The Global Talent visa allows highly skilled people to relocate to the UK based on their merit and professional background, without any need for sponsorship by an employer. This path replaces the previous Tier 1 - Exceptional Talent route and provides a more streamlined means of bringing foreign talent to the UK.
The institutions entrusted by the Home Office to review and assess the application packets for a Global Talent visa are known as endorsing bodies. One of the most important things you’ll learn about obtaining a Global Talent visa is how to get an endorsement from one of these official bodies.
 

Eligibility Requirements
It is challenging to identify and grade “talent”, but it must be done to ensure the opportunities go to applicants with appropriate potential. 
How an application is processed depends primarily on whether one is: 
- an emerging talent (Exceptional Promise)
- an established talent (Exceptional Talent)
- the recipient of specific prestigious awards
In the case of the first two, you will need to designate which pathway you wish to be considered for on your application paperwork. 
In regards to achieving prestigious awards, there is an official list of which awards qualify. Recipients of the listed awards are exempt from the endorsement process and may continue to stage 2 (the visa application).
 

Understanding Exceptional Promise & Exceptional Talent
The reality of managing human capital is that people are diverse, as is their talent. Still, talent has a way of coming out in the work people spend their time and energy on. This doesn’t always mean being top of the class, but people notice when a person is good at what they do.
Because the pool of highly-skilled people contains individuals with different levels of experience, there need to be different expectations to coincide.
The Home Office solves this by separating applicants into one of two groups:
- Exceptional Promise: The Exceptional Promise path is for those able to demonstrate being an emerging leader in their qualifying specialism. 
- Exceptional Talent: The Exceptional Talent path is for those able to demonstrate being an established leader within a qualifying specialism.
 

Understanding Endorsing Bodies
Before applying for the Global Talent visa itself, you must first apply for and obtain an endorsement. An endorsing body is responsible for reviewing applications that fall under its purview, decided by the specialism or discipline of the applicant.
Endorsing Bodies by Specialism
- Architecture: Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA)
- Digital Tech: Tech Nation
- Engineering: The Royal Academy of Engineering
- Fashion & Design: British Fashion Council
- Fine Arts & Culture: Arts Council England
- Humanities: British Academy
- Media (Film and TV): Producers Alliance for Cinema and Television (PACT)
- Research & Academia: UK Research and Innovation (UKRI)
- Science & Medicine: The Royal Society
 

The Role Endorsing Bodies Play
Before the shift towards the more streamlined immigration process, nearly all UK worker visa applicants were required to obtain sponsorship from an employer. This system left the vetting of visa applicants solely to the Home Office, but put employers in a position to vouch for applicants (both reputationally and financially).
Being vetted by an endorsing body is different from, and more than, simply being cleared for entry into the UK. 
Endorsing bodies need to see evidence of emerging or exceptional talent in your evidentiary documents before providing you with an endorsement letter. This means that once you’ve received such an endorsement, it becomes proof of your exceptional talent.
 

The Endorsement Process
Ultimately, the endorsement process is relatively simple. Applicants submit the required paperwork to the appropriate endorsing body, determined by their specialism, where it is assessed. If approved, matching letters are sent to the applicant and the Home Office. These letters verify the endorsement and enable applicants to move on to Phase 2 - the visa application.
Still, this illustrates the importance of adequately preparing your documentation before submission to the endorsing body. The vast majority of visa refusals are not due to ineligibility, per se, but rather to errors, mistakes, or omissions in their application paperwork.
These issues, at best, lead to significant delays in approving a Global Talent visa. At worst, they can result in outright refusal of a visa application.
Obtaining the advice of a reputable visa consultant can help to ensure that all your evidentiary documents are accurate and in accordance with the ever-changing UK bureaucracy.
Transitioning to Global Talent Visa from another UK Visa
If you’re already in the UK on a different type of visa, you may be able to switch to a Global Talent visa. This will require meeting the Global Talent eligibility requirements, including the need for endorsement. 
You’ll need to apply to change over to the Global Talent visa at least 3 months before the expiration of your current visa.
 

What about dependents?
Your partner and/or children must apply separately to switch their visas. They can apply anytime before their current visa expires or at the same time as you.
 

Who cannot apply to switch to a Global Talent visa?
You cannot switch to this visa if you’re currently in the UK in one of the following circumstances:
- on a seasonal worker visa
- on a short-term student visa
- on a Parent of a Child Student visa
- on a visit visa
- on a domestic worker in a private household visa
- on immigration bail
- you were given permission to stay outside the immigration rules (on compassionate grounds, for example)
You will need to leave the UK and apply for a Global Talent visa from abroad if you’re in one of these categories.
 

How Long You Can Stay in the UK
With the Global Talent visa, you can choose how long you want to apply (up to 5 years at a time).
After applying for and receiving your visa, you can stay in the UK until you decide to let it expire or extend it. 
You will not need to apply for a visa if you have a “settled” or “pre-settled” status under the EU Settlement Scheme.
If you want to stay in the UK longer
You may be eligible for Indefinite Leave to Remain after 3 or 5 years, depending on which specialism you work in and how you apply. Indefinite Leave to Remain gives you the legal right to live, work, and study in the UK for as long as you wish. You are even qualified to apply for benefits if you’re eligible.
 

Conclusion
As it stands, the Global Talent visa offers a substantial improvement over its predecessors. Replacing employer sponsorship with endorsement has streamlined the process, which, combined with the opportunity for permanent settlement, makes this visa route a top-shelf option.
Many would-be applicants, however, are deterred or intimidated by the prospect of endorsement. While it’s true that the importance of endorsement cannot be overstated, a professional visa consultant can make the process much less stressful. Adequately preparing for submission of an application to the endorsing body is an important part of a successful experience.