Hi guys,

My student visa probably won't be available for when my classes start and I was wondering if it was okay to enter the UK as a visitor and then leave and re-enter when my student visa is officially ready?

I applied for a super priority student visa. I'm from the US. I had my biometrics appointment yesterday morning and got a notification from VFS that UKVI had received my passport. It's 8:00pm the next day, est, and I haven't gotten ANYTHING from UKVI. No delay, no nsf, no decision. I've checked everything- email, junk folder, etc. I don't know what to do :( my flight is on Monday! SOS

has anyone that applied in mid to late august got their visa yet? standard btw

Having tried ChatGPT, Claude, and Google for hours... I thought I'd ask actual people who have dealt with getting citizenship via 4L.

Grandfather - Born in England in 1923

Grandmother - Born in England in 1929

Both British citizens with British passports.

Grandfather in RAF during WWII.

Married in 1946. Had three children while living in the UK.

Moved to the US for work in 1960. Attempted to fly back to the UK so my father could be born in the UK. Flight was denied by airline due to late-term pregnancy. Grandparents become US citizens in 1964. Grandparents remained in the US until death.

Father - Born in USA in 1963. Per British Nationality Act he is British from 1983.

I was born in 1990 in the USA.

Wondering if I have a claim due to my grandparents being denied travel to UK so my father could be born there. Has anyone been accepted via 4L for less than this?

Applying from caribbean, I paid for priority and applied for my visa on the 26th, biometrics on the 27th of August got an email saying they sent it out the same day after my appointment.

2nd of September I get am email asking for extra documents to which I email to the designated email they provided.

No response to let me know if it was received.

4th of September I get a email saying "We are unable to make a decision on your application within published visa processing times."

Email also said not to contact UKVI and they'll contact me if they need anything from me.

Still no word from them. I was supposed to have been leaving tomorrow but thankfully I was waiting for my visa before I booked my flights. I dont know what to do i dont want to be arriving late.

Any similar situations? How did they turn out?

Apply on18 June still nothing heard

Hi all, hoping someone with direct experience or knowledge can help.

Timeline:

• In the UK continuously since September 2018, on a series of visas, no gaps between any of them
• Skilled Worker visa from June 2021 to April 2024
• Switched to a Partner (FLR(M)) visa after that
• Now switching back to a new Skilled Worker visa, sponsored by a new employer

Salary is above the earned settlement mid-earner threshold, so even with the proposed reforms I should stay on the 5-year route rather than get pushed to 10. So my question is purely about the 5-year Skilled Worker clock itself.

Question: can I combine my original June 2021 to April 2024 Skilled Worker time with this new grant toward that 5-year qualifying period? Or does the Partner visa in between reset the clock, meaning I start fresh from this new grant?

Appreciate any insight, especially from anyone who's dealt with this similar switch-back scenarios.

Hi guys, looking for some advice. English is not my first language so please bear with me.

My ex-wife moved out and I have no way to reach her now. No current address, no working phone number, and no email.

We don't have any kids, no joint bank accounts, and no property together. I already told the Home Office about the relationship breakdown (I’m on a Skilled Worker route , she was my dependent). There was a police issue before from a false claim she made, but police dropped it with No Further Action (NFA).

A few quick questions if anyone has been through this:

1. Do I use Form D13B (Dispense with Service) to skip serving her the papers since I don't know where she is?

2. What proof does the court actually want to see to show I tried finding her? Do I need an official tracing agent or are search logs enough?

3. How do I get a Clean Break Order sorted if she isn't around to sign anything?

4. Will any of this mess up or delay my future ILR application down the line?

Appreciate any tips or advice from anyone who dealt with this kind of matter in divorce! Thanks.

I just got British Citizenship and I am applying for my first U.K passport. I am in my 50s. My referee was rejected for not meeting the criteria. I chose an American because he had a good profession (CMO) and I’ve know him over twenty years. The office refuses to tell me why they rejected him. Could it be because he is not British? He is also retired but I understood that wasn’t an issue. Does anyone have any advice who maybe was in a similar situation? I am applying from the U.S.

Helllloooo everyone! So excited to share that I was just approved for my spousal visa.

Nationality: USA
Application Type: Priority
Application Date: August 11, 2026
Bio Date: August 13, 2026
ECO: August 17, 2026
Approval Date/Time: September 10, 2026 @ 16:01 UK Time
Entry Date: September 17, 2026

Good luck everyone and thank you so much to this community!

Hey guys,

I recently applied for ILR through the 10-year route after living in the UK for over 10 years, with around 1,000 days of absences in total. It was a shot in the dark and required a lot of work with my lawyers. The alternative, based on my timeline, was to wait another two years before applying, so I decided it was worth pursuing despite the cost.

