You can apply for a Global Talent visa to work in the UK if you’re 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.

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

• on a visit visa
• on a short-term student visa
• on a Parent of a Child Student visa
• on a seasonal worker visa
• on a domestic worker in a private household visa
• on immigration bail
• you were given permission to stay outside the immigration rules, for example on compassionate grounds

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

You can usually only apply for a Global Talent visa if you have successfully applied for an endorsement to prove that you are a leader or potential leader.

You can apply for the visa without an endorsement if you’ve won an eligible award. Find out which awards are eligible.

Find out what you can do with a Global Talent visa and how to apply for an endorsement if you work in one of the following fields:

academia or researchLink opens in a new windowLink opens in a new window
arts and cultureLink opens in a new windowLink opens in a new window
digital technologyLink opens in a new windowLink opens in a new window

You do not need a job offer to get the visa. Your background can be either:

• technical, for example you’re a developer, engineer or data scientist
• business, for example you have commercial, investment or digital product expertise in a technology company that creates software, hardware or that processes data

Check the full list of eligible digital technology roles.

You can also get the visa if you’ve won an eligible award.

You can apply either as:

• a leader (called ‘exceptional talent’)
• an emerging leader (called ‘exceptional promise’)

Exceptional promise applicants are likely to be earlier in their career, usually with less than 5 years of experience. You must be able to prove your potential to be a leader through your skills and achievements.

Tech Nation will assess your endorsement application and decide whether you meet the criteria to apply for the Global Talent visa.

Exceptional talent

You need to show you’ve been recognised by others as being a leading talent in the digital technology field. At least 2 of the following must also be true:

• you have a record of innovation where you’ve set up or had a senior position in a product-led digital technology company
• you have a record of innovation where you’ve worked in a new digital field or concept as an employee
• you’ve contributed to the digital technology sector outside of work, for example mentoring or collaborative projects
• you’ve set up or worked in a product-led digital technology company, and have made technical, commercial, or entrepreneurial contributions in the digital technology sector
• you’ve had research published or endorsed by an expert

Exceptional promise

You need to show you’ve been recognised by others as being a potential talent in the digital technology field. At least 2 of the following must also be true:

• you can show at least 2 examples of innovation where you’ve set up a product-led digital technology company
• you can show at least 2 examples of innovation where you’ve worked in a new digital field or concept
• you’ve contributed to the digital technology sector outside of work, for example mentoring or collaborative projects
• you’ve set up or worked in a product-led digital technology company, and have made significant technical, commercial, or entrepreneurial contributions in the digital technology sector
• you have at least 2 examples of research published or endorsed by an expert

With a Global Talent visa you can:

• choose how long your visa is for, up to 5 years
• be an employee, self-employed and a director of a company
• change or stop doing your job without telling the Home Office
• bring your partner and children with you as your ‘dependants’, if they’re eligible
• travel abroad and return to the UK

There are no language or minimum salary eligibility requirements.

If you want to stay longer in the UK, you can renew your visa as many times as you like - you’ll have to meet the eligibility criteria for extending your stay.

You can also apply to settle permanently in the UK (also known as ‘indefinite leave to remain’) after:

• 3 years if you’re applying as a leader
• 5 years if you’re applying as a potential leader

You cannot:

• apply for most benefits (public funds), or the State Pension
• work as a sportsperson

If your application is successful, you’ll get a full list of what you can and cannot do with a Global Talent visa.