.
You will qualify for settlement after 3 years (accelerated settlement) if:
- your initial application was:as a winner of a qualifying prize or award; or
- if you were endorsed in academia and research by any of the four endorsing bodies (either as exceptional talent or exceptional promise); or
-
if you were endorsed as exceptional talent by
Art Council England or Tech Nation.
You will qualify for settlement after 5 years:
- If you were endorsed by Arts Council England or Tech Nation as exceptional promise.
Continuous residence requirement
You will be required to demonstrate continuity of residence during the qualifying period for ILR. Continuous residence is interrupted if you are out of the
Absences due to compelling and compassionate personal circumstances, such as life-threatening illness of a close family member, are disregarded.
If the initial application was made as a winner of a prestigious prize in science, or you have an endorsement in academia and research, time spent outside the
Combining time in different immigration categories
The continuous period of residence can be made up of time spent in the
- Global Talent;
- Innovator Founder;
- Skilled worker;
- T2 Minister of Religion;
- T2 Sportsperson;
- Tier 1 Migrant (other than Graduate Entrepreneur);
- Scale-up Worker;
- Representative of an Overseas Business.
If you have already spent three years in the
English language and Life in the
Although there is no English language requirement for the initial Global Talent application, you will have to meet the English language requirement for an ILR application and pass the Life in the
English Language is required at B1 level in speaking and listening.
You may rely on a degree from a
General grounds for refusal of Global Talent applications
General grounds for refusal of the Global Talent visa application include:
- criminality grounds
-
where the applicant's presence in the
UK is not conducive to the public good -
exclusion from the
UK following a deportation order - false representations made in relation to the application or a previous application for permission to enter or remain
- previous breaches of immigration laws if the application is made outside the relevant time period required to lapse after the offence
Endorsement review
If you have been refused an endorsement under the Global Talent category, and you believe that the decision was incorrect, you may ask the Home Office to review the decision.
Once a request for an endorsement review is received, the Home Office will forward it to the relevant endorsing body for a review.
The application for endorsement review has to be made within 28 calendar days from the date of receipt of the refusal.
The application is made on a designated endorsement review form.
The review normally takes up to 28 calendar days. The decision on review is communicated by email. It is final and cannot be challenged second time.
If you wish to provide additional information which was not submitted with your initial application, you have to have a new application. The reviewer will only review the documents that were submitted with the original application and consider whether a mistake was made.
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