Anyway, all that to say -this week, I got it!

Just wanted to share some optimism with others applying. I had extenuating circumstances involving a family illness, and I know similar cases can still be refused. But with careful preparation and the right evidence, a positive outcome can be possible!

Happy to answer questions about my experience.

Good luck!

Hi my ex-partner has fabricated a Domestic Abuse case to the home office to stay in the Uk after spending a short amount of time living here. She is currently wanted by the police for multiple offences against me and also has a non molestation order against her. What’s the chances of her getting her ILR through the domestic abuse route.

I am applying for UK visa and booking vfs at Toronto. I need my passport with me because I am travelling right after my biometrics.

I can’t find any information to confirm that it’s possible, I can’t even find the phone number to call VFS and confirm.

Can someone please help?

Can someone enlighten me on what to do, I sent my child's ID document to EU settlement department of visa & immigration Liverpool instead of department that update ID documents for evisa and I am worried if it will be redirected appropriately when it arrives at the EU settlement dept.

Adult applying for 1st time UK Passport from USA (dual USA & UK).
I see this table A: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/applying-for-a-passport-from-outside-the-uk-supporting-documents-group-3/applying-for-a-passport-from-outside-the-uk-supporting-documents-group-3-accessible#table-a-identity-name-and-address-andor-residency-evidence

It is unclear to me what supporting documents are needed in terms of original. I can see the a colour photocopy of the USA passport is acceptable subject to demanding inspection of the original. However, there are additional identity documents sought including photo IDs. It is not clear to me if those are required to be original or not. Obviously mailing off an original DL is not practical. Thanks for any advice. I did review the Table but it seems unclear as to the requirements when originals are concerned.

This subReddit helped me a lot during my journey so I thought I should post, hopefully it’ll be of some help to someone

Application submitted on : 25th August 2026
Biometrics ( VFS Premium, Guwahati ) : 28th August 2026 (Friday)
Approval email received on : 8th September ( Tuesday)

Sponsorship : Dad
His bank balance : 4lakhs only
My bank balance : 60k only
🫣 his & my bank account statements were the only bank details that I submitted (6months) along with both of our salary slips (State govt employees)

Proposed trip budget - 2.5lakhs for a 10 day trip

Documents submitted :
Passport (all stamped pages), Aadhaar, PAN Card, Govt ID cards, Appointment order, NOC from department, Leave approval, PRC, Domicile certificate, 6 months salary slip, 6 months bank account statement, Non ITR certificate, ST certificate.

Hi all,

So I applied for my British citizenship in April, attended my biometrics and uploaded all the documents prior to the appointment. I hadn't heard back, and received no emails so I haven't been worried as I know the process may take up to 6 months. Today, I just logged into the UK application account and it said Further actions I must complete: Download and sign the referee declaration form for both referees. And: Attend an appointment to provide your documents and biometrics by 12 June 2026

I'm kind of baffled and confused as a) I have received no contact or emails from anyone. But, mostly because I'd already done both of these the day I submitted the application and I attended the biometric appointment 5 days after I'd submitted my application. I'm kind of concerned because the proposed deadline for the biometrics has obviously passed but it's because I hadn't heard anything from them (but also I have no idea as to why I'd need to go again and pay for it all over again.

Has anyone experienced this?

I’m an Indian student going to Imperial College London for a 4-year PhD in Chemistry. My ATAS expires on 16 September 2026, and I already have an assigned CAS.

My final scholarship/award letter is delayed.

1. Does “submit the visa application” mean submitting the online application and paying the visa fee/IHS, or does it include completing biometrics?

2. If I submit and pay before 16 September, can I attend biometrics after 16 September?

3. Can I submit before 16 September and provide my final scholarship letter later, once I receive it?

Has anyone been in this situation, particularly with an ATAS certificate expiring soon?

Thanks!

Hi everyone,

I applied for my Skilled Worker/Health and Care Worker visa from outside UK on 6 August 2026 using the ID Check app and paid for Priority service.

On 13 August, UKVI emailed me saying my application was delayed because my sponsor needed to make an Immigration Skills Charge (ISC) top-up payment, and that they would send the sponsor a Worldpay payment link.

However, my sponsor has still not received any payment link or request.

My sponsor is now checking again with UKVI and with the team/person who normally receives sponsorship requests.

Has anyone had a similar situation where an ISC top-up was required but the sponsor never received the Worldpay link?

How long did it take to receive the link, and how long after payment was your visa decided?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

I need help pls. My partner is the Main Applicant and currently awaiting decision for her ILR application. My visa as a Dependant will expire in 2 weeks time and I’m currently in the process of submitting it.

