help with Exceptional Talent visa

[bunnymoo]

Hi Forum,

I have a question for everyone out there.

I wanted to apply for a Tier 1 Exceptional Talent visa b/c I was offered an academic job in the UK. I'd like to make this application as soon as possible because the Exceptional Talent visas are limited in number and no one seems to know what will happen after April when they are set to expire.

The fee for these visas is 1000 Euros, which I paid. But I showed up for my appointment (not in the UK) and was told that I couldn't proceed since I needed to submit my application only three months or less before the requested date of entry. This was a big surprise to me since I had hired a lawyer at one of the "reputable" firms discussed on this forum to carefully review my application and this was something that they failed to notice. Now they are claiming that they did not have this information, which is a lie. And they're not returning my emails.

When I showed up the Worldbridge employees there had no idea what an Exceptional Talent visa was and asked me to explain it to them, which was also quite disconcerting. I was told I could ask for a refund on line for the 1000 Euros, which I did, and eventually resubmit. Yet I asked for the refund last week but haven't heard anything, and didn't even get a confirmation email saying that my request for a refund was received.

I'm quite worried about this and want to resubmit as soon as possible. My job doesn't start until about 9 months from now but I want to apply soon. Should I apply with a proposed date of entry three months from now, even though my job in the UK doesn't start until much later, and I am clearly employed somewhere else until then, as it states on my exceptional talent application?

this has been such a stressful, expensive, time consuming, and awful experience.

[gordon]

It's standard practice that visas may be postdated no more than three months from application. Be that as it may, there is nothing that prevents you from applying now, getting the visa now, and not actually using it until August/September/October.

Presumably you have already been issued the unique reference number, so in any case you only have ten days in which to use it, unless you request another one later. I'm not sure why you would need a lawyer to arrange this; it's not as though the lawyer can obtain that very important letter of reference for you. You get the reference number, complete the form, submit it with the required documentation, and then wait. The entry clearance post doesn't evaluate the application; it's sent to London so that the designated competent body can assess it fully and make a recommendation to the UKBA. Perhaps that's why they don't know what you're on about. I expect that you have gone through the designated competent body's own explanation of remit and process, to be sure that you've articulated your case appropriately (world leader versus potential world leader, and all that).

I would suggest, if you have not already done, that you ask your head of department or the personnel officer in your future university to confirm with the designated competent body that there are slots left in the quota. I can't really see that there wouldn't be, but perhaps that would give you some idea of whether you might be placed on a waiting list.

Worst case scenario, this doesn't work or is oversubscribed (unlikely), and they don't renew the programme in the next financial year. But if you apply now, then at least there will still be plenty of time for the university to apply for a tier 2 visa for you.

Hi Forum,

I have a question for everyone out there.

I wanted to apply for a Tier 1 Exceptional Talent visa b/c I was offered an academic job in the UK. I'd like to make this application as soon as possible because the Exceptional Talent visas are limited in number and no one seems to know what will happen after April when they are set to expire.

The fee for these visas is 1000 Euros, which I paid. But I showed up for my appointment (not in the UK) and was told that I couldn't proceed since I needed to submit my application only three months or less before the requested date of entry. This was a big surprise to me since I had hired a lawyer at one of the "reputable" firms discussed on this forum to carefully review my application and this was something that they failed to notice. Now they are claiming that they did not have this information, which is a lie. And they're not returning my emails.

When I showed up the Worldbridge employees there had no idea what an Exceptional Talent visa was and asked me to explain it to them, which was also quite disconcerting. I was told I could ask for a refund on line for the 1000 Euros, which I did, and eventually resubmit. Yet I asked for the refund last week but haven't heard anything, and didn't even get a confirmation email saying that my request for a refund was received.

I'm quite worried about this and want to resubmit as soon as possible. My job doesn't start until about 9 months from now but I want to apply soon. Should I apply with a proposed date of entry three months from now, even though my job in the UK doesn't start until much later, and I am clearly employed somewhere else until then, as it states on my exceptional talent application?

this has been such a stressful, expensive, time consuming, and awful experience.

[bunnymoo]

Thanks very much for that helpful reply. I do know all about the review process by the academies and have worked very hard on a fully developed application for them. What you have written about getting the visa before you need it is a big relief and that's what I'll do.

We used a lawyer b/c we had a complicated case with my husband and the firm did give us some helpful advice. What was shocking though it that they would not have noticed something so basic as to cause an immediate refusal of my application at the visa office.

I was also so surprised about this three month rule because I thought I had read everything on all the websites and never saw it. It should be really prominently stated.

[bunnymoo]

Has ANYONE been successful with this visa? How long did it take you?? My application and my passport have been gone almost three months now!!

[manojk005]

Has ANYONE been successful with this visa? How long did it take you?? My application and my passport have been gone almost three months now!!

Probably you are the first one asking for this here.

In last quarter of last year, number of visa approved were in single digit. If total number of visa crosses 100 then it will be a big success.

[bunnymoo]

THat's really depressing -- where are you getting these statistics? however, the visa was only introduced in September 2011 so I imagine there weren't many issued last year.

[pillaipraveen]

Even I applied for a Tier 1 Exceptional Talent Visa in March and have not been notified with any decision. It looks like from January - March UKBA have issued 26 Tier 1 exceptional talent visa. 'Ref. Home Office Research and Statistics'. I might probably be the second one enquiring about the processing time ! Does anyone have an idea? Thank you, Praveen.

[ukmigrant123]

Even I applied for a Tier 1 Exceptional Talent Visa in March and have not been notified with any decision. It looks like from January - March UKBA have issued 26 Tier 1 exceptional talent visa. 'Ref. Home Office Research and Statistics'. I might probably be the second one enquiring about the processing time ! Does anyone have an idea? Thank you, Praveen.

Have you got the visa yet?