There is a two-stage process in obtaining a Tech Nation Visa:
- Stage 1: Application for Endorsement
- Stage 2: Visa application process
Usually you apply for an endorsement first (Stage 1) and once you have been successful with stage 1, you apply for the visa (Stage 2). However, it is also possible to submit a Stage 2 application before the Stage 1 application is concluded by Tech Nation, for example, if the applicant is in the UK and their permission is due to expire, they will want to make sure they do not overstay in the UK.
What is Stage 1 Application for Endorsement?
During Stage 1, Tech Nation will assess your skills, abilities and achievements, and will advise the Home Office whether you can be endorsed as Exceptional Talent or Exceptional Promise.
This stage takes up to 8 weeks.
If your application is considered under ‘Fast Track’ then you may get an endorsement decision in 3 weeks. Today the following accelerator programmes are accepted for the fast track applications: Antler, Bethnal Green Ventures, Carbon13, Collider, Creative Destruction Lab, Cylon, Entrepreneur First, Founders Academy Founders Factory, Ignite, SETsquared, Startup Bootcamp, Techstars, Wayra and Zinc.
There are two routes available to cater for different levels of experience:
- A leader (called “Exceptional Talent”) route is for someone who has been recognised by others as being a leading talent in the digital technology field in the last 5 years.
- A potential leader (called “Exceptional Promise”) route is for someone who can demonstrate that he has been recognised by others as a being a potential talent in the digital technology field in the last 5 years.
Applicants are also divided into two groups, depending on their background:
1) Technical applicants must demonstrate proven technical expertise with the latest technologies in building, using, deploying or exploiting a technology stack and building technical infrastructure.
2) Business applicants must demonstrate a proven commercial, investment, or product expertise in building digital products or leading investments in significant digital product businesses.
What are the Tech Nation Endorsement Assessment Criteria for Exceptional Talent?
You should meet one mandatory and two optional criteria to prove that you are an Exceptional Talent.
Mandatory criteria: you must show that you have been recognised as being a leading talent in the digital technology sector in the last 5 years.
As an optional criterion, you should provide evidence of two of the following:
- a proven track record for innovation as a founder or senior executive of a product-led digital technology company or as an employee working on a new digital field or concept
- proof of recognition for work beyond the applicant’s occupation that contributes to the advancement of the field
- they have made significant technical, commercial or entrepreneurial contributions to the field as a founder, senior executive, board member or employee of a product-led digital technology company
- they have demonstrated exceptional ability in the field by academic contributions through research published or endorsed by an expert.
What are Tech Nation Endorsement Assessment Criteria for Exceptional Promise?
You should meet one mandatory and two optional criteria to prove that you are Exceptional Promise.
Mandatory criteria: you must show that you have been recognised as having potential to be a leading talent in the digital technology field in the last 5 years.
As an optional criterion, you should provide evidence of two of the following:
- innovation as a founder of a product led digital technology company or as an employee working on a new digital field or concept
- a proof of recognition for work beyond the applicant’s occupation that contributes to the advancement of the field
- they have made significant technical, commercial or entrepreneurial contributions to the field as a founder or employee of a product-led digital technology company
- they have demonstrated exceptional ability in the field by academic contributions through research endorsed by an expert.
You also should be at an early stage in your career.
What to do if Tech Nation do not endorse you?
If applicants are unsuccessful at stage 1, they can request a review of the decision within 28 calendar days of the date of non-endorsement. The review will be done by the Tech Nation team that looked at your original application.
If you decide not to request an endorsement review, you can make a new fresh Global Talent application for endorsement or consider other UK visa routes.
What is the Stage 2 Visa Application process?
Once you are endorsed by Tech Nation, you should apply for a Global Talent visa within three months of receiving your endorsement from Tech Nation.
The initial visa can be granted for the period of years the applicant requests (1,2,3,4, or 5 years) up to a maximum of 5 years on each application. There is no limit on the total period of permission that may be granted on the Global Talent route.
The Home Office usually process a visa application within 3 weeks if you are outside the UK, and within 8 weeks if you are inside the UK.
What about permanent residency in the UK?
As of now (current UK Immigration Rules), after five years in the UK as an Exceptional Promise or three years in the UK as an Exceptional Talent in digital technology sector, applicants may apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) also called settlement in the UK.
The current qualifying period for settlement must consist of time with continuous permission on any of (or any combination of), the following routes:
(a) Global Talent; or
(b) Innovator Founder; or
(c) Skilled Worker; or
(d) T2 Minister of Religion; or
(e) International Sportsperson; or
(f) Tier 1, other than Tier 1 (Graduate Entrepreneur); or
(g) Scale-up; or
(h) Representative of an Overseas Business.
Family members
Global Talent visa holder’ spouse or unmarried partner who have been living together in a relationship similar to marriage or civil partnership for at least the 2 years before the date of application and children under the age of 18 years old on the date of application may apply for a dependant partner or dependent child visas.
As of today, a dependant partner must have spent a continuous period of 5 years in the UK with permission as a dependent partner prior to applying for ILR.
This is the second in a series of 3 blogs on the subject of the Global Talent visa.
Yulia Gutkovich email: Ygutkovich@redfernlegal.com
