Table Of Contents
- Can I get a faster decision than the usual standard processing time
- How to get faster Decisions
- If you use the ‘Priority’ service, you will usually get a decision within
- Summary
The UK visa application processing time varies depending on whether you have applied from inside the UK or from overseas. If you use standard service, most visa applications (primarily work visas) take 3 weeks for processing if you apply from outside the UK and 8 weeks if you apply from inside the UK.
The standard processing time for family visa applications is different. For example, a Spouse or Partner visa takes 12 weeks for outside UK applications and 8 weeks for in-country applications.
If you applied for a visitor visa, study visa or work visa from within or outside the UK, you can check your visa processing time. Here you can see when you can expect a decision.
Using standard service means you pay the visa application fee applicable to the route you are applying for on the date of your application.
If you pay for a faster decision, your visa application processing time will be different. UK allows you to get faster decisions through the ‘Priority’ service and ‘Super Priority’ service. If it is available, you can use these services to get faster decisions than the usual standard processing times.
Importantly, you need to pay extra to avail these services on top of the application fee. With priority service, which costs £500 in addition to the standard visa fees, you may get a decision within 5 working days. On the other hand, with Super Priority service, which costs you £1,000 in addition to the standard visa application fees, you may get a decision by the end of the next working day or within 2 working days.
Can I get a faster decision than the usual standard processing time?
Generally, yes. However, not all visas offer priority or super priority service options to get a faster decision.
Only eligible UK visa applications allow you to get a faster decision, depending on whether you are applying as the lead applicant, a dependent partner, or a dependent child.
However, there is a limit on the number of people who can apply to get a faster decision. If you do not get the option to apply for a faster decision, you can still complete your visa application using standard services.
Whether you can utilise Priority and Super Priority Services depends on what you are applying for and how you prove your identity.
When you apply from inside the UK, you will prove your identity by either:
• attending an appointment to enrol your biometric information (fingerprints and facial photograph) at a UKVCAS (UK Visa and Citizen Application Services) service point in the UK
• using the app called ‘UK Immigration: ID Check’ to scan and upload your identity document
You can find out if you can apply for a priority or super priority service and what you need to do when you apply.
Please note that if you apply for a UK visa from outside the UK, the availability of priority or super priority services varies between countries/territories and visa processing centres. So, you should check the availability of services listed on your local VFS Global or TLS Visa Contact Centre.
How to get faster Decisions?
If available, you may use ‘priority’ service or ‘super priority’ service to get a faster decision on your visa applications. ‘Priority’ service usually allows you to get a decision within 5 working days, or 30 working days for Family visa applications from outside the UK. You will need to pay £500 per applicant in addition to the visa application fee.
If you are eligible and apply for a Super Priority service, you will usually receive a decision on your application by the end of the next working day. You will need to pay £1,000 per applicant in addition to the visa application fee.
You may be able to pay for a faster decision on a visa, ILR or settlement or British citizenship application.
If you use the ‘Priority’ service, you will usually get a decision within:
• 5 working days (usually Monday to Friday) for most UK visa and settlement applications
• 30 working days for Family visa applications made from outside the UK (as partner or spouse, parent, child, or adult coming to be cared for by a relative) and citizenship applications
It can still take longer for the Home Office to process your application – for example, if they need more information from you or they need to check your details with other government departments (for example, HMRC (HM Revenue and Customs) to check tax, PAYE, income and National Insurance information, DWP (Department for Work and Pensions) for information relating to benefits or other records held by the department, and DfE (Department for Education) where your education or qualification information may need to be checked.
They will inform you if this is the case.
With the ‘super priority service’ for visa and settlement applications, you will usually receive a decision by the end of the next working day. You cannot use the ‘super priority service’ for British citizenship applications.
Your visa processing time ends when you receive an email or letter informing you that a decision has been made.
If you are eligible and then choose the ‘super priority service’ and you prove your identity in person, you will usually get a decision:
• by the end of the next working day after your UKVCAS appointment date, if your UKVCAS appointment is on a weekday (Monday to Friday)
• 2 working days after your UKVCAS appointment, if your UKVCAS appointment is at the weekend or on a bank holiday
If you are eligible and then choose the ‘super priority service’ and you prove your identity using the ‘UK Immigration: ID Check’ app, you will usually get a decision:
• by the end of the next working day if you complete/finish uploading your documents if you upload them on a weekday
• 2 working days after you complete/finish uploading your documents on a weekend or a bank holiday
Regardless of whether you prove your identity at a UKVCAS service point or by using the app ‘UK Immigration: ID Check’, the Home Office can still take longer to process your application – for example, if they need more information from you or they need to check your details with other government departments.
The Home Office will inform you about this if this is the case.
Summary
You may use Priority service or Super Priority service to get a quicker decision on your visa application, but they come at an additional cost on top of the visa application fee. The Priority service costs you £500, and the Super Priority service costs you £1,000.
Also, not all visas give you the option of these services. When you make an in-country application and prove your identity using the app ‘UK Immigration: ID Check ’, you may not have these services available to you. For example, an in-country UK Global Business Mobility visa does not have Priority and ‘Super Priority’ options if you prove your identity using the app ‘UK Immigration: ID Check ‘.
Similarly, in-country family visa applications only have the ‘Super Priority’ service option if you prove your identity at a UKVCAS centre in person.
For applications made from outside of the UK, you should check with your visa application centre for the availability of these options.
Read Similar Blogs
Visa options after a graduate visa
UK Visa Curtailment: What should you do
What you need to do if there is an error with your UK e-Visa