Global Talent

Global Talent visa caters to talented and promising individuals wishing to work in the UK in the fields of science, engineering, medicine, humanities, digital technology and arts and culture (including film and television, fashion design and architecture).

There is a two-part application process.

Part 1: Application for endorsement. An endorsing body assesses skills, abilities and achievements, and advises the Home Office of their decision on whether the applicant should be endorsed; and
Part 2: Application for a UK visa (if Part 1 application is successful). The Home Office considers the immigration aspects of a visa application.

The application for endorsement (Part 1) can be made before making an application for a UK visa (Part 2), or both applications can be submitted at the same time.

Global Talent is a route to settlement in the United Kingdom and a dependent partner and children can join the main applicant under this route.

Switching to Global Talent route is allowed from eligible visa categories.

Mandatory criteria to be met when applying for Part 1 are split into validity and eligibility requirements. An application for endorsement (Part 1) must be made under one of the fields below:

Arts and Culture
Architecture
Fashion Design Industry
Film and Television
Digital Technology
Science, engineering, humanities and medicine

When applying for a UK visa (Part 2: entry clearance or permission to stay), an applicant must be aged 18 or over and needs to score 70 mandatory points:

• For entry clearance applications: the applicant must have an endorsement letter issued by an endorsing body and the date of application is no more than 3 months after the date on the endorsement letter and the endorsement has not been withdrawn; or
• For permission to stay applications: the applicant has not had their endorsement withdrawn by the endorsing body and has met the earned money requirement.
  There is no limit on the amount of time a Global Talent visa holder can spend in the UK. It is possible to be granted permission to enter/remain in the United Kingdom up to a maximum of five years at a time, with unlimited extensions.

Settlement in the United Kingdom

When applying for settlement in the UK, the applicant must not have had their endorsement withdrawn by the endorsing body and must provide evidence of earnings in the UK during their last period of permission in the field they have endorsed under.

The required continuous period for settlement under the Global Talent route is:

• 3 years, if the applicant was endorsed under the Royal Society, British Academy, Royal Academy of Engineering or UKRI, or under the Exceptional Talent criteria by Arts Council England or Tech Nation
• 5 years, if the applicant was endorsed under the Exceptional Promise criteria by Arts Council England or Tech Nation

The qualifying period can be combined with Innovator Founder , Skilled Worker, T2 Minister of Religion, T2 Sportsperson or Tier 1 Migrant other than Tier 1 (Graduate Entrepreneur).

The specified continuous period must not be broken at any time during the 3- or 5-years’ period.

In addition, the applicant must meet the Knowledge of Life in the UK requirement by taking the Life in the UK test and demonstrating sufficient knowledge of the English language.

For further information about Global Talent visa and for the tailored advice to a specific case scenario please do not hesitate to contact our Immigration Team.

Our regulated advisers have had many years of experience assisting applicants and their family members with their relocation to the UK as well as with their extension and Indefinite Leave to Remain (settlement) visa applications.