With the growing global movers and shakers, the Tier 1 Exceptional Talent is a visa category for a recognised leader (Exceptional Talent) and emerging leader (Exceptional Promise) within the field of Science, Engineering, Humanities, Medicine, Digital technology, the Arts, Fashion, Architecture, Film and television.
If you qualify under this visa category, the visa will allow you to work and change employers, or to be self-employed, without the need for further authorisation or to be sponsored for employment in a specific post.
There is a limit of 2,000 endorsement in total per year (beginning on 6 April one year and ending on 5 April the following year). This is split into 2 phases with half the limit available from 6 April to 30 September each year; and the body’s remaining unused allocated endorsements made available from 1 October to 5 April each year.
Key Facts
- You can choose how much leave to apply for, up to a maximum of 5 years in each grant;
- There is no maximum limit on the time you can spend in the UK in this category;
- You can:
- Work as self-employed/contracted/employed;
- Work in any sector but to qualify for extension/ILR, you must show that you are working within your specialist field;
- Work for any employer and move between employers without any additional approval from the Home Office;
- Take up employment at any level;
- You cannot:
- Work as a Doctor or Dentist in Training; or
- As a professional Sportsperson/sports coach
Application Process
Initial Application
Stage 1 – Endorsement
All main applicant must pay the £456 fee to get an endorsement when applying for the first time or switching to this visa category.
The application for endorsement must be submitted online. Your application will then be sent to the Designated Competent Body for their assessment.
Each endorser will have their specific criteria for their exceptional talent and exceptional promise application.
Stage 1 is an important application process and is crucial for this application. We can assist with your application preparation within the above-mentioned field. Contact us at info@sincereimmigration.com for more information if you qualify for an endorsement under this visa category.
Stage 2 – Visa Application
This stage will involve consideration on the immigration aspect of the application.
You must submit a copy of your endorsement letter that was emailed to you when confirming your stage 1 approval (unless you have submitted stage 1 and stage 2 simultaneously)
Application must be submitted within 3 months of gaining your endorsement or your application will be refused.
Any application submitted in the UK must be a valid application; this involves making sure that the application will be submitted before your existing visa expired, that the correct supporting documents are submitted together with your application and that the correct visa application fee will be paid. It will be your responsibility to ensure that these requirements are met.
Extension Application
You can apply for an extension of your visa. To do so, you must consider the following two criteria:
- The Designated Competent Body that originally endorsed your stage 1 application has not advised the Home Office that this has been withdrawn
You do not need to contact your specific Designated Competent Body or provide any evidence to demonstrate that you are still endorsed.
- During your most recent period of leave as a Tier 1 (Exceptional Talent) migrant, you have earned money in the UK as a result of employment or self-employment in your field of expertise. This is the field of which the Designated Competent Body endorsed you
You can demonstrate your income from your employment by following the following documents:
- For salaried employeeor director of a limited company
- Payslips;
- Personal bank statements;
- An official tac document produced by HMRC; or
- Dividend vouchers
- For self-employed person
- A letter from your accountant confirming your income
- Company or business financial accounts
- For sponsored researcher
- The funding should be provided by an institution and it does not need to be based in the UK;
- You are required to provide a letter on official headed paper to confirm the details of the funding
Do note that whichever type of employment you have undertaken, you will need to provide additional documents to show that the money that you earned was a result of work in your expert field. You will also have to explain why the work that you have carried out is relevant to your expert field.
The documents required are:
- A contract of service or work, between you and your UK employ which indicates the field of work you have undertaken; or
- A letter on the UK employer/institution’s official headed paper confirming that you have earned money in your expert field.
Indefinite Leave to Remain Application (ILR)
To apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain, you will need to satisfy a few requirements:
- Length of time in the UK needed to qualify
- If you were granted a visa under the exceptional promise criteria, you can apply for ILR once you have completed 5 years continuous leave un the UK
- If your endorsement was given under the Designated Competent Bodies for exceptional talent criteria, you can apply for ILR once you have completed 3 years continuous leave
- Absences
- You cannot have had more than 180 days absence from the UK during any consecutives 12 months of the qualifying period
- This includes any absences for work reasons, or serious and compelling reasons
- You must show that you have earned money in the UK as a result of your work in your field of expertise
- The Designated Competent Body who originally endorsed your stage 1 application has no advised the Home Office that this has been withdrawn
- You must have successfully completed you Knowledge of Life in the UK test, and holding an English speaking and listening qualifications at level B1 or above. The English qualifications must be from the Home Office approved qualification.
Do you think you qualify for Tier 1 (Exceptional Talent) visa? Contact us at info@sincereimmigration.com for more information.