Apply for the Global Talent visa

Printable version

1. Overview

You can apply for a Global Talent visa to work in the UK if you鈥檙e a leader or potential leader in one of the following fields:

  • academia or research
  • arts and culture
  • digital technology

You must also be at least 18 years old.

Before you apply for a visa

The way you apply for a Global Talent visa depends on your circumstances.聽

If you鈥檝e won an eligible prestigious prize, you can apply for the visa directly.

If you鈥檝e not won an eligible prestigious prize, you鈥檒l need to get an endorsement first to prove that you鈥檙e a leader or potential leader in your field.

If you鈥檙e not eligible for a Global Talent visa, there are other ways to work in the UK - for example a Skilled Worker visa.

Applying as the winner of an eligible prestigious prize

You can apply for the Global Talent visa without an endorsement if you鈥檝e won an eligible prestigious prize. To be eligible for this route:

  • the prize must be named on the list - other prizes awarded by the same institutions are not eligible
  • you must be the named winner of the prize

Applying for an endorsement

If you have not won a prize which is named on the list, you鈥檒l need to apply for an endorsement instead. You can apply for an endorsement if you work in one of the following fields:

How long you can stay

You can live and work in the UK for up to 5 years at a time.

If you want to stay longer in the UK

There鈥檚 no limit to how long you can stay in the UK in total, but you will need to renew (鈥榚xtend鈥�) your visa when it expires. Each extension can last from 1 to 5 years - you choose how long you want the extension to be.

You may be able to get indefinite leave to remain so you can settle in the UK after 3 or 5 years, depending on which field you work in and how you apply. This gives you the right to live, work and study here for as long as you like, and apply for benefits if you鈥檙e eligible.

How to apply

You must apply online.

How you apply depends on whether you鈥檙e:

How long it takes

As part of your application, you鈥檒l need to prove your identity and provide your documents.

You may need to allow extra time if you need an appointment to do this. You鈥檒l find out if you need one when you start your application.

Getting a decision

Once you鈥檝e applied online, proved your identity and provided your documents, you鈥檒l usually get a decision on your visa within:

  • 3 weeks, if you鈥檙e outside the UK
  • 8 weeks, if you鈥檙e inside the UK

You may be able to pay to get a faster decision.

Fees

It costs 拢716 to apply.

If you鈥檙e applying based on an endorsement, you鈥檒l pay the 拢716 in two parts:

  • 拢524 when you apply for the endorsement
  • 拢192 when you apply for the visa itself

If you鈥檙e applying based on an eligible prestigious prize, you鈥檒l pay the full 拢716 when you apply for the visa.

If you鈥檙e including your partner or children in your application, they鈥檒l each need to pay 拢716.

Healthcare surcharge

You鈥檒l also have to pay the healthcare surcharge as part of your application - this is usually 拢1,035 per year for each person applying.

before you apply.

2. Documents you'll need to apply

When you apply you鈥檒l need to provide:

  • a valid passport or other document that shows your identity and nationality
  • your tuberculosis test results if you鈥檙e from a country where you have to take the test

If you鈥檝e had an award or scholarship to study in the UK in the last year, you鈥檒l also need written permission to apply from the agency or government that granted it.

If your documents are not in English or Welsh you鈥檒l also need to provide a certified translation.

You need a blank page in your passport for your visa if you鈥檙e:

  • from outside the EU, EEA or Switzerland
  • from the EU, EEA or Switzerland but do not have a biometric passport with a chip in it

If you鈥檝e won an eligible prestigious prize, the Home Office will look at publicly available information (such as the prize organisation鈥檚 website) to confirm that you鈥檝e won. You鈥檒l only be asked for evidence of your win if they cannot find this.

3. Apply from outside the UK

The way you apply for a Global Talent visa depends on your circumstances.聽

If you鈥檝e won an eligible prestigious prize, you can apply for the visa directly.

If you鈥檝e not won an eligible prestigious prize, you鈥檒l need to get an endorsement first to prove that you鈥檙e a leader or potential leader in your field.

If you鈥檙e applying for an endorsement

Find out how to apply for an endorsement before you apply for a visa.

