Guidance

Visa processing times: applications inside the UK

Check how quickly you바카라 사이트™ll receive a decision on your UK visa application if you're applying from inside the UK.

You are not required to book any travel before you apply or before a decision is made on your application.

You should allow enough time before you make a visa application. You will only receive a refund of your application fee if we have not started to process your application.

You may be able to pay for a faster decision on a visa application.

When your application processing time starts

UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) starts processing your application once you either:

When your application processing time ends

You바카라 사이트™ll get a letter or email to let you know that a decision has been made on your application.

You can stay in the UK until you바카라 사이트™ve been given a decision, as long as you applied before your last visa expired.

You do not need to contact UKVI to track your application if you바카라 사이트™ve already made a visa application and it is still within the current processing times. We will not be able to provide information on the status of your application.

Watch our video on understanding processing times

When you might wait longer

Your visa application may take longer to process, for example:

  • the information in your application is not accurate or requires further consideration
  • you need to provide further evidence, for example evidence of funds
  • your supporting documents need to be verified
  • you need to attend an interview
  • further information is required on your personal circumstances (for example if you have a criminal conviction)
  • UKVI is experiencing increased visa demand
  • there is an unexpected technical outage affecting visa systems

You will be contacted within the current processing times if your application will take longer.

If your application has taken longer than the current processing times and you haven바카라 사이트™t been contacted by UKVI about your visa application, you should contact UKVI.

Current processing times

The processing times listed below are based on the current volume of visa applications.

Processing times are based on the UK working week (Monday to Friday). They do not include public holidays in the UK or other countries.

All UK processing times are measured against agreed customer service standards.

Visit visa

Category Processing time
Standard Visitor 8 weeks

Study visas

Category Processing time
Student 8 weeks
Child Student 8 weeks

Family visas

Category Processing time
Partner or spouse (meeting minimum income and English language requirements) 8 weeks Ìý
Partner or spouse - private life (minimum income and English language not required) 12 months* Ìý
Parent 12 months* Ìý
Child 8 weeks Ìý
Adult coming to be cared for by a relative 8 weeks Ìý

*There is no service standard for applications in the UK on the basis of your private life - Partner or spouse - private life (minimum income and English language not required) or applications as a parent. The processing times listed are based on the current volume of visa applications.

Ukraine visas

Category Processing time
Homes for Ukraine As quickly as possible

Work visas

Category Processing time
Skilled Worker 8 weeks Ìý
Health and Care Worker 3 weeks Ìý

Temporary work visas

Category Processing time
바카라 사이트 Authorised Exchange 8 weeks Ìý
Charity Worker 8 weeks Ìý
Creative Worker 8 weeks Ìý
International Agreement 8 weeks Ìý
Religious Worker 8 weeks Ìý

Work visas you can apply for without a job offer

Category Processing time
Global Talent 8 weeks Ìý
Graduate 8 weeks Ìý
Overseas Domestic Worker 8 weeks Ìý
High Potential Individual (HPI) 8 weeks Ìý
UK Ancestry 8 weeks Ìý

Work visas to start a business

Category Processing time
Innovator Founder 8 weeks Ìý
Start-up 3 weeks Ìý

Work visas for an overseas employer

Category Processing time
Overseas Domestic Worker 8 weeks Ìý
Secondment Worker 8 weeks Ìý
Senior or Specialist Worker 8 weeks Ìý
Representative of an Overseas Business 8 weeks Ìý
Service Supplier 8 weeks Ìý
UK Expansion Worker 8 weeks Ìý

Other visas and permits

Category Processing time
British National (Overseas) 12 weeks Ìý
Entrepreneur 8 weeks Ìý
International Sportsperson 8 weeks Ìý
Investor 8 weeks Ìý
Minister of Religion 8 weeks Ìý
Scale-up Worker 8 weeks Ìý
Turkish Businessperson 6 months Ìý
Turkish Worker 6 months Ìý

Updates to this page

Published 22 May 2023
Last updated 8 April 2025 show all updates
  1. Added clarification that processing times do not include bank holidays.

  2. Added information on when your visa application may take longer to process.

  3. Family visa processing times have been updated to clarify that there are no service standards for applications inside the UK if you apply as a parent or on the basis of your private life.

  4. Link to visa processing times explanatory video added.

  5. Updated to clarify the contact process in the following sections: 'When your application processing time ends' and 'When you might wait longer' and removed the India Young Professional Scheme from the 'work visas you can apply for without a job offer' table.

  6. Amended information on Ukraine visas processing time.

  7. Updated structure details on family applications.

  8. Updated family visa processing times structure.

  9. First published.

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