Apply for the Global Talent visa

The UK has introduced a special category of visas for people who have exceptional talent in the areas of academics, research, art & culture, or digital technology. This is the Global Talent Visa Program of the UK. The Global Talent Visa has replaced what was previously called the Tier 1 Exceptional Talent Visa. As this program is exclusively meant for people with exceptional talent in their fields, having achieved accolades for their work, the rules of eligibility are quite stringent. That is to ensure that only deserving candidates can avail this opportunity.

The UK Global Talent Visa provides some special privileges to applicants who qualify. For instance, if you qualify for the Global Talent Visa, you are not required to take the IELTS exam. There is also no minimum salary requirement to be eligible for this visa. There is the freedom to change jobs and organizations at any time as well. 

Apart from these, the usual benefits of being able to bring the family along and eligibility for permanent residency can also be availed.

Anyone who may be considered a leader, with exceptional talent, or a potential leader, showing exceptional promise, in certain fields may be eligible for the UK Global Talent Visa. There are three major categories under which the Global Talent Visa is granted – 

Under Academia and Research, the applicant has to have exceptional talent in Science, Medicine, Engineering, or Humanities. There are also certain conditions that must be fulfilled. The applicant must either .

If the candidate does not fulfill any of the above criteria, they can still apply for the Global Talent Visa with a recommendation from an eminent person having internationally recognized expertise in the relevant field.

Similarly, to qualify under Arts and Culture, the applicant must be from one of the many prescribed fields. These include Combined arts, Dance, Literature, Music, Theatre, and Visual arts. People in these fields also need to meet certain criteria to be eligible. For instance, an artist must have worked in their field regularly in the last five years and created work that is considered outstanding by the Arts Council England as well as recognized internationally.

The Global Talent Visa can also be attained by exceptional talents in the fields of Architecture, Fashion Design, Film and Television, and for innovations in Digital Technology. Each of these fields has its own set of criteria to be met for eligibility.

The application process for the UK Global Talent Visa is divided into two steps. The first step involves applying for endorsement from a recognized institute in your field and the second step is applying for a visa. 

The endorsement is necessary to validate that you are a leader or a potential leader in your field eligible to apply under the talent program. You can easily register online on the Visas and Immigration website of the UK Home Office for the endorsement application. The necessary documents and the endorsement fees have to be submitted, after which the UK Home Office will send the application to one of the relevant endorsement bodies. The endorsement application will be reviewed by the experts and may take up to 8 weeks to process. 

Once the endorsement is received, you can apply for the Global Talent Visa. The endorsement letter and any other necessary documents required with the application have to be submitted. The visa application fee has to be paid as well, apart from the endorsement application fee. The application should be submitted not earlier than 3 months before you intend to go to the UK. If you are outside the UK, it takes up to 3 weeks to get the decision on your visa.

The UK Global Talent Visa is initially granted for a period of 3 years and 4 months. It can be further extended for 2 years if the necessary pre-requisites are fulfilled. After 5 years of stay in the UK, with a steady income in one’s relevant field, a talent visa holder can be eligible for Indefinite Leave to Remain or permanent residence. 

The Global Talent Visa of the UK is a very exclusive program that is available to only a select few applicants. Attaining endorsements and qualifying for the talent visa is a tedious process and rejection rates may be quite high. If you are planning to apply for a talent visa under this program in the UK, you will need help from experts.

The Immigration Consultants at Niyama Immigration have a thorough understanding of the application process and the requirements. We can guide you on the best approach when seeking endorsement, to ensure that you qualify for the UK Global Talent Visa in a single attempt. If you have the talent, Niyama Immigrations can take you one step closer to your dream job as a leader in your niche in the UK.