Visa decision waiting times: applications outside the UK
Check how quickly you’ll receive a decision on your UK visa application if you are applying from outside the UK.
You are not required to book any travel before you apply or before a decision is made on your application. You’ll only be refunded if we have not started processing your application.
When your application’s waiting time starts and ends
Once you’ve submitted your application online, the waiting time starts when you either:
- attend your appointment and provide your fingerprints and a photograph (biometric information) at a visa application centre
- verify your identity using the UK Immigration: ID Check app - this will depend on the visa you apply for and you’ll be advised if you can use this
The waiting time will end when you get an email containing the decision on your application. This will explain what you need to do next.
Visit the UK
You should get a decision on your visa within 3 weeks once you attend your appointment at the visa application centre, if you are applying for a visa to visit the UK:
- for a holiday or to see family or friends
- for a business trip or meeting
- to get married
- to study for 6 months or less
You may be able to get your visa faster or access other services depending on what country you’re in - check with your visa application centre.
Travelling through the UK
You should get a decision within 3 weeks once you attend your appointment at the visa application centre, if you are applying for a visa to travel through the UK on your way to another country.
You may be able to get your visa faster or access other services depending on what country you’re in - check with your visa application centre.
Study in the UK
You should get a decision on your visa within 3 weeks once you either attend your appointment at the visa application centre or use the ID Check app, if you are applying for a:
You may be able to get your visa faster or access other services depending on what country you’re in - check with your visa application centre.
Short-term study in the UK
You should get a decision on your visa within 3 weeks once you either attend your appointment at the visa application centre or use the ID Check app, if you are applying for a:
If you are studying for 6 months or less and have applied for a Standard Visitor visa, please refer to the visit the UK decision times.
You may be able to get your visa faster or access other services depending on what country you’re in - check with your visa application centre.
Work or invest in the UK
You should get a decision on your visa within 3 weeks once you either attend your appointment at the visa application centre or use the ID Check app, if you are applying for a visa to work or invest in the UK.
You should get a decision within 12 weeks once you attend your appointment at the visa application centre, if you are applying for a Turkish Businessperson visa.
You may be able to get your visa faster or access other services depending on what country you’re in - check with your visa application centre.
Join family in the UK
You should get a decision within 24 weeks once you attend your appointment at the visa application centre, if you are applying to settle in the UK as the spouse, partner or family member of someone who has British citizenship or is settled in the UK.
If you are applying as the dependent of another applicant, you will get your decision at the same time.
If you are applying for an EU Settlement Scheme family permit you will get a decision as soon as possible after proving your identity and providing your documents.
Family reunion
There are currently delays in processing times and your application may take longer than usual.
If you are applying for family reunion with a refugee or person with humanitarian protection, you will normally get a decision within 12 weeks once you attend your appointment at the visa application centre.
Hong Kong British National (Overseas) visa
You should get a decision within 12 weeks once you either attend your appointment at the visa application centre or when you submit your online documents after completing the ID Check app.
Commonwealth citizens
You should get a decision within 3 weeks once you attend your appointment at the visa application centre, if you are applying for an Ancestry visa.
You may be able to get your visa faster or access other services depending on what country you’re in - check with your visa application centre.
Returning residents
You should get a decision within 3 weeks once you attend your appointment at the visa application centre, if you are applying for a returning resident visa.
You may be able to get your visa faster or access other services depending on what country you’re in - check with your visa application centre.
Replacing biometric residence permits
You should get a decision within 3 weeks once you attend your appointment at the visa application centre, if you are applying for a visa to travel to the UK to replace your biometric residence permit (BRP).
Replacing residence cards
You should get a decision within 3 weeks once you attend your appointment at the visa application centre, if you hold settled or pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme and are applying for an EU Settlement Scheme travel permit to travel to the UK to replace a lost or stolen residence card.
Transfer your visa from your passport
You should get a decision within 3 weeks once you attend your appointment at the visa application centre, if you are applying to transfer your visa from your passport.
Certificate of entitlement
You should get a decision within 3 weeks once you attend your appointment at the visa application centre, if you are applying for a certificate of entitlement to prove you have right of abode in the UK.
