If you've applied for a UK visa, waiting for a decision can be a stressful experience, particularly if you have a travel deadline or other important plans. Fortunately, the UK visa application process allows applicants to track the progress of their UK visa application and check their UK visa application status.
In this post, we'll walk you through the various ways you can check your UK visa application status, so that you can stay informed and up-to-date throughout the UK visa application process.
We also provide some useful additional information for anyone who is looking to track the status of a UK visa application, including Home Office service standards for deciding a UK visa application, how to find out current UK visa processing times, the factors that can delay a decision on a UK visa application, how to speed up a decision on a UK visa application and how to chase a delayed decision on a UK visa application.
The Importance of Checking Your UK Visa Application Status
Checking your UK visa application status is an important step in the application process. It allows you to stay informed and can give you an idea of how much longer you may have to wait for a decision. By checking your UK visa application status regularly, you can ensure that your application is moving through the process as expected and that there are no issues or delays.
Additionally, tracking your UK visa application status can help you identify any errors or omissions in your application and allow you to correct them before it's too late. For example, if you notice that your application has been pending for longer than the average processing time, you may want to contact UKVI to enquire about the status of your application and ensure that there are no issues that need to be addressed.
By checking your UK visa application status, you can plan ahead and make any necessary arrangements. For example, if you receive a notification that your application has been approved, you can start making travel plans or booking accommodation. Alternatively, if you receive a notification that your UK visa application has been refused, you may need to consider reapplying or seeking legal advice regarding an immigration appeal, administrative review or judicial review.
Therefore, it is highly recommended that you regularly check your UK visa application status to stay informed and ensure a smooth UK visa application process.
What Information Do You Need to Check Your UK Visa Application Status?
To check your UK visa application status, you will need certain information about your application. Here are the key pieces of information that you may need:
Personal and contact details: You may need to provide your first name, last name, nationality, date of birth and the email address used on your application form. These details may be used to verify your identity and ensure that you are authorised to access the status of your application.
Passport number: You may need to provide the passport number that you used when you applied for your UK visa. This is another way to verify your identity and ensure that you are authorised to access the status of your application.
Type of visa applied for: As part of the process to track the progress on your immigration application, you may need to confirm the category of UK visa or immigration route that you applied for.
Date of application or biometrics: You may need to provide the date of your visa or immigration application, as well as the date when you provided your biometric information.
Place of application: If you wish to check the status of a UK visa application that was submitted overseas, you may need to provide the location of the visa application centre.
GWF reference number: This is a 9 digit (GWFxxxxxxxxx) unique reference number that may have been assigned to your application when you submitted it. You may need to enter this number in order to check your application status.
Application reference number: Depending on the type of visa you applied for, you may also have been given a 16 digit (xxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxx) unique application reference number. If you have been given an application reference number, you may need to enter it when you track your UK visa application status.
Immigration Health Surcharge reference number (if applicable): If you paid the Immigration Health Surcharge then you may be asked to provide your IHS number when tracking the decision on your UK visa application.
It's important to ensure that you have all of the necessary information and documents at hand before attempting to check your UK visa application status. This will help you avoid any unnecessary delays or complications, and ensure that you are able to access the information you need as quickly and easily as possible.
How to Check the Status of Your UK Visa Application Outside the UK
1. Using the VFS Global website
Step-by-step instructions for checking your UK visa application status on the VFS Global website:
You can track the progress of your out-of-country UK visa application on the VFS Global website:
- Go to the VFS Global website: Start by visiting the VFS Global website at https://www.vfsglobal.co.uk/ in your web browser.
- Select your VAC location: Select the location of the visa application centre where you provided your biometric information.
- Click on 'Track your application': At the top of the page for your VFS Global visa application centre, you may see a section called 'Track your application'. If so, click on this section to begin the process of tracking your application status (If you cannot see a section called 'Track your application' then proceed to '3. Using the UKVI website' below.).
- Click on 'Track your visa application status online': You will see 'track your visa application status online' highlighted in orange. Click on this to be taken to a login page.
- Enter your reference number: The reference number may be your GWF number or your VAC reference number, depending on the type of visa you applied for. Enter the number in the appropriate field.
- Enter your last name: You will also need to enter your last name in the appropriate field.
