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Moving to the UK (and especially London) is an exciting journey that starts with choosing the right visa and ends with settling into your new life as a resident. This guide will walk you through a structured roadmap: from the initial eligibility check all the way to achieving residency. We’ll focus on two key visa routes that can turn your London aspirations into reality: the Global Talent Visa and the Innovator Founder Visa. Along the way, we’ll also highlight how Tech Nomads can serve as your expert relocation partner, offering tailored guidance at each step of the process.
Let’s get started on turning your “Global Talent dream” of a move to the UK into a plan of action!
The first step on your roadmap is understanding which visa route best fits your background and goals. The UK offers many visa options, but for ambitious individuals in tech, academia, research, the arts, or entrepreneurship, the Global Talent and Innovator Founder visas are two of the most promising pathways. Here’s a quick look at each:
Choosing between the two: If you are a tech professional, academic, or creative with accolades or high potential in your field, the Global Talent visa might be ideal to let you work in the UK flexibly and continue excelling in your speciality.
On the other hand, if you’re a founder with an entrepreneurial vision to build a startup or expand a business in the UK, the Innovator Founder visa is tailored for you. Some individuals might even be eligible for both routes, but one may suit your situation better.
Tech Nomads can help at this stage by assessing your profile and aspirations, ensuring you choose the best “London visa” route for your move to the UK. It’s crucial to be clear on your path now, as it will determine the steps that follow.
Step 2: Gather Your Credentials and Secure an Endorsement
Once you’ve chosen a visa path, the next stage is proving you have what it takes – either through an endorsement of your talents or of your business idea. Think of this step as getting a stamp of approval on your skills or venture, which you will need before you can apply for the visa itself.
For the Global Talent visa, an official endorsement is usually required to show you are a leader or potential leader in your field. The endorsement is essentially a green light from a recognised UK body with expertise in your sector.
For example, if you’re a scientist or researcher, endorsements are handled by prestigious institutions like the British Academy, Royal Society, Royal Academy of Engineering, or UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), depending on your discipline. If you’re in the arts or cultural sectors (from dance to architecture), Arts Council England would review your accomplishments, and digital technologists have had their applications assessed by the designated tech endorsing body.
You will need to prepare a portfolio of evidence about your work – such as a CV, recommendation letters, awards, publications, or projects – to demonstrate your accomplishments and promise. Once you have all your documents ready, you submit an endorsement application on the Home Office website.
The endorsing body will evaluate whether you meet their criteria for exceptional talent or exceptional promise in your domain. If your endorsement application is successful, you’ll get an email from the Home Office with an endorsement letter confirming it.
For the Innovator Founder visa, the “endorsement” focuses on your business proposal. You’ll need to convince an approved business endorsing body that your venture meets the innovation, newness, viability, and scalability criteria. In practice, this means preparing a solid business plan and often pitching your idea to the endorsing body.
The UK government has a list of authorised Innovator Founder endorsing bodies (which include specialist organisations and programmes that support entrepreneurs). Typically, you will submit your business plan, along with evidence like market research or a prototype, to one of these bodies. They may interview you or ask questions to assess your business’s potential. If they are convinced your idea is innovative and has growth potential, they will issue you an endorsement letter for your Innovator Founder visa.
Important: Whether it’s for Global Talent or Innovator, an endorsement is not the same as the visa itself, but it is a required stepping stone. Also, an endorsement doesn’t guarantee you’ll get the visa, but it’s a critical part of a successful application. Think of it as clearing the biggest hurdle first. Now, with your endorsement in hand, you’re ready for the next step.
With an endorsement secured, the next stage is to formally apply for your UK visa. This is where you apply for UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) for permission to enter or remain in the UK under the chosen route. Here’s what to expect:
Online Application:
Both the Global Talent and Innovator Founder visas are applied for online on the official GOV.UK website. You will fill out an application form with your personal details, passport information, and details about your endorsement.
Documents and Evidence:
When applying, you need to attach supporting documents. These typically include:
The Global Talent visa does not require a separate English test because your endorsement serves as proof of your standing in your field.
Make sure all documents not in English are accompanied by official translations. Double-check the specific document lists on the GOV.UK pages for your visa category.
Fees: Be prepared to pay the visa fee as part of submitting your application. The fee varies by visa type and where you apply from:
The Global Talent visa costs £766 in total. If you needed an endorsement, this £766 is split into two parts: £561 paid at the endorsement stage and £205 paid when you apply for the visa itself. (If you skipped an endorsement due to a prestigious prize, you pay the full £766 at the application.) Each dependent family member also pays £766.
The Innovator Founder visa costs £1,274 per person if applying from outside the UK, or £1,590 if applying from inside the UK (for an extension or switch). This is the Home Office fee and is separate from the endorsement fee paid to the endorsing body earlier. Each dependent family member pays the same visa fee.
Additionally, there is the Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS), which all visas longer than 6 months require. This gives you access to the UK’s National Health Service. The cost is typically £1,035 per person for each year of the visa, meaning a 3-year visa would cost £3,105 per applicant. You pay this upfront for the total duration when you apply. (It’s a sizable fee, but it covers health insurance for your time in the UK.)
Applying:
Once you fill in the form and upload documents, you will pay the fees and submit. After submission, most applicants from abroad will need to attend a biometric appointment (to scan fingerprints and photos) unless you were able to do the app identity check. At this appointment (usually at a visa application centre in your country), you’ll also hand in your passport, which will be returned to you with a visa vignette (sticker) if it is granted.
Processing Time:
Now comes the waiting. For both Global Talent and Innovator Founder visas, the standard processing time is about 3 weeks for applications made outside the UK (or 8 weeks if made inside the UK).
