New decision-waiting times have been published by Home Office
In March 2023, the Home Office published new decision-waiting times.
| Type of visa | A decision will usually be made within… |
| Student visa (applying from outside the UK) | 3 weeks (if applying from outside the UK)
8 weeks (if applying from inside the UK) |
| Asylum | 6 months; however, the Home Office is experiencing long delays |
| Visit visa (standard) | 3 weeks |
| Family Visa | 3 weeks (if applying from outside the UK)
24 weeks (if applying from inside the UK). However, the Home Office has increased this waiting time to 39 weeks |
| Skilled Worker visa | 3 weeks (if applying from outside the UK)
8 weeks (if applying from inside the UK) |
| Graduate visa | 8 weeks |
| Global Talent visa | 3 weeks (if applying from outside the UK)
8 weeks (if applying from inside the UK) |
| High Potential Individual (HPI) visa | 3 weeks (if applying from outside the UK)
8 weeks (if applying from inside the UK) |
| UK Ancestry visa | 3 weeks |
| Turkish Businessperson visa | 6 months |
| Representative of an Overseas Business visa | 8 weeks |
| EU Settlement Scheme (settled and pre-settled status) | 5 working days |
| Settlement/indefinite leave to remain | 6 months |
| British citizenship/naturalisation | 6 months |
With some applications, you may be able to pay for a faster decision – before submitting your application, you can see if ‘priority service’ or ‘super priority service’ is offered.
The waiting time starts when you have 1) submitted your application and 2) verified your identity (either at a biometric appointment or on the UKVI smartphone app). When the Home Office has made a decision, they will email you and/or your legal representative.
However, you may have to wait longer if your application is more complex. For example, if you are asked to provide missing (or additional) documents, your application will be delayed.
We recommend getting legal advice to ensure that you meet all the requirements and can provide the right evidence, so that your waiting time is as short as possible. Call Descartes Solicitors today at 0208 995 3556 to speak to a friendly member of our team.
By Tiffany Carpenter