Global Talent Visa UK Guide 2023: Overview, Eligibility, Visa Requirements

Do you want to know about the Global Talent Visa UK? This article discusses everything you need to know about global talent visas; eligibility, visa requirements, fees, the application process, etc.

Whether you’re reading about it for the first time or have some questions you need answers to, this article offers a complete UK visa.

Continue to find out all you need to know.

Global Talents Visa UK

The Global Talent visa is a UK immigration category for up-and-coming and talented individuals.

It is for individuals in the arts, technology, sciences, humanities, and engineering.

This guarantees you a 3-year settlement if you are considered a talented candidate or 5 years if you are considered a Promise candidate.

After completing your settlement duration, you can apply for British citizenship.

What are the Advantages of a Global Talent Visa UK?

The Global Talent visa provides many advantages, and they include:

• You can easily apply for settlement after three years if you enter through a Global Talent visa or five years if you enter through the Exceptional Promise route
• You can be self-employed, work for an employee, and even be a company director; within the circle of the field, you were endorsed.
• You have the liberty to change jobs without having to tell the Home Office
• It makes it easier for a company to employ you as  they don’t have to hold a UK Sponsor License

Global Talent Visa UK – Individual Eligibility

You must be an exceptional talent with proven significant contributions as a leader in your field.

You must be an exceptionally promising applicant at the early stage of your career who has demonstrated the potential to make significant contributions in your field as a future leader.

Also, to get an entry into the Global Talent visa, you have to obtain an endorsement from one of six approved endorsing bodies first.

While here, you should check out UK Sole Representative Visa: eligibility, visa fee & requirements, and interview questions.

Suppose you are applying for endorsement in academic fields such as engineering, science, medicine, humanities, or social science. In that case, the Home Office will send your application to the British Academy, Royal Society, UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), or Royal Academy of Engineering to make an endorsement based on your profile and evidence submitted.

If you are applying for endorsement in non-academic fields like digital technology, arts, and culture, you must send your applications to the Tech Nation or Arts Council England.

Generally, each of these endorsing bodies has unique endorsement criteria and processes.

How Do You Apply For A Global Talent Visa UK?

The procedure to apply for a Global Talent Visa when you are in the UK differs from where you are outside the UK.  Let’s look at it separately.

This section will discuss how to apply within and outside the UK.

1. Applying Within the UK

If you are in the UK and want to apply for the Global Talent visa, that is, changing your visa type, all you have to do is go online and apply.

As a UK immigrant, you can switch to a Global Talent visa if you have the following Visa types:

• Start-Up
• Innovator
• Tier 1
• Tier 2
• Also, Tier 4 (in exemption of the Short Term Student Visa)
• And Tier 5

2. Applications Outside the UK

If you are outside the UK, you should visit the nearest visa appointment center in your country of residence to apply for the Global Talent Visa.

What Documents are Required For Global Talent Visa Application?

The following are the documents you need to provide before you can begin your Global Talent Visa application:

• To apply for the Global Talent Visa, you need to submit the documents below:
• Your endorsement letter
• Valid travel documents (for instance, your current passport)
• Tuberculosis test (for countries that are required to take the test)
• COVID 19 Vaccination certificate
• The immigration health surcharge and the application fee slip.

What are the Requirements for a Global Talent Visa?

The two primary conditions that every individual seeking to come into the UK through the global talent hunt must undergo are:

• Apply for an endorsement, and
• Apply for the Global Talent visa after being endorsed.

You make your application not older than 3 months after receiving your endorsement letter from the endorsing body, or else it will become void.

Each of the Endorsing bodies had its stipulated requirements. We will be looking at each of them.

1. The Endorsement Requirements for Arts Council England

The Arts Council England is the endorsing body specifically designated by the Home Office to review all the endorsements applications for individuals in the Arts and Culture category that, includes:

• Dance
• Literature
• Combined Arts
• Music
• Theatre
• Visual Arts (in exemption of museums and focused work)

To get an endorsement from the Art Council England, you must provide evidence that shows that you are a leader in the field, an internationally recognized artist, or you have the potential to become a leading global artist.

Requirements 

The requirements are

• Evidence of quality exhibition of talent either performed, presented, or distributed internationally (rather than shown only in newspapers or magazines),
• Evidence of recent activity of your skill (within the last five years)
• International track record  
• Two or more evidence of recent media recognition for your work (do note that advertisements are not acceptable)
• Proof that you have won or contributed to the winning of a major international prize in your field, for example, an Academy Award
• Proof of appearances, publications, and performance within the last five years in internationally organized and applauded contexts. For instance, the performance of music at the O2 arena or exhibiting at the Tate Modern
• Evidence from at least two countries supports your talent and work (specifically for exceptional talent only).

