Highly skilled individuals who want to work in the UK have a variety of immigration routes at their disposal. The Global Talent Visa (previously known as the Exceptional Talent Visa) offers a valuable opportunity for highly skilled and talented individuals to live and work in the UK. This Tier 1 Visa is open to talent from various fields, including science, engineering, academia and research, digital technology and arts and culture, which display exceptional talent or exceptional promise.
The Global Talent Visa provides an accelerated path towards permanent residence and British Citizenship, making it an exciting prospect for talented individuals. Individuals obtaining the visa as an exceptional talent are eligible to apply for an Indefinite Leave to Remain after 3 years, whereas individuals showing exceptional promise can do so within 5 years.
In contrast to Skilled Worker Visas, people with this visa enjoy the flexibility of working with any employer or being self-employed in their field. They are also free to change jobs without informing the Home Office, thus offering flexibility.
Obtaining a Global Talent Visa for the UK can be complicated and daunting. With Osbourne Pinner, one of London’s leading solicitors, securing a Global Talent Visa can be easy and stress-free. As expert business immigration lawyers, Osbourne Pinner Solicitors can offer experience and expertise in individual and business immigration procedures, including Global Talent Visas and securing indefinite leave to remain.
The Global Talent Visa is a Tier 1 immigration category that allows individuals exhibiting exceptional talents and potential as a leader in their fields to live and work in the UK.
This visa category welcomes talented individuals in academia and research, arts and culture and digital technology. This visa remains valid for 5 years and can be a fast-track route to settlement and British Citizenship.
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As a visa category for high-value migrants, the global talent route provides numerous benefits to individuals, from accelerated settlement to career choices:
Highly skilled professionals who are leaders or show promise as potential leaders in their field can apply for the visa. Exceptional individuals with specific prestigious prizes in their field, such as Academy Awards, BAFTAs, and Nobel Prizes, are also eligible. The disciplines which are eligible to apply for the Global Talent Visa are:
To be eligible for a Global Talent Visa, an individual needs to meet the following criteria:
It is important to note that each discipline requires different documentary proofs of exceptional talent/promise, such as prestigious awards, grants, recommendation letters and the like. Osbourne Pinner can assist you in preparing all the necessary documents to generate a perfect and thorough application.
The Global Talent Visa can be applied for through an online application on the Home Office website. This involves two stages: Endorsement and Immigration Application. The exact application procedure varies depending on whether you’re applying from inside the UK or outside the UK.
Extending Your Current Visa: If the individual’s endorsement is still valid, they can apply directly for Stage 2: Immigration Application. Applicants need to secure another endorsement in case it is withdrawn before proceeding with the application.
Switching From a Different Visa: Holders of Tier 1, Tier 2 (Skilled Worker Visas), Tier 5 (Temporary Worker Visas), Tier 4 (Student Visas except for short-term visas), Start-Up and Innovator Visas can apply to switch to a Global Talent Visa by obtaining an endorsement and applying for immigration.
Individuals applying outside the UK need to either have won a prestigious award or go through the two stages of endorsement and immigration application to obtain a Global Talent Visa.
The first stage of the Global Talent Visa application process is submitting an application for endorsement from the recognised endorsement body for your field. This application is made online through the Home Office. They will cross-verify your credentials and achievements with the relevant endorsing body.
The Home Office recognises specific endorsing bodies for all eligible disciplines, each with specific eligibility criteria requiring specific documentation to provide an endorsement. These endorsing bodies assess your expertise, skills, and potential to determine your eligibility for endorsement. The various endorsing bodies for recognised fields are:
Receiving a decision on your endorsement application can take anywhere from 1-4 weeks. You can apply for a fast-track endorsement or peer-reviewed endorsement based on your requirements and timeline. An endorsement is essential to your visa application, without which you cannot progress to the next stage. An expert in business immigration, such as Osbourne Pinner, can help you prepare a thorough and effective application.
Once endorsement has been obtained, you can move forward with the immigration application. This application is submitted online, depending on whether you are applying inside or outside the UK. The ‘Global Talent Permission to Stay Stage 2’ form is for individuals applying inside the UK. The ‘Global Talent Visa Stage 2’ form is used for individuals outside the UK.
The visa application must be submitted within 3 months of receiving an endorsement. The fees and immigration healthcare surcharges need to be paid as well. The application costs 623 GBP overall, with 456 GBP as endorsement fees and 167 GBP for Visa fees.
