Global Talent Visa for Digital Technology Professionals

You may be able to apply if you are a leader or potential leader in digital technology.

This may include people working in areas such as fintech, gaming, cyber security, artificial intelligence, software, hardware, data or digital product development. You do not need a job offer to apply.

Exceptional talent means you are already recognised as a leading talent in digital technology. Exceptional promise means you have the potential to become a leading talent in digital technology. This is usually for applicants who have less than five years’ experience in technology, although you may have had a longer career in another field.

For most Digital Technology applicants, the process has two stages. First, you apply for endorsement. If your endorsement is successful, you then apply for the Global Talent visa.

The Home Office will send your endorsement application to Tech Nation, which will assess whether you meet the criteria. If you have won an eligible prestigious prize, you may be able to apply directly for the visa without endorsement.

Most applicants need endorsement before they can apply for the Global Talent visa. Endorsement is used to show that you are a leader or potential leader in your field. You may not need endorsement if you have won an eligible prestigious prize. In that case, you may be able to apply directly for the visa.

You will usually get a decision about your endorsement within five to eight weeks.

Digital Technology endorsement applications are reviewed by Tech Nation.

The endorsing body will assess your application and decide whether you meet the criteria to apply for the Global Talent visa.

Yes. You may be able to apply if you have a technical background, such as experience as a developer, engineer or data scientist. You will need to provide evidence showing that you meet the relevant criteria for exceptional talent or exceptional promise.

Yes. You may be able to apply if you have business experience in a technology company that creates software, hardware or processes data. This may include commercial, investment or digital product expertise.

You will usually need to provide:

• Your CV
• Three letters of recommendation
• Proof of your connection to a technology business, if you have been a founder or senior executive in the last five years
• Up to 10 documents showing that you meet the eligibility criteria

Your CV should include your career and any relevant publication history. It must be typed and no more than three sides of A4.

You must usually provide three letters of recommendation.

Each person writing a letter must be an established expert in digital technology and must have known your work for at least 12 months.

Each letter should explain how the person knows you, show your achievements in digital technology, explain how you are a leader or potential leader, explain how you would benefit from living in the UK, set out how you would contribute to digital technology in the UK, and explain your future work plans.

After you have applied online, proved your identity and provided your documents, you will usually get a visa decision within three weeks if you are outside the UK, or eight weeks if you are inside the UK. You may be able to pay for a faster decision.

Yes, your partner and children can apply to join you or stay in the UK as your dependants if they are eligible. Each dependant must make their own application and pay the relevant visa fee. You will also need to provide evidence of your relationship.

Yes, you can apply for endorsement and the visa at the same time.

However, if your endorsement is refused, your visa application may also be refused. If your permission to stay in the UK is close to expiring, applying for the visa can extend your stay until a decision is made. Applying only for endorsement, or for an endorsement review, does not extend your stay.

GOV.UK currently states that it costs £766 to apply.

If you are applying based on endorsement, this is paid in two parts: £561 when you apply for endorsement, and £205 when you apply for the visa.

If you are applying based on an eligible prize, you pay the full £766 when applying for the visa.

You will also usually need to pay the healthcare surcharge. GOV.UK currently states this is usually £1,035 per year for each person applying.