- Click 'Submit': Once you have entered all of the required information, confirm that you are not a robot and click the 'Submit' button to view your application status.
- View your application status: You should now be able to view the status of your UK visa application. The status may indicate that your application is being processed, or that a decision has been made. If a decision has been made, you may also be able to view the details of the decision, such as whether your application has been approved or refused.
If you have any questions or concerns about your UK visa application status, you can contact VFS Global customer service for assistance. Their contact details can be found on the 'Contact us' page of the VFS Global website.
2. Using the TLScontact website
Step-by-step instructions for checking your UK visa application status on the TLScontact website:
You can track the progress of your out-of-country UK visa application on the TLScontact website:
- Open your confirmation email from UK Visas and Immigration: Start by locating the confirmation email that you received from UK Visas and Immigration when you set up your visa application form.
- Sign into your application: Next, click on the link in the email and sign into your application on the GOV.UK website by entering your password and clicking 'Sign in'.
- Navigate to the TLScontact website: Once signed in, click on 'Provide Documents and Biometrics' and then on 'Continue'. You will now be redirected to your account on the TLScontact website.
- Select 'Track': Select 'Track' to view the status of your application in real-time.
- View your application status: You should now be able to view the status of your UK visa application. The status should indicate whether biometric enrolment has been completed, whether your application has been transferred to and received by the decision-making centre (DMC), whether the decided application has been transferred to and received by the visa application centre (VAC) and whether you have picked your passport up from the VAC.
If you have any questions or concerns about your UK visa application status, you can contact TLScontact support by clicking on the 'Contact us' page on the TLScontact website.
3. Using the UKVI website
Step-by-step instructions for checking the status of your UK visa application on the UKVI website:
You can track the progress of your out-of-country UK visa application on the UKVI website. Please note that this is a paid-for service. Queries about the progress of a UK visa application cost £2.74. This cost includes an initial email enquiry plus any follow-up emails that you send relating to the same enquiry:
- Go to the UKVI website: Start by visiting the UKVI website at https://ukvi.mysecurepay.co.uk/Home in your web browser.
- Click on 'Start': You will see 'Start' highlighted in green. Click on this to be taken to the next page.
- Click on 'General Enquiry': You will see 'General Enquiry' highlighted in green. Click on this to be taken to an online form.
- Complete the online form: Complete all the fields on the online form. In the 'Enquiry' box you should make clear that you are enquiring about the status of your application. If the standard processing time has been exceeded then you should mention this.
- Click on 'Continue': You should now be able to proceed to enter your payment details and confirm.
- Click on 'Submit': If you do not select 'Submit' then your enquiry will not be completed and you will not be charged. You should receive a reply to your query within 5 days, except on Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays and UK public holidays.
4. Contacting UKVI by telephone
Instructions for checking the status of your UK visa application with UKVI by telephone:
You can track the progress of your out-of-country UK visa application by calling UKVI on +44 (0)300 790 6268 and selecting option 1.
The telephone line is open 24 hours a day, Monday to Friday.
Calls cost 69 pence per minute on top of your standard network charges.
If you cannot contact UK 0300 numbers, then use +44 (0)203 875 4669.
How to Track the Status of Your UK Visa Application Inside the UK
1. Using the UKVCAS website
Unfortunately, UKVCAS does not provide any application status updates on its website.
If you have any questions or concerns about the application status of an in-country immigration application, you should contact UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) instead (proceed to '4. Contacting UKVI by telephone' below).
2. Contacting UKVCAS by telephone
It is also not possible to telephone UKVCAS to check the progress of an immigration application.
If you have any questions or concerns about the application status of an in-country immigration application, you should contact UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) instead (proceed to '4. Contacting UKVI by telephone' below).
3. Using the UKVI website
Unfortunately, UKVI does not provide any application status updates on its website (proceed to '4. Contacting UKVI by telephone' below).
4. Contacting UKVI by telephone
Instructions for checking the status of your in-country UK immigration application with UKVI by telephone:
You can track the progress of your in-country immigration application by calling the UKVI contact centre on 0300 790 6268 and selecting option 2.
The telephone line is open 9am to 4:45pm on Monday to Thursday (excluding bank holidays) and 9am to 4:30pm on Friday (excluding bank holidays).
