As a software engineer, navigating the immigration process can often feel like solving a complex algorithm. When I decided to pursue the UK Global Talent Visa, it was a strategic move to upgrading my career framework. Similar to the EB-1 visa in the USA, which offers expedited green card acquisition without the lottery system, there is another option available for exceptional or promising talents seeking permanent residency; the UK Global Talent Visa offers a pathway based on skills instead of points. In this blog post, I’ll delve into my experience obtaining the Global Talent Visa, shedding light on the endorsement process, documents required, and why I made the switch from a skilled worker visa.
Part I: The Endorsement Process
The Global Talent Visa centers on the endorsement process, with the primary focus being on persuading the endorsing body. In my case, I sought endorsement from Tech Nation, the designated endorsing body for digital technology. The endorsement process was rigorous yet rewarding. It involved showcasing evidence of my exceptional technical skills, significant contributions to the tech industry, and potential to make an impact in the UK tech sector.
I meticulously prepared my application, compiling a comprehensive portfolio of my projects, publications, and professional achievements. Letters of recommendation from industry peers and leaders further bolstered my case.
Documenting the Journey
Submitting the right documents is paramount in the Global Talent Visa application process, and to facilitate this, I have crafted a cover letter that offers a concise overview of these evidential components, accompanied by a detailed list of the documents I submitted.
1. DeepFace library
I firstly explained my open source machine learning and computer vision library about deep face recognition for python – DeepFace.
- It boasts ~ 10K stars and ~2K forks on GitHub, indicating its significant adoption and recognition within the developer community.
- It passes 2M installations on pip, reflecting not only the popularity but also the consistent usage of the library among Python users
- It is a direct dependency of ~3K projects in GitHub, emphasizing its integral role in various software projects.
- Provided star and installation histories over time, highlighting that it attracts organic traffic.
- Cited by 14 academic papers, underscoring the library’s relevance and impact in the academic sphere.
2. Public Events
I secondly listed some public events I voluntarily attended.
- Listed English given tech meet-ups and conferences I attended as a speaker about machine learning in recent years. Also, provided event pages and video recordings if available.
- I provided an explanation of my role as a mentor at a Datathon – a kinda data analytics hackathon.
- I highlighted my awarded Neo4j Ninja title given by Neo4j because of my significant contributions to graph databases.
3. Salary
I thirdly submitted my proof of work evidence including my start date, current title and current salary with bonuses. I also compared my current salary with the average software engineer salaries in UK in 2024 according to Glassdoor stats.
4. Academic Publications
I listed my selected academic publications in this document.
- They are all either conference proceedings or academic journals that have undergone peer review, ensuring the quality and credibility of the work I have produced.
- One article was published in a journal indexed by science citation index expanded, or shortly SCI-E.
- I hold the first author position in all papers which is a prestigious thing in academics.
- These papers have been cited by 500+ academic papers according to Google Scholar stats, reflecting the widespread recognition and influence of my contributions within the academic community.
- Highlighting my i10-index score of 5 and h-index score of 6 emphasizes the growing impact and relevance of my contributions within the academic community.
- They are all related to either my independent studies conducted outside my regular responsibilities or RD projects I involved in my daily job. In other words, none of them are related to my master thesis. This highlights my ability not only to transcend the boundaries of routine tasks but also to contribute meaningfully to pioneering research endeavors.
5. Reference Letter From An Academician
To reinforce my academic publications, I included a reference letter from an academic mentor who supervised several of my works. In the letter, he emphasized the prestige of the conferences and journals where my work was published, as well as the importance of their high citation counts.
It’s important to note that this document was submitted separately from the reference letters.
6. Technical Tutorials
In this document, I have compiled technical tutorials I have been creating that, unlike academic publications, have not undergone peer review.
- I have been writing technical tutorials about machine learning and cryptography in my personal technical blog.
- My blog posts have been cited by 70+ academic papers according to Google Scholar stats.
- I shared statistics (e.g. most read posts, incoming traffic regions) from Google Analytics stats.
- I have been creating technical video tutorials on my youtube channel. I shared channel statistics from YouTube Studio.
- I listed selected YouTube playlists about ML and cryptography.
- StackOverFlow contributions, boasting a reputation score of 1391 and reaching a total of 867K individuals.
