Applying for Endorsement for a Global Talent Visa

You can apply for a Global Talent visa if you have been endorsed by an approved body as a leader or a potential leader

The U.K.’s Global Talent visa is tailored for talented individuals in the fields of science, engineering, technology, art and humanities and allows you to live in the country even without a job.

If you are a leader or a potential leader in either academia, research, arts and culture or digital technology and at least 18 years old, you can apply for a Global Talent visa to work in the U.K.

Applying for endorsement

You can apply for a Global Talent visa if you have been endorsed by an approved body as a leader or a potential leader. You can, however, apply without an endorsement if you’ve won an `eligible award’.

Professionals may apply from fields including:

• Science
• Research
• Digital technology
• Arts and culture, including film and television, fashion design and architecture
• Engineering
• Humanities
• Medicine

Global Talent visa applicants must first obtain an endorsement from one of the six Home Office-approved endorsing bodies, before making the visa application. If they have been awarded a prestigious prize, as listed in Appendix Global Talent: Prestigious Prizes, which is considered as showing exceptional talent, they need not seek an endorsement.

How do you get endorsed for the Global Talent visa?

The endorsing bodies assess applications from individuals within their respective fields and develop and apply sector-specific criteria and the evidence that may be required. The endorsing bodies then take an endorsement decision based on your profile and the evidence you provide.

The six Global Talent visa endorsing bodies are:

• U.K. Research and Innovation (U.K.RI)
• Royal Society
• The British Academy
• The Royal Academy of Engineering
• Tech Nation continues to endorse talent visas for digital technology even though it announced it would cease to operate at the end of March 2023. A replacement body is yet to be found.
• Arts Council England

This list of endorsing bodies is subject to ongoing review.

Each body has its own endorsement criteria and process, based in large on the following:

Exceptional Talent criteria: to assess individuals who can evidence they have already made a significant contribution as a leader to their field.

• Exceptional Promise criteria: for applicants at an early stage in their careers who have shown the potential for being a future leader and making significant contributions in their field. There are four routes to endorsement under the Global Talent category applicable to different roles:
• Peer review – endorsement of applications by The British Academy, the Royal Academy of Engineering or The Royal Society.
• Senior appointments – endorsement for applicants with a job offer as a professor, associate professor, reader, senior group leader or equivalent at any U.K. higher education institution or eligible research institute, by the British Academy, the Royal Academy of Engineering, and The Royal Society.
• Fellowships – endorsement for those with an individual fellowship (either current or held within the last 12 months), on the list approved by The British Academy, the Royal Academy of Engineering and Royal Society.
• Endorsed funders – a new visa route for researchers who make critical contributions to work supported by grant funding from a recognised funder. Qualifying applicants will be fast tracked to the Home Office visa application stage with minimal evidence requirements, where they meet the individual eligibility criteria. U.K.RI will be responsible for assessing endorsed funded applications.

Global Talent visa requirements: digital technology

Under current rules, there is no restriction on the number of Global Talent visas that can be issued to eligible applicants within this sector and endorsement in the field of Digital Technology must either be:

• an applicant with technical skills who can establish their proficiency in creating technological infrastructure and constructing, utilising, or exploiting technology stacks; or
• a candidate for a business position who can offer evidence of their demonstrated commercial, investment, or product competence in creating digital products or managing investments in big digital product enterprises.

You require proof to qualify for endorsement. For example, you should provide a CV that details your work and publishing history, as well as three letters of recommendation with your application for a Digital Technology endorsement.

The letters of recommendation must come from three different, reputable organisations that are recognised as authorities in the field of digital technology. They must demonstrate how the author knows you, your successes in your profession, how the author feels that you show remarkable potential or promise and the impact you will make to the U.K. digital economy.

Global Talent visa requirements: film & television

Talented people in the areas of cinema and television who want to work in the U.K. may be eligible under the Global Talent visa route. The number of candidates who can be endorsed under the Global Talent route’s Film and Television subcategory is unlimited.

The Producers’ Alliance for Film and Television (PACT) will assess applicants’ eligibility for endorsement in the film, television, animation, post-production, and visual effects sectors on behalf of Arts Council England. Those who work in the animation, post-production, visual effects, and film sectors, however, will need to exhibit “extraordinary skill.” PACT does not support applications with “great promise.”

Global Talent visa requirements: architecture

The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) on behalf of Arts Council England, will determine whether applicants are industry leaders or have the potential to be leaders in their fields.

The number of candidates that can be supported under the Global Talent route’s Architecture subcategory has no cap.

To be endorsed by the Royal Institute of British Architects you will need to be professionally employed as an architect generating work of excellent quality which has been published, presented or exhibited abroad.

You must have been regularly engaged as a professional architect in the last 5 years and be able to show a substantial track record in more than one country (if applying under Exceptional Talent criteria) or a developing track record in one or more countries if applying under Exceptional Promise criteria.

Global Talent visa requirements: science, engineering, humanities & medicine

There is no limit to the number of candidates who can be endorsed under the Global Talent route’s subcategory of Science, Engineering, Humanities, and Medicine.

The Royal Society for applications in natural and medical sciences, the Royal Academy of Engineering for applications in engineering, the British Academy for applications in humanities and social sciences, or U.K. Research and Innovation (U.K.RI) will determine whether applicants are leaders in their fields or have the potential to be leaders for science and research applications.

Whether you are applying under the Fast Track or Full Peer Review criteria will determine what requirements you must fulfil for endorsement.

Global Talent visa requirements: arts & culture

Applications in the fields of combined arts, dance, literature, music, theatre, and visual arts are assessed by Arts Council England, including those working in an artistic context in galleries and museums. Applicants must be industry leaders or have the potential to be leaders.

There is no restriction on the number of candidates who can be supported under the Global Talent route’s Arts and Culture subcategory.

You must be professionally creating work of exceptional quality that has been performed, presented, distributed, or exhibited abroad in order to be eligible for an Arts and Culture endorsement from Arts Council England.

If you are applying on the basis of exceptional talent, you must have consistently worked as a professional practitioner in your area for the last five years and be able to demonstrate a significant track record in more than one nation or a developing track record in one or more countries if applying on the basis of Exceptional Promise.

Global Talent visa requirements: fashion

The British Fashion Council (BFC), on behalf of Arts Council England, will consider whether applicants are leaders in their fields currently or have the potential to become leaders.

The British Fashion Council can endorse applications from people working in the fashion design sector who play key roles in the industry.

The number of candidates that can be endorsed under the Global Talent route’s fashion sector subcategory is unlimited.

This is the second of four articles on how to apply for a Global Talent visa.