When you have an endorsement, you can apply for this visa if:

  • you鈥檝e been endorsed by an organisation approved by the Home Office
  • you鈥檙e applying within 3 months of receiving your endorsement letter
  • the organisation that endorsed you has not withdrawn its approval

How to apply for the visa

You can apply online for a Global Talent visa.

Check which documents you鈥檒l need to apply.

You may also be able to apply at a visa application centre. You can apply from any country as long as you鈥檝e been given permission to live there for at least 6 months. Check if there鈥檚 a visa application centre that you can travel to that accepts Global Talent visa applications.

If you鈥檙e already living in the UK, you and your partner and children may be able to extend a Global Talent visa or switch to a Global Talent visa.

Proving your identity and supplying supporting documents

As part of your application, you鈥檒l need to prove your identity. How you do this depends on where you鈥檙e from and what type of passport you have.

You鈥檒l either:

  • use the 鈥楿K Immigration: ID Check鈥� app to scan your identity document - you鈥檒l also create or sign into your UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) account
  • have your fingerprints and photo (biometric information) taken at a visa application centre

You鈥檒l be told what you need to do when you apply.

If you do need an appointment:

  • the centre may need to keep your passport and documents while they process your application
  • you may have to travel to get to your nearest visa application centre (this could be in another country)

Apply for a Global Talent visa

Once you鈥檝e started your application, you can save your form and complete it later.

Continue your application

Find out how to sign in to your account.

How long it takes to get a decision

Once you鈥檝e applied online, proved your identity and provided your documents, you鈥檒l usually get a decision on your visa within 3 weeks.

You鈥檒l be contacted if your application will take longer, for example:

  • if you鈥檙e applying with a family member who needs an appointment but you do not
  • if your supporting documents need to be verified
  • if you need to attend an interview
  • because of your personal circumstances, for example if you have a criminal conviction

You may be able to pay to get a faster decision.

You鈥檒l get an email or a letter containing the decision on your application. This will explain what you need to do next.

If you need to change or cancel your application

If you need to change something in your application after you鈥檝e sent it contact UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI).

You can ask to cancel your application. You鈥檒l only get your fee refunded if UKVI has not started processing your application.

4. Your partner and children

Your partner and children can also apply to join you or stay in the UK as your 鈥榙ependants鈥� if they鈥檙e eligible.

If your partner or child鈥檚 application is successful, their visa will usually end on the same date as yours. If a child鈥檚 parents have visas with different expiry dates, the child鈥檚 visa will end on the earlier date.

A dependant partner or child is any of the following:

  • your husband, wife, civil partner or unmarried partner
  • your child under 18 - including if they were born in the UK during your stay
  • your child over 18 if they currently have permission (鈥榣eave to enter鈥� or 鈥榣eave to remain鈥�) to be in the UK as your dependant

You鈥檒l need to provide evidence of your relationship to your dependant when you apply.

Your partner

You must be able to prove one of the following:

  • you鈥檙e in a civil partnership or marriage that鈥檚 recognised in the UK
  • you鈥檝e been living together in a relationship for at least 2 years when you apply
  • you鈥檝e been in a relationship for at least 2 years when you apply but you cannot live together, for example because you鈥檙e working or studying in different places, or it鈥檚 not accepted in your culture

If you鈥檙e not living together, you鈥檒l need to prove that you have an ongoing commitment to each other, for example by providing evidence that you:

  • communicate regularly with each other
  • support each other financially
  • care for any children you have together
  • spend time together as a couple, for example on holiday or at events

Your child

They must:

  • live with you, unless they鈥檙e living away from home in full-time education - for example, at boarding school or university
  • not be married or in a civil partnership

You鈥檒l need to provide evidence of their address, such as:

  • a bank statement
  • credit card bills
  • driving licence
  • NHS registration document
  • an official letter from their university or college

Fees

For each person applying, you鈥檒l need to pay:

They鈥檒l also need to have their fingerprints and photo (biometric information) taken. There鈥檚 no fee for this.

If your partner or children are outside the UK

Your partner and children must either:

Each family member will need to complete a separate application and pay the visa fee. They must apply before they travel to the UK.

They鈥檒l be asked to provide your application number so the Home Office can link their application to you.

