Most preparation mistakes are invisible until you're rejected.
By the time you receive a rejection letter, it's too late to fix the gaps in your evidence. Our platform finds them first, before you submit.
To work freely in the UK without a sponsor, you go through two steps. First, Tech Nation reviews your evidence and decides whether you qualify (£561; a decision usually takes 5 to 8 weeks, and you cannot pay to speed this stage up). Then you apply for the visa itself via gov.uk (£205, the same fee inside or outside the UK; a decision usually takes 3 weeks from outside the UK and 8 weeks from inside it, measured from your biometrics appointment). Together that is £766 in government fees before the healthcare surcharge. getendorsed prepares your evidence bundle for the first step: CV, personal statement, 3 reference letters, and up to 10 supporting documents.
Free Eligibility Check
Answer 10 simple questions about your background. Your profile is compared against the official endorsement criteria and you get a clear recommendation for the route with the highest chance of success.
What this catches:
- 5-minute assessment
- No account required
- Instant route recommendation
- Personalised gap report
Document Strength Review
Upload your documents and get detailed feedback on every piece. Each document is reviewed for impact, relevance, and how well it meets the criteria you are claiming. Gaps are flagged before any endorser sees your application.
What this catches:
- Automatic criteria matching
- Strength score per document
- Real-time gap identification
- Clear improvement suggestions
Mock Application Audit
Each criterion you are claiming is assessed on its own, then checked for contradictions across your whole bundle, so weaknesses surface before the real review.
What this catches:
- Full audit report
- Every claimed criterion validated
- Contradictions and gaps flagged
- Prioritised action plan
Ready to Submit
Your complete application package is compliance-checked and validated. The UK Global Talent Visa is a two-stage government process: Stage 1 is your endorsement application to the endorsing body, and Stage 2 is the actual visa application to UK Visas and Immigration. We guide you through both.
What this catches:
- Endorsement-ready package
- Complete submission checklist
- Stage 1: Endorsement application guidance
- Stage 2: Visa application next steps
Two applications. Two different bodies. One rejection if you confuse them.
Most applicants don't know Stage 1 and Stage 2 are entirely separate submissions to different organisations. Getting this wrong wastes your £561 non-refundable fee.
Endorsement Application
Submit your evidence bundle to the endorsing body via their online portal. They assess whether you meet the criteria for Exceptional Talent or Exceptional Promise in Digital Technology.
- Submit via endorsing body portal
- Decision usually in 5 to 8 weeks
- No priority service at this stage
- Result: Endorsed or Not Endorsed
- One appeal opportunity if rejected
Visa Application
Once endorsed, apply for the actual visa through the UK government. This is a separate application to UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI).
- Apply via gov.uk portal
- Attend biometrics appointment
- Pay Immigration Health Surcharge
- Decision usually in 3 weeks from outside the UK, 8 weeks from inside
- Clock starts at your biometrics appointment
How to Submit on GOV.UK
Once your application bundle is ready, you submit directly through the government portal. Our platform prepares your documents; you handle the official submission.
Create a GOV.UK Account
Register at gov.uk/global-talent. You will need your passport details and an email address.
Choose Your Endorsing Body
Select the endorsing body for Digital Technology. Upload your evidence bundle (personal statement, CV, evidence documents, and reference letters).
Upload Your Evidence Bundle
Upload all documents as PDFs. Each evidence document must be max 3 A4 pages. Personal statement max 1,000 words. Include referee letters with their CVs.
Pay the Application Fee
The Stage 1 endorsement application fee is £561 (non-refundable). Payment is made online through the GOV.UK portal.
Wait for the Decision
Tech Nation usually decides digital technology endorsement applications within 5 to 8 weeks of receiving a complete application. GOV.UK publishes this as a guide, not a guarantee. You cannot pay to speed this stage up. You will receive an email notification with the outcome. If endorsed, you have 3 months to apply for the visa (Stage 2).
Getting a 'no' isn't the end, but the window is tight.
You have 28 days and one chance. No new evidence is allowed. Here's exactly what that means and how to use the window well.
- 128-day window: You must request a review within 28 days of receiving the refusal email. The clock runs from when that email reaches you, not from the date on the decision.
- 2No additional cost: The endorsement review is free. No additional fee is charged.
- 3No new evidence: You cannot submit new documents. The review is based on your original application.
- 4Different assessor: A different assessor reviews the application independently.
- 5Final decision: The review outcome is final. If not endorsed on review, you must submit a new application with a fresh fee.
- 6If you miss the window: Ask anyway. Home Office caseworker guidance says it will consider whether there are exceptional circumstances to accept a request made after the deadline. Being a day late is a reason to explain yourself, not a reason to give up.
You're endorsed. Now you have 3 months.
The endorsement letter starts a clock. Stage 2 must be submitted within 3 months or the endorsement lapses and you start over.
