I was previously a librarian, with a BSc (from the US) and an MA (from the UK) in International Relations, but at the beginning of last year, when my student visa expired and I had to return home, I decided I wanted to learn data science. So I got a job doing that, in March of last year, and started learning.
My fiancée was finishing her PhD in the UK and I wanted to come join her, so I was looking up visas and this guy, Peter, on the TechLondon Slack told me about the Tier 1 Exceptional Talent visa, so I applied and he helped me.
I'm married now, and my wife's still finishing her PhD, but now she can switch to being the spouse on my visa rather than having to find a sponsored job when she graduates. I waited a while between stages I and II because we went back to her home country to get married.
Here's my timeline:
- Category applying under: Tier 1 Exceptional Talent (Exceptional Promise)
- Country of application: United States
- Endorsement body: Tech City UK
- Date of stage I application: 27 September 2017
- Date endorsement received: 18 October 2017
- City of Visa Application Centre: Atlanta
- Date of stage II application: 15 November 2017
- Date of submission of documents/biometrics: 16 November 2017
- Date notified of successful application: 29 November 2017
- Date passport received: 30 November 2017
- Date Entry Clearance valid from: 01 December 2017
- Duration for Entry Clearance: 5 years, 4 months