Global Talent visa

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About Global Talent visas

If you have talent and promise in your field, you can apply for a Global Talent visa. These include:

• Humanities
• Sciences
• Arts
• Technology
• Fashion
• Film
• Television and others

You don’t need sponsorship or a job offer.

You need to be a leader in your field or show promise to become a leader.

You may need to be endorsed by a specific body.

You’ll be able to:

• Work for any employer
• Work as self-employed
• Study full-time or part-time

How to apply

You can apply online from outside the UK (gov.uk)

You can apply to switch to a Global Talent visa from inside the UK, if you meet the requirements (gov.uk)

You can apply to extend your Global Talent visa from inside the UK, if you meet the requirements (gov.uk)

Who can apply for a visa

You’ll need to:

• Be 18 or over
• Have a valid passport
• Be a leader in a relevant field
• Be endorsed by a Home Office-approved endorsing body. There’s an exception for people with an 'eligible prize' (gov.uk)
• Have a tuberculosis test, if from a listed country (gov.uk)

The Home Office-approved endorsing bodies are:

• UK Research and Innovation (engagementhub.ukri.org)
• Royal Society (royalsociety.org)
• The British Academy (britishacademy.ac.uk)
• The Royal Academy of Engineering (raeng.org.uk)
• Arts Council England (artscouncil.org.uk)
• Tech Nation (technation.io)

Each body has its own process and requirements.  Check the application guidance for the specific body you’re applying to.

If your endorsement is unsuccessful, you might be able to apply for a review. You can read guidance on making an endorsement review request (gov.uk)

Who is suitable for a visa

You’ll need to be 'suitable' for a Global Talent visa.

The Home Office will look at:

• Your character
• If you have followed UK immigration rules in the past
• Any criminal records

Dependants

Partners and children can apply to join you in the UK if they meet the requirements. They can apply online (gov.uk)

A partner includes:

• A spouse
• A civil partner
• An unmarried partner, if you’ve been in a relationship for at least two years

A child is either:

• Under 18, or
• Over 18 if they’re already in the UK as your dependant

You’ll need to pay extra fees for a partner or children. You’ll also have to show evidence to prove your family relationship. Read the requirements to bring your partner or children under a Global Talent visa (gov.uk)

How much it costs to apply

There’s a fee of £716 for a Global Talent visa.

If you have an endorsement, you can pay the £716 fee in two parts:

• £524 when you apply for the endorsement
• £192 when making your application

There’s an Immigration Health Surcharge of £1035 per year of the visa.

How long it takes to apply

Processing times are published online (gov.uk)

At the moment:

• Applications from inside the UK are taking up to eight weeks
• Applications from outside the UK are taking up to three weeks

Outcomes

Visas are usually granted for up to five years.

You can apply to extend this visa if you meet the requirements.

You may also be able to switch to another visa if you meet the requirements.

After living in the UK for three to five years, you can apply for settlement (gov.uk). The time it takes for you to be eligible depends on the field you work in.

If your application is unsuccessful, you cannot appeal. We recommend getting legal advice about applying for an administrative review or judicial review.

If you need advice on whether you can switch to a Global Talent visa from another visa, we recommend booking a one-to-one appointment with us.

Photo credit: Scottish Enterprise