Apply Within 3 Months
You must submit your Stage 2 visa application within 3 months of receiving your endorsement. The Stage 2 visa fee is £205, the same whether you apply from inside or outside the UK.
Biometrics Appointment
Attend an appointment to provide your fingerprints and photograph. Book this after submitting your visa application online, and book it early: The Stage 2 processing clock starts at your biometrics appointment, not when you submit the online form. Stage 2 decisions usually take 3 weeks if you apply from outside the UK and 8 weeks from inside it. Both are measured from your biometrics appointment, not from when you submit the form, so add however long that appointment takes to come round. Priority processing is available for the Stage 2 visa application only. You cannot pay to speed up Stage 1 endorsement.
Healthcare Surcharge
Pay the Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) for NHS access, upfront for the duration of your visa: £1,035 per year for an adult and £776 per year for a dependant under 18.
Enter the UK & Start ILR Clock
Your visa is granted for up to 5 years. After 3 years (Exceptional Talent) or 5 years (Exceptional Promise), you can apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain.
Bringing Dependents
Your partner and children under 18 can join you in the UK on dependent visas.
- Each dependent submits a separate application
- Dependant visa fee: £766 per person, the same inside or outside the UK
- Healthcare surcharge applies per dependant: £1,035/year for an adult, £776/year for a child under 18
- Dependents get full work rights, no employer restrictions
- Dependent visas are tied to the length of your visa
7 specialists, each looking for something different.
Assessors check your application from every angle looking for weaknesses. Our system does the same, before they do. Each specialist is the same AI model prompted for its own job, not an independent second opinion.
Application Guide
Your personal advisor that plans your route, tracks your progress, and keeps you on track from start to submission.
Evidence Finder
Searches your public profile (GitHub contributions, patents, press mentions) and surfaces proof you may have overlooked.
Background Researcher
Digs deeper into your impact: academic citations, company records, and industry contributions mapped to endorsement criteria.
Criteria Checker
Maps your evidence against the official endorsement criteria so you can see exactly where you are strong and where you have gaps.
Writing Advisor
Reviews your personal statement structure, flags weak areas, and helps you refine your voice - without writing it for you.
Compliance Reviewer
Checks your application against the latest Home Office rules and endorsing body guidelines to catch issues before submission.
Application Review
Dry-runs your full application package, checking narrative consistency, evidence coverage, and document alignment before submission.
Why One Platform Review Is Worth More Than the Risk
A rejected application means lost fees, lost time, and a delayed move to the UK. None of that reflects your talent.
Save Months of Work
Compress 3 months of manual research into a focused 2-week sprint with structured guidance at every step.
Never Miss a Criteria Change
Every suggestion is aligned with the latest Tech Nation criteria and official Home Office requirements, updated when the rules change.
Avoid Common Mistakes
Our platform flags gaps in criteria coverage and claims too vague for an assessor to weigh. These are our own checks on how persuasive your bundle reads, not a reproduction of any endorsing-body screening process.
Compared Against What Actually Gets Endorsed
Your profile is compared against patterns from high-impact successful endorsements to find what works.
Common Questions
How long does the entire process take?
Most users complete their application in 2-4 weeks using our platform, depending on evidence availability. Tech Nation usually decides digital technology endorsement applications within 5 to 8 weeks of receiving a complete application. GOV.UK publishes this as a guide, not a guarantee. Stage 2 follows: Stage 2 decisions usually take 3 weeks if you apply from outside the UK and 8 weeks from inside it. Both are measured from your biometrics appointment, not from when you submit the form, so add however long that appointment takes to come round.
Do I need to create an account for the eligibility check?
No, the eligibility assessment is completely free and requires no account. You only need to sign up when you want to save your results or access the full application builder.
What happens after I submit my application?
Tech Nation usually decides digital technology endorsement applications within 5 to 8 weeks of receiving a complete application. GOV.UK publishes this as a guide, not a guarantee. Our Endorsement Accelerator plan includes support for review requests if needed.
Sources
- UK Visas and Immigration. Global Talent visa. gov.uk. Updated 2026.
- Tech Nation, the designated endorsing body for the Digital Technology route. Tech Nation Visa Endorsement Guidance for Digital Technology. Criteria: MC1, MC2, OC1–OC4.
- Home Office. Endorsement application guidance: Stage 1. Fee: £561 (non-refundable). GOV.UK states that a digital technology endorsement decision usually takes 5 to 8 weeks; it is published as a guide, not a commitment, and applies to this route rather than to Global Talent generally. Verified 2026-09-05.
- UK Visas and Immigration. Immigration Health Surcharge. Rate: £1,035 per year for an adult, £776 per year for a dependant under 18. Verified 2026-09-05.
- UK Visas and Immigration. Visa decision waiting times. Stage 2 decisions usually take 3 weeks from outside the UK and 8 weeks from inside it, based on the current volume of applications, measured from the biometrics appointment. Verified 2026-09-05.
Fee amounts 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.
Find Out If You'd Pass Today.
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