This guidance relates to UK Global Talent Visa eligibility and documents requirements for applying leave to enter or remain and settlement (ILR) applications under the Immigration Rules – with Coronavirus (Covid-19) Update. An applicant needs to score 70 points for successfully applying for the UK Global Talent visa application. Indeed, the Endorsement Letter issued by an approved UK Global Talent Visa Endorsing Body is important. Please note, the UK Global Talent visa has replaced the Tier 1 Exceptional Talent route. Therefore, at times, the UK Global Talent Visa is also erroneously referred to as t1 or Tier 1 Global Talent visa.
UK Global Talent Visa Guidance 2022
An adult above 18 years person can apply for a UK Global Talent visa if they are a leader or potential leader in academia or research, arts and culture, and digital technology. In fact, there is a 2-part application process. The first part is an application for endorsement and the second part is an application for entry clearance or permission to stay. Please note, there are no language or minimum salary requirements. Moreover, dependent partner/spouse and children can also apply under this route. Global Talent is a route to settlement.
The Global Talent route is for people aged 18 or over in the field of science, engineering, humanities, medicine, digital technology or arts and culture who can show they have exceptional talent or exceptional promise.
UK Global Talent Visa Eligibility Requirements
An application for entry clearance or permission to stay on the UK Global Talent visa route needs to meet all the following eligibility requirements:
- the applicant must be at least 18 years of age on the date of the application
- payment of application fee and Immigration Health Charge
- provision of the required biometrics
- provision of a passport or other travel document to establish identity and nationality
- endorsement letter issued by a Home Office approved endorsing body in the fields of:
- academia or research
- science
- medicine
- engineering
- humanities
- arts and culture
- combined arts, dance, literature, music, theatre, or visual arts
- architecture
- fashion design
- film and television
- digital technology
- financial technology (‘fintech’)
- gaming
- cyber security
- artificial intelligence
- academia or research
- if the applicant is applying for the first grant of entry clearance or permission to stay on the Global Talent route then the date of application must be no more than 3 months after the date on the endorsement letter
- the endorsement must not have been withdrawn
- If the applicant has, in the 12 months preceding the application date, received an award from a government or international scholarship agency covering both fees and living costs for study in the UK then needs to provide a written consent from that Government or agency
- the applicant must not fall for refusal under Part 9: grounds for refusal
- a person coming to the UK on the Global Talent visa needs to apply for and obtain entry clearance before arrival. If paragraph A39 and Appendix T of the Immigration Rules is applicable, then needs to provide a valid tuberculosis certificate
Additional Requirements for Leave to Remain Applications
A person applying for permission to stay on the Global Talent route must be in the UK and must not have, or have last been granted, permission as a:
- Visitor; or
- Short-term Student; or
- Parent of a Child Student; or
- Seasonal Worker; or
- domestic worker in a private household; or
- outside the Immigration Rules
Moreover, an applicant applying for permission to stay in the UK must not be:
- in breach of immigration laws, except that where paragraph 39E applies, that period of overstaying will be disregarded; or
- on immigration bail
Global Talent Visa UK Covid-19 Concession
If the endorsement from an endorsing body has expired because you have not been able to make an application for the UK Global Talent visa, then you may still be eligible. The UK Global Talent visa endorsement may be acceptable if it was granted on or after 24 January 2020 and you apply for your visa before 1 January 2021. UK Global Talent Visa Applications that do not meet the previously mentioned requirements may be considered on a case by case basis.
If you’re working on coronavirus research
If you’re a scientist researching coronavirus (COVID-19), you may be able to apply for a Global Talent visa using the UKRI endorsed funder option.
Required Supporting Documents for Global Talent Visa UK
For meeting the UK Global Talent eligibility requirements as applicant needs to provide the following supporting documents:
- a valid passport or other document for demonstrating an applicant’s identity and nationality, with a blank page in the passport for the visa vignette if they are from:
- outside the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland, or Liechtenstein
- the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland, or Liechtenstein but do not have a biometric passport with a chip in it
- an ‘endorsement letter’ from an approved endorsing body in the fields of academia or research, arts and culture, and digital technology
- tuberculosis test results if the applicant is from a country where they need to take the test
- If the applicant has, in the 12 months preceding the application date, received an award from a government or international scholarship agency then needs to provide a written consent from that Government or agency
- certified translation of all the documents that are not in English or Welsh
Application Form
A person applying for entry clearance or permission to stay on the Global Talent route must apply online on the specified form on gov.uk website as follows:
EEA national with a chipped passport
- Global Talent using the UK Immigration: ID Check app (when available); or
- the forms listed below for applicants outside or inside the UK (as relevant)
Applicants outside the UK
- Global Talent visa – stage 2
Applicants inside the UK
- Global Talent permission to stay – stage 2
Global Talent Visa Points Requirements
For successfully applying for UK Global Talent visa application, an applicant needs to have 70 points.
