UK Global Talent Visa(IT). How to get Permanent Residence and British Passport?

The UK Global Talent Visa provides a pathway for individuals who have exceptional or promising talent in the digital technology field to obtain permanent settlement (PR) and a British passport.

The UK Global Talent Visa is a visa based on a points system that enables highly skilled individuals to work in the UK for up to five years. If they are successful, they can apply for ILR(Indefinite Leave to Remain) after three or five years, and after five or six years (depending on whether they are classified as exceptional talent or exceptional promise), they can obtain a UK passport.

According to Gov.UK, the number of settlement applications (all visas) processed in the UK in 2022 was 133,451, representing a 24% increase from 2021 and a 41% increase from 2019. Of these applications, 131,728 (99%) were approved. Additionally, there were 190,741 applications (all visas) for British citizenship in 2022, which is a 9% increase from 2019. The number of grants of British citizenship in 2022 was 10% higher than in 2019.

How to extend your Global Talent Visa(IT), and what do you need to know about the settlement and naturalisation processes?

Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to get UK settlement (PR) and citizenship (ILR) via the UK Global Talent Visa:

Step 1: Eligibility Test

The first step to getting a Global Talent Visa is to check if you meet the eligibility requirements. To be eligible, you must demonstrate exceptional talent or promise in digital technology field, and have a proven track record of achievements. 

Step 2: Endorsement

Once you have determined that you are eligible, you need to secure an endorsement from endorsing body (for now Tech Nation). You can read more about the stage 1 in Our Blog.

Step 3: Visa Application.

Once you have received your endorsement, you can apply for the Global Talent Visa. You will need to provide evidence of your endorsement, your qualifications, your work experience, and your financial means of support.

You will also need to pay all visa application fees. You can read more about fees and cost in our latest article.

Visa Extension

Any Global Talent Visa candidate can choose the duration of the visa when applying (up to 5 years). There’s no limit on how long a Global Talent can stay in the UK, they only need to renew their visa before it expires.

If you were endorsed or won an eligible award when you applied for the Global Talent visa, you can usually apply to extend your stay in the UK, as long as you can demonstrate that you’ve earned money in your expert field during your time in the UK by providing evidence such as payslips. Your partner or children who want to stay in the UK with you will need to apply separately, either at the same time as you or before their current visa expires.

It’s important to apply before your current visa expires. If you currently have a Tier 1 (Exceptional Talent) visa, you can extend it under the Global Talent category. You can apply to extend your visa for up to 5 years at a time, and you can renew it as many times as you like, as long as you still meet the eligibility requirements.

If you want to stay in the UK for longer, you may be able to apply for indefinite leave to remain after 3 or 5 years, depending on your field of work and how you applied for the Global Talent visa. Indefinite leave to remain gives you the right to live, work, and study in the UK for as long as you like, as well as the ability to apply for benefits if you’re eligible.

Step 4: Indefinite Leave to Remain ILR

After three years of continuous residence in the UK for exceptional talent or 5 years as exceptional promise you can apply for ILR. To be eligible for ILR, you must meet certain requirements, such as passing the Life in the UK test, meeting the English language requirement, and not spending too much time outside the UK during the five-year period.

To qualify for ILR you have to provide evidence of having earned money in the UK in your area of expertise. There is no minimum level of earnings needed for this.

Benefits of ILR

ILR offers various advantages such as allowing you to travel freely in and out of the UK without facing any immigration restrictions. Additionally, you can enjoy free NHS care, which means you don’t need to pay the Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) to avail of state healthcare. ILR also provides access to public funds, enabling you to claim benefits on par with UK citizens if you meet the eligibility criteria. Moreover, having ILR status puts you one step closer to obtaining British Citizenship, as you can apply for it after just one year.

To determine if you are eligible for ILR as a Global Talent visa holder, you need to demonstrate that you still have the endorsement and it has not been withdrawn. Additionally, you must present evidence that you have been working in your field of expertise and earning money in the UK since receiving the Global Talent visa. Furthermore, you must prove that you have continuously resided in the UK and not stayed outside of the country for more than 180 days in any 12-month period during the qualifying period of either three or five years.

Who is considered a dependent when applying for ILR?

A dependent refers to:

• a spouse, civil partner, or unmarried partner
• children under 18
• children over 18 who are presently in the UK as dependents of the applicant.

Your dependents can apply for ILR if they:

• have been living in the UK on a dependent visa for 5 years;
• have passed a Life in the UK Test (if they are over 18 at the
  time of application)
• have proved their knowledge of English (if they are over 18 at
  the time of application, they must demonstrate at least B1)

British Citizenship Requirements

To be eligible for British citizenship, you must meet the following requirements:

• You have resided in the UK for 5 years and held ILR for at least 12 months.
• You can demonstrate your English proficiency (minimum level B1).
• You have passed the Life in the UK Test.
• You can prove that you are of good character, without any criminal record or other relevant issues.

The earliest you can apply is 28 days before you’ve met the requirements for the time you need to have lived in the UK.

Guidelines on Time Spent Outside the UK for British Citizenship

To qualify for British citizenship, you must meet the following requirements:

• You should not have spent more than 450 days outside the UK in the last 5 years prior to your application.
• You should not have spent more than 90 days outside the UK in the last 12 months.
• You should not have violated any UK immigration laws, such as living illegally in the UK.

Fees

The fee to apply to extend a Global Talent visa is £623, whether you’re applying from inside or outside the UK. Your partner and children must also pay this fee if they want to join you or travel with you to the UK. Additionally, you’ll need to have your biometric information (fingerprints and a photo) taken, but there’s no fee for this.

The fee for the ILR application is £2,404, which includes the cost of Health Insurance for the entire duration of validity.

Tech Nomads offers all application services, where our team of relocation and immigration specialists will assist you throughout the application process to make it as seamless as possible.

For British Citizenship applications, the Home Office fee is £1,330. The processing time is approximately 6 months, although some applications may take longer.

In conclusion, the UK Global Talent Visa provides an excellent opportunity for exceptional or promise talent to live and work in the UK, and ultimately to settle and become a British citizen. By following these steps, you can navigate the visa application process and achieve your goal of permanent settlement and citizenship in the UK.

You can check your chances of obtaining a visa and a British passport in the future by following the link.