If you do not receive a BRP you can report this: here. It should usually be received within 7-10 days of any decision. A BRP should be sent by courier and cannot be collected. Waiting times do not include the time it takes to issue and send a biometric residence permit. Waiting time ends when a decision is received. When using the priority services the processing time runs from when biometrics and supporting evidence are provided. There are priority services available for an additional fee meaning a decision should be made within 5 working days or if using the super priority service, the next working day. Those applying to extend or applying for leave to remain on a temporary basis can expect to receive a decision within 8 weeks. Those applying to settle in the UK or those making a No Time Limit (NTL) application can expect to wait up to 6 months for an application to be processed. It further specifies that those switching to a Start-up visa or switching to or extending a Health and Care Worker visa should have a decision within 3 weeks once an application is made online. The government website specifies that the waiting time for Graduate visa applications starts when you’ve applied online and either attended your appointment at a visa service centre or submitted your documents using the ID Check app. The processing times will start from when the application is received, although correspondence suggests it is from when an application is accepted as valid. Service standard processing times for standard applications are 6 months or 8 weeks. Applying from inside the UK Service standard processing times To discuss your UK visa or immigration application with one of our immigration barristers, call us on 02 or complete the enquiry form below. In this article we will explore standard processing times and what action you may be able to take if there is a delay in your application.

Government advice is always not to book any travel before applying or a decision is made. Delays in UK visa and immigration decision making may cause significant prejudice, for example, not being able to commence a course of study, not being able to work or travel when there is a family emergency and may impact on an individual’s health and mental well being.įor a long time there have been reports on the delay in the immigration system and we have written previous posts on the issue.Īs most applications are time sensitive, processing times will be an important consideration. The Directorate contacts the applicant or his/her representative if an application is incomplete or if further documentation is needed.Home Office decision making is sometimes delayed and many have experienced delay during the Covid-19 Pandemic. The processing time is likely to be longer if:įurther documentation must be called for,Īn applicant has requested an exemption from permit requirements.Įven though an application has not been processed within the usual time frame, it is not necessary to contact the Directorate of Immigration.

However, an application that requires further review for assessing whether permit requirements are met may take longer to be processed. The majority of applications for a first residence permit are processed within six months and the majority of renewals within three months, see table above for status. Processing time for applications for residence permitsĪ first time applicant for a residence permit should be aware that it can take a couple of months for a first permit to be granted. The deadline for applying for a residence permit for studies is June 1st for autumn semester and November 1st for spring semester each year.Īpplications for student permits, received with satisfactory documentation within the deadline, will be processed before semester starts. If your application awaits processing, no information regarding the application can be provided by telephone or email. Therefore, it may take some time until the Directorate of Immigration contacts the applicant. In some cases, the Directorate of Immigration obtains additional information to that submitted by the applicant, for example from the police and/or tax authorities. If the application is incomplete or if necessary documentation is missing, the Directorate will contact the applicant or his/her representative. When an application is being processed, this means that it has been submitted to a case worker, who will check whether the applicant meets the conditions of the residence permit applied for.

Visa processing times