Many applicants actually get a decision faster than this, but 3 weeks is the typical timeline. There is an option for a “priority service” at an extra cost in many countries, which can shorten the wait.
Decision Outcome:
You will receive an email notification with the decision on your application.
Welcome to London! Upon arrival at the UK border, you’ll go through immigration control using your visa. Have your passport with visa vignette ready, along with the Home Office decision letter. The immigration officer will check your documents and stamp your entry if you have a physical passport stamp. Once you clear customs, you’re officially in the UK – congratulations!
Now that you’re in London, there are a few things to set up in your first weeks:
If you haven’t secured long-term housing yet, start attending viewings and finalise a rental as soon as possible. London’s rental market moves fast, so it helps to have all your documents ready (passport/visa, proof of income or an employment contract if you have one, references from previous landlords if any, etc.)
Opening a UK bank account is crucial for getting paid and paying bills. Many banks will accept your passport as ID and proof of address (a tenancy agreement or a utility bill in your name can serve as proof of address). Some modern “challenger banks” allow quick account setup using your passport and digital verification, even without proof of address, which can be handy initially.
Find a local NHS general practitioner and register so you can access healthcare. This just requires proof of address and your ID/visa. It’s good to do it early, in case you need any medical care.
Get a UK mobile number (numerous providers offer pay-as-you-go or monthly plans). If you’ve moved into a flat, set up or transfer the utilities (electricity, gas, water, internet) to your name.
Community and Networking:
Moving to a new country can feel daunting, so immerse yourself in the community. London is wonderfully diverse – there are networking events for professionals, meetups for tech entrepreneurs, academic societies, and creative communities of almost any interest.
Embracing London:
Take some time to enjoy your new city! From historic sites along the Thames to the innovation hubs of Shoreditch, London has something for everyone. Settling in is not just about paperwork and procedures but also about feeling at home. Explore your neighbourhood, try the local food, and maybe join a club or gym to meet locals. Building a routine and social connections will make you feel more like a resident than a visitor.
As you grow more comfortable in London and time goes by, keep an eye on the long-term goal: permanent residency in the UK. Both the Global Talent and Innovator Founder routes can lead to Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) – which is the status of permanent resident and eventually British citizenship if you desire.
Here’s what the timeline generally looks like for each route:
You may be eligible to apply for ILR (settlement) after 3 years or 5 years, depending on your field and how you obtained the visa.
The idea is that the more established your talent, the faster the settlement. During those years, you must continuously reside in the UK (with no more than 180 days of absence in any 12 months) to qualify for ILR – this is standard for all routes. Once you reach the 3- or 5-year mark and meet the requirements, you can apply for ILR.
ILR is what truly makes you a permanent resident, allowing you to live and work in the UK without time limits and providing you with access to public funds/benefits if needed.
This route is structured for a quicker settlement if you succeed in your business. You can apply for ILR after 3 years of continuously living in the UK on an Innovator/Innovator Founder visa.
The key requirement is that your business is active, trading, and has met the growth benchmarks set out when you were endorsed. Essentially, you’ll need a new endorsement at the ILR stage confirming your business is thriving.
*If your startup has faltered, you might not get that endorsement for ILR, so it’s important to work hard on your business and stay in touch with your endorsers.
Finally, when you are granted indefinite leave to remain, take a moment to appreciate how far you’ve come. You’ve gone from a hopeful candidate dreaming of London to a permanent resident of one of the greatest cities in the world. ILR is an affirmation that the UK is now truly your home.
And if you wish, the journey can continue to citizenship, where you’ll swear an oath to the Crown and get a British passport – but that, as they say, is another story (and at least 12 months away). For now, you have achieved what you set out to do: you’ve made London your new home base.
Relocating to London is a significant undertaking – it means navigating visa rules, making life changes, and venturing into the unknown. But with the roadmap laid out above, you have a clear path from candidate to resident. Whether you come via the Global Talent visa, bringing your expertise to the UK, or via the Innovator Founder visa, bringing your entrepreneurial ambitions to life, the end goal is within reach. Each step, from eligibility check to getting that endorsement, applying for the visa, moving, and eventually settling, is manageable with careful planning.
Remember, you don’t have to travel this road alone. Tech Nomads is there as your dedicated relocation partner throughout the journey: from helping you determine the best visa route, to preparing a standout endorsement application, to handling moving and settling in. With professional guidance, the process becomes far less daunting.
Seeking assistance in your journey from the UK Global Talent Visa to relocation to the UK? Tech Nomads offers personalised strategies and full support in navigating the UK Visa processes.
Tech Nomads is a global mobility platform that provides services for international relocation. Established in 2018, Tech Nomads has a track record of successfully relocating talents and teams. Our expertise in adapting to regulatory changes ensures our clients’ satisfaction and success.
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We host free, application-based events, including expert panel talks, start-up pitch days, members-only networking, informal meetups, and fireside conversations with industry leaders.
Membership is free but selective — open to those building across borders and seeking meaningful growth through connection, knowledge, and community.
We also produce a regular podcast that shares real stories, insights, and voices from inside the Club.
To explore your UK relocation options, you may:
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Useful Resources:
Psychological Aspects of Relocation
UK Innovator Founder Visa: Tech & Cultural Exchange
Seamless Relocation under the UK Innovator Founder Visa
Pitch Deck for Innovator Founder Visa: How to Avoid Mistakes
Information made available on this website in any form is for information purposes only. It is not, and should not be taken as advice. You should not rely on, or take or fail to take any action based upon this information.
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