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Making an application to UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) either overseas or from inside the UK can cause significant problems with future travel plans. Decisions may take several months, and the need to submit your passport can cause problems. Traditionally, UKVI is not the easiest government department to contact, especially if your enquiry is urgent.
A simple online tool provides you with a quick way to find out how long your visa might take to be issued. Note this is a general guide, and a wide range of results can be returned depending on where you’re applying, and what type of visa you want.
This is offered by many visa issuing offices overseas. It is a premium service, and costs can be high. For example, if you choose priority processing for a settlement application, you can expect to pay a significant additional fee on top of standard visa fees.
An online tool on the gov.uk website offers a couple of options, if you have submitted a visa application either in the UK or abroad, and are waiting for a decision. Unfortunately, when you click through the questions it usually takes you to general contact information for the various UKVI departments, such as European or asylum casework. Phone numbers are provided, but beware: calling these numbers can be expensive, and when your call is answered, the information you receive is likely to be limited, often to the point of being no help at all. Spending time on hold, to be told your application is “under consideration”, is of little use to anyone.
The online visa status tool does return better results if you’ve applied for a UK visa from abroad. As well as taking you to a general enquiries phone number, the option of a paid email enquiry appears. The current cost is £5.48, and a reply is promised within 2 working days. Our experience is that the paid email option (there is a paid call option also available, which is less effective) allows your enquiry to reach the casework team dealing with your case, and can lead to a quicker decision if you have a good reason, eg a medical emergency requiring urgent travel.
For in-country visa applicants, in late 2018 UKVI began rolling out new processing options.which are delivered via the UKVCAS network.
Of the 57 UKVCAS centres, 6 are core service centres which offer free appointments. The 6 core centres are in Manchester, Birmingham, Glasgow, Cardiff, Belfast and Croydon.
50 enhanced service points are accessible in several locations across the UK and will charge for appointments. Services available include next day appointments, documentation checking and an on-demand VIP service.
A premium lounge located in central London is available offering high speed Wi-Fi and business facilities.
Full details of the service, provided by UKVI’s commercial partner Sopra Steria,can be found here.
At Latitude Law, our lawyers handle several hundred applications a year on behalf of the widest possible range of clients, from businesses to individuals. We maintain up-to-date, expert knowledge of UKVI processing methods, and can advise you on the best way to achieve a quick decision, or to ensure that you retain your important personal documents wherever possible.
Our specialist migration lawyers have the expertise to advise the optimum approach to your Home Office application, and to provide you with effective advice and support if circumstances change and you need your documents back urgently. If you are interested in using any of these services get in touch with a member of our team on 0044 161 234 6800 (Manchester) or 0044 207 046 7185 (London).
Whether you represent a business employing migrant workers, or an educational institution looking for help with a sponsor licence, the lawyers at Latitude Law will be happy to guide you through the requirements of the PBS sponsorship schemes.
If you need help securing a visa to travel to the UK to join family settled here, the immigration solicitors at Latitude Law are here to help. We can help you through the application process and provide legal advice and guidance on complex matters, such as appeals.
Naturalisation as a British citizen is a significant life decision, and it is best that you consult an immigration specialist before proceeding with your naturalisation application. As a niche, law firm specialising in UK immigration law, our lawyers are uniquely qualified to provide all the help you require to ensure your application is successful.
Just to thank you all for the help given with Bodil's EU Settlement Scheme application, which came through in the last few days.
A good friend of ours once said: "People do not employ lawyers because they help; they employ them because they make a difference".
I'm convinced that referral to Latitude did jolt the Home Office into progressing consideration of the application, and it made all the difference.
T & B.
To Gemma and the team, Thank you very much for your amazing job done. You are life savers.
The British passports of my four children successfully reached us this week.
I wanted to thank the Latitude Law Firm for the constant professional support provided to us throughout the process. Your services have been helpful for us at each stage of the process. We would be happy to hire you again in the future for the process of my husband, and would also recommend your firm to others around us.
Lastly, I would like to take this opportunity to appreciate the hard work of Joel Reiss towards the successful completion of our case. His support for all of us from day 1 till the very last day has been commendable. Me and my children are very thankful to him for the smooth execution.
Looking forward to hiring the firm for our next case as well.
All content on this page was reviewed by Latitude Law and is accurate as of 11/09/2021