UK Global Talent visa application
A Global Talent visa is an immigration route designed for “leaders” or “potential leaders” in their field. The three broad field categories are:
Academia or Research
Arts and Culture
Digital Technology
In the majority of cases applicants need to receive an endorsement from one of the relevant Home Office-approved endorsing bodies for their field of work; each category mentioned above has their own endorsing body. The endorsing body will decide if the applicant or their work reaches the required standard and quality – these requirements may be onerous. But in other cases the applicant has won an “eligible prize” from an eligible organisation and they can apply for the visa on this basis.
The applicant must be 18 or over and can apply for up to five years leave, and leave can be extended. An application for settlement may be made after either three years or five years, depending on the case. Dependants are permitted.
The endorsing bodies are:
- Arts Council England
- Royal Institute of British Architects
- British Fashion Council
- Producers’ Alliance for Cinema and Television (Pact)
- Tech Nation
- The British Academy
Do I need to be able to speak English to apply for a Global Talent visa?
There is no English language requirement for visa applicants, but there is for settlement applications.
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 you decide that you wish to stay in the United Kingdom for longer than you applied for, it is possible to apply to extend your visa. There is no maximum time limit, which means you can extend your stay each time your visa runs out. However, there are some stipulations (see below).
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.
If your visa was granted because you were awarded an eligible prize you will still need to provide evidence that your earnings were related to the subject matter of the prize awarded.
This is all the rule says: it is broad and vague, evidently intentionally so.
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. 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 three months of the endorsement for your visa, it takes usually three weeks to process your application once submitted. If you are applying inside the UK it can take about eight weeks to be processed.
How much does a Global Talent visa cost?
The visa application fee is £766. You must also pay an Immigration Health Surcharge of £1,035 per year.
During the preparation of an application, you may need to consider other services that you may incur costs such as translation fees and a TB test. You will have the option to purchase a 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 should not 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 together the required documents, according to your circumstances.
We will ensure we are with you from the very start until you receive a decision on your application.
