If you are awaiting a decision on an application for a UK visa, tracking the progress of your application can be crucial to planning ahead, especially where you are time-pressured for a decision.
The following guide looks at how UK visa applicants can check the status of their applications, whether you have applied to extend an existing visa or switch to a new category of visa from within the UK, or you are applying for entry clearance or leave to enter the UK from another country.
We also share general guidance on the standard and premium visa processing times.
Most applications to extend leave to remain in the UK, including applications to switch to another visa category, as well as applications for settlement and citizenship, are now made through the UK Visa and Citizenship Application Services (UKVCAS).
UKVCAS was launched by the UK Home Office to speed up the processing of in-country further leave to remain applications. Applicants are required to attend a single appointment to have their identity confirmed, enrol any biometric information (fingerprints and photograph) that may be required and submit their documentation in support.
However, applicants will not be given a decision at their UKVCAS appointment. The visa application and supporting documents will be sent to UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) to be processed. UKVI is a division of the Home Office responsible for the UK’s visa system, who will allocate to a specific case worker for a decision to be made.
UKVCAS cannot answer queries about the status of an application. You would instead need to contact UKVI.
If you have already submitted a UK visa application and are now waiting to hear the outcome, visit the GOV.UK website to find information and updates from UKVI on visa processing in general.
You cannot currently track your individual visa application online – either through UKVCAS or UKVI – but you can use an online tool to obtain information on which department to contact for your particular application.
You will need to answer a couple of questions about your application when using this tool, such as the case reference number assigned when you submitted the application, and you should be provided contact information for different departments at UKVI.
You can call the UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) contact centre by telephone on 0300 790 6268 – select option 2 – Monday to Thursday (excluding bank holidays), 9am to 4:45pm and Friday (excluding bank holidays), 9am to 4:30pm.
If you have any questions about British citizenship applications, you will need to contact the Citizenship and Nationality Enquiries team by email nationalityenquiries@homeoffice.gov.uk, or by phone: 0300 790 6268 – select option 2 – Monday to Thursday, 9am to 4:45pm and Friday, 9am to 4:30pm.
When applying for a visa from outside the UK, you will need to attend a visa application centre in the country from which you are applying to provide your biometric information, together with all necessary documents in support of your application.
As with in-country visa applications, you will not receive a decision on your application at your appointment to enrol your biometric information and provide your supporting documentation. You will instead be required to wait for a decision from UKVI.
You can check the status of your out-of-country application using the UKVI website. This ‘General Enquiry’ service incurs a charge of £2.74 per application, which covers the initial email enquiry as well as follow-up emails relating to the same enquiry.
You will need a credit or debit card to use this service, where you will be asked to enter your payment details before sending your email, but you will not be charged until your message has been sent. UKVI will usually reply within 2 days, except on Saturdays, Sundays and UK public holidays.
On the TLScontact website, click ‘Provide Documents and Biometrics’ and then ‘Continue’ to be redirected to your account. Choose the option to ‘Track’ which will display the real-time status of your application.
On the VFS Global website, choose the location of the visa application centre where you provided your biometrics, then select ‘Track your application’. IF you do not ave the option to track your application, you should try the UKVI website.
You can call UKVI with a question about your application on +44 (0)300 790 6268 – select option 1, or +44 (0)203 875 4669. This service is open Monday to Friday, 24 hours, at a cost of 69p per minute on top of your standard network charges.
Please note, if your message is urgent, you can phone the contact centre instead, although the contact centre staff will not have any involvement in the outcome of your case.
The time in which it will take to process your UK visa application will primarily depend on whether you have applied to either come to or remain in the UK. The category of visa that you are applying for will also affect your application wait times.
Generally speaking, the wait times for visa applications made from outside the UK are typically shorter than for in-country applications.
If you are applying to remain in the UK, you should still be allowed to stay in the UK pending any decision from UKVI, so long as you have submitted your application to extend your leave to remain or switch to another category before your existing visa expires.
UKVI publishes standard processing times for applications on its website in accordance with their customer charter. It is important to remember that the guide times provided are not a guarantee.
Based on the current processing times, for those applying to remain in the UK on a temporary basis, including as workers and students, the standard processing time is 8 weeks. Applications for indefinite leave to remain made from inside the UK will usually be dealt with within 6 months.
For those applying for a visa from outside the UK, the target is for 90% of non-settlement applications to be processed within 3 weeks, 98% within 6 weeks and 100% within 12 weeks of the application date, where 1 week is 5 working days.
Currently, student and Skilled Worker applications are taking 3 weeks to process out of country, while family visas are taking 24 weeks.
For those applying for settlement from outside the UK, it is estimated that 98.5% of settlement applications will be dealt with within 12 weeks of the application date, and 100% within 24 weeks of the application date, where again 1 week is 5 working days.
If you are looking to obtain a faster decision on your visa application, in many cases it is possible to pay for premium processing, or what’s known as a priority service, when you submit your application. You will need to check your application type for available priority services. If you are applying outside the UK, you will also need to check with the visa application centre where you intend to make your application.
There may be two premium processing options available to you: the ‘5 working day priority service’ and the ‘next working day super priority service’. The timescales for priority services will run from when you complete your appointment to provide your biometric information and supporting evidence, although these times do not include the time taken to issue you with your Biometric Residence Permit (BRP). You will usually receive your BRP within 7 working days after a decision has been made on your application.
For super priority service appointments attended on a Saturday or Sunday, the appointment will be deemed as attended on the next working day. Where there is a bank holiday the next working day will be classed as a Tuesday, but in most cases this will be a Monday. This means, for example, a Saturday appointment will usually be deemed as attended on the Monday after the weekend, and the decision on your visa application completed and dispatched by the end of the next working day.
