UK Global Talent visa application
In the United Kingdom, a Global Talent visa is an immigration route designed for leaders in their field and/or potential leaders in their field such as researchers, scientists, innovators, dancers, singers, actors, authors, magicians and the list goes on and on. Those eligible for a UK talent visa are entitled to live and work within the UK. This form of visa also provides a means to achieve permanent residency and is therefore considered a highly sought-after document for those who are eligible. This visa route leads to Indefinite Leave to Remain. One of the main requirements of this visa as the name suggests is you have to be talented!
In order to apply for a Global Talent visa to work in the UK you will need to be a leader or potential leader in one of the following fields:
Academia or Research
Arts and Culture
Digital Technology
When was the Global Talent visa created?
The UK Global Talent visa replaced the Tier 1 Exceptional Talent visa at the end of January 2020. It is similar to the Tier 1 visa in that it has been explicitly designed to attract non-UK nationals who wish to come and work in the country in one of several specific industries.
In the majority of cases, applicants need to receive an endorsement from one of the relevant approved endorsing organisations in their field of work, each category mentioned above has their own endorsing bodies.
Can I get a UK talent visa as a non-academic applicant?
There are two bodies within the UK that oversee endorsements within culture, digital technology and other fields within the non-academic arts: Tech Nation and Arts Council England. If you wish to apply for a Global Talent visa but do not intend on pursuing a research/academic role, you may do so via this route.
How do I apply for a Global Talent visa in the UK?
The first step of the application requires an endorsement from an approved body. Once the applicant has received an endorsement from a relevant organisation, they must then submit an application and endorsement for approval by the Home Office.
UK talent visa: prestigious prizes
If you are the recipient of a qualifying prestigious award, you might be able to fast-track your application without having to receive an endorsement from a relevant body. This will allow you to instead proceed to directly making a visa application.
The list of prestigious prizes is available under the UK government’s website. This list is regularly reviewed and updated.
Do I need to be able to speak English to apply for a Global Talent visa?
Foreign nationals applying via the Global Talent route do not currently need to satisfy any formal English language requirements. However, the Home Office expects applicants to be able to demonstrate sufficient rudimentary knowledge of the English language before settlement in the United Kingdom is granted.
How long does a UK Global Talent visa last?
When applying for a Global Talent visa, you are eligible to choose how long you wish to reside in the United Kingdom up to a maximum of five years. This flexibility can be used to the advantage of the applicant: for example, if you wish to minimise your Immigration Health Surcharge payments, you may choose to apply for a two-year visa.
If the applicant decides that they wish to stay in the United Kingdom for longer than initially anticipated, it is possible to apply to extend your visa. There is no maximum time limit, which means visa recipients can re apply to extend their stay each time their visa runs out. However, there are some stipulations (see below).
How to qualify for a Global Talent visa extension
To qualify for a UK talent visa extension, you will need to provide evidence that you have earned money in the United Kingdom during the time since your application was accepted. These earnings must be linked to the field which led to the endorsement and acceptance of your Talent visa.
If your visa was accepted because you were awarded a prestigious prize, you will still need to provide evidence that any earnings were related to the subject matter of the prize awarded.
Can I bring family members to the UK on my Global Talent visa?
If you hold a Global Talent visa, you are permitted to bring your spouse/civil partner/unmarried partner as part of the conditions. You may also bring children under the age of 18.
How long does the Global Talent visa process take?
Once you have been endorsed you should apply within 3 months of the endorsement for your visa, it takes usually 3 weeks to process your application once submitted. If you are applying inside the UK it can take about 8 weeks to be processed.
How much does a Global talent visa cost?
The visa cost is £716 including the endorsement fees. You must also pay an Immigration Health Surcharge of £624 per year.
During the preparation of an application, you may need to consider other services that may incur costs such as translation fees, TB test and other fees you will have the option to purchase such as priority service to ensure a quicker decision.
Get Global Talent visa advice today
At GSN immigration, we understand that the application process for a Global Talent visa can be complicated and at times confusing. However, you shouldn’t let the process stress you out.
Our team of experts understand all immigration options and are here to guide you through the invariably complex Home Office policies and rules. If you require help and advice pertaining to your visa or any other UK immigration matters, please do not hesitate to contact us today. Simply call, email or use the contact form to provide us with the details of your enquiry and our friendly and approachable team will do our utmost to help.
Your Global Talent visa Immigration Lawyer will provide a Document Checklist. This will ensure you can gather the required documents, according to your circumstances.
We will complete all the relevant application forms for you and provide you country specific guidance, if relevant.
We will ensure we are with you from the very start until you receive a decision for your application. Sometimes applications take longer than expected and we can liaise with the Home Office or UKVI on your behalf. We confess that we love to help applicants with their Immigration matters.