Global Talent visa

You can apply for a Global Talent visa to work in the UK if you’re a Leader or Potential Leader in one of the following fields:

Arts and Culture;
Architecture;
Fashion Design;
Film and Television (including Animation, Post Production, and Visual Effects);
Digital Technology (including Financial Technology/Fintech, Gaming, Cyber Security, and Artificial Intelligence);
Science, Engineering, Humanities and Medicine Fields.

You can apply as either a:

Leader in your field – ‘Exceptional Talent’; or
Potential Leader in your field – ‘Exceptional Promise’.

Our team of immigration lawyers has vast experience in assisting with all types of work visas. For assistance, please contact our experienced immigration lawyers today on 07429429892, 02038563516 or info@dmlawpractice.com

The Global Talent visa application process is divided into two steps:

Step 1 – Endorsement; and
Step 2 – Visa application.

You can apply for both steps together, or you can apply for step 2 (Visa) after step 1 (Endorsement) is confirmed. The Endorsement must be approved in order for the Visa to be approved.

Step 1 – Endorsement

You can apply for and obtain endorsement as a Leader or Potential Leader in your field with a UK organization (‘endorsing body’) with expertise in your field.

You can only apply for endorsement in one of the above-mentioned fields.

To apply for endorsement in your field, you will need to:

Be professionally engaged in producing ‘outstanding’ performed, presented, distributed, published, sold or internationally exhibited work; and
Show regular professional engagement in your field in the last 5 years; and
For Exceptional Talent (Leader in your field) show a substantial track record in more than 1 country; or
For Exceptional Promise (Potential Leader in your field) show a developing track record in 1 or more countries.

The evidence for Exceptional Talent (Leader in your field) is more onerous.

For Fashion Design, you need to have a leading design role in the fashion business and show regular professional engagement in the fashion industry in the last 5 years, for Exceptional Talent (Leader in your field) you must show professional engagement in producing ‘outstanding’ work that has been sold or exhibited internationally through catwalk or other exhibitions and a substantial track record in more than 1 country, and for Exceptional Promise (Potential Leader in your field) you must show a developing track record in 1 or more countries and professional engagement in producing ‘outstanding’ work that has been recognised by leading industry players.

For Film and Television, you can only apply as a Leader in your field (Exceptional Talent). To be eligible for this field, you need to have won at any time a “Main Award” (Academy Award, BAFTA, Golden Globe, Emmy Award), have been nominated for / made a significant contribution to winning or being nominated for a “Main Award” in the last 10 years, have achieved a minimum of 2 nominations for the “Main Awards” in the last 15 years, or have notable industry recognition through achieving international sales and a specified combination of awards from PACT’s Notable Industry List.

For Digital Technology, your background can be either Technical (developer, engineer, data scientist) or Business (commercial, investment or digital product expertise in a technology company that creates software, hardware or that processes data).  There is a list of eligible digital technology roles. You do not need a job offer to get the visa. If you are a Technical applicant you need to have proven technical expertise with the latest technologies in building, using, deploying or exploiting a technology stack and building technical infrastructure. If you are a Business applicant you need to have proven commercial investment or product expertise in building digital products or leading investments in significant digital product businesses. Your endorsement application will be assessed by Tech Nation.

For Science, Engineering, Humanities and Medicine, you must be an active researcher in an academic, industry or government research institution.

Evidence

You will need to provide three letters of recommendation. Two of the letters must be from well-established organisations acknowledged as experts in your field, and at least one of the organisations must be based in the UK. The third letter must be from another well-established organisation, or an individual with recognised expertise in your field.

You will need to show at least 2 examples of evidence from your field. Evidence can include:

Arts and Culture – Media recognition of your work; Winning / contributing to winning international awards (nomination / being shortlisted can be sufficient for Exceptional Promise); Proof of appearances / performances / publications / exhibitions recognised in your field; Evidence of international distribution and audiences for your work.

Architecture – Media recognition of your work; Winning / contributing to winning international awards (nomination / being shortlisted can be sufficient for Exceptional Promise); Publications or exhibitions considered internationally significant in your field.

Fashion Design – Media recognition of your work; Winning / contributing to winning international awards; Evidence of catwalk shows / presentations / exhibitions considered internationally significant in the fashion design industry; Evidence of extensive distribution and sales of your collections via internationally renowned retailers, your retail outlet or your ecommerce platform; Support and sponsorship through the British Fashion Council or other listed organisation; Evidence of order(s) placed by a luxury retailer or boutique; Evidence of recognition by leading industry players of an exceptional graduating collection.

Digital Technology – Tech Nation requires specific documents to be provided with your endorsement application including your CV with career and publication history; letters of recommendation from 3 different well-established organisations acknowledged as experts in the digital technology field; and evidence of Exceptional Talent or Exceptional Promise. You may get a faster endorsement decision if you’ve been accepted onto a recognised UK accelerator programme and can show this on your application for endorsement.

Science, Engineering, Humanities and Medicine – You may get fast track endorsement if you can provide evidence of one of the following:

That you hold, or have held in the 12 months before your application, a peer reviewed research fellowship or award named on the lists published by the Royal Society, Royal Academy of Engineering and the British Academy; or
That you have been appointed to an academic or research position at an approved UK Higher Education Institution or Research Institute named on the lists published by the Royal Society, the Royal Academy of Engineering and the British Academy; or
That you will be hosted or employed in a UK research organisation named on the UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) published list and will provide critical contributions to work supported by a substantial research grant or award from an endorsed funder named on the UKRI published list.

If you don’t have one of the above, you can apply for endorsement in the fields of Science, Engineering, Humanities and Medicine by having your application full peer reviewed, but your application will take longer. Peer review is done by the Royal Society, for science and medicine; or British Academy, for humanities; or Royal Academy of Engineering. You do not need a job offer to apply.

Step 2 – Global Talent Visa Application

This is a points-based application. To apply, you need to meet the following requirements:

You have been issued with a valid endorsement letter by an endorsing body (you must apply for your visa no more than 3 months after the date on the endorsement letter);
You must apply for and obtain entry clearance on the Global Talent route before you arrive in the UK;
Meet the financial requirement (show that you have enough personal savings to support yourself while in the UK) where applicable;
Meet the Tuberculosis requirement where applicable.

There are no language or minimum salary eligibility requirements.

Visa Duration

Permission will be granted for the period you request, up to a maximum of 5 years on each application. There is no limit to the number of times you can apply for the visa.

With a Global Talent visa you can:

Be an employee, self-employed and a director of a company;
Change or stop doing your job without telling the Home Office;
Bring your partner and children with you if they are eligible;
Study subject to certain conditions;
Travel abroad and return to the UK;
Renew your visa as many times as you like as long as you meet the eligibility criteria for extending your stay;
Apply to settle permanently in the UK (Indefinite Leave to Remain) if you’ve lived in the UK continuously for 3 years if you’re applying as a Leader (Exceptional Talent) and continuously for 5 years if you’re applying as a Potential Leader (Exceptional Promise), and meet the other eligibility requirements – any time you spend outside the UK doing research counts towards this time. When applying for Indefinite Leave to Remain, you must meet the English language requirement.

With a Global Talent visa you cannot:

Apply for most benefits (public funds) or the State Pension;
Work as a professional sportsperson (including as a sports coach).