If your visa application is straightforward, for example, where a decision can be made on it without you being asked for more information, it will usually be decided within the standard processing times or, where you have paid for a faster decision, the premium processing times.
If, however, your application is more complex, the usual times may not necessarily apply and you may need to wait longer for a decision. If your application is delayed, you will be informed by letter as to what will happen next within the relevant timescales for your visa.
If you applied for a priority or super priority visa and it is not possible to meet the applicable timescale, your application will still be put at the front of the queue at every stage of the decision-making process. UKVI will also still aim to process your application within standard global timescales. In these circumstances, you may be able to request a refund of the additional fee paid for premium processing.
Your application could be delayed for a number of reasons. This could be due to backlogs in processing applications by UKVI, both generally and, more recently, because of the coronavirus pandemic. This could also be because your supporting documents need to be verified and/or you are required to attend an interview, or because of your personal circumstances, such as any adverse immigration history or criminal convictions.
Your visa application will be assessed both in accordance with the general requirements under the UK immigration rules, as well as the specific eligibility criteria required for your visa category. If there is insufficient evidence in support of your application, or a question mark over whether you qualify for a particular visa or satisfy the general requirements to come to or remain in the UK, further investigations may be warranted.
If you have been asked to provide additional documentation in support of your UK visa application, or have concerns about attending an interview, expert advice should be sought from an immigration specialist to guide you through this process.
How can I check the status of my UK visa application?
There are different ways of checking different types of applications. For example, if you have made a visa extension application from within the UK, there is no online checking service available so you would instead need to call UKVI.
How do I check my VFS application status?
If you have applied overseas for a UK visa and attended an appointment at a visa application centre, you can go to the GOV.UK online tool to track your VFS application status. VFS are the commercial partners used by UKVI to help deliver their overseas visa services. You will be given the option of contacting UKVI by either telephone or email, although email enquiries are more likely to be directed to the caseworker dealing with your application.
How can I check my UK visa status with passport number?
When you first submitted your application for a UK visa, you will have been asked to provide your passport. Once your application has been successfully submitted, you should then have been given a case reference number. You will need to have this number to hand when you phone or email UKVI to check your UK visa status and the progress of your application.
How long does it take to process a UK visa application?
The processing time for a UK visa application varies depending on the type of visa you have applied for and your location. Generally, the UKVI aims to process standard visitor visa applications within three weeks, while other types of visas may take longer. It is advisable to check the UKVI website for the most current processing times relevant to your specific visa category.
What information do I need to check my visa application status?
To check your visa application status, you will need your application reference number, which is typically found on the receipt or email confirmation you received when you submitted your application. Additionally, you may need to provide personal details such as your date of birth and passport number.
What should I do if I do not receive any updates about my visa application?
If you do not receive any updates about your visa application within the expected processing time, you can contact the UKVI for assistance. They provide contact details on their website, including an international contact number and an email address. Ensure you have your application reference number and other relevant details handy when you make your inquiry.
Can I check my visa application status in person?
No, it is not possible to check your visa application status in person. All status inquiries must be made online or through the UKVI’s contact services. However, if you submitted your application through a visa application centre, you may visit the centre for general inquiries and assistance.
Will I be notified once a decision is made on my visa application?
Yes, you will be notified once a decision is made on your visa application. The notification will typically come via email or SMS, depending on the communication preferences you selected when you submitted your application. The decision notification will provide instructions on how to collect your passport and any relevant documents.
Is there a way to expedite my UK visa application status check?
There is no specific service to expedite the status check of your UK visa application. However, the UKVI offers priority and super priority visa processing services for an additional fee, which can expedite the overall processing time of your application. Information about these services is available on the UKVI website.
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Visa | An official endorsement on a passport or travel document that allows the bearer to enter, leave, or stay in a country for a specified period. |
| UKVI | Stands for UK Visas and Immigration, the division of the Home Office responsible for the United Kingdom’s visa system. |
| Application Reference Number | A unique identifier given to each visa application, used to track and check the status of the application. |
| BRP | Biometric Residence Permit, a card that contains a person’s immigration status and entitlements while in the UK. |
| Sponsor | An individual or organisation that supports a visa application, often required for work or study visas. |
| ILR | Indefinite Leave to Remain, allowing a person to stay in the UK without time restrictions. |
| PBS | Points-Based System, a method used by the UK to assess visa applications based on a set of criteria and points. |
| eVisa | Digital record of an individual’s immigration status in the UK. This is a new system being introduced to replace physical documents like biometric residence permits (BRPs) and passport endorsements. |
| EUSS | EU Settlement Scheme, a scheme for EU, EEA, and Swiss citizens and their family members to continue living in the UK post-Brexit. |
| CAS | Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies, a reference number issued by UK educational institutions to international students for their visa application. |
| GWF Number | A unique reference number assigned to each visa application submitted through the online application system. |
| Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) | A fee paid by visa applicants to access the UK’s National Health Service (NHS) during their stay. |
| Priority Service | A premium service that expedites the processing time of a visa application for an additional fee. |
| Visa Validity | The period during which a visa is valid and the holder is allowed to enter and stay in the UK. |
| Refusal | The decision made by UKVI to deny a visa application based on set criteria and regulations. |
| Appeal | The process of challenging a visa application refusal decision made by UKVI. |
| Biometric Appointment | A scheduled meeting where visa applicants provide their fingerprints and photograph as part of the application process. |
| Vignette | A visa sticker placed in the passport that indicates the type and validity of the visa. |