If your partner or children are already in the UK (extend or switch their visa)

Your partner or child can apply to switch their visa either:

This includes children who have turned 18 during your stay.

Your partner and child cannot apply to switch to your Global Talent visa as your dependants if they are currently in the UK in one of the following circumstances:

If your partner or child is currently in the UK on a Student visa, they can only switch if they have either:

  • completed the course they were sponsored to study
  • studied for a PhD for at least 24 months

How to apply

Your partner and child must apply online to either:

They鈥檒l need your application number - you鈥檒l get this when you apply. This number is called a Global Web Form (GWF) or a Unique Application Number (UAN). You鈥檒l find it on emails and letters from the Home Office about your application.

As part of their application, they鈥檒l be asked to make an appointment at a UK Visa and Citizenship Application Services (UKVCAS) service point to have their fingerprints and photo (biometric information) taken.

They鈥檒l also need to submit their supporting documents. They can:

  • upload them into the online service
  • have them scanned at their UKVCAS appointment

They must not travel outside of the UK, Ireland, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man until they get a decision. Their application will be withdrawn if they do.

Children born in the UK

If you have a child while you鈥檙e in the UK, they do not automatically become a British citizen.

You must apply for your child鈥檚 dependant visa if you want to travel in and out of the UK with them.

The form you fill in depends on if:

  • You鈥檒l need to provide a full UK birth certificate for each child, showing the names of both parents.

You must apply for their dependant visa before they turn 18 if they want to stay in the UK.

What your partner or child can and cannot do

Your partner or child can:

  • work, except as a sportsperson or coach
  • study
  • travel abroad and return to the UK
  • apply to settle permanently in the UK (also known as 鈥榠ndefinite leave to remain鈥�) if they鈥檝e lived in the UK for 5 years and meet the other eligibility requirements

They cannot apply for most benefits (public funds), or the State Pension.

If their application is successful, they鈥檒l get a full list of what they can and cannot do.

5. Extend your visa

You can usually apply to extend your stay in the UK if either:

  • you applied for the Global Talent visa based on an endorsement, and the organisation that endorsed you has not withdrawn its approval
  • you applied for a Global Talent visa based on an eligible prestigious prize you won, and the prize has not been withdrawn

You must be able to show that you earned money in your expert field during your time in the UK by sending evidence toward your application, for example payslips.

Your partner or children will need to apply separately to extend their visa. They can either apply at the same time as you, or at any time before their current visa expires.

You should apply before your current visa expires.

Applicants who currently have a Tier 1 (Exceptional Talent) visa can extend under the Global Talent category.

How long you can stay

You can apply to extend your visa for up to 5 years at a time. You can renew your visa as many times as you like, as long as you still meet the eligibility requirements.

If you want to stay longer in the UK

You may be able to get indefinite leave to remain so you can settle in the UK after 3 or 5 years, depending on which field you work in and how you apply. This gives you the right to live, work and study here for as long as you like, and apply for benefits if you鈥檙e eligible.

Fees

It costs 拢716 to apply to extend a Global Talent visa from inside or outside the UK.

Your partner and children must pay the visa fee of 拢716 if they want to apply to travel with you or join you later in the UK.

You will need to have your fingerprints and photo (biometric information) taken. There鈥檚 no fee for this.

Healthcare surcharge

You鈥檒l also have to pay the healthcare surcharge as part of your application.

before you apply.

Proving your identity and giving supporting documents

As part of your application you鈥檒l need to prove your identity.

How you do this depends on where you鈥檙e from and the type of passport you have.

You鈥檒l either:

  • use the 鈥楿K Immigration: ID Check鈥� app to scan your identity document - you鈥檒l also create or sign into your UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) account
  • have your fingerprints and photo (biometric information) taken at a UK Visa and Citizenship Application Services (UKVCAS) service point

You鈥檒l be told what you need to do when you apply.

Apply in the UK

You must apply online.

Once you鈥檝e started your application, you can save your form and complete it later.

Continue your application

Find out how to sign in to your account.

Apply outside the UK

You can to extend a Global Talent visa you鈥檝e had in the last year.

You may also be able to apply at a visa application centre. You can apply from any country as long as you鈥檝e been given permission to live there for at least 6 months. Check if there鈥檚 a visa application centre that you can travel to that accepts Global Talent visa applications.