Information on call charges can be found here.
Frequently Asked Questions About Checking UK Visa Application Status
Does UKVI have standard processing times for UK visa applications?
UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) has published service standards for waiting times for decisions on visa and immigration applications. If you want to track the status of a UK visa application then it is useful to refer to these.
If a UK visa application includes all relevant information and supporting documents (and the Home Office does not need to request further evidence or explanation) then the following waiting time customer service standards should apply:
- Non-settlement visa applications submitted outside the UK: 90% to be decided within 3 weeks; 98% within 6 weeks and 100% within 12 weeks of the application date (where 1 week is 5 working days);
- Settlement visa applications submitted outside the UK: 98.5% of settlement applications to be decided within 12 weeks of the application date and 100% within 24 weeks of the application date (where 1 week is 5 working days);
- Applications for leave to remain submitted within the UK, including as spouses, workers and students: 8 weeks to be decided;
- Applications for indefinite leave to remain (ILR) submitted within the UK: 6 months to be decided;
- Applications for no time limit (NTL) submitted within the UK: 6 months to be decided;
- Organisations seeking to sponsor a worker: 8 weeks;
- Organisations updating their sponsor licence details: 18 weeks.
These service standards are the visa processing times that UKVI aims to deliver on for the processing of straightforward, complete applications, based on its customer charter. Actual UK visa processing times can vary considerably. However, if the service standard has been exceeded then this is a factor that can be raised as part of any attempt to chase a delayed decision.
What Are the Current Home Office UK Visa Processing Times?
Aside from its customer service standards for visa processing, the Home Office also publishes up-to-date information on current processing times for visa and immigration applications submitted both within the UK and outside the UK.
Up-to-date information on current UK Visa processing times for all the main immigration routes can be found in our post:
If you wish to track the status of your UK visa application then, in addition to referring to the customer service standard, it may be helpful to refer to these published current processing times in order to ascertain approximately how long it should take for your pending UK visa application to be decided.
What Factors Can Delay UK Visa Processing Times?
When you check the status of your UK visa application you should be aware that there are a number of factors which can delay UK visa processing times and cause the customer service standard and/or the current processing time to be exceeded, including:
- The complexity of the case, for example if it involves an assessment of Article 8 ECHR rights or derivative rights of EEA extended family members;
- Concerns regarding suitability requirements such as criminality;
- Consideration of any adverse immigration history;
- Any concerns regarding the authenticity of documents;
- The volume of documents provided;
- Whether further investigations are required or an interview scheduled;
- The capacity of caseworkers; and
- The time of the year.
If you are looking to check your UK visa application status then it is worth keeping in mind that there is no published service standard for waiting times for more complex applications and UKVI has a wide margin of appreciation with regard to the timing of their decisions.
How Can I Get a Faster Decision on a UK Visa Application?
UK Visas & Immigration offers a 'priority service' and a 'super priority service' for applicants who, for an additional fee, wish to receive a faster decision on their UK visa application. Selecting one of these premium services at the point of application will ensure that an application is placed at the front of the queue at every stage of the decision-making process.
In our comprehensive guide to UK Visa Premium and Priority Services, we look at the Priority Service and Super Priority Service in detail, covering everything from processing times, to current availability, costs and whether an application is likely to be suitable for an expedited decision:
How Can I Chase a Delayed UK Visa Application?
It is deeply frustrating when the Home Office takes longer than stated on its website to process a visa or immigration application. If the processing of your UK visa application has been delayed then, as well as tracking the progress on your UK visa application, you may wish to consider taking additional steps to chase a decision on your UK visa application.
We explain how to chase a delayed UK Visa or immigration decision in 6 steps in our post:
Conclusion
In conclusion, checking your UK visa application status is a crucial step in the application process, as it will allow you to stay informed and up-to-date on the progress of your application.
Whether you use the VFS Global website, the TLScontact website, the UKVI website or the UKVI telephone enquiry lines, it's important to ensure that you have all the necessary information to hand before checking your status.
Remember to be patient, as processing times can vary depending on the type of visa you have applied for and the nature of your application.
By following the steps outlined in this post, you'll be able to check your UK visa application status with ease and plan your next steps accordingly. Good luck with your application!
The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.