- In addition, I included my pre-prints, which have not undergone peer review.
7. RetinaFace Library
I explained my another machine learning and computer vision library about face detection for python – RetinaFace.
- It has ~ 1K stars and 100+ forks on GitHub.
- It has been installed 600K times on pip.
- It is a direct dependency of 1K+ projects on GitHub.
8. ChefBoost Library
I explained my core machine learning library about boosted decision trees for python – ChefBoost.
- It has 400+ stars and 100+ forks on GitHub.
- It has been installed 85K+ times on pip.
- Cited by 6 academic papers.
9. TensorFlow-101 Repo
Finally, I provided an explanation of the machine learning repository, which consists of a collection of notebooks designed to teach computer vision using TensorFlow and Python from the ground up.
Reference Letters
I have submitted four reference letters from my previous managers, who currently hold positions as CEOs and CIOs. It is crucial that these reference letters are specifically tailored for your global talent visa application. Therefore, each reference letter includes a subject line indicating its relevance to the global talent visa application.
Timeline
I received the decision for stage 1 within two weeks and for stage 2 within three weeks.
- Jan 18, 2024 – Submitted Stage 1 application to Home Office and Tech Nation
- Feb 5, 2024 – Got the endorsement
- Feb 16, 2024 – Proceed Stage 2 application online and book an appointment for a visa centre
- Feb 22, 2024 – Visited visa centre in London to scan my passport and give fingerprints
- Mar 17, 2024 – Got an email from UK Home Office confirming my global talent visa application is successful
Costs
I have been staying in UK for 2 years already under the skilled worker visa. Global talent visa requires 3 years stay for ILR and switching from SWV to GTV does not reset the clock for ILR. That is why, I just need 1 additional year to have right to apply settlement. So, I applied GTV just for 1 year.
- Stage 1: 524 GBP
- Stage 2: 192 GBP
- Immigration Health Surcharge: 1035 GBP
- Visa Centre: 245 GBP
Long story short, 1-year global talent visa costs 1996 GBP. Besides, I will get unused period (3 years) of IHS payment for my skilled worker visa.
Family
When it comes to your dependents such as your partner, wife, husband or children, switching visas may raise some concerns. When I obtained my skilled worker visa, my wife also obtained a dependent visa valid for 5 years. The crucial point here is that her visa is tied to her dependency on me rather than my specific skilled worker visa. Consequently, she has not applied to switch her dependent visa when I upgraded my visa from skilled worker to global talent. Conversely, if she had a 3-year dependent visa, meaning she would need to renew or extend it periodically, she would always have the right to obtain a dependent visa as long as my visa remains valid.
Part II: Why I Switched From Skilled Worker Visa to Global Talent Visa
Unlike the Global Talent Visa, the Skilled Worker Visa operates on a point-based system rather than being skill-based. Additionally, it mandates sponsorship from a company and adherence to minimum wage requirements. Moreover, only a small fraction of UK companies are able to provide sponsorship.
Prior to pursuing the Global Talent Visa, I was on a skilled worker visa in the UK for 2 years. While the skilled worker visa provided stability and employment opportunities, it lacked the flexibility and recognition afforded by the Global Talent Visa. As a software developer, I yearned for the freedom to explore innovative projects, collaborate with industry leaders, and carve my niche in the tech landscape.
The Global Talent Visa offered precisely that – a gateway to independence and recognition on a global scale. By transitioning to this visa category, I unlocked a world of opportunities to advance my career, engage with diverse communities, and leave a lasting legacy in the UK tech industry.
Conclusion
Obtaining the UK Global Talent Visa as a software developer was a transformative journey marked by perseverance, preparation, and passion. From navigating the endorsement process to compiling the requisite documents, every step of the way was a testament to my dedication to excellence in the tech sphere. By embracing the Global Talent Visa, I’ve embarked on a new chapter filled with boundless possibilities and the promise of making a meaningful impact in the UK’s digital landscape. For aspiring software developers seeking to elevate their careers on the global stage, the Global Talent Visa beckons as a beacon of opportunity and innovation.
Through my experience, I hope to inspire fellow software developers to seize the opportunities afforded by the UK Global Talent Visa and embark on their own transformative journeys in the world of technology.
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