Global Talent Visa is the replacement of the existing Tier 1 Exceptional Talent Visa. Global Talent Visa is for skilled professionals and is the means to make the post-BREXIT immigration system simpler, productive, and effective. According to reports, the total number of placements allocated in 2020-21 to GTI was 15,000. Additionally, the placements allocation for the Distinguished Talent Visa was 200.
Global Talent Visa is of 2 types – exceptional talent and exceptional promise. The Exceptional talent visas are for individuals who have established themselves as leaders in the field or recognized experts. An ideal candidate may be someone who has been working as an expert for quite some time. The individual has also won national as well as international recognition (at least 2 international countries). Additional criteria involve awards, prizes, appearances, or reviews of their work by the leading experts and recognized media publications.
In contrast, Exceptional Promise is for individuals who are not leaders yet. They have the potential to become a leader or an expert in the field. For individuals who have not yet established themselves but nevertheless have gained some recognition, the exceptional promise will fetch well.
Fields that support the Global Talent Visa to work in the UK
A leader or a potential leader can apply for the Global Talent Visa to work in the UK if they belong to any one of the following fields –
- academia or research – science, medicine, engineering, humanities
- arts and culture – arts, dance, literature, music, theatre, visual arts, architecture, fashion design, film, and television
- digital technology – financial technology (‘fintech’), creative technology, technical and business aspects, cyber security, artificial intelligence
Note: The individual must be at least 18 years old.
Eligibility criteria
Following is the eligibility criteria to apply for a Global Talent Visa –
- More than 5 years of education and work experience in the following fields – Science, Mathematics, Engineering, and Arts
- Endorsement letter from a body designated by the Home Office
- Three recommendation letters from the seniors (preferably on the company’s letterhead)
- Reference Letters from present and senior employees of the applicant.
Note:
- You can apply for a Global Talent Visa without an endorsement letter if you are a winner of an eligible award.
- You can also bring dependents with you. These dependents can be a spouse / unmarried partner/ civil partner and children under 18 years.
Stages of Global Talent Visa application
Global Talent application proceeds in 2 stages –
- Stage 1 – Endorsement application
- Stage 2 – Visa Application
Global Talent Visa Endorsement Application
An endorsement application is the first step in the Global Talent Visa application. An individual can only move to stage 2 (Visa Application) if the individual clears stage 1.
The Global talent visa endorsement will assess the individual’s skills, capabilities, and achievements. Hence, stage 1 is the hardest step in the Global talent Visa application.
The Global Talent visa processing time for endorsement applications can be anywhere between 2 to 4 weeks. Once your endorsement application is accepted, you can then apply for the visa. At this stage, immigration aspects and refusal aspects come into play.
The Home office has designated a few bodies to issue an endorsement letter to the applicants. The Global Talent visa endorsing bodies are as follows –
- The Royal Society – science and medicine
- The Royal Academy of Engineering – engineering
- The British Academy – humanities
- Tech Nation – digital technology
- Arts Council England – Arts and culture
- UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) – research applicants
- British Fashion Council – fashion
- Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) – architecture
- Producers Alliance for Cinema and Television (PACT) – film and television
Note: Every endorsement body takes its own time to review and send its endorsement decision to the Home Office. The decision will be conveyed to you by the Home Office. Contacting the endorsement body will be of no use as they will not be able to assist you.
Fees for application
The way you pay your fees differs on the basis of your application. However, the total an individual needs to pay is £608 for a Global talent visa.
- If your application is via an endorsement letter, you shall pay your fees in two parts. £456 while applying for the endorsement and £152 while applying for a visa.
- If your application is via an eligible award, you will pay £608 at the time of visa application.
- Your dependents or partners will each need to pay £608
Note:
- Every individual needs to pay an additional £624 (immigration healthcare surcharge per year) as part of their application process.
- Applicants from certain countries will face a reduction of £55 when they apply for the visa. This is only applicable to the applicant. The list of these countries is available on the official site of the UK government.
Global Talent Visa Extension
You can extend your visa if-
- If the delegated organization has not withdrawn its approval for your endorsement
- If the eligible award won by you has not been withdrawn
The first one is applicable if the basis of your visa is an endorsement letter, and the second one is if you applied for a Global Talent visa based on an eligible award. Furthermore, you are required to show that you have earned money in your field during your time in the UK. You can show the same via payslips.
Relaxations in the criteria
The Global Talent Visa UK has offered relaxations in the process that will make it easier for applicants. These changes have come into effect from October 6, 2021. The highlights of these relaxations are as follows –
Following candidates will be considered eligible – Technical applicants (i.e., programmers) from non-technical organisations and non-technical applicants (i.e., business roles) from technical organisations.
Non-technical applicants from non-technical organisations will generally not be eligible.
Why should you get a Global Talent Visa?
- You don’t have to appear for IELTS or meet any English language requirements.
- You can live and work in the UK for up to 5 years. Moreover, you can also settle in the UK after 3 or 5 years, depending on your field and visa application.
- Your dependents can move along with you if they meet the mentioned criteria.
- You can move around freely, including changing jobs, organizations, and places.
- You do not need a minimum salary requirement to apply for a visa.
For more Global Talent visa guidance, you can visit the official Home website.
We assist applicants from the start of their application process, that is, from endorsements to stamping and with ILR as well. We specialize in stage 1, endorsement application, especially from Tech Nation. With all the required documents like a Global Talent visa recommendation letter, endorsement letter, etc., and valid proof for the criteria, we can help you get the Global Talent visa.
