Wednesday (7/27) on The Stage (U.K.), Natalie Woolman reports, “A pilot scheme that will allow high-profile actors and artists to enter the UK on special visas without jobs lined up will open for applications next month. Under the new initiative, Arts Council England and TV producers trade body PACT will assess applicants to the new ‘exceptional talent’ category of the points-based visa system. This will allow people who are ‘internationally recognised as world leaders in the arts’ to stay in the UK for up to three years and four months. Applicants do not require a job, university attachment or equivalent lined up in the UK. … A total of 1,000 new visas in the Tier 1 (Exceptional Talent) category have been released, and 300 of these have been assigned to ACE and PACT. Applications for these visas for entry during the financial year 2012/13 will open in August. The new visas are aimed at people with ‘exceptional talent’ but ACE has not yet revealed details of what the criteria will be used to judge applicants seeking this status. It plans to publish this guidance on August 9, and it will also set out the standard amount of documentation and evidence required on this date.”
Posted July 28, 2011
