Overview

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 - science | medicine | engineering | humanities

• arts and culture - combined arts | dance | literature | music | theatre or visual arts | architecture | fashion design | film and television, including animation, post production and visual effects

• digital technology - financial technology (‘fintech’) | gaming | cyber security | artificial intelligence

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You must also be at least 18 years old.

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Before you apply for a visa

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

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How long you can stay

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

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If you want to stay longer in the UK

There’s no limit to how long you can stay in the UK in total, but you will need to renew (‘extend’) your visa when it expires. Each extension can last from 1 to 5 years.

 

You may be able to get indefinite leave to remain so you can settle in the UK after 3 or 5 years, depending on the endorsemaent path you are applying for. This gives you the right to live, work and study here for as long as you like, and apply for benefits if you’re eligible.

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Getting a decision

Once you’ve applied online, proved your identity and provided your documents, you’ll usually get a decision on your visa within:

• 3 weeks, if you’re outside the UK

• 8 weeks, if you’re inside the UK