Guidance

Application validation, variation and withdrawal: caseworker guidance

Immigration staff guidance on application forms and procedures for immigration applications and claims.

• From: UK Visas and Immigration
• Published: 3 October 2013
• Last updated: 16 October 2026
  Show all updates

  1. 16 October 2026

     Updated the guidance to reflect the Autumn 2026 changes to Part 1 around biometrics and fee waivers, added a new section on ‘Rule 34k and dependents’, and removed content that duplicated the identity standards guidance.

  2. 6 August 2026

     The section Human rights applications and variation has been amended following legal advice from Home Office Legal Advisors.

  3. 8 April 2026

     Updated to include additional text in the 'About this guidance' section on templates; addition of text in the 'What's is a valid application' section to include reference to Appendix Victim of Domestic Abuse; and a change in wording regarding refund fees in the section 'How to reject an application as invalid'.

  4. 15 November 2023

     Updated the guidance to reflect the launch of ETA.

  5. 5 October 2023

     Updated section on 'What is a valid application?'.

  6. 6 April 2023

     Added sections on 'contacting an applicant where they have used the correct application form but may have selected the wrong route or category', and 'contacting an applicant where they may have used the wrong form for their application'.

  7. 3 February 2023

     Version 6.0 of guidance added. Includes changes to the Identity sections.

  8. 26 January 2023

     Version 5 added of guidance.

  9. 27 October 2021

     Updated document with a new version.

  10. 1 December 2020

      Updated guidance in line with FBIS changes on 1 December 2020.

  11. 30 November 2018

      Updated document with a new version.

  12. 6 April 2017

      Updated guidance.

  13. 21 March 2016

      Updated guidance.

  14. 4 March 2016

      Updated guidance.

  15. 14 April 2015

      Updated guidance.

  16. 6 November 2014

      updated document.

  17. 23 September 2014

      Updated guidance.

  18. 24 June 2014

      Updated guidance.

  19. 30 May 2014

      Attached updated document

  20. 3 October 2013

      First published.

Documents

Validation, variation, voiding and withdrawal of applications (accessible)

HTML

Validation, variation and withdrawal of applications

PDF, 400 KB, 34 pages

Details

UK Visas and Immigration guidance for staff on how an application for leave to remain in the UK is made valid, and what to do if it is not. It also describes how an applicant can change the purpose of an application, withdraw an application and calculate the date of an application.