Aimed at bringing creative people to the country, the Arts Council has to confirm an applicant’s artistic talent before their visa can be signed off by the Home Office.

It is understood that transgender drag queens are among the those welcomed to the UK under the scheme, according to The Telegraph.

African evangelical church singers have also used the visa route to come to the UK, where they now sing in local African evangelical churches.

Nigerian rappers and poets have also entered the UK using the visa route.

There has been a growing debate recently about the specialised visa route for creatives after a 178 per cent increase in annual applications since 2019.

Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp called for an “urgent” review into the “obviously nonsensical” visa route.

Kubra Uzun, a transgender drag artist and self-proclaimed “LGBTQIA+ activist” from Istanbul, is one such person who has used the visa to come to the UK.

The “activist” who performs under the name Q-BRA, has songs on varied topics, including one about going out to find a sexual partner, and a version of the Carmen aria by Georges Bizet which had been re-written in “Turkish queer slang”.

Transgender drag artist, Akis Ka, is another recipient of the Global Talent visa, who aims to “leave queer marks on art history” with a focus on “trans rights/of existence, body politics, food and eating sociology”.

A self-created online fundraiser was set up to “help Akis Ka’s immigration and manageable start in the UK” and has so far raised over £4,000.

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Exceptional Pathways is a Birmingham-based company which, according to the website, offers to help artists with “Global Talent visa documentation and submission”.

The company also says it can provide support with media coverage, something which must be proved by Global Talent visa applicants within their submission to the Arts Council.

The registered owner of Exceptional Pathways is Tobi Adegbite, a Nigerian rapper who has brought his music “from Lagos to Birmingham” and now uses the stage name Rhookcastle.

Since 2019, the number of applications for the Global Talent visa being submitted from Nigeria has increased by 2,225 per cent, according to The Telegraph.

Other nationalities which have submitted large numbers of applications include Russia (725), China (492), Australia (233), and India (160).

In the past six years, the sharp increase in annual applications has sparked scepticism about the visa route.

Mr Philp told The Telegraph: “A full review and clampdown on obviously nonsensical arts visa issuance is urgently required.

“The idea that drag artists represent global talent is frankly laughable.

“These visas should be for research scientists, IT professionals, medics, people working at the cutting edge of finance of others who will add value to the economy.”

He added: “Allowing these visas to be used for drag queens us patently ridiculous and the Government should urgently get a grip.”

The Home Office is understood to have created a temporary list of “shortage” occupations which have application routes safeguarded for those with specific skills.

This includes “poets” and “bloggers”, both of which come under the visa route for the broad category of “authors, writers and translators”.