Hi everyone!
I recently went through the Global Talent Visa (GTV) application process under the Exceptional Promise endorsement route. The journey was both exciting and nerve-wracking, so I thought I’d share my experience, along with details about the timeline and costs involved. This forum has been a tremendous source of support and insight for me, so I’m happy to give back by sharing what I learned. I hope this helps others streamline their application and prepare for any unexpected challenges along the way!
Personal Statement
I dedicated part of my statement to clarifying my role as an AI Consultant in a finance company, as at first glance, it may not appear to meet the criteria of “Technical applicants (i.e., programmers) from non-technical organizations are eligible.” Although my title is AI Consultant, my job actually involves a 50% split between consulting and model development. I work in the company’s AI Lab, where our small team functions like a startup within the organization, meaning we wear multiple hats. I also supported my “technical background” by highlighting my parallel role as a full-stack developer in my co-founded startup.
Recommendation Letters
- One from my Doctorate supervisor
- Two from directors of different companies, each of whom I worked with for over a year.
Evidence Provided for Endorsement
Below is a summary of the evidence I submitted, organized into 10 individual documents (each bullet point represents one document). In some cases, I grouped smaller pieces of evidence into a single document, with an introductory narrative explaining their correlation and how they collectively supported a core qualification. Each document highlights a distinct aspect of my qualifications.
Mandatory Criteria
- Startup Shareholding Proof: Documented proof of my equity in a tech startup.
- Startup Recognition: Evidence of funding and incubator recognition.
- Salary Proof: Payroll details from my workplace’s HR system, supplemented with open-source salary data as a reference.
- Company Performance Records: Annual appraisals and award certificates from my workplace.
Optional Criteria 2: Contributions Outside of Day-to-Day Role
- Coaching and Mentorship: Invitation email from a university’s mentor program, certificate from LinkedIn Coaching Program, and feedback from a hackathon where I served as a coach.
Open-Source Contributions: Endorsements from a collaborator on open-source projects (a senior data scientist in the tech field) and a snapshot of my GitHub page showcasing my open-source contributions.
Public Speaking and Social Exposure: Evidence of my participation in the public speech and interview, a listing on my doctorate university’s website as an ambassador.
Community Contributions: Media coverage of a data analysis challenge organized by the data science community, which I won (including view count), and a reference letter from a community member (a senior data scientist in the tech field) describing my volunteer activities.
Optional Criteria 4: Academic Contributions
- Published Research: A paper published in a top-tier peer-reviewed journal.
- Conference Presentation: Presented my research work at an international conference.
Application Timeline
- 3 August 2024: Submitted the Stage 1 application on Tech Nation for endorsement.
- 21 August 2024: Received an email from the Home Office confirming that my endorsement application was successful!(At this point, I took a bit of a break due to work and vacation, which delayed my Stage 2 application submission.)
- 14 October 2024: Submitted the Stage 2 application on the UK visa website.
- 18 October 2024: Attended my appointment at the UK Visa Application Centre (TLS) in the Netherlands for fingerprinting and passport submission.
- 30 October 2024: Received an email from TLS notifying me that my passport was ready for pickup and that my visa decision had been made (though they didn’t reveal the outcome).
- 31 October 2024: Finally, received an email from UKVI (UK Visas & Immigration) confirming that my visa application was successful!
Application Costs (Actual vs. Listed Fees)
Since I applied from the Netherlands, my payment was processed in Euros without the option to switch to GBP. This led to additional currency conversion and transaction fees (which is slightly higher than using common transaction apps). In particular, the TLS appointment fee is essentially a mandatory add-on, as securing a free slot is nearly impossible. Here’s a breakdown of the costs I incurred:
- Tech Nation Endorsement Application Fee: EUR 633 (GBP 524)
- NHS Health Surcharge (5 years): EUR 6422 (GBP 5175 = 1035*5)
- GTV Visa Fee: EUR 238 (GBP 192)
- TLS Service Fee: EUR 95
- TLS Appointment Fee: EUR 115
So, before even stepping into the UK, I had already spent EUR 7503 – quite a financial commitment 
.