Get a faster decision on your visa or settlement application

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Eligible visas when applying from inside the UK

You can apply for a faster decision on certain:

  • visa applications
  • applications to extend your stay in the UK
  • applications to settle in the UK

These tables list the eligible applications and whether you can pay to get a faster decision:

  • within 5 working days
  • by the end of the next working day

They also list the visa applications eligible for getting a faster decision depending on whether you’re applying:

  • as the main applicant
  • as a dependent partner or child

There’s a limit on how many people can apply for a faster decision. If you’re not offered the option to apply for a faster decision, you can still complete a standard application.

Whether you can get a faster decision depends on what you’re applying for and how you prove your identity.

You’ll prove your identity by either:

  • attending an appointment at a UK Visa and Citizen Application Services (UKVCAS) centre
  • using the ‘UK Immigration: ID Check’ app to scan your identity document

You’ll find out if you can get a faster decision and what you need to do when you apply.

If you want to work in the UK

If you’re applying based on your job or being sponsored

UKVCAS appointment: within 5 working days UKVCAS appointment: next working day ID app: within 5 working days ID app: next working day
Health and Care Worker visa Yes Yes Yes Yes
Minister of Religion visa (T2) Yes Yes No No
Scale-up Worker visa No No Yes Yes
Skilled Worker visa Yes Yes Yes Yes

Work in the UK for an overseas employer

UKVCAS appointment: within 5 working days UKVCAS appointment: next working day ID app: within 5 working days ID app: next working day
Graduate Entrepreneur visa Yes Yes No No
Graduate Trainee - Global Business Mobility visa Yes Yes Yes Yes
Secondment Worker - Global Business Mobility visa Yes Yes Yes Yes
Senior or Specialist Worker - Global Business Mobility visa Yes Yes Yes Yes
Service Supplier - Global Business Mobility visa Yes Yes Yes Yes
UK Expansion Worker - Global Business Mobility visa Yes Yes Yes Yes

Temporary work

UKVCAS appointment: within 5 working days UKVCAS appointment: next working day ID app: within 5 working days ID app: next working day
Charity Worker visa (Temporary Work) Yes Yes Yes Yes
Creative Worker visa (Temporary Work) Yes Yes Yes Yes
Government Authorised Exchange visa (Temporary Work) Yes Yes Yes Yes
International Agreement visa (Temporary Work) Yes Yes Yes Yes
Religious Worker visa (Temporary Work) Yes Yes Yes Yes

Starting a business

UKVCAS appointment: within 5 working days UKVCAS appointment: next working day ID app: within 5 working days ID app: next working day
Innovator Founder visa Yes Yes No Yes

Other work visas

UKVCAS appointment: within 5 working days UKVCAS appointment: next working day ID app: within 5 working days ID app: next working day
Global Talent visa Yes Yes Yes Yes
Graduate visa Yes Yes Yes No
High Potential Individual visa Yes Yes Yes Yes
Hong Kong BNO visa Yes Yes Yes Yes
International Sportsperson visa Yes Yes Yes Yes
Investor visa (Tier 1) Yes No No No
Youth Mobility Scheme visa Yes Yes Yes No
UK Ancestry visa No Yes No No

If you want to study in the UK

UKVCAS appointment: within 5 working days UKVCAS appointment: next working day ID app: within 5 working days ID app: next working day
Child student visa Yes Yes Yes Yes
Student visa Yes Yes Yes Yes

If you want to join family in the UK

UKVCAS appointment: within 5 working days UKVCAS appointment: next working day ID app: within 5 working days ID app: next working day
Family visa No Yes No No

Eligible applications if you’re applying as a dependent partner or child

UKVCAS appointment: within 5 working days UKVCAS appointment: next working day ID app: within 5 working days ID app: next working day
Global Business Mobility visa Yes Yes No No
Global Talent, Start-up or Innovator Founder visa Yes Yes No No
Graduate Entrepreneur visa Yes Yes No No
Health and Care Worker visa Yes Yes No No
Hong Kong BNO visa Yes Yes Yes Yes
International Sportsperson visa Yes Yes No No
Investor visa Yes Yes No No
Minister of Religion visa Yes Yes No No
Scale-up Worker visa Yes Yes No No
Student visa Yes Yes Yes No

Eligible applications to settle in the UK

UKVCAS appointment: within 5 working days UKVCAS appointment: next working day ID app: within 5 working days
Application to settle on the basis of UK Ancestry (through form SET(O)) No Yes No
Application to settle as a former member of HM Forces (through form SET(AF)) No Yes No
Application to settle as a child under 18 (through form SET(F)) No Yes No
Application to settle if you’ve been in the UK legally for 10 continuous years (known as ‘long residence’) No Yes No
Application to settle if you work, establish a business or invest in the UK (through form SET(O)) Yes No No
Application to settle as the partner of a person, or parent of a child, who is present and settled in the UK (through form SET(M)) No Yes No
Application to settle as an Innovator Founder Yes Yes Yes
Application to settle on the basis of BNO Hong Kong Yes No No
Application to settle as the dependent child or partner of a BNO Hong Kong visa holder Yes No No

Other eligible visa applications

UKVCAS appointment: within 5 working days UKVCAS appointment: next working day ID app: within 5 working days ID app: next working day
Applying for human rights claims, leave outside the rules and other routes (through form FLR(HRO)) No Yes No No
Applying for other routes (through form FLR(IR)) No Yes No No