Global Talent, Innovator and Start-up Visas

Global Talent Visas

You can apply for a Global Talent visa to work in the UK as an Academic Leader or Researcher or as a leader in Arts and culture or Digital technology if you are over 18 years of age.

Academic Leader or Researcher, if you are a leader or potential leader in one of the following fields:

  • science
  • medicine
  • engineering
  • humanities

Arts and culture as a leader or potential leader in one of the following fields:

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

Digital technology, as a leader or potential leader in one of the following fields:

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

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

To get a Global Talent visa you need to apply for an ‘endorsement’, as well as for the visa itself.  You can apply for this visa at the same time as you apply for endorsement, or after you have the endorsement confirmed.  You can apply for on Gov.uk website which will be sent to Tech Nation website where you’ll need to complete the Tech Nation application form.

You need to apply for an endorsement to prove you’re a leader or potential leader in your field.

Switching: You might be able to apply to change (‘switch’) to a Global Talent visa if you’re already in the UK on a different type of visa.

Family members

Your dependants (spouse and children below 18 years of age) can apply to enter UK with you or join you if you are already in the UK on this visa. Your family members must apply for their own visa.

Settlement – Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR)

You can live and work in the UK for up to 5 years at a time. You may be able to settle in the UK permanently after 3 or 5 years, depending on the endorsement path you are applying for.

For more information and assistance please contact us.

Innovator Visa

An innovator visa is appropriate for you if you want to come to the UK and setup and run an innovative business. Innovative is defined as a business that is different in scope to one that already operates in the UK. Your idea/business must have been endorsed by an approved body (we can help you understand this process). You must have £50,000 ready to invest. Finally, other eligibility requirements apply, including knowledge of English, switching routes and documentation.

Eligibility

  • New – you cannot join a business that is already trading
  • innovative – you must have an original business idea which is different from anything else on the market
  • viable, with potential for growth
  • You can stay for 3 years if you either:
  • come to the UK on an Innovator visa
  • switch to this visa from another visa while in the UK

You can apply to extend your stay for another 3 years when your visa is due to expire. There’s no limit on the number of times you can extend.

You may be able to apply for settlement once you’ve been in the UK for 3 years. But this is subject to strict criteria.

For more information and assistance please contact us.

Start-up visa

The Start-up Visa is for early stage yet high potential entrepreneurs seeking to establish a business in UK for the first time. Unlike the innovator visa an applicant does not need any funding to invest at this stage but needs an endorser to establish the business in UK. Finally, other eligibility requirements apply, including knowledge of English, switching routes and documentation.

Eligibility

You must be endorsed by an authorised body that is either a UK higher education institution or a business organisation with a history of supporting UK entrepreneurs

You must be able to show that your business idea is:

  • a new idea – you cannot join in a business that is already trading
  • innovative – you must have an original business idea which is different from anything else on the market
  • viable – it has potential for growth
  • How long you can stay: You can stay for 2 years if you either come to the UK on a Start-up visa or switch to this visa from another visa while in the UK

You cannot apply to extend this visa but you may be able to switch to an Innovation Visa which leads to settlement.

For more information and assistance please contact us.