Waiting times for visa applications made in the UK
In typical Home Office fashion, years after it should have been issued, we now have some generic guidance on visa decision waiting times for applications inside the UK. Until now, we only ever had waiting times for applications outside the UK.
The standard processing time for most applications is eight weeks, with faster processing times for Start-up and Health and Care visas (three weeks). There are longer processing times (six months) for settlement applicants and those making No Time Limit applications to replace their biometric residence permit.
Experience shows that eight weeks is perhaps slightly optimistic in the current climate. Many applicants over the last year have spent months waiting on straightforward applications because of lockdowns causing a significant shortage of appointments at the Sopra Steria visa application centres. Some are still waiting many weeks to secure appointments (at extravagant prices on top of the application fees).
We also now seem to have a definitive intention to offer priority service as it was pre-Covid. It will be interesting to see whether the Home Office can deliver on the timescales.
Posted on 24.02.2021.
We provide services
Other useful articles
- Upper Tribunal says that article 8 rights of overseas family members must be considered
- Government pledges new support to prepare for EU border checks
- Home Secretary announces new measures to boost Britain’s border security
- No discrimination found against Afghan man blocked from Ukraine visa schemes
- “Smart” borders to start operating from 2025: new rules for entry into the Schengen area for citizens of the UK and other countries
- UK economy continues recovery with 0.6% growth
Get specialist advice
Please contact with one of our immigration lawyers by phone +44 (0) 207 907 1460 (London), +971 509 265 140, +971 525 977 456 (Dubai) or complete our enquiry
Contact us