However, do note that the evidence or proof should encompass no more than ten documents, excluding the three mandatory letters of support.

2. The Endorsement Requirements for The British Academy, The Royal Academy of Engineering, and The Royal Society

If you are in the sciences, engineering, humanities, and medicine, you must be:

• An active researcher in an academic, industry, government research, or international institution.

This category allows you to apply for your endorsement in two ways. – the fast track or full peer review.

Your level of experience and expertise will determine what you will go through.  

3. Fast Track Endorsement

You must submit proof of either of the following:

1. An award or a peer-reviewed research fellowship issued or listed by the Royal Society, British Academy, or Royal Academy of Engineering. (it must not be later than 12 months)
2. Documents show that you hold an academic or research position at an approved UK Higher Education Institution or research institute named and approved by the Royal Academy of Engineering, the Royal Society, and the British Academy.
3. Documents that show that you are hosted or employed in an approved UK research organization listed on the UKRI published list.

Category B

Also, you must provide the following documents if you fall under the (b) category.

• The job offer acceptance documents
• The job title and department in which you will be based
• At least 2 references
• At least 3 academic representatives from the employing institution will be part of the interview panel.
• At least one of the experts from the applicant’s field will be part of the interview panel, or
• At least 1 relevant expert, independent of the employing institution, will be consulted before the job offer is made.

Category C

If you fall under the (c) category, you must provide the following documents:

• A document that shows that at least 2 years are remaining on their employment contract or hosting agreement
• Written confirmation about the award from the endorsed funder that shows the award is worth at least £30,000 and covers a minimum of 2 years. A written confirmation confirms that you are funded by an award or a one-off grant won in an open competition. Or a dedicated declaration from the Director of Human Resources, or equivalent, at the UKRI-approved research organization that confirms that you are very important for executing the grant or awards. Also, 50% of your time will be spent on the grant or award. This also includes proof that you have accepted the job offer or hosting agreement, the job title you were assigned, and the details of the recruitment process you were not named on the grant application.

4. Full Peer Review Endorsement

You must meet the following requirements if you are an exceptional talent under the full peer review.

• You must be an active researcher in an approved field, related to the research institute, university, or directly in the industry; and
• You must possess a Ph.D. or equivalent research experience (including industrial or clinical research), and you must meet one of the following requirements.
• Should be beginning your career or in your early stages
• Also, you should be awarded or possess a prestigious UK-based research fellowship for the last 5 years. If not, the endorsing body judges an international fellowship or an advanced post as equivalent to a fellowship.

Also, you must possess one of the following in addition

• You should be a member of the national academy or a member of another academy of any other country, or
• You should have won an internationally acclaimed award in your field, or
• Also, you should provide a letter of recommendation from a senior member of a recognized UK organization that is into research in your specific field.

What are the Documents for Full Peer Review Endorsements?

The documents you need to provide for the full peer review endorsement are:

• An Updated CV that details your career and publication history
• A letter of personal recommendation from a UK-based eminent personality to support your Global Talent application that must cover the following:

• How the author is connected to you
• The details of your achievements and glories in your field
• How the author considers and concludes your show of exceptional talent or promise; and
• The details of you’re the contribution you would make to UK research excellence and broader society

5. Tech Nation

The Home Office designates the Tech Nation to assess endorsement applications from individuals in the digital technology fields.

What Are The Requirements for Tech Nation?

If you are an applicant in the digital technology field, you must possess either of the following:

• As a technical expert, you must provide evidence of proven technical expertise with the latest technologies in building, innovating, deploying, or exploiting a technology or technical infrastructure; or
• As a digital business applicant, you must provide evidence of proven commercial investment or product expertise in building digital products or significant investments in leading digital product businesses.

If you are applying to the digital technology field as an exceptional talent, you must:

• Provide proof that you are a leading talent in the digital technology sector; and
• Provide evidence of 2 of the following:
• A proven track record for innovation as a founder or an employee working on a new digital field or concept, a senior executive of a product-led digital technology company; or
• A proof of recognition for work beyond your occupation that contributes significantly to your field; or
• Proof of significant technical, entrepreneurial, or commercial contributions to the field, either as a founder, senior executive, or employee of a product-led digital technology company; or
• A proof that demonstrates exceptional ability in the field either through research published or academic contributions endorsed by an expert.

What are the Documents you Need to Provide for Tech Nation Endorsement?

Below are the documents you must provide to Tech Nation to secure your endorsement.