| Application Type | Points |
|---|---|
| Initial Application | 70 |
| – if the applicant has been issued with an endorsement letter 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 by the endorsing body | |
| Extension | 70 |
| – the endorsement has not been withdrawn by the endorsing body; AND | |
| – the Global Talent migrant has met the Earned Money requirements | |
| Total Points required in each case | 70 |
Duration and Conditions of Stay in the UK
A migrant on the UK Global Talent visa can:
- choose how long their visa is for, up to 5 years
- be an employee, self-employed and a director of a company
- change or stop doing job without intimating the Home Office
- bring their eligible partner and children to the UK
- travel abroad and return to the UK
- renew/extend the visa as many times as they may like – if they meet the UK Global Talent visa eligibility criteria
- apply to settle permanently in the UK (also known as ‘indefinite leave to remain’) after:
- 3 years if they are applying as a leader
- 5 years if they are applying as a potential leader
A migrant on the Global Talent route cannot:
- apply for most benefits (public funds), or the State Pension
- work as a sportsperson
ILR gives a migrant the right to live, work and study in the UK and to avail benefits.
Global Talent Visa UK Endorsement Requirements
A person applying for Global Talent endorsement needs to apply on the gov.uk website for Global Talent endorsement – stage 1 online in one of the following fields:
- Arts and Culture
- Architecture
- Fashion Design Industry
- Film and Television
- Digital Technology
- Science, engineering, humanities, and medicine fields
If the applicant intends to get endorsement by Tech Nation, then needs to complete additional forms. Indeed, a person can make the application for endorsement before making the application for permission or make both applications at the same time. However, applicants usually apply for Global Talent visa after successfully getting an endorsement letter from an approved endorsing body. Moreover, apart from other evidence, an applicant applying for UK Global Talent visa usually needs to provide letters of recommendation from well-established organisations in their field of expertise.
Arts and Culture
An applicant applying for UK Global Talent Visa Endorsement Stage 1 in the field of Arts and Culture needs to:
- be professionally engaged in producing outstanding performed, presented, distributed, or internationally exhibited work
- show regular professional engagement in the field in the last 5 years
- show either a substantial record of accomplishment in more than one country if evidencing exceptional talent, or a developing record of accomplishment in one or more countries if evidencing exceptional promise
Architecture
An applicant for endorsement in the field of Architecture must:
- be professionally engaged in producing outstanding presented, published or internationally exhibited work; and
- show regular professional engagement in their field in the last 5 years; and
- show a substantial record of accomplishment in more than one country if evidencing exceptional talent or show a developing record of accomplishment in one or more countries if evidencing exceptional promise
Fashion Design
An applicant for endorsement in the field of fashion design must:
- have a leading design role in the fashion business; and
- show regular professional engagement in the fashion design industry in the last 5 years; and
- if evidencing exceptional talent, show professional engagement in producing outstanding work that has been sold or exhibited internationally through catwalk or other exhibitions and a substantial record of accomplishment in more than one country; and
- if evidencing exceptional promise, show a developing record of accomplishment in 1 or more countries and professional engagement in producing outstanding work that has been recognised by leading industry players
Film and Television
An applicant for an exceptional talent endorsement in the field of Film and Television must show 1 of the following:
- that they have won at any time a “Main Award” which means:
- an Academy Award; or
- a British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) (film, television, television craft, Cymru, Scotland, Games awards only); or
- a Golden Globe; or
- an Emmy Award; or
- in the last 10 years they have been nominated for, or made a significant contribution to winning, or being nominated for any of the Main Awards; or
- in the last 15 years, they have achieved a minimum of 2 nominations for the Main Awards; or
- they have notable industry recognition through achieving international sales and a specified combination of awards from Pact’s Notable Industry List as set out in https://www.pact.co.uk/services/global-talent-notable-awards-list.html
Digital Technology
An applicant for endorsement in the field of digital technology needs to show:
- if they are a technical applicant, that they have proven technical expertise with the latest technologies in building, using, deploying or exploiting a technology stack and building technical infrastructure; or
- if they are a business applicant, that they have proven commercial investment or product expertise in building digital products or leading investments in significant digital product businesses
Science, engineering, humanities, and medicine
An applicant for endorsement in the field of science, engineering, humanities, and medicine needs to be an active researcher in an academic, industry or government research institution.