Priority services – get a faster decision
For visitor visa applications, there is a reduction in the availability of the priority visa service.
Collection within 5 working days (priority service)
If you verify your identity at a visa application centre and the service is available in the country you’re applying from, you can choose the ‘priority service’ when you apply. There will be an additional cost for this service.
A decision will be made within 5 working days of your appointment at the visa application centre.
Check with your visa application centre to see if the priority visa service is available in the country you’re applying from. The priority visa service is available in most countries.
Next day collection (super priority service)
If you verify your identity at a visa application centre and the service is available in the country you’re applying from you can choose the ‘super priority service’ when you apply. There will be an additional cost for this service.
UK Visas and Immigration aims to make a decision on your super priority visa application and contact you to let you know that your passport is ready to be collected by the end of the next working day from when you provide your biometric information.
Check with your visa application centre to see if the super priority visa service is available in the country you’re applying from.
What happens next
If you verified your identity at a visa application centre you will be contacted when your documents are ready for collection.
If you verified your identity through the UK Immigration: ID Check app, and your application was successful, then you do not need a biometric residence permit (BRP). Your immigration status will be completely online.
Check your email spam / junk folder
Sometimes emails from us can end up in spam or junk folders, so check these folders.
When you’ll get your biometric residence permit
If you’re coming to the UK for more than 6 months and you verified your identity at a visa application centre you will need to collect your biometric residence permit (BRP). Collect your BRP once you’re in the UK.
You must do this before the vignette sticker in your travel document expires or within 10 days of arriving in the UK, whichever is later.
If there’s a problem with your BRP
Report any problems with your BRP within 10 days of collecting it.
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.
Last updated 20 February 2023 + show all updates
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Priority visa services have resumed for new marriage and family visa applications.
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Updated processing times for the Family reunion visa.
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Updated visa processing times.
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Updated visa processing times delay information for visiting the UK, travelling through the UK and Short-term study visas.
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The delay in visit visa processing times reduced from 6 weeks to 5 weeks on Monday 28 November 2022.
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Added guidance about checking spam folders if you are waiting for a decision letter.
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The visit visa delay processing times have been changed from 7 weeks to 6 weeks.
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Processing times for 'Work or invest in the UK' updated.
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Updated processing times for Short-term study visas.
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Additional information on application processing in 'Join family in the UK' section updated.
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Priority services are no longer suspended for new study and work visa applications.
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Updated waiting time for work and invest visas from 5 weeks to 4 weeks.
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Average processing times for visit visas and work and invest visas updated.
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Additional information on priority and super priority visa services for visitor visa applications has been added.
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Additional information added to the standard visitor visa application processing times notice.
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Processing times updated in ‘Study in the UK’ section.
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Updated as the EEA family permit route closed on 30 June 2021.
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Change to student visa application processing time from five weeks to four.
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Processing times for 'Study in the UK' and Work or invest in the UK' updated.
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Updated to highlight that UKVI is prioritising Ukraine Visa Scheme applications. It may take up to 24 weeks to receive a decision for those applying to join family in the UK.
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Updated to highlight that UKVI is prioritising Ukraine Family Scheme applications in response to the invasion of Ukraine, and so applications for family, study and work visas may take longer to process.
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Updated transit visa decision waiting times - transit visas are currently taking on average 6 weeks to process rather than the 3-week service standard.
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Page updated to say that UKVI is prioritising Ukraine Family Scheme applications in response to the humanitarian crisis caused by the invasion of Ukraine.
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Included the processing times for standard visa application of 6 weeks underneath the Visit the UK section.
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Average visitor visa waiting time updated.
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Added information about processing times for the British National Overseas (BNO) visa.
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Updated introduction about not being required to book travel before you apply or before a decision is made on your application.
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Information updated for those applying from The Gambia and Gambian nationals.
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Information added on extended processing times for standard visitor visas.
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Standard for super priority service amended to 'end of the next working day'.
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Guidance on visa application centres and online immigration status updated.
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Update to our waiting times due to the coronovirus (COVID-19).
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We have added: You do not need to book your travel before applying for a visa. Visa fees can only be refunded if we have not yet started processing your application.
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First published.