How long it takes

You鈥檒l usually get a decision within 8 weeks of your application date.

You may be able to pay to get a faster decision - you鈥檒l be told if you can when you apply.

You must not travel outside of the UK, Ireland, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man until you get a decision. Your application will be withdrawn if you do.

After you apply

If you need to change something in your application after you鈥檝e sent it contact UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI).

You can ask to cancel your application. You鈥檒l only get your fee refunded if UKVI has not started processing your application.

You鈥檒l get an email or a letter containing the decision on your application. This will explain what you need to do next.

6. Switch to this visa

You might be able to apply to change (鈥榮witch鈥�) to a Global Talent visa if you鈥檙e already in the UK on a different type of visa.

Your partner or children will need to apply separately to switch their visa. They can either apply at the same time as you, or at any time before their current visa expires.

You should apply before your current visa expires.

Eligibility

To switch to a Global Talent visa you must be in the UK.

If you鈥檝e won an eligible prestigious prize, you can apply for the visa directly.

If you鈥檝e not won an eligible prestigious prize, you鈥檒l need to get an endorsement first to prove that you鈥檙e a leader or potential leader in your field.

If you鈥檙e currently in the UK on a Student visa, you must also have either:

  • completed the course you were sponsored to study
  • studied for a PhD for at least 24 months

If you鈥檙e applying for an endorsement

The fields you must prove you鈥檙e a leader or potential leader in are:

You must apply to switch to the Global Talent visa within 3 months of getting an endorsement.

You cannot apply for the visa if the organisation that endorsed you has withdrawn its approval.

Who cannot apply to switch to this visa

You cannot apply to switch to this visa if you鈥檙e currently in the UK in one of the following circumstances:

You must leave the UK and apply for a Global Talent visa from abroad if you鈥檙e in one of these categories.

How long you can stay

You can choose how long you want to apply for, up to 5 years at a time.

After you apply, you can stay in the UK until you get your decision.

If you have settled or pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme, you do not need to apply for a visa.

If you want to stay longer in the UK

You may be able to get indefinite leave to remain so you can settle in the UK after 3 or 5 years, depending on which field you work in and how you apply. This gives you the right to live, work and study here for as long as you like, and apply for benefits if you鈥檙e eligible.

Fees

Switching to a Global Talent visa costs 拢716.

If you鈥檙e applying based on an endorsement, you鈥檒l pay the 拢716 in two parts:

  • 拢524 when you apply for the endorsement
  • 拢192 when you apply for the visa itself

If you鈥檙e applying based on an eligible prestigious prize, you鈥檒l pay the full 拢716 when you apply for the visa.

Your partner and children must pay 拢716 each if they want to apply to travel with you or join you later in the UK.

You will need to have your fingerprints and photo (biometric information) taken. There鈥檚 no fee for this.

Healthcare surcharge

You鈥檒l also have to pay the healthcare surcharge as part of your application.

before you apply.

Proving your identity and giving supporting documents

As part of your application you鈥檒l need to prove your identity.

How you do this depends on where you鈥檙e from and the type of passport you have.

You鈥檒l either:

  • use the 鈥楿K Immigration: ID Check鈥� app to scan your identity document - you鈥檒l also create or sign into your UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) account
  • have your fingerprints and photo (biometric information) taken at a UK Visa and Citizenship Application Services (UKVCAS) service point

You鈥檒l be told what you need to do when you apply.

Apply to switch to a Global Talent visa

You must apply online.

Once you鈥檝e started your application, you can save your form and complete it later.

Continue your application

Find out how to sign in to your account.

How long it takes to get a decision

Decisions are usually made within 8 weeks of your application date.

You may be able to pay to get a faster decision - you鈥檒l be told if you can when you apply.

You must not travel outside of the UK, Ireland, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man until you get a decision. Your application will be withdrawn if you do.

After you apply

If you need to change something in your application after you鈥檝e sent it contact UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI).

You can ask to cancel your application. You鈥檒l only get your fee refunded if UKVI has not started processing your application.

You鈥檒l get an email or a letter containing the decision on your application. This will explain what you need to do next.