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Home Office publishes visa processing times for applications inside the UK

Home Office publishes visa processing times for applications inside the UK

The Home Office has published a new guidance webpage in relation to the visa processing times for applications made inside the UK.

In addition to setting out the timeframes for various applications, it also looks at processing times for priority and super priority applications and the circumstances in which the Home Office may take longer to decide an application.

Switch to or extend a family visa

You should usually get a decision on your visa within 8 weeks once you’ve applied online to switch to or extend as a spouse or partner, fiancé, fiancée or proposed civil partner, child, parent

Extend a relative who’ll provide long-term care visa

You should usually get a decision on your visa within 8 weeks once you’ve applied online to extend as a relative who’ll provide long-term care.

Extend a Parent of a Child Student visa

You should usually get a decision within 8 weeks once you’ve applied online and you’re applying to extend a Parent of a Child Student visa.

Switch to or extend a work visa

You usually should get a decision on your visa within 8 weeks once you’ve applied online to extend or switch to any of the following work visas: Global Talent, Innovator, Intra-company

Skilled worker, Entrepreneur, Investor, Minister of Religion, Sportsperson

Switch to a Start-up visa

You should usually get a decision on your visa within 3 weeks once you’ve applied online to switch to a Start-up visa.

Extend a Domestic Workers in a Private Household visa

You should get a decision on your visa within 8 weeks once you’ve applied online to extend a Domestic Workers in a Private Household visa.

Extend a Representative of an Overseas Business visa

You should usually get a decision on your visa within 8 weeks once you’ve applied online to extend a Representative of an Overseas Business visa.

Switch to or extend a Health and Care Worker visa

You should usually get a decision on your visa within 3 weeks once you’ve applied online to switch to or extend a Health and Care Worker visa.

Switch to or extend a Temporary Worker visa

You should usually get a decision on your visa within 8 weeks once you’ve applied online to switch to or extend in any of the following temporary work visas:

  • Creative and Sporting
  • Government Authorised Exchange
  • International Agreement Worker

Extend a Charity Worker visa

You should usually get a decision on your visa within 8 weeks once you’ve applied online to extend a Charity Worker visa.

Extend a Religious Worker visa

You should usually get a decision on your visa within 8 weeks once you’ve applied online to extend a Religious Worker visa.

Extend a Standard Visitor visa

You should usually get a decision within 8 weeks once you’ve applied online to extend a visitor visa as a:

  • a patient receiving medical treatment
  • an academic and you still meet the eligibility requirements
  • a graduate doing a clinical attachment or retaking the Professional and Linguistic Assessment Board (PLAB) test

Extend an Ancestry visa

You should usually get a decision on your visa within 8 weeks once you’ve applied online to extend a UK Ancestry visa.

Windrush Scheme

If you’re applying under the Windrush Scheme read the guidance and the latest correspondence on the work of the Home Office in relation to Windrush.

Replace your status with a biometric residence permit (BRP)

If you apply for a biometric residence permit (BRP) to replace conditions (or wet ink stamp) in your passport or UK travel document, you should usually get decision:

  • within 8 weeks of applying online if it’s a visa
  • within 6 months of applying online if it’s for settlement (also called ‘indefinite leave to remain’)

Applying for settlement (ILR)

You should usually get a decision on your visa within 6 months once you apply online.

Priority services – get a faster decision

Get a decision within 5 working days (priority service):

If you’re eligible, you can choose the ‘priority service’ when you apply. There will be an additional cost for this service.

You should get a decision within 5 working days of your appointment at a UKVCAS centre.

Decision within 24 hours (super priority service)

If you’re eligible, you can choose the ‘super priority service’ when you apply. There will be an additional cost for this service.

A decision should be made:

  • by the end of the next working day after your UKVCAS appointment if your appointment is on a weekday
  • 2 working days after your UKVCAS appointment if your appointment is at the weekend

What happens next

You’ll get a decision letter by post or email with the result of your application.

If you received a successful decision, you’ll either get a:

  • biometric residence permit (BRP) if you provided your biometric information and provided your documents at a visa service centre
  • digital immigration status if you used the ‘UK Immigration: ID Check’ app to prove your identity when applying for your visa

When you’ll get your BRP

Your BRP will be sent to your address by courier. You cannot collect it from the Home Office.

You should usually receive it within 7 to 10 days of getting your decision letter from the Home  Office saying that you can remain in the UK.

If your BRP has not arrived within 10 days after getting your letter, you can track the delivery or report your missing BRP online.

When you might wait longer

You might wait longer for a decision if your application is not straightforward and more information is required before a decision is made, for example:

  • if your supporting documents need to be verified
  • if you need to attend an interview
  • because of your personal circumstances (for example if you have a criminal conviction)
  • If you applied for a priority or super priority visa and your application is not straightforward, you may have to wait longer, but your application will still be put at the front of the queue at every stage of the decision-making process. UK Visas and Immigration will try to process your application within our standard timescales.