The Global Talent visa is for people recognised as leaders, or potential leaders, in academia and research, arts and culture, or digital technology. It does not need a job offer or sponsor, has no minimum salary, and lets you work for any employer, be self-employed or set up a business.

Two stages

Endorsement by the body for your field: UK Research and Innovation and the national academies for research; Arts Council England (and its partner bodies for film, fashion and architecture) for arts and culture; Tech Nation's successor body for digital technology. Winners of listed prestigious prizes skip this stage.
The visa application, once endorsed, for up to five years at a time.

Who qualifies

Each endorsing body has its own criteria: "exceptional talent" for established leaders and "exceptional promise" for people earlier in their career. Evidence is a portfolio: publications, exhibitions, awards, press, letters of recommendation and evidence of impact. The endorsing body's view of the evidence is what decides the case, so the portfolio must be built to its published criteria.

Fast-track routes

Academic and research applicants with a senior appointment at an approved institution, a research fellowship, or a research grant from an endorsed funder can be endorsed on a fast track with a lighter evidential burden.

Settlement

Three years for most applicants endorsed as exceptional talent and for all academic and research applicants; five years for exceptional promise in arts and digital technology. Absences of more than 180 days in any 12 months can be disregarded where they were for research or work in your field.

What we do

We assess which endorsing body and criteria fit, help you assemble and present the portfolio, and run both stages. If an endorsement is refused, we advise on review.

Fees

Home Office fees and the immigration health surcharge change each April; we confirm the current figures when we advise you. Our fee is fixed and quoted before you instruct us; see our fees.