Alternatively, winners of prestigious prizes applying for stage 2 directly pay for the entire 623 GBP with their visa application. In order to maximise your chances of success, your application must be thorough and accurate. Our expert solicitors guide you through the entire application process and gather supporting documents to boost your chances of approval.
The processing times of applications can vary based on multiple factors. The endorsement application typically takes about 28 days to process. This process can be sped up through fast-track applications and varies based on the procedures of individual endorsing bodies.
The visa application can take 3 to 8 weeks to process, depending on the region you’re applying from. For those from outside the UK, your visa application will take about 3 weeks to process. In the case of those from inside the UK, a decision will be made on your application in 8 weeks.
Global Talent Visas are valid for 5 years and can be extended for another 1-5 years when close to expiry. These visas can be renewed multiple times, as there’s no limit on the number of extensions. It is important to note, however, that global talent visas can only be extended as long as your endorsement remains valid. If the endorsement is withdrawn, you will need to go through the entire endorsement application process again.
Individuals applying under the exceptional talent category can also apply for indefinite leave to remain (ILR) after 3 years. Individuals under the exceptional promise category can apply for ILR after 5 years in the UK. At Osbourne Pinner, we are well-versed with visa extensions and can provide support throughout the process. We are also experts in securing IRLs and can help you secure endorsements and draft IRL applications.
In case of refusal of the endorsement application or rejection of the immigration application, some options are available to applicants. At Osbourne Pinner, we are experts at overturning, rejections and refusals and will guide you through the entire appeal process.
Endorsing bodies may sometimes deem an application unfit for endorsement. While there can be a variety of reasons for this, some common grounds for rejection are:
If your endorsement application is refused, but you believe it wasn’t judged correctly, you can ask for a review. You can request a review within 28 days of receiving your decision and will receive a decision on your review within another 28 days.
You can submit a fresh application in case your application is refused after the review. Our solicitors at Osbourne Pinner work with you to assess the shortcomings of your application and work with you to draft proper grounds and application for review.
If your immigration application is rejected at the second stage, it can be due to multiple reasons, such as:
In case of rejection of your Immigration Application, you will not be eligible for an appeal. However, if you believe a mistake has been made on the Home Office’s end, you can apply for an administrative review.
At Osbourne Pinner Solicitors, we are business immigration experts with extensive experience in providing Global Talent Visas. Here are some of our success stories in securing Global Talent Visas:
At Osbourne Pinner Solicitors, we are a leading provider of expertise and support for applicants undergoing business or individual immigration procedures. We have a proven track record of securing endorsements and Global Talent Visas for our clients. Our Solicitors ensure that your applications are thorough, efficient and well-constructed. We can also support you through refusals, appeals and extensions and ILR applications. If you are looking for legal experts to guide you through securing a Global Talent Visa, consider booking a free and confidential consultation with us today.
No, you do not need to have a job offer to apply for the global talent visa. The only eligibility criteria to apply for this visa is to have proven, exceptional talent or potential in a particular field.
You will not be able to appeal the decision if your visa application is rejected or refused. However, you are eligible to apply for an Administrative Review. If your application has been rejected due to an administrative mistake, you are eligible for this option. At Osborne Pinner Solicitors, we can provide guidance and support if your application is rejected or refused and walk you through the Administrative Review procedure.
Yes, you can secure permanent residence in the UK through a global talent visa. After remaining in the UK, under the global talent visa for three years (exceptional talent candidates) and for five years (exceptional promise candidates), you are eligible to apply for an indefinite leave to remain as a fast-track route to settlement.
Yes, you can bring your family members with you on the global talent visa. If you have a spouse and children under 18, they can apply to join you in the UK as dependents. They must meet certain requirements to qualify for immigration and submit the fees for the global talent visa application. We have extensive experience in securing dependent visas for global talent visa candidates’ family members.
At Osbourne Pinner Solicitors, we are experts in business immigration procedures. We have extensive experience in helping highly skilled individuals apply for the Global Talent Visa. Our experts guide at every stage of the application process, from preparing documents for the endorsement application to preparing evidence for the immigration application. We also support you through rejections and refusals and advise you on securing dependent visas, and answer queries from the Home Office.
We offer a free of charge initial assessment for this visa category.
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