• A current CV detailing your career and publication history
• Three dated letters of recommendation from 3 different well-established organizations well respected in the digital technology field, and
• At least 10 pieces of evidence relevant to your field, which may include proof of establishing a successful technology business, letters of mentorship, recommendation letters, employment documents, and many more.

What is the Individual Eligibility for a Global Talent visa in Digital Technology?

The Global Talent visa in digital technology offers a welcoming arm to the brightest tech talents to join and contribute to advancing the UK’s digital technology sector.

As an applicant, you must have demonstrated to Tech Nation a successful career history as an innovation in the field of digital technology either as:

• A recognized leader in the digital technology industry (exceptional talent)
• An emerging leader in the digital technology industry (exceptional promise)

Also, individuals with business or entrepreneurial expertise in dealing with the latest technologies and leading investments in digital products are eligible.

What is the Global Talent Visa Processing Time?

The endorsement application process for the Global Talent Visa usually takes 28 days.

If you are applying from outside the UK, the visa application takes up to three weeks, and up to eight weeks if you apply from within the UK.

However, as a digital technology applicant, you can apply to have your endorsement application fast-tracked. But this is done under certain prescribed conditions.

You don’t have to wait to receive the endorsement before you apply for a visa – however. 

This may be risky in that if your endorsement application is denied, your visa application will simultaneously be denied.  

What Should I Do If My Global Talent Visa Endorsement is Refused?

If your endorsement application is refused, you should apply for an Endorsement Review from a relevant endorsement body.

Your application will be carefully reviewed there, and why your endorsement application was refused will be stated.

Also, solutions will be proffered so you don’t repeat the same mistake twice. 

How Flexible is the Global Talent Visa?

The Global Talent visa is highly flexible when compared to other Visa types.

It allows you to apply for any visa period between one year and five years.

Also, you can apply for an extension and acquire Permanent Residence without an extension.

Before applying for either extension or settlement, you must show that you have earned money in the UK.

Also, these earnings were linked to the expert field, corresponding to your initial endorsement.

Extension and settlement applications do not require you to source for endorsement from the endorsing body, except if your endorsement was withdrawn.

Also, the Global Talent Visa rule allows you to work in any job within your endorsement category.

For example, if you receive endorsement from the Arts Council England, you can take on any job in the literature field.  

How Much Does A Global Talent Visa Cost?

If you are not from Turkey or Macedonia, the first stage fee is £456, while for the second stage, the initial application is £152, and the subsequent application is £608.

If you are from Turkey or Macedonia, the first stage fee is £456, while for the second stage, the initial application is £97, and the subsequent application is £553.

For dependants, no fee comes in the first stage, while for the second stage, it is £608 per dependant (in all cases).

Do note that in addition to these fees, you will have to pay for the Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS), which is £624 annually (for adults) or £470 annually (for children under the age of 18)

How Long Can You Stay On The Global Talent Visa?

You can stay in the UK for a year to 5 years at maximum. You can apply for an extension of the visa many times.

Also, you have access to apply for Permanent Residence.

Do note that you must apply for an extension before your visa expires.

Who Can Give You Recommendation Letters for Global Talent Visa Application?

Generally, a recommendation letter is essential in the endorsement application process.

You should possess 3 dated recommendation letters, attested by 3 high-positioned members of 3 different organizations that are considered experts in that field.

Ensure that the members are at the senior level and the public-recognized experts to add credibility to your letter.

The letters should include the following:

• Details of the author’s credentials
• Details of the relationship between the recognized expert and the applicant
• Your achievements in the particular field and how you have exhibited exceptional work and qualities.
• Details of how you will be of benefit to the UK and contribute positively to the UK digital technology sector
• Details of any future professional engagements you have in the UK.

Can You Work In The UK With A Global Talent Visa?

Global Talent Visa Holders allows you to work in any area within your endorsed sector. 

As a Global Talent visa holder, you can live and work in the UK without many restrictions.

You can be self-employed or decide to work as an employee for an organization or company.

Also, it gives you the privilege of even managing a company.

Can You Study On Global Talent Visa?

You also have the right to study in any educational institution. The only restriction here is that you won’t have access to public funds.

FAQs Global Talent Visa Application

Conclusion

We hope this article exceeded your expectations and provided all you needed about the Global Talent Visa UK, visa requirements, the application process, and fee.

References

• Global Talent – UK government
• Arts Council England
• British Academy
• The Royal Academy of Engineering
• The Royal Society – Wikipedia 
• Tech Nation – UK government 
• Global Talent visa in digital technology

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