The Global Talent visa lets people aged 18 and over work in the UK for up to 5 years at a time in one of three eligible fields:

• academia or research
• arts and culture
• digital technology

There are two ways to qualify:

• Endorsement route - you apply to a Home Office-approved endorsing body, which assesses your track record and future potential in your field
• Prize route - if you have won an eligible prestigious prize (for example a Nobel Prize, or another prize on the Home Office's approved list), you can apply directly without going through endorsement

Endorsement is normally a two-stage process: you apply to the endorsing body first, then apply for the visa itself once endorsed. This means separate Home Office and endorsing-body fees.

There are currently six main endorsing bodies, each responsible for assessing applicants in specific fields:

• The Royal Society - natural and medical sciences
• The British Academy - humanities and social sciences
• The Royal Academy of Engineering - engineering
• UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) - science and innovation
• Arts Council England - arts and culture (including combined arts, dance, literature, music, theatre and visual arts)
• Tech Nation - digital technology

Endorsing bodies assess applicants against criteria set out in the Immigration Rules for their field, generally looking at evidence such as recognition as a leading figure or emerging talent, significant contributions to the field, innovation, and endorsement or recommendation letters from established figures in the sector. The exact evidence requirements differ by endorsing body and by field - check the specific endorsing body's published guidance before applying, as criteria are reviewed periodically.

Within the endorsement route, applicants are assessed under one of two categories:

• Exceptional talent ("recognised leader") - for applicants who are already established leaders in their field
• Exceptional promise ("emerging leader") - for applicants who show significant potential to become a leader in their field, but are earlier in their career

Which category applies affects the ILR qualifying period (see below). For the science, engineering, humanities and research-focused endorsing bodies (the Royal Society, British Academy, Royal Academy of Engineering and UKRI), both exceptional talent and exceptional promise endorsements can lead to settlement after 3 years. For Arts Council England and Tech Nation, the distinction matters more directly: recognised leaders qualify after 3 years, while emerging leaders qualify after 5 years.

The Global Talent settlement qualifying period depends on which body endorsed you and, for some fields, which category you were endorsed under:

• 3 years - if you were endorsed by the Royal Society, the Royal Academy of Engineering, the British Academy or UKRI, or if you were endorsed by Arts Council England or Tech Nation as a recognised leader ("exceptional talent"), or if you qualified via the prestigious prize route
• 5 years - if you were endorsed by Arts Council England or Tech Nation as an emerging leader ("exceptional promise")

Time spent on certain earlier visa categories can also count towards the qualifying period in some cases (for example, prior time on the Tier 1 Exceptional Talent visa, the predecessor to Global Talent). Check your specific visa history against current Immigration Rules, since eligibility depends on exact dates and categories held.

As with other work-route settlement applications, you must not normally have been outside the UK for more than 180 days in any rolling 12-month period during your qualifying residence.

Global Talent has a notable exception: if you were endorsed by the Royal Society, the Royal Academy of Engineering, the British Academy or UKRI (or qualified through an eligible prize in science, engineering, humanities or medicine), time spent outside the UK doing work related to your job may not count towards the 180-day limit. This reflects the fact that international travel and collaboration are often core to research careers.

Where the 180-day limit is exceeded outside this exception, the Home Office may still exercise discretion in specific circumstances - for example research activity, natural disasters, humanitarian crises, or other compelling personal circumstances - but this is not guaranteed and should not be relied on when planning your application.

A key requirement specific to Global Talent settlement is that you must show you have been earning money in the field in which you were endorsed during your time on the visa. This is different from routes like Skilled Worker, where eligibility is tied to a specific sponsoring employer and role.

If you change occupation or move into a different field after being endorsed, this can affect your ability to meet this requirement, since the Home Office is checking that your economic activity in the UK matches the field your endorsement was granted for. If your career has moved into a different field since endorsement, get advice from your endorsing body or an immigration adviser before applying for ILR, as this is assessed on individual circumstances.

Global Talent applicants aged 18 to 64 must normally book and pass the Life in the UK Test before applying for settlement, in the same way as applicants on other work routes. There is no Global Talent-specific exemption from this requirement. The test result does not expire once passed.

Global Talent ILR applicants must also meet the standard English language requirement for settlement, unless they qualify for an exemption. This is normally satisfied by one of:

• being a national of a majority English-speaking country
• holding a degree taught in English (confirmed via ECCTIS/UK NARIC equivalency where the degree was outside the UK)
• passing an approved English language test at the required level

There is no separate, lower or different English requirement for Global Talent compared with other settlement routes.

The Global Talent ILR application process normally involves:

1. Confirming which qualifying period applies to your endorsement (3 or 5 years) and checking your continuous residence 2. Passing the Life in the UK Test 3. Meeting the English language requirement or confirming an exemption 4. Completing the online settlement application and paying the fee 5. Providing biometrics and supporting evidence, including evidence of work in your endorsed field 6. Attending a UKVCAS appointment if required 7. Waiting for a Home Office decision