While the UK immigration system strives for efficiency, Home Office delays do occasionally occur. These delays can arise due to a multitude of reasons, such as an increase in application volumes, complex case reviews or unforeseen administrative issues. Here are our 3 top tips on how to chase a delayed UK visa application.
1. Contact the Home Office directly
You can contact the Home Office directly to understand the status of your application. Details on contacting the Home Office can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/contact-ukvi-inside-outside-uk.
2. Submit a complaint
If your application has been pending for too long and the time frame has already expired, the next step will be to submit a complaint to UKVI using the online complaint form (https://www.gov.uk/complain-uk-visas-immigration), by contacting them directly by email at [email protected], or by post, addressed to the complaints allocation hub. Investigating your complaint can take up to 20 working days.
3. “Your application has not been straightforward”
When UKVI use the term “not straightforward”, it may mean that your application requires additional scrutiny and consideration. This can be due to a variety of factors, including but not limited to:
- The need to verify your supporting documents;
- A request to attend an interview;
- Your personal circumstances (for example, if you have a criminal conviction or a history of immigration violations).
If your application is deemed not to be straightforward, this does not necessarily mean that it will be refused. What it does mean is that you should expect longer processing times than published, and be prepared to provide additional documentation or to attend an interview to clarify any questions or concerns UKVI may have about your application.
You can reduce the chances of falling into this category by providing clear and comprehensive documentation, and addressing any concerns that UKVI may have about your application from the outset.
How Gherson can assist
Gherson’s Immigration Team are highly experienced in advising on UK visa matters. If you have any questions arising from this blog, please do not hesitate to contact us for advice, send us an , or, alternatively, follow us on X, Facebook, Instagram, or LinkedIn to stay-up-to-date.
The information in this blog is for general information purposes only and does not purport to be comprehensive or to provide legal advice. Whilst every effort is made to ensure the information and law is current as of the date of publication it should be stressed that, due to the passage of time, this does not necessarily reflect the present legal position. Gherson accepts no responsibility for loss which may arise from accessing or reliance on information contained in this blog. For formal advice on the current law please do not hesitate to contact Gherson. Legal advice is only provided pursuant to a written agreement, identified as such, and signed by the client and by or on behalf of Gherson.
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