The waiting time starts once you’ve submitted your application online and ends when you get a letter or an email with a decision.
As part of the application process, you’ll need to either:
- book and attend your appointment to submit your fingerprints and a photograph (biometric information) at a UK Visa and Citizenship Application Services (UKVCAS) centre, Service and Support Centre (SSC)
- verify your identity and submit your documents using the UK Immigration: ID Check app. We’ll tell you if you can use this
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 waiting time ends for all applications when you get a letter or an email with a decision.
You can stay in the UK until you’ve been given a decision, as long as you applied before your last visa expired.
Switch to or extend a Student visa
You should usually get a decision within 8 weeks once you’ve applied online to switch to or extend a Student or Child Student visa.
You may be able to pay to get a faster decision – you’ll be told if you can when you apply.
Switch to or extend a family visa
You should usually get a decision on your visa within 8 weeks once you’ve applied online to switch to or extend as a:
When you apply, you’ll be told if you can pay to get a faster decision.
Extend a relative who’ll provide long-term care visa
You should usually get a decision on your visa within 8 weeks once you’ve applied online to extend as a relative who’ll provide long-term care.
Extend a Parent of a Child Student visa
You should usually get a decision within 8 weeks once you’ve applied online and you’re applying to extend a Parent of a Child Student visa.
When you apply, you’ll be told if you can pay to get a faster decision.
Switch to or extend a work visa
You usually should get a decision on your visa within 8 weeks once you’ve applied online to extend or switch to any of the following work visas:
- Global Talent
- Innovator
- Intra-company
- Skilled worker
- Entrepreneur
- Investor
- Minister of Religion
- Sportsperson
When you apply, you’ll be told if you can pay to get a faster decision.
Switch to a Graduate visa
You should usually get a decision on your visa within 8 weeks once you’ve applied online and either attended your appointment at a visa service centre or submitted your documents using the ID Check app to switch to a Graduate visa.
Switch to a Start-up visa
You should usually get a decision on your visa within 3 weeks once you’ve applied online to switch to a Start-up visa.
When you apply, you’ll be told if you can pay to get a faster decision.
Extend a Domestic Workers in a Private Household visa
You should get a decision on your visa within 8 weeks once you’ve applied online to extend a Domestic Workers in a Private Household visa.
When you apply, you’ll be told if you can pay to get a faster decision.
Extend a Representative of an Overseas Business visa
You should usually get a decision on your visa within 8 weeks once you’ve applied online to extend a Representative of an Overseas Business visa.
Switch to or extend a Health and Care Worker visa
You should usually get a decision on your visa within 3 weeks once you’ve applied online to switch to or extend a Health and Care Worker visa.
When you apply, you’ll be told if you can pay to get a faster decision.
Switch to or extend a Temporary Worker visa
You should usually get a decision on your visa within 8 weeks once you’ve applied online to switch to or extend in any of the following temporary work visas:
When you apply, you’ll be told if you can pay to get a faster decision.
Extend a Charity Worker visa
You should usually get a decision on your visa within 8 weeks once you’ve applied online to extend a Charity Worker visa.
You may be able to pay to get a faster decision – you’ll be told if you can when you apply.
Extend a Religious Worker visa
You should usually get a decision on your visa within 8 weeks once you’ve applied online to extend a Religious Worker visa.
You may be able to pay to get a faster decision – you’ll be told if you can when you apply.
Extend a Standard Visitor visa
You should usually get a decision within 8 weeks once once you’ve applied online to extend a visitor visa as a:
- a patient receiving medical treatment
- an academic and you still meet the eligibility requirements
- a graduate doing a clinical attachment or retaking the Professional and Linguistic Assessment Board (PLAB) test
When you apply, you’ll be told if you can pay to get a faster decision.
Commonwealth citizens
Extend an Ancestry visa
You should usually get a decision on your visa within 8 weeks once you’ve applied online to extend a UK Ancestry visa.
When you apply, you’ll be told if you can pay to get a faster decision.
Windrush Scheme
If you’re applying under the Windrush Scheme read the guidance and the latest correspondence on the work of the Home Office in relation to Windrush.
Replace your status with a biometric residence permit (BRP)
If you apply for a biometric residence permit (BRP) to replace conditions (or wet ink stamp) in your passport or UK travel document, you should usually get decision:
- within 8 weeks of applying online if it’s a visa
- within 6 months of applying online if it’s for settlement (also called ‘indefinite leave to remain’)
Applying for settlement
You should usually get a decision on your visa within 6 months once you apply online.
When you apply, you’ll be told if you can pay to get a faster decision.
Check if you’re eligible for settlement in the UK.
Priority services – get a faster decision
Get a decision within 5 working days (priority service)
If you’re eligible, you can choose the ‘priority service’ when you apply. There will be an additional cost for this service.
You should get a decision within 5 working days of your appointment at a UKVCAS centre.
Decision within 24 hours (super priority service)
If you’re eligible, you can choose the ‘super priority service’ when you apply. There will be an additional cost for this service.
A decision should be made:
- by the end of the next working day after your UKVCAS appointment if your appointment is on a weekday
- 2 working days after your UKVCAS appointment if your appointment is at the weekend
What happens next
You’ll get a decision letter by post or email with the result of your application.
If you received a successful decision, you’ll either get a:
- biometric residence permit (BRP) if you provided your biometric information and provided your documents at a visa service centre
- digital immigration status if you used the ‘UK Immigration: ID Check’ app to prove your identity and and submitted your documents when applying for your visa
When you’ll get your BRP
Your BRP will be sent to your address by courier. You cannot collect it from us.
You should usually receive it within 7 to 10 days of getting your decision letter from the Home Office saying that you can remain in the UK.
If your BRP has not arrived within 10 days after getting your letter, you can track the delivery or report your missing BRP online.
When you might wait longer
You might wait longer for a decision if your application is not straightforward and more information is required before a decision is made, for example:
- if your supporting documents need to be verified
- if you need to attend an interview
- because of your personal circumstances (for example if you have a criminal conviction)
If you applied for a priority or super priority visa and your application is not straightforward, you may have to wait longer, but your application will still be put at the front of the queue at every stage of the decision-making process. UK Visas and Immigration will try to process your application within our standard timescales.
