Eligible visas when applying from inside the UK

You can apply for a faster decision on certain visa applications or 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 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. 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 Child student visa Yes Yes Yes Yes Global Talent visa Yes Yes Yes Yes Graduate Trainee - Global Business Mobility visa Yes Yes Yes Yes Graduate visa No No Yes No Health and Care Worker visa Yes Yes Yes No High Potential Individual visa Yes Yes Yes Yes Hong Kong BNO visa Yes No No No Innovator Founder visa Yes No Yes Yes Intra-company visas Yes Yes No No Investor visa (Tier 1) Yes No No No Minister of Religion visa (T2) Yes Yes No No Scale-up Worker visa Yes Yes Yes No 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 Skilled Worker visa Yes Yes Yes No International Sportsperson visa Yes Yes Yes No Student visa Yes Yes Yes Yes Temporary Work - Charity Worker visa Yes Yes Yes No Temporary Work - Creative Worker visa Yes Yes Yes Yes Temporary Work - Government Authorised Exchange visa Yes Yes Yes Yes Temporary Work - International Agreement visa Yes Yes Yes Yes Temporary Work - Religious Worker visa Yes Yes Yes No Temporary Work - Seasonal Worker visa Yes Yes Yes No UK Expansion Worker - Global Business Mobility visa Yes Yes Yes Yes Applying as the dependent child or partner on a work, student, global talent, start up or innovator founder visa Yes Yes No No Applying as the dependent child or partner on an investor visa Yes No No No Applying on the basis of family life as a partner, parent or dependent child or on the basis of private life in the UK (through form FLR(FP) or form FLR(M) ) No Yes No No 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 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 Yes 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 as the dependent child or partner of an Innovator Founder Yes Yes No Application to settle on the basis of BNO Hong Kong Yes No No

Getting a refund of your priority or super priority fee

The rules for getting a refund depend on whether you’re cancelling your visa application. If your application is refused, you will not get a refund. If you’re cancelling your visa application You may get a refund of the priority service fee if you cancel your visa application. It depends on how you were told to prove your identity and what stage your application is at. You were told to prove your identity in person and you have already given your fingerprints and photo You will not get a refund of your priority service fee. You were told to prove your identity in person and you have not given your fingerprints and photo yet You’ll get a full refund of your priority service fee. It will not be paid automatically. You need to ask for a refund. You used the smartphone app You will get a refund if: you have not selected ‘confirm and upload’ in the app - either to upload your evidence or confirm you do not have anything to upload you cancelled your application before the deadline you were given for uploading your evidence It will not be paid automatically. You need to ask for a refund. If you’re not cancelling your visa application You usually cannot get your money back when you’ve applied for a priority service. Each case is considered individually. You will not get a refund if you do not get a decision in time because the Home Office needed more information or evidence to make the decision. The Home Office may give you a refund if they could not give you a decision in time because of something outside their control, for example a technical problem. Asking for a refund Email the priority services refund requests team and explain why you think you should get a refund. Priority services refund requests team ukvi.visa.pvspv.customerrefundrequests@homeoffice.gov.uk Getting your refund UKVI will confirm if you’ll get a refund. Your refund will be paid into the same bank account you used to pay the priority service fee. It can take up to 28 days to get your refund. If you have not received your fee within 28 days If the Home Office has confirmed you’re eligible for a refund, email the priority services refund requests team to find out what’s happened. Priority services refund requests team ukvi.visa.pvspv.customerrefundrequests@homeoffice.gov.uk

Get a faster decision on your visa or settlement application

Applying for a faster decision

You may be able to pay for a faster decision on a visa or settlement (‘indefinite leave to remain’) application.

Using the ‘priority service’ means you’ll usually get a decision within 5 working days, or 30 working days for Family visa applications from outside the UK.

Using the ‘super priority service’ for visa and settlement applications means you’ll usually get a decision by the end of the next working day.

It can take longer to get a decision, for example, if the Home Office needs to ask you for more information.

If the decision takes longer, you will not usually get your money back. Find out about getting a refund of your priority service fee.

If you’re in the UK:

you must have permission to be here to apply for the priority or super priority service
you can only pay for a faster decision on certain visas

Using the priority service

If you’re eligible you can choose the ‘priority service’ when you apply. You’ll need to pay £500 in addition to the application fee.

Using the ‘priority service’ means you’ll usually get a decision within 5 working days.

Using the priority service usually takes up to 30 working days for Family visa applications from outside the UK if you’re applying as a:

partner or spouse
parent
child
adult coming to be cared for by a relative

The time starts from either:

the day of your appointment, if you prove your identity in person
the working day after you finished uploading your documents, if you use the ‘UK Immigration: ID Check’ app

It can take longer, for example if the Home Office needs to ask you for more information.

