On 27 May 2025, Tech Nation announced that it will continue to be the endorsing body for the Global Talent Visa in Digital Technology route for the next 3 years.
Their contract expired with *UKVI (Home office) and a new contract has now been signed for the next 3 years. Tech Nation won the £11m tender that was published in October 2024 after UKVI conducted extensive market testing since December 2023. They finally chose Tech Nation as the successful applicant. UKVI has always maintained the position for applicants to submit and proceed as planned while they work out who the new endorsing body would be.
This is great news because ever since Tech Nation announced its closure in 2023 because it lost its Government funding (Thankfully, Founders Forum acquired Tech Nation and it continued to operate under the Founders Forum umbrella) The future of Tech Nation since 2023 was always in the balance. This news confirms that Tech Nation will continue to be the endorsing body for the Digital Technology route and the status quo is maintained. This news provides the certainty we have all been waiting for.
Tech Nation endorsed me as an exceptionally talented leader in tech almost 10 years ago. I have always known Tech Nation as the endorsing body and they have been the organisation that has always championed and supported tech entrepreneurs. Therefore, being acquired by Founders Forum was a good and natural fit for Tech Nation.
I hope this is reassuring and if you are planning to apply for the UK Global Talent Visa (Digital Technology), and need support, please complete my eligibility questionnaire here or contact me at techvisa@michellehua.co.uk.
*UKVI is a department within the Home Office. UKVI is responsible for making millions of decisions every year about who has the right to visit or stay in the country, with a firm emphasis on national security and a culture of customer satisfaction for people who come to the UK legally. The Home Office’s vision is to have a world-leading immigration service working for a safe and prosperous UK. To that end, two key missions are to deliver world-class customer service and to control migration.
The Global Talent Visa was introduced in February 2020 to replace the Tier 1 (Exceptional Talent) visa and make the process smoother, efficient, and more attractive for exceptionally talented people to live and work in the UK. To qualify under the Global Talent Visa category, most applicants (excluding those that have prestigious prizes) need to be endorsed by a relevant Endorsing Body.
The Endorsing Body is responsible for assessing whether an individual is internationally recognised as, or has demonstrated the potential to become, a leader in digital technology. The Global Talent Visa application process requires individuals to make their endorsement application direct to the Home Office.
This includes paying the fee and submitting information and evidence linked to their claim of exceptional talent or promise. The Home Office then send all relevant information to the Endorsing Body.
Although the endorsement application is submitted to the Home Office, the endorsing body carry out the assessment without involvement from the Home Office. If the endorsing body is satisfied that an individual is of sufficient calibre to receive endorsement, applicants are able to apply to the Home Office for a Global Talent Visa.
The endorsing body is not involved in the visa part of the assessment. Endorsing bodies also work with the Home Office to formulate, agree, publish and apply the criteria that applicants are required to meet to be considered as “exceptionally talented” or as demonstrating “exceptional promise” in the digital technology field.
Due to the nature of the service, it is necessary for the Endorsing Body to be a leading expert in the Digital Technology industry. Currently around 4,000 customers apply for endorsement per annum from across the UK and the rest of the world.
Source: https://bidstats.uk/tenders/2025/W20/846594497
The contents of this blog is not to be taken as legal advice and we highly recommend you seek legal advice for any immigration related issues. Michelle Hua is not an immigration solicitor. Any content provided is only for Stage 1 endorsement for the UK Global Talent Visa. Stage 2 are visa applications and an Immigration Solicitor can assist with those enquiries.
