Visas

The University will carry out an initial assessment for eligibility based on you having:

• an eligible job offer as an academic or researcher

• an individual fellowship
• a role supported by a research grant that is approved by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI)

Upon confirming your eligibility for the route you will be provided with further instructions and documentation (if applicable) for applying for endorsement to prove you are a leader or potential leader in your field.

The Home Office will send your application to be reviewed by a UK organisation (‘endorsing body’) with expertise in your field.

If the University cannot support the application you can apply independently subject to your eligibility on the basis of getting your application peer reviewed

You’ll usually get a decision about your endorsement within:

• 2 weeks, if you have an eligible academic or research job, individual fellowship or research grant - this is called ‘fast track’ endorsement
• 5 weeks, if you’re having your application peer reviewed

Upon successfully obtaining the endorsement you can then apply for the Global Talent visa itself. There’s a separate guide to applying for your Global Talent visa, including how your partner or child can apply.

You usually get a decision about your visa within:

• 3 weeks if you’re outside the UK
• 8 weeks if you’re inside the UK

You may be able to pay to get a faster decision.

You can apply for the Global Talent visa at the same time as you apply for endorsement, or after you have the endorsement confirmed.

If your permission to stay in the UK is about to expire, applying for the visa will extend it until you’ve been given a decision.

The earliest you can apply for a visa is 3 months before you travel.

If your application is successful, you’ll get a full list of what you can and cannot do with a Global Talent visa.

Upon confirming that you can be offered sponsorship by the University for your role under the Skilled Worker route, HR will liaise with you to arrange for a Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) to be assigned for you:

• You will be advised whether you will first need to apply for ATAS clearance.
• The Home Office will be given information about you and the work you will do.
• When the CoS is assigned, a reference number is generated and we give this number to you.
• You must then include the reference number in your application for entry clearance (if outside the UK) or leave to remain (if inside the UK).

You must show that you have enough money to support yourself and any dependants when you enter the UK.  If you are based in the College of Medicine and Health, College of Engineering and Physical Sciences or College of Social Sciences the University will “certify maintenance”, in which case this requirement is automatically met.  If you are based in any other area of the University, maintenance certification can be requested on your behalf by HR.

Unless an exemption applies, you must prove you can read, write, speak and understand English to at least level B1 on the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) scale.

You can prove your knowledge of English by:

• passing a Secure English Language Test (SELT) from an approved provider.
• having a GCSE, A level, Scottish National Qualification level 4 or 5, Scottish Higher or Advanced Higher in English, gained through study at a UK school that you began when you were under 18.
• having a degree-level academic qualification that was taught in English - if you studied abroad, you’ll need to apply through Ecctis (formerly UK NARIC) for confirmation that your qualification is equivalent to a UK bachelor’s degree, master’s degree or PhD.

Your visa can last for the length of your contract up to a maximum of 5 years before you need to extend it. You’ll need to apply to extend or update your visa when it expires or if you change jobs or employer.

You can apply to extend your visa as many times as you like as long as you still meet the eligibility requirements.

After 5 years, you may be able to apply to settle permanently in the UK (also known as ‘indefinite leave to remain’).

You must apply online.

How you apply depends on whether you’re:

• outside the UK and are coming to the UK
• inside the UK and extending your current visa
• inside the UK and switching from a different visa

If you want to change your job or employer, you must apply to update your visa.

Your partner and children can apply to join you or stay in the UK as your ‘dependants’ if they’re eligible.

You can apply for a visa up to 3 months before the day you are due to start work in the UK. This date is listed on your Certificate of Sponsorship.

Once you’ve applied online, proved your identity and provided your documents, you’ll usually get a decision on your visa within:

• 3 weeks, if you’re outside the UK
• 8 weeks, if you’re inside the UK

You may be able to pay to get a faster decision - you’ll be told if you can when you apply.

If your application is successful, you’ll get a full list of what you can and cannot do with a Skilled Worker visa.

If you are successful in your application for leave to enter the UK you will be issued an eVisa (online record of your immigration status) or a vignette (sticker in your passport) if you gave your biometric information at a visa application centre. If you have not been issued an eVisa, once you are in the UK you will need to apply for one: Online immigration status (eVisa) - GOV.UK

If you need to start work before applying for your eVisa, you will be able to evidence your right to work by producing the vignette in your passport which must still be current. In these circumstances, we will need to carry out a further right to work before the vignette expires.

In all circumstances, a right-to-work check is required at least one working day before you can start work.

If an employer wishes to employ a person who is not a settled worker, and who does not otherwise have immigration permission to work in the UK, that employer will need to be authorised by the Home Office. This authorisation is known as a ‘sponsor licence’, and employers who hold a sponsor licence are known as ‘sponsors’. 

You can submit your visa application no more than 3 months prior to your start date.

If you require immigration advice, a list of regulated Immigration Advisors can be found on the IAA website.

A list of immigration solicitors can be found on the law society website.

The Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) was introduced in April 2015 for all non-EEA nationals who are coming to live in the UK for longer than 6 months. The IHS is required to gain access to healthcare by the National Health Service (NHS) in the UK.

The IHS is payable up-front in full when an individual submits their visa application online. Further information on the charges