Global Talent visa was introduced on the 30 January 2020 which replaced the visa route Tier 1 Exceptional Talent.

Global Talent comprises of 3 visa types:

• Recognised leader (exceptional talent)
• Emerging leader (exceptional promise)
• UK Research and Innovation endorsed funder option.

Who qualifies?

To qualify you need to be endorsed by one of these endorsing bodies:

• The Royal Society, for science and medicine
• The Royal Academy of Engineering, for engineering
• The British Academy, for humanities
• Tech Nation, for digital technology
• Arts Council England, for arts and culture
• UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), for research applicants.

Fashion, Architecture or Film and Television

If you fall under one of these categories, the Arts Council England will pass on your application for review to:

• British Fashion Council, for fashion
• Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA), for architecture
• Producers Alliance for Cinema and Television (PACT), for film and television.

Learn more about this visa routegudance

Before you submit your visa application to the Home Office (Stage 2), you first must obtain UK endorsement from an approved Designated Competent Body where you apply onlineand await approval, this is Stage 1.

What is Stage 1?

The endorsing body you are assigned under will assesses your skills, abilities and achievements, they will then advise the Home Office of their decision on whether you should be endorsed.

Stage 1 is not a visa application, which means, if you are applying to switch in the UK into this visa category, you must have at all times a valid visa to remain in the UK until endorsement is approved. If your visa is going to expire, you can submit a visa application but if endorsement is rejected, your visa fee is non-refundable.

You can submit Stage 1 from any visa centre in the world and it is not a visa application.

If you are granted an endorsement by a Designated Competent Body, you can then submit Stage 2 to the Home Office.

Once you received endorsement, you can then apply to the Home Office for your 'Leave to Enter' or 'Leave to Remain' visa application.

Note: If you have not received endorsement (Stage 1), we do not recommend you submit Stage 2 application unless under exceptional circumstances which normally falls under 'UK visa switching' where your current visa expires.

Visa Processing Times

Leave to Remain - visa application are normally processed in 8 weeks of your biometrics appointment date but if your application falls under digital technology specialist, you may get a faster decision.

Leave to Enter - UKVI normally processes entry visas in 3 weeks of your biometrics appointment date.

Visa Length

This visa type is issued between 1-5 years. Tip: Check out the below tab called Settlement as you will save money on the Immigration Health Surcharge.

What can I do whilst in the UK?

Under this visa type, you can:

• Work for most employers
• No need to update the Home Office if you change your employer
• Be a director of a company
• Operate a business under self-employment
• You can do voluntary work
• Travel In and Out of the UK as many times as you like
• Your immediate family can enter or remain in the UK as your dependants.
• You are not able or entitled to claim public funds
• Not permitted to work as a doctor or dentist in training
• Work as a professional sportsperson or sports coach.

To be able to switch into this visa route whilst in the UK, you will need to have one of the following valid visa types:

• Tier 1 (any)
• Tier 2 (any)
• Tier 5 (only Government Authorised Exchange for sponsored researchers).
• Start-Up
• Innovator

You can apply to switch into this visa route and request a visa to be issued from 1-5 years.

Note: If you hold any other visa, you must apply from outside the UK.

You can renew your Global Talent visa whilst in the UK. If you hold a tier 1 Exceptional Talent visa, you can extend it under Global Talent using the same endorsing body.

You do not need to obtain endorsement again unless your existing endorsing body has withdrawn your endorsement or you decided to work in another designated body area.

If you are employed, you would be expected to provide evidence of being employed but if you are operating as a director of a limited business or as a self-employed person, you would be expected to provide evidence of running the business during then tax years your visa was granted under.

You can also provide evidence in the way of Dividend vouchers which is a way of payments based on profit of your business based on share allocation.

You can also show financial accounts, but they must clearly show the net profit and be signed by a company director.

If you are working as self-employed, you can provide evidence such as a letter from your accountant (must be either fully qualified chartered accountants or certified accountants who are members of a registered body in the UK). 

What if my endorsement is rejected?

If you want to challenge the decision, you can complete the Review Formand you should receive a answer in 28 days. you cannot submit new evidence and all reviews are based on evidence you provided from the outset to the designated competence body.

To learn more about the codes the endorsing bodies must apply within click herebut treat the document as a guide only as each application can be quite unique.

Can I settle via the Global Talent visa route?

Yes, you can as long as you complied to the visa rules you are under.

Settlement period will depend on your visa type. If you are approved under exceptional talent, exceptional talent endorsement in science or endorsement under the UKRI endorsed funder scheme, you can then apply for UK settlement once you been legally in the UK for 3 years under one of these visas.

If your visa is approved under exceptional promise endorsement in either arts and culture or digital technology, you can then apply for UK settlement once you been legally in the UK for 5 years under one of these visas.

Can my family apply under this visa route?

All 'direct' family members can apply to enter the UK or apply to remain in the UK under this visa route as your PBS Dependant.

Who are 'Direct' family members?

• Married or Civil Partnership
• Fiancé, Fiancée or Proposed Civil Partnership
• Unmarried partner
• Children aged 0-17 (entry visa only)
• Children aged 18 and over (if in the UK already and entered the UK under aged 18).

Click hereto leern more.