Global Talent

The UK Global Talent Visa, sometimes known as the Tech Nation Visa, was introduced in February 2020 as a replacement to the Exceptional Talent visa. This route allows those with outstanding skill and leadership in their chosen field to come to the UK to live and work.

• After 5 years, applicants can apply for settlement.
• Allows you to bring dependents under the age of 18, and spouse or partner to the UK.
• Dependents under the age of 18 entitled to free UK education.

Information about our Global Talent service

This route allows those with outstanding skill and leadership in their chosen field to come to the UK to live and work in the UK

There are four different ways to qualify for the Global Talent Visa. These are:

Peer reviews – requires an endorsement from an approved endorsing body. Senior appointments – granted by British universities, educational and research institutes and are endorsed by the same bodies as the peer views.

Fellowships – gained at research institutes or a high education facility which has gained the approval of the endorsing bodies

Endorsed funding – assessed by the UKRI and offers a fast track to settlement.

These endorsements are largely administered by an approved body which includes the Royal Society, the Royal Academy of Engineering, Tech Nation, the UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) and the British Academy.

Our specialist legal team has a strong understanding of the requirements of different scientific endorsing bodies and has worked with a wide range of clients to get their applications approved. We will work tirelessly to tailor your application to meet these demands and get your Global Talent Visa granted.

If you are unsure about the right pathway for you, our Immigration Consultants are here to help. You can reach out to us via WhatsApp or Telegram at +44 (0) 746 850 0063, email us at contact@westernpartners.co.uk, or get in touch through our website.

Who can get a Global Talent Visa?

In order to apply for a tier 1 Talent visa, the individual should receive an endorsement first. These endorsements are given out by six entities, each of them being responsible for a specific field.

It is important to understand the difference between obtaining an endorsement and having your special Talent visa application approved in the UK. Endorsement is only a part of your visa application, so it is only the first step on a long route.

Each of the bodies has different criteria for approving candidates. In contrast, the criteria for getting a visa are common for each field and each body. Aside from the endorsement, the individual has to be at least 18 years old. The only exception that allows the individual to apply without an endorsement relates to the cases when the applicant won a major award in their field.

Eligibility requirements for the Global Talent visa

The eligibility requirements for each field of the talent work visa are different. In this section, we will list the short versions of the criteria published by the corresponding bodies that we have already listed above. Both the criteria and the evidence you will need to provide are individual, and it is always better to look up all the details on the website of the corresponding body.

Arts Council England

This body requires the individual to prove they have contributed to the creation of some talented artworks. The person is required to prove they have professionally participated in the corresponding work for the previous five years, as well as have enough international experience.

The person will need to provide the body with at least three recommendation letters, some valid proof of professional experience in multiple countries, and should have their works considered outstanding by the body.

Tech Nation

In order to receive an endorsement from the Tech Nation body, the individual will need to prove their participation in the creation of corresponding technical products. They will need to provide the body with substantial evidence of their professional participation in product development, as well as their commercial investment in the field. Similar to the previous body, Tech Nation also requires the person to provide it with three recommendation letters.

Other Bodies

For other bodies that include the fields of engineering, science, research, and medicine, the criteria are almost the same. In general, the person just needs to prove to the body they are actively and outstandingly participating in their corresponding segments. There are several other profession-specific criteria for each of these fields, so make sure to confirm all the details with the relevant body before applying.

How to apply for a Global Talent visa?

The preparation for applying is a lot more difficult than the application process itself. The government grants the individuals two options to choose from: they can either submit from within the country or apply from outside of the United Kingdom.

With foreign submissions, the government will need you to visit the appointment center. For those who are already residing in the United Kingdom, there is an option to change their current visa. To do so, the person just needs to submit an online application form.

Required documents to apply for the Global Talent visa

The general list of required documents might be rather long, as you have to keep in mind that you need a substantial amount of paper to obtain the endorsement before you can contact the visa center. In general, you will need the following documents, although this is not the complete list:

• A CV that states your results in the corresponding field.
• Recommendation letters from at least three different organizations.
• Up to ten pieces of proof of your experience.

The pieces of proof mentioned in the last point are individual for each field as well. However, for any field, they should demonstrate the outstanding quality of your work and your exceptional performance in the relevant field.

There might be some additional documents required as well. For example, as we have already mentioned in the previous section, digital specialists will need to prove their active participation in product development. Thus, such individuals will have to attach some additional corresponding documents as well. Researchers will also need to provide all the necessary details about their prior work.

What is the Global Talent visa processing time?

In most cases, the processing time does not exceed a month. However, similar to other types of visa approvals, the bodies might ask you to verify some details of an interview, which usually increases the duration of the process significantly.

There is also a difference in this time frame, depending on where you send your application from. For individuals who have submitted their request from outside of the country, the processing time is usually around three weeks, while for those who have submitted from inside the country, it may take up to eight weeks.

It is also important to mention that some specialists from the digital industry can get to the fast-track route that has a decreased processing period. Another important detail is that the individual can send out the visa application before the endorsement request is reviewed. As these are two separate procedures, applying for them simultaneously is a convenient way of saving time. Although in case the endorsement is not issued, there is no chance of getting the visa request approved.

The time required for case preparation is contingent upon the selected package and the quantity and caliber of essential documents furnished during this process. Please refer to our article for more information.

Global Talent visa fees

Both endorsement approval and visa approval are paid procedures. In order to have your endorsement request reviewed, you will need to pay a fee of £456. The fee for the initial review is £192. If you are applying on the basis of receipt of an eligible award, you will pay the full amount of £716. It is worth mentioning that for individuals from Turkey and Macedonia, the abovementioned fees are slightly lower.

In case the individual is going to apply with dependents, there is an additional fee of £716 per person. Last but not least, the individual will be charged with the Immigration Health Surcharge fee of £624 per year. For children, the IHS fee is £470 per year.

How long does a Global Talent visa last?

The Global Talent technician visa is issued for a period from one to five years. Once it expires, the individual is capable of renewing it. As we have mentioned in one of the previous sections, the individuals are also capable of applying for British Citizenship after staying in the country for a specific period of time.

In case you decide to extend your visa, there are some additional things you should know. First of all, the bodies that issue endorsements are capable of withdrawing them. Thus, before you apply, you have to ensure it did not happen. Secondly, such an extension is only possible until your current visa expires. If that happens, you will need to go for another route.