You’ll be told whether you can prove your identity in person or using the app when you apply.

Using the super priority service

If you’re eligible you can choose the ‘super priority service’ when you apply. You’ll need to pay £1,000 in addition to the application fee.

How quickly you get a decision depends on when you prove your identity.

If you prove your identity in person

You’ll usually get a decision:

by the end of the next working day after your appointment, if your appointment is on a weekday
2 working days after your appointment, if your appointment is at the weekend or on a bank holiday

It can take longer, for example if the Home Office needs to ask you for more information.

If you use the use ‘UK Immigration: ID Check’ app

You’ll usually get a decision:

by the end of the next working day if you finish uploading your documents on a weekday
2 working days after you finish uploading your documents if you upload them on a weekend or a bank holiday

It can take longer, for example if the Home Office needs to ask you for more information.

Applying with family members

For each family member applying with you, you’ll need to pay an additional:

£500, to get a decision within 5 working days
£1,000, to get a decision by the end of the next working day

Every family member will need to pay for a faster decision. You’ll get a decision for everyone at the same time.

If any of your family members need to have their fingerprints and photograph taken in person, a decision may take longer.

After you’ve applied

You’ll get a letter or email telling you the Home Office has made a decision on your application. It will tell you what you need to do next.

Check your email’s spam folder if you’re having problems getting messages from the Home Office.

When you might wait longer for a decision

You might wait longer for a decision if you need to provide more information. You’ll be told how and when to provide it.

Getting your biometric residence permit

How you get your biometric residence permit depends on if you apply outside or in the UK.

Find out about:

View a printable version of the whole guide

Step 1 Check if this visa is right for you
You can apply for a Student visa if you’re 16 or over and want to study on a further or higher education course in the UK.
If you're under 18 and you want to study at an independent school in the UK, you may be eligible for a Child Student visa instead.
1. Check which visas you're eligible for
Step 2 Prepare the evidence you need
If you're doing a masters degree or above, you may need to apply for the Academic Technology Approval Scheme (ATAS) certificate.
1. Check if you need to apply for ATAS
Step 3 Apply from outside the UK
1. Apply from outside the UK £490
You'll need to prove your identity as part of your application.

You'll usually get a decision within 3 weeks.
1. Find out if you can pay more to get a faster decision
or Apply from inside the UK
1. Apply to extend if you're already in the UK on Student visa (or a Tier 4 (General) visa) £490
2. Apply to switch to this visa if you're already in the UK £490
You'll need to prove your identity as part of your application.

You'll usually get a decision within 8 weeks.
1. You are currently viewing: You may be able to pay more to get a faster decision you’ll be told if you can when you apply
Step 4 Check what you can bring into the UK with you
Step 5 Check what you need to show at the UK border
1. Check what you need to show at the UK border
Step 6 After you arrive in the UK
1. Find out how to get your Biometric Residence Permit (BRP) if you were told you’d get one when you applied
You might be able to extend your visa to stay longer in the UK.
1. Check if you can extend your visa
If you break the conditions of your visa you may not be able to come to the UK again.

Get a faster decision on your visa or settlement application

Applying for a faster decision

Using the priority service

Using the super priority service

If you prove your identity in person

If you use the use ‘UK Immigration: ID Check’ app

Applying with family members

After you’ve applied

When you might wait longer for a decision

Getting your biometric residence permit

Step 1 Check if this visa is right for you

Step 2 Prepare the evidence you need

Step 3 Apply from outside the UK

or Apply from inside the UK

Step 4 Check what you can bring into the UK with you

Step 5 Check what you need to show at the UK border

Step 6 After you arrive in the UK

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Get a faster decision on your visa or settlement application

Applying for a faster decision

Using the priority service

Using the super priority service

If you prove your identity in person

If you use the use ‘UK Immigration: ID Check’ app

Applying with family members

After you’ve applied

When you might wait longer for a decision

Getting your biometric residence permit

Part of Study in the UK on a Student visa

Step 1: Check if this visa is right for you

Step 2: Prepare the evidence you need

Step 3: Apply from outside the UK

or Apply from inside the UK

Step 4: Check what you can bring into the UK with you

Step 5: Check what you need to show at the UK border

Step 6: After you arrive in the UK

Also part of

Is this page useful?

Help us improve GOV.UK

Help us improve GOV.UK

Step 1 Check if this visa is right for you

Step 2 Prepare the evidence you need

Step 3 Apply from outside the UK

Step 4 Check what you can bring into the UK with you

Step 5 Check what you need to show at the UK border

Step 6 After you arrive in the UK