The Global Talent Visa is an immigration pathway to the UK that allows leaders and potential leaders in specific sectors, such as academia and research, arts and culture, or digital technology, to live and work in the UK without a sponsor or a job offer.
This immigration pathway was introduced in February 2020 to replace the Tier 1 Exceptional Talent Visa. The Global Talent Visa was designed to attract individuals with Exceptional Talent or Exceptional Promise to work in the UK for up to 5 years.
Who is eligible to apply for the Global Talent Visa?
Depending on your level of experience and stage of your career, you’d have to choose one of these routes when applying:
- Exceptional Talent: This category is designed for applicants with over five years of career experience and a strong track record in a specific field. They are recognised as leaders in their field.
- Exceptional Promise: Applicants in this category will likely be in the early stages of their careers with five years or less experience. They typically have an impressive academic record or have demonstrated the ability to be a potential leader in their industry.
To qualify for the Global Talent Visa, you need to prove that you’re an exceptional talent (leader) or exceptional promise (potential leader) in one of these fields:
- Academic or research: including Science, Engineering, Humanities and Medicine.
- Arts & Culture: including Film and TV, Fashion Design and Architecture.
- Digital Technology
Before applying for the Global Talent Visa, you must seek endorsement from one of the six endorsing bodies approved by the UK Home Office. These endorsing bodies have specific requirements, and your application for endorsement will be assessed based on these requirements.
You can apply for the Global Talent Visa without an endorsement if you have received an award recognised under the Global Talent eligible prize lists.
How to apply
There are two stages of application for the Global Talent Visa:
- The Endorsement application: At this stage, you’d be required to submit relevant documents to be assessed by the approved endorsing body for your field. You will skip this stage if you have been awarded an award in the Global Talent Prize list.
- The Global Talent Visa application: You will submit proof of endorsement or award received at this stage. You must also submit a valid passport, biometric data, and tuberculosis test results if requested.
The application processing time can be as long as 11 weeks or more. The endorsement application usually takes up to 8 weeks, while the visa application processing time will vary from 3 to 8 weeks, depending on your location.
Cost of applying for a Global Talent Visa
When applying for the Global Talent Visa, you must pay an application fee of £716. If you’re applying for a visa based on an endorsement, this fee will be paid in two parts. £524 during your endorsement application and the balance of £192 when applying for the visa.
If you are applying based on an eligible award, you must pay the £716 application fee at the visa application stage. You must also pay £716 for each partner or child included in your application.
Though the healthcare surcharge is not included in the £716 visa fee, it is a compulsory part of your application. It now costs £1,035 per year for each individual and can be paid for as many years as your visa permits.
Other expenses likely incurred during the application stage are Tuberculosis test fees, biometrics fees, miscellaneous visa-related fees and flight expenses.
Benefits of the Global Talent Visa
The UK’s Global Talent Visa is particularly attractive because of the flexibility and freedom it offers its holders compared to many other immigration options.
Here are some of the benefits the Global Talent Visa offers:
- Freedom to settle in the UK
Holders of the Global Talent Visa can make a home in the UK and enjoy its many benefits. They can apply for settlement after three years (for Exceptional Promise applicants) or five years (for Exceptional Talent applicants).
- No sponsor needed
One major benefit the Global Talent Visa offers is that it does not require a sponsor. Unlike many UK work visas, you do not need to depend on a company’s sponsorship to proceed with your application.
- Freedom to switch jobs
With the Global Talent Visa, you also enjoy the right to switch jobs and grow your career in the UK. This means you can explore various job roles, decide to work for an employer, be self-employed, or even take up consulting roles in your endorsement field without informing the Home Office.
- Lower costs involved
Applying for a UK Global Talent Visa is much more affordable than many other immigration visas, such as the Skilled Worker Visa or the Student Visa Route.
The Global Talent Visa has several benefits to offer Exceptional Talent and Promise candidates as they settle and build their careers in the UK. Unsurprisingly, the Global Talent Visa is the dream of many immigrants within and outside the UK.
English 
Français 
简体ä¸æ–‡