Global Talent: RIBA

A Global Talent visa allows highly skilled individuals who are leaders, or individuals with high potential to be a leader, in academia or research, arts and culture, or digital technology to come and work in the UK.

To be able to apply for a Global Talent visa, you must first apply for an “endorsement” – a successful assessment of your portfolio by a Home Office-approved organisation. For those applying in the field of architecture, the relevant endorsement body would be The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA).

You can either choose to apply as an Exceptional Talent or Exceptional Promise – usually depending on the time spent in the profession, your more recent achievements and the strength of the portfolio itself.

Each applicant must submit three letters of support – also known as reference letters. At least one of them should be from a UK-based organisation that has recognised expertise in the field of architecture. The second reference letter can be either from the UK or an overseas-based organisation. The third reference letter can be from an organisation, or from the individual, who should demonstrate his/her recognition as an expert in architecture. For example, it is quite common to refer to colleagues who have previously obtained Exceptional Talent endorsements themselves.

As an applicant, you will be provided with an opportunity to submit 10 pieces of evidence in support of your application that shall cover your international media recognition, personal awards, and your works published or exhibited.

Depending on which path: Exceptional Talent or Exceptional Promise you choose, the criteria of evidence will be different.

Exceptional Talent

• International media recognition
• Must demonstrate two or more “recognitions”
• Must be dated less than 5 years old
• Must be either online or in print
• Must be punished in at least one country other than your country of residence
• Awards
• Must be within the last five years
• You must have won; or made a significant and direct contribution to winning at least one international award for excellence in architecture.
• Awards must be awards of excellence
• Works published or exhibited
• Your work must be published/exhibited in the last five years from the year of application
• Your work must be in contexts which are recognised as internationally significant in the field of architecture
• Your work must come from at least one country other than your country of residence
• You must demonstrate a minimum of two publications or exhibitions of your work.

Exceptional Promise

• International media recognition
• Two or more examples
• Must be recent (in the last five years)
• Must come from UK or international media recognition,
• Can be either online or in print,
• Can include your country of residence media
• Awards
• You must have been nominated or shortlisted, or made a significant and direct contribution to winning, being nominated or being shortlisted for at least one award
• Award can be wither international or national
• Award must be for excellence in architecture
• Works published or exhibited
• Your work must be published/exhibited in the last three years from the year of application
• Your work must be in contexts which are recognised as internationally significant in the field of architecture
• Proof must come from one or more countries, including your country of residence
• You must demonstrate a minimum of two publications or exhibitions of your work.

As long as you receive an endorsement as either an Exceptional Talent or an Exceptional Promise, you can be granted a Global Talent visa for a maximum period of 5 years. If you are endorsed as an Exceptional Talent, you can apply for settlement (also known as indefinite leave to remain) after spending three years in the United Kingdom. If you are endorsed as an Exceptional Promise, your route to settlement will be 5 years.

Finally, as a Global Talent visa holder, you can bring your dependants – your spouse and children under the age of 18 to the United Kingdom. You only will be required to demonstrate that you have minimum funds in savings (or salary) to financially support your family members.