Priority Visa Service for non-settlement visas

If you need your visa in a hurry, you can use UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI)’s Priority Visa service for your visit, work or study application.

This will ensure the visa decision-makers give priority to your application at every stage of the process.

How long does it take to get a visa?

UK Visas and Immigration aims to make a decision on your Priority Visa application and contact you to let you know that your passport is ready to be collected within 5 working days from when you submit your biometric information.

The Priority Visa service is available for any of the below types of visa:

• All visitor visa customers

• Overseas Domestic Worker

• Short term student

• Student, Child Student and Student Dependant visas (including Parent of a Child Student)

• Global Business Mobility and dependants

• Temporary Work and dependants

• Youth Mobility Scheme

• UK Ancestry and dependants

• Scale Up Worker and dependants

• Minister of Religion and dependants

• International Sportsperson and dependants

• Global Talent and dependants

• Skilled Worker and dependants

• Health and Care Worker and dependants

• Replacement BRP

• Vignette Transfer

• High Potential Individual and dependants

• Innovator and dependants

• Start Up and dependants

Returning Resident

However, every application is unique, and if your application is not straightforward, it may not be possible to meet this timescale. If this is the case, your application will still take priority at every stage of the decision-making process, and UK Visas and Immigration will aim to process your application within global customer service standards. Your application may not be straightforward if you have:

• been refused a visa for the UK, and/or;

• been refused leave to enter the UK, and/or;

• been deported, removed, or otherwise required to leave the UK, and/or;

• overstayed a period of leave in the UK, and/or;

• had leave to remain in the UK curtailed by the Home Office, and/or;

• been refused leave to remain in the UK by the Home Office, and/or;

• been refused a visa for Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United States of America, or the Schengen countries, and/or;

• you have been interviewed, detained, or prosecuted by the police for any offence in the UK or elsewhere, and/or;

• you have an unspent criminal conviction in any country, and/or;

• you have committed a criminal offence in any country, and/or;

• there is a need to check or gather further information in order to complete your visa application.

If you fall into one of these categories, you may not want to use the Priority Visa service, as UK Visas & Immigration may be unable to process your application within the 5-day timescale.

Things to know

The cost of this service is in addition to your visa application fee and is non-refundable if the visa application is refused, or in exceptional cases, if it takes longer to process. Using the Priority Visa service does not guarantee that your application will be successful. All visa applicants must meet the requirements of the UK Immigration Rules.