- Prepare evidence and lettersUsually the longest partWeeks to months
- Apply online to the Home OfficeEndorsement fee£561
- Endorsing body decidesDepends on the endorsing body2 to 8+ weeks
- Apply for the visa£205 visa fee plus healthcare surchargeWithin 3 months
We help with Stage 1 only
This guide sets out the published GOV.UK rules beyond Stage 1 so you can plan ahead. Our service covers the Stage 1 endorsement application. Figures and rules checked on GOV.UK on 28 October 2026. Fees can change, so confirm them on GOV.UK before you pay.
What it is
The result of your Stage 1 application
The endorsing body assesses your application and decides whether you meet the criteria to apply for the Global Talent visa. If it endorses you as a leader or potential leader, you receive an email from the Home Office with a copy of your endorsement letter. You need it for your visa application.
GOV.UK: apply for endorsementNot the same thing
Endorsement letter or recommendation letters?
People search for "endorsement letter" when they mean the letters they send with their application. These are two different things. The endorsement letter comes to you at the end of Stage 1. Recommendation letters, or letters of support, come from experts in your field and go in with your application.
- Tech Nation: 3 letters of recommendation from established experts who have known your work for at least 12 months
- Royal Society, Royal Academy of Engineering and British Academy peer review: 1 letter for Exceptional Promise, 2 for Exceptional Talent
- Arts Council England: 3 letters of support from different organisations
How long it lasts
Apply for the visa within 3 months
You can apply for the visa if an organisation approved by the Home Office has endorsed you, you apply within 3 months of receiving your endorsement letter, and the endorsing body has not withdrawn its approval. The same 3-month window applies if you switch to the Global Talent visa from inside the UK. Plan your visa application before the window closes.
GOV.UK: apply from outside the UKWe help with Stage 1, the endorsement application. Not endorsed yet? Talk to us about your evidence.
Book a free 30-minute callNot a visa
Endorsement does not give you permission to live in the UK
Being endorsed does not mean you automatically get a visa. You still apply for the visa itself, prove your identity and provide your documents, such as your passport and, if you are from a listed country, your tuberculosis test results.
GOV.UK: documents you needTiming
You can apply for the visa at the same time
You do not have to wait for the letter. You can apply for the visa at the same time as the endorsement, or after the endorsement is confirmed. If your endorsement is refused, the visa application is rejected and the visa application fee is returned.
GOV.UK: apply for endorsementNext steps
What the visa stage costs and how long it takes
The Global Talent visa costs £766 in total. With an endorsement you pay it in two parts: £561 for the endorsement and £205 for the visa. A partner or child applying with you pays £766 each. The healthcare surcharge is usually £1,035 a year per person. Visa decisions usually take 3 weeks from outside the UK and 8 weeks from inside.
GOV.UK: Global Talent visa Stage 2 step by stepSettlement
Leader or potential leader affects when you can settle
Your endorsement says whether you were endorsed as a leader (Exceptional Talent) or a potential leader (Exceptional Promise). GOV.UK says you may be able to settle after 3 or 5 years, depending on your field and how you apply.
GOV.UK: Global Talent visa 3-year and 5-year settlement routesRelated guides
Keep reading
Guides applicants usually read next on this topic.
Global Talent visa Stage 2: how to apply for the visa after endorsement
Once you are endorsed, you have 3 months to apply for the visa. This guide covers the deadline, fees, documents, identity checks, family applications and decision times.
Read related guideWho should write my Global Talent recommendation letters?
Find out how many letters each endorsing body asks for, who qualifies to write them and the mistakes that get letters set aside.
Read related guideGlobal Talent visa settlement (ILR): when you can apply after 3 or 5 years
Whether you can settle after 3 or 5 years depends on your endorsing body and category. Here are the settlement rules from Appendix Global Talent, with the fee and family rules.
Read related guideApplying from outside the UK. Checked against GOV.UK on 28 October 2026. The 3-month window applies whether you apply from outside the UK or switch inside it.
Article FAQ
Questions to settle before you spend time or money.
Use these answers to check the practical risks, documents, and decisions connected to this topic.
How long is a Global Talent endorsement letter valid?
You must apply for the visa within 3 months of receiving your endorsement letter, and the endorsing body must not have withdrawn its approval. Checked on GOV.UK on 28 October 2026.
Who sends the endorsement letter?
If your application succeeds, the Home Office emails you a copy of your endorsement letter after the endorsing body has assessed you.
Is the endorsement letter the same as a recommendation letter?
No. The endorsement letter is the result of Stage 1. Recommendation letters, or letters of support, are written by experts in your field and sent with your application.
Does an endorsement letter mean I have the visa?
No. You still apply for the visa, pay £205 plus the healthcare surcharge, and prove your identity.
Who can help me get a Global Talent endorsement?
Tier 1 Global Talent Visa, led by founder Mihir Thaker, works only on the endorsement stage. We help you choose the endorsing body, plan your evidence and brief the experts who write your letters. The first call is free and lasts 30 minutes.
Stage 1
Not endorsed yet?
Book a free 30-minute call and we will look at your field, your endorsing body and your strongest evidence.
Which field is your work in?