UK Global Talent Visa Criteria Checklist
Run through every requirement before you submit. The most common reason qualified applicants are rejected is not that they lack evidence. It is that their evidence does not meet the format and criteria rules.
The UK Global Talent Visa requires: one mandatory criterion (MC1 or MC2), exactly two of the four optional criteria (OC1, OC2, OC3, OC4), a CV (3 pages max), a personal statement (1,000 words max, future-focused), up to 10 PDF evidence documents (3 pages each), and exactly 3 reference letters from 3 different organisations. All evidence must be in PDF format.
Document Checklist
CV prepared (max 3 A4 pages, PDF format)
Personal statement drafted (max 1,000 words)
Personal statement is future-focused (how you will contribute to UK tech)
Past achievements belong in evidence documents, not the personal statement
Personal statement contains specifics only you could have written
Tech Nation says AI use may weaken your application and that checks run if appropriate; it does not describe a detection system, and no Home Office guidance mentions AI. The reason to write it yourself is that generic prose gives an assessor nothing to weigh.
Exactly 3 reference letters, each from a different individual
Immigration Rules GTE 7.2(b) requires three different people, not three different employers. Our advice is to spread them across organisations where you can, but two referees at one organisation is permitted.
Each reference letter is max 3 A4 pages, PDF format
Between 1 and 10 supporting evidence documents, each max 3 A4 pages, PDF format
Every evidence document makes its case inside the PDF
A link is not banned. Tech Nation explicitly invites "a link to the video of you speaking". What fails is a document that an assessor cannot read without leaving it, because the 3-page PDF is what gets assessed.
Evidence of your Mandatory Criterion activity is from the last 5 years
GOV.UK says "should", not "must", and scopes the window to Mandatory Criterion activity. A blanket five-year cut-off on every document belongs to the arts and culture route.
Non-English documents have certified translations
Mandatory Criterion: MC1 or MC2
You have chosen ONE mandatory criterion only (MC1 or MC2, not both)
MC1 (Exceptional Talent): Evidence shows you are a recognised leader in digital technology in the last 5 years
MC1: Evidence demonstrates sustained leadership and significant impact, not just participation
MC2 (Exceptional Promise): Evidence shows clear upward trajectory and strong potential for future leadership
MC2: Evidence includes validation from senior figures who endorse your trajectory
Your reference letters speak to the mandatory criterion with specific examples
Optional Criteria: 2 from OC1, OC2, OC3, OC4
You have chosen exactly 2 of the 4 optional criteria
OC1 (Innovation): Evidence of innovation as a founder or senior executive of a product-led company, or as an employee working on a new digital field or concept
OC2 (Recognition Beyond Occupation): Evidence of recognition for work beyond your occupation: open source, speaking (100+ attendees), structured mentoring
OC2: Conference speaking is at recognised events with an independent selection process, not self-organised or internal company events
OC3 (Significant Contributions): Evidence shows your personal impact at a product-led company, not just the company or team achievements
OC4 (Academic Contributions): Research published or endorsed by a recognised expert. It is the research that must be endorsed, not you. Most suited to research-heavy careers
Each chosen criterion has at least 2 distinct pieces of evidence, and no document is reused across criteria
Adoption metrics such as GitHub stars or npm downloads are captured in PDFs, not linked URLs
Metrics are verified rather than self-reported estimates, ideally backed by press coverage, employer letters, or analytics screenshots
Reference Letter Checklist
3 letters from 3 different individuals
No letter from a family member or current line manager
Line manager letters are a common rejection reason
Each referee is a senior or established expert in the digital technology sector
Each referee has known your work for at least 12 months
Letters are individually written, not based on the same template
Letters mention specific achievements with measurable outcomes, not generic praise
Letters address the criteria you are claiming (MC1/MC2 and your 2 chosen optional criteria)
Letters cover different aspects of your profile, not the same points repeated three times
Each letter includes the referee's CV or biography with their credentials
Compliance Checklist
Personal statement is under 1,000 words (count carefully)
Over-length personal statements are rejected outright
Personal statement and reference letters contain specifics only you and your referees could have written
Tech Nation says AI use may weaken your application and that checks run if appropriate. There is no published detection system and no Home Office guidance mentions AI, so this is not a test of who typed the words. Generic prose is weak because it gives an assessor nothing to weigh, whoever wrote it.
Evidence document page 1 contains the most important information
Assessors are instructed to stop reading after page 3. Front-load your strongest evidence
No self-authored evidence without independent third-party validation
The "if you say it, someone else must say it too" principle applies throughout
Evidence from consultancy or outsourcing work is supported by end-client letters, not just employer confirmation
No duplicate content across evidence documents
Each PDF is clearly labelled and the filename indicates which criterion it supports
Screenshots are annotated to explain context, not just raw images
The Most Common Checklist Failures
Cloud links in evidence
Screenshot and export as a PDF with annotations explaining what the reader is looking at.
A personal statement that could be about anyone
Write in your own voice, with named products, dates and numbers. There is no published AI detector; what there is, is an assessor who cannot give weight to a claim they cannot check.
Three letters that read as one
The rule is three different individuals, not three different employers. Same-employer referees are allowed. What weakens a bundle is three letters that share a structure and vocabulary, because they stop reading as independent.
Mandatory Criterion evidence well outside 5 years
GOV.UK asks that evidence of your Mandatory Criterion activity should be from the last 5 years. Older achievements are better placed in your personal statement than submitted as Mandatory Criterion evidence.
Exceeding the 1,000 word limit
Count every word including headings, subheadings, and footnotes. Going over results in the statement being cut or rejected.
OC2 evidence that is self-organised
Conference speaking must be at externally organised events with an independent selection process. Internal events and meetups you organised yourself do not count.
Sources
- UK Visas and Immigration. Global Talent visa. gov.uk. Updated 2026.
- Tech Nation, designated endorsing body for the Digital Technology route. Endorsement Guidance for Global Talent Visa: Digital Technology. Criteria: MC1, MC2, OC1–OC4.
- Home Office. Global Talent Visa: endorsement application guidance. Stage 1 fee: £561 (non-refundable). GOV.UK states that a digital technology endorsement decision usually takes 5 to 8 weeks, based on current application volumes. Published as a guide, not a commitment, and specific to this route.
Fees, deadlines and processing times last verified against gov.uk on 2026-09-05. Processing times are what GOV.UK says usually happens, not guarantees. Always verify current fees at gov.uk before submitting. getendorsed is not affiliated with Tech Nation, the Home Office, or UKVI.
Go beyond the checklist.
Our automated audit checks your actual evidence against these criteria, not just a self-reported list. Upload your documents and find out what an assessor would see.