The Global Talent visa is for talented and promising individuals in the fields of science, engineering, medicine, humanities, digital technology and arts and culture wishing to work in the UK. The Global Talent visa category replaces the former Tier 1 (Exceptional Talent) category.
The Global Talent immigration category is open to talented and promising applicants within the science, engineering, medicine, humanities, digital technology and arts and culture (including film and television, fashion design and architecture) sectors. ‘Talent’ applicants will already be leaders in their respective field, while ‘promise’ applicants will be able to show the potential to become leaders in their field. The Global Talent category is not subject to a cap on the number of applicants, does not require a job offer and can lead to settlement in the UK.
Whichever category you apply under, in order to qualify for Global Talent Visa you will need to satisfy UK Visas and Immigration that:
The relevant Home Office approved endorsing bodies for the Endorsement Requirement are:
Each endorsing body has its own set of criteria, but in each case you will need a substantial body of work and support from experts in your field. Once you have been endorsed, you will be able to apply for a Global Talent visa.
The exact requirements you will need to satisfy will vary depending on your circumstances. You may want to speak to our expert immigration lawyers for legal advice.
Global Talent visa applicants can choose how much leave, in whole years, up to a maximum of 5 years, they wish to be granted in a single application. This flexibility allows Global Talent visa applicants to minimise their Immigration Health Surcharge payment where, for example, they only wish to come to the UK for 2 years.
Yes, applications to switch into the Global Talent route may be made from within the UK provided the applicant does not currently have, or was not last granted, permission to stay as a Visitor, Short-term Student, Parent of a Child Student; Seasonal Worker; Domestic worker in a private household or outside the Immigration Rules.
If you hold leave in any of the above categories then you will be required to leave the UK and submit your application for a Global Talent visa from your home country.
If you decide that you want to stay in the UK for longer than you anticipated, or if for any reason you are not able to apply for settlement following your initial grant of leave, for example due to excessive absences, then it is possible to extend your stay in the UK. There is no maximum number of years that you are able to remain in the UK in the Global Talent visa category.
In order to qualify for an extension of stay on the Global Talent route you will need to have earned money in the UK during your last grant of leave and these earnings will need to have been linked to the expert field which led to your initial endorsement. You will need to provide evidence from an independent source that is verifiable by the Home Office. You must also not have had your endorsement withdrawn by the endorsing body. The Home Office will also check your character and immigration history to check that you do not fall for refusal under the general grounds.
Global Talent migrants who continue to satisfy the requirements for an extension of stay set out above and demonstrate sufficient knowledge of the English language and life in the UK are eligible to apply for indefinite leave to remain after spending a continuous period of 3 years in the UK if their last endorsement was given:
If you were last endorsed under the “exceptional promise” criteria for Arts Council England or Tech Nation you will need to spend a continuous period of 5 years in the UK before being eligible to apply for settlement.
The relevant continuous period can include time spent in the following immigration categories: Global Talent, Innovator, Tier 1 (excluding Tier 1 (Graduate Entrepreneur) and Tier 1 (Post-Study Work)), Tier 2 (excluding as a Tier 2 (Intra-Company Transfer)).
In order to qualify for indefinite leave to remain in the Global Talent category you will need to have spent not more than 180 days outside the UK during any rolling 12 months during the continuous period of leave relied upon.
Global Talent migrants who hold leave following an endorsement by one of the endorsing bodies for science, engineering, humanities and medicine and who have undertaken research overseas directly related to their grant of leave, will not have such absences counted when they apply for settlement. Partners of Global Talent migrants will be treated in the same way.
Your Global Talent visa application must be made within three months of the date that you receive your endorsement, and can be made up to three months before you intend to travel. You should therefore plan ahead to the date that you intend to arrive in the UK and work backwards.
If you intend to get to the UK as quickly as possible, you can use priority services at most application centres to get a quick decision on your application. You should work on the basis that the Home Office processing will take around a month, but with priority services it can take around a week to receive a decision. At some application centres there is a 24 hour processing service. You should bear in mind that before the visa application is processed, you will need to wait for a decision on your endorsement application from the endorsing body.
When you enter the UK in this category, you will have a full right to work, subject only to restrictions on work as a Doctor or Dentist in Training and no work as a professional sportsperson or coach. There is no requirement that you complete a certain amount of work, though you will need to do some, if you intend to settle in the UK permanently. You will also have a right to study in the UK, if you wish to.
Global Talent visa holders can bring their Spouse, Civil Partner or Unmarried Partner. They can also bring their children, providing they are under the age of 18 when they make their first visa application to enter the category.
At OneLaw Chambers, our immigration solicitors and barristers regularly assist with Global Talent Visa applications in order for applicants to remain and settle in the UK. We have assisted many foreign national applicants to prepare and submit successful Global Talent Visa applications and we have represented clients from all over the world.
Whether you require expert immigration advice on the requirements of the Immigration Rules, an independent immigration assessment of your prospects of qualifying for a Global Talent Visa or professional immigration representation with preparing your Global Talent Visa immigration application, our immigration solicitors and barristers can help you.
We are committed to ensuring that our immigration solicitors and barristers prepare every immigration visa application with utmost quality and skill so that successful outcome is achieved every time. Our immigration solicitors and barristers operate in a friendly and cooperative manner to provide our clients with the best client care and service during the entire immigration application process.
To discuss your Global Talent Visa application with one our immigration solicitors and barristers, please contact our Immigration lawyers on 0207 489 2044 / 0208 616 1819 or complete our enquiry form with your details.
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