UK Visa Processing & Decision Waiting Times

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UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) has released standards of service regarding the waiting time for the decision on immigration and visa applications. UKVI also releases up-to-date information about the current processing times for immigration and visa applications made in the UK and outside of the UK.

In this post, we will take an in-depth review of UK processing times for visas and what are the Home Office service standards for waiting times, the current Home Office visa processing times and options to get an earlier decision on an immigration or visa application and the best way to fight delays in the process of the UK applicant for a visa. We also provide answers to frequently asked questions regarding UKVI processing times for tickets and review some of the elements to be considered when deciding on timing the immigration application.

UKVI Visa Processing Standard Processing Times

Suppose you submit a UK visa application is complete. It includes all the relevant information and documentation (and that the Home Office does not need to obtain additional proof or provide an explanation). In that case, The following customer service standards must be followed:

Non-settlement Visa applications made from outside the UK 90% to be determined within three weeks, 98% in 6 weeks, and 100 percent within 12 weeks from the deadline (where one week equals the equivalent of 5 days working);

Settlement visa applications made from outside the UK: 98.5% of settlement applications will be considered within 12 weeks from the date of the application, and 100 percent within 24 weeks from the date of the application (where one week equals five days working);

Leave to remain applications made within the UK for spouses, workers and students: 8 weeks to be considered;

Indefinite leave applications for (ILR) are accepted within the UK six months before being determined;

No time limit applications (NTL) made within the UK six months prior to when they will be determined;

Organizations that want to sponsor a worker for eight weeks;

Organizations that update their sponsor licence information for 18 weeks.

The standard processing time for applications submitted through the super-priority and priority service is five working days and the next day if the services are offered (see more below). Requests for a sponsor licence made through the pre-licence prioritization sponsorship licence service must be considered by the end of 10 business days.

These standards for service are the processing times for visas that UKVI will strive to provide to process simple full applications that are based on the customer charter. Actual UK visa processing times can vary considerably.

What Factors Affect UK Visa Processing Times?

There are many reasons that can cause delays in UK Visa processing time, including:

The complexity of the situation may be a factor, such as if it involves evaluating Article 8 ECHR rights or derivative rights of EEA extended family members;

Concerns about suitability requirements, for example, criminality

Beware of any negative background in immigration;

There are concerns about whether documents are authentic;

The number of documents available;

If further investigations are necessary or an interview has been scheduled

The ability of caseworkers and

The season of the year.

There isn't a published time-of-service standard for more complicated applications. UKVI has a broad range of discretion with regards to the timeframe of their decision-making.

Home Office decision-making is sometimes delayed. In recent years, numerous UK applicants for visas have had prolonged waiting times as a result of covid-19. At present, as we explain below, the decisions regarding specific UK Visa applications are delayed once more because The Home Office seeks to prioritize Ukraine Visa Scheme applications as an effort to address the humanitarian crisis triggered by the incursion of Ukraine.

What Are the Current Home Office UK Visa Processing Times?

The Home Office publishes visa decision waiting times for visa applications made in the outside world as well as within the UK. With this information, it's possible to estimate the time it will be for a pending Visa application to get considered.

The information given below assumes that the request is or will be submitted using the standard application process, as well as that the priority or super-priority option, if it is available (see more below), was not utilized.

Work in the UK

The UK provides a variety of non-sponsored and sponsored work and business immigration options, such as:

Long Term Work Visas (including Skilled Worker, International Sportsperson and Minister of Religion)

Short Term Work Visas (including High Potential Individual and Creative Worker)

Business Visas (including Innovator)

Global Business Mobility Visas (including Senior or Specialist Worker and UK Expansion Worker)

Talent Visas

You can apply for a UK work visa as long as three months before you're due to start working at a job in the UK.

Following Home Office service standards, applicants who apply for work visas from abroad in any of the mentioned categories are expected to be granted a decision on their application within four weeks.

HThe Home Office is currently advising that visa applications for skilled workers require an average of six weeks to complete. It is reported that the Home Office states that it is working to speed up the processing of applications and return to the 3-week timeframe.

The typical processing time required for an application to extend or switch the duration of a time in the UK through the work visa route is eight weeks. This standard of service is currently being fulfilled in the real world. Applications to change to a Start-up visa or to extend or switch to the Health and Care Worker visa are typically completed within three weeks at present.

If you're requesting settlement on a business basis, you will typically get a decision within six months.

Join or Stay With Family in the UK

You could request a visa for your family in order to reside inside the UK with your British or settled family member:

Spouse

Civil Partner

Unmarried Partner

Fiance(e)

Proposed civil partner

Child

Adult dependent relative

Requests for family and partner visas may be made three months before the date you want to travel.

The standard of service to decide on an application from outside of the UK to reside in the UK as the spouse, partner, or family member of the British citizen or a settled individual is twelve weeks. However, The Home Office is currently advising that family visa applications made from outside the UK can take as long as 24 weeks for processing, and it will prioritize Ukraine Visa Scheme applications.

Can I Visit the UK While My Partner Visa Is Being Processed?

An application made from within the UK to transfer into or extend the status of spouse civil partner, civil partner, unmarried partner fiance(e) or as a proposed partner in civil life or child-dependent family member should be processed within eight weeks.

Suppose you're seeking the EU Settlement Scheme Family Permit and are applying for a Family Permit under the EU Settlement Scheme. In that case, the Home Office is currently advising that you will be notified of an answer in the shortest possible time after the verification of your identity and submission of the required documents.

There aren't any normal processing times for applications made by a parent, partner or parent or based on personal life (10-year routes or a 5-year parental route from settlement). The median wait time to receive an answer to an application for private life is, at present, 11 months.

If you're requesting a settlement, you will usually get an answer within six months.

Visit the UK

The UK provides a variety of short-stay visas to be used for such purposes as:

• Family, friends and/or on holiday for a brief period;
• Business activity that is not paid for short-term;
• Creative activities that are not paid;
• Studies in short courses or research
• Sporting activities for which there is no compensation;
• Private medical treatment;
• The civil partnership and marriage ceremony is legal in the UK;

Requests for visas for UK visit visas are submitted as long as three months prior to the planned time of the trip.

Visa applications for visitors from outside of the UK are taking an average of 7 weeks for processing; however, The Home Office advises that certain applications may require longer. It is more than the usual 3-week processing time.

Visitors are generally not allowed to extend their stay in the UK However, when you are receiving medical treatment or an academic who has the eligibility requirements, or you and a graduate who is completing an attachment in clinical or trying to retake PLAB, PLAB test, and wish to extend your stay as a visiting are eligible, you will usually get an answer within eight weeks.

Visitors aren't qualified to apply for settlement.

Study in the UK

A Student Visa is designed for those who are 16 or older and want to pursue an advanced or higher education program in the UK. This Child Student visa route is for children between the ages of 4-17 who want to attend an independent school within the UK that the Home Office authorizes as a Home Office-approved student sponsor. The Short-term Student visa is an option for people older than 16 who wish to take in an English or other language in the UK for between 6 and 11 months, without having a sponsor for students but at an accredited college.