Whatever is blocking you, start here.
Applicants hit the same six walls on the way to endorsement. Pick yours - each fix is one page, in plain English.
Facts verified against GOV.UK on 6 July 2026.
“I have been refused.”
Refused is not final. You have 28 days - and most refusals are presentation, not substance.
Read the fix →
🏢“I work at a consultancy - do I even qualify?”
A services-company payslip does not disqualify you. Presenting like one does.
Read the fix →
💷“What will this really cost my family?”
The fees are the small part. Get your true five-year number in thirty seconds.
Calculate it →
🔓“I am tied to my Skilled Worker sponsor.”
Switch from inside the UK - no sponsor, no job offer, settlement in 3 years at Talent level.
Read the fix →
📅“Half the advice online feels out of date.”
It is. The process changed on 4 August 2025 - see what is actually current.
See the changes →
✍️“Who will write my letters?”
The number-one refusal driver per Tech Nation guidance. Referees and letters that pass.
Read the fix →
Not sure which wall is yours?
The £99 Fit Assessment scores your evidence against every criterion - is available as a £199 option that includes a one-hour case discussion, refunded in full if you engage Endorsa for a document-preparation package.
Quick answers
No statutory appeal exists. You can request a free endorsement review within 28 days of receiving the decision; the outcome is emailed within 28 days. A review can only challenge process errors - no new evidence may be added, and it does not extend your permission to stay.
Working at a services company does not disqualify you. Applicants at consultancies are refused when the application presents service-delivery work rather than product contributions - the fix is in the framing of the evidence, not in changing employer.
The main applicant pays £766 in application fees plus the Immigration Health Surcharge of usually £1,035 per year - £5,941 over five years. Each dependant adds their own £766 plus their own surcharge, so a partner alone adds approximately £5,941 over five years.
Yes. Endorsement is decided usually within 5 to 8 weeks, and the in-UK visa stage takes up to 8 weeks. Once granted, you no longer depend on a sponsor or a job offer, and Exceptional Talent holders can apply for settlement after 3 years.
Per Tech Nation guidance: referees who are insufficiently senior or not from product-led digital technology companies, and letters that are vague, generic, or mirror the personal statement. You need 3 letters, and each must add independent, specific weight.