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Tech Nation visa for the brightest technical talent
The Tech Nation Visa is designed for founders, leaders, and employees with technical or business skills in the digital technology sector. This sector includes companies whose main income comes from proprietary digital services, products, platforms, or hardware, often involving software, data processing, or computing hardware.
Applicants can qualify based on either technical or business expertise, with different evidence requirements depending on the chosen route.
No UK job offer is needed, but you must get an endorsement from Tech Nation, the official endorsing body for this visa.
You can apply under two categories: Exceptional Talent or Exceptional Promise (for early-career candidates).
For expert guidance with your Tech Nation visa, contact ZAR Immigration
Tech Nation Visa Application process
The Tech Nation Visa application involves three steps:
Apply for endorsement via the gov.uk website and pay the fee.
Within 15 days, submit your endorsement application and supporting documents through the Tech Nation portal.
Endorsement decisions take around 3 weeks (outside the UK) or 8 weeks (inside the UK).
Once endorsed, apply for your visa under the Global Talent route within 3 months. This stage requires paying the remaining visa fee and the Immigration Health Surcharge.
The visa is granted for up to 5 years, after which you can apply for indefinite leave to remain.
For expert support with your Tech Nation visa, reach out to ZAR Immigration.
Endorsement Requirements for Exceptional Talent – Tech Nation Vis
Mandatory Criterion:
You must prove you have been recognized as a leading talent in digital technology within the last 5 years. Leadership can be shown through technical expertise leading product development or through business/marketing leadership in a product-led tech company.
Optional Criteria (choose two):
Track record of innovation as a founder or senior executive in a product-led digital tech company
Proven innovation as an employee working on new digital fields or concepts
Recognition for contributions beyond your occupation advancing the field
Significant technical, commercial, or entrepreneurial impact as founder, executive, board member, or employee of a product-led tech company
Academic excellence via research published or endorsed by experts
Notes:
Innovation often is evidenced by patents but other proof can be accepted. Contribution means showing the real impact of your work. Different evidence is needed for innovation vs contribution.
A full list of eligible technical and business skills is on the gov.uk website.
For assistance with your application, contact ZAR Immigration.
Documents Required for Tech Nation Visa Endorsement
You will need to provide:
Your CV detailing your career and relevant publications
3 letters of recommendation from recognized digital technology experts who have known your work for at least 12 months
Up to 10 additional documents supporting how you meet the chosen endorsement criteria
Letters of Recommendation must:
Highlight your achievements and describe you as a leader or potential leader
Explain how you will contribute to the UK’s digital technology sector
Outline your future work plans
Be no longer than 3 single-sided A4 pages
Be signed and include the author’s contact details, organisation logo (if applicable), and the author’s CV
Additionally, you will submit a personal statement as part of your Tech Nation visa application.
For expert assistance, contact ZAR Immigration.
What to Include in Your Personal Statement
Your personal statement (up to 1000 words) should cover:
Why you are applying for the Tech Nation visa
A summary of how you meet the endorsement criteria
Why you want to come to the UK
Your career plans
How your work will benefit the UK’s digital technology sector, such as:
Technological innovations you’ll introduce
Creation of new markets
Growth plans for a digital technology company
Any extra activities you plan to engage in beyond your main role
For support with your application, reach out to ZAR Immigration.
Dependants
Your partner and children under 18 can join you in the UK as your dependants, each requiring a visa linked to yours. You can only apply for your children’s visas if their other parent is also coming to the UK or if you have sole responsibility for their care.
For assistance with dependant visas, contact ZAR Immigration.
Application costs:
Endorsement fee: £524
Visa fee: £192
Dependent visa: £716 per dependant
Immigration Health Surcharge: £1,035 per year (total varies by visa length, e.g., 3 or 5 years)
For guidance on fees and application, reach out to ZAR Immigration
Eligibility for ILR and British citizenship:
If endorsed under Exceptional Talent, you can apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) after 3 years of continuous UK residence.
If endorsed under Exceptional Promise, ILR is available after 5 years of continuous residence.
You must prove earnings in line with your endorsement.
You’ll need to meet the English language requirement and pass the Life in the UK test.
Dependants can apply for settlement after 5 years of continuous residence.
For assistance with your application, contact ZAR Immigration
How Immigration consultants Can Help
Immigration consultants can review your application against the endorsement criteria and advise on how to strengthen it. While Tech Nation has discretion in assessing innovation and leadership, and outcomes cannot be guaranteed, consultants can identify missing or weak evidence and help refine letters of support and your personal statement to better address key points.
They can also act as your representative before the Home Office—submitting your application, uploading documents, and handling all correspondence on your behalf.
For expert guidance, reach out to ZAR Immigration