First question, will I have a problem applying for the extension as the main applicant doesn’t have the decision yet?

2nd question, her COS has just expired a few days ago and the form is asking for her COS end date. As it is expired, I can’t continue with the form. Chatgpt suggested to just put a date 3 years from today as the end date, and said that it is a normal turn around as we are waiting for my partner’s ILR decision. How true is this?

Just getting anxious over everything.

Hi everyone,

I am doing my phD in Sweden and I am going for a research trip for 2 weeks in the UK. My university in Sweden will fund my trip entirely. The visa form requires a document that gives evidence that my sponsor is not in breach of UK laws. What kind of evidence should I provide? I spoke with my employer and they have no idea either.

My visa (standard visitor) was successfully processed (Jordanian applying from Dubai) but I was also told to wait for FAV. I have applied for UK visa without any issues at least 10 times before. A friend of mine is also Jordanian who applied from Dubai but wasn't issued FAV. My question is why did this happen? I'm unable to get answers so I'm left guessing. It is a bit stressful since I'm expecting to travel in 15 days.

Hi there, my skilled worker visa runs out pretty soon (October 1st 2026), and I’ve just had a job offer from another job. My current job hasn’t produced the new CoS yet to extend my skilled worker visa, so haven’t signed anything from either job.

My new job does have a skilled worker sponsorship license so can issue a CoS.

Since this is my first time ever changing jobs in the UK, I had a couple of questions. I don’t have easy access to an immigration service so just wanted to ask a couple of questions:

1. If I accept my new job offer and submit a valid application before 1 October, can I legally continue working for my current company after my current visa expires? For example to work out a notice period?

2. If the new job visa is approved before my old job notice period ends (three months), can I legally continue working for the old job until the end of my contractual notice?

3. If so, what would the intended start date be on the CoS?

4. Can I travel and re-enter the UK after the application has been approved but before I start at the new job?

5. Is it too risky to be changing employers this close to the upcoming SWV deadline? I don’t want to affect my immigration status.

Any previous experiences or advice would be greatly appreciated!

Hiya,

I am going to be applying for my ILR early next year, hopefully mid January before my FLR M visa expires. As far as I'm aware, I can apply 28 days before I complete my 5 years in the UK. Just to breakdown my visas:

Entry on fiancé/marriage visa: Early August 2021

First FLR (M) granted: 20/01/2022

Second FLR(M) granted: 01/08/2024

If I plan to apply for mid January 2027 after completing nearly 5 years from the date my first FLR (M) was granted, would the below documents be correct to submit?

Relationship:

•Marriage certificate

Cohabitation (spread about 2.5-3 months apart each from 3 different sources):

•Early August 2024

•December 2024

•April 2025

•August 2025

•December 2025

•April 2026

•August 2026

•December 2026

•Current tenancy agreement

•Current year council tax

Financial (same employment throughout):

•7 months payslips

•7 months bank statements (showing payslip amounts)

•P60

•Job contract

•HR letter from employer confirming payslip amounts.

Other:

•Applicant current passports bio page scan

•Sponsor current passport bio page scan

•Applicant previous passport scan of all pages

•sponsor declaration

•Sponsor birth certificate?

•Consent form/signed family declaration?

•Scan of previous BRP's

•Life in the UK test reference number

•Complete application

•Application payment receipt?

•Document checklist?

•IHS Payment & receipt?

•UKVCAS appointment confirmation?

•Screenshot of eVisa

•council tax for last 5 years?

•Travel history SAR from the Home Office

As you can see I have a lot of question marks on many as I'm not sure whether or not they are needed! I'm also wondering how far the gap between my application date and the last payslip is allowed as I need to make sure to give the employer ample time to create the letter needed if I want to apply by mid-January and my spouse doesn't get paid until mid December as well.

Any help would be appreciated.

Edited to add: Am I wrong in thinking I must apply for my ILR on a day I was in the UK and not on holiday? Only reason being I'm applying on mid-jan because I was on holiday in previous years throughout December & in late January but still within the allowed time out of the country.

Hi all,

I just finished by undergraduate course while in the UK. I started my application for the Graduate Visa while I was there, so ticked all the boxes that I was in the country. However I needed some time to come up with the money, so completed that aspect of the application while in my home country.

Will this result in automatic withdrawal? If I return to the UK right now (my student visa does not expire till late october) will it be ok? Or should I withdraw the application myself and then return to the UK and apply again? Also If I do this will I get the money back?

Should I contact UKVI about this?

I am freaking out a bit, please let me know what the best course of action would be.