r/ukvisa

Hello. I recently had a work trip to Germany. I have pre-settled status in the UK and have been living/working there for 5 years.

When flying back to the UK, the airline (BA) would not allow me to get my tickets online and I had to go to the desk to prove my migration status - though I had to explain what the EU settlement scheme is to the people at the desk.

Upon landing in the UK , the electronic gates denied me access, and I had to go to the desk to pass through migration where after some brief general questions, I was handed a leaflet and told I need to "sort my documents out". I was told to move on quickly and thus did not have time to question them there.

I have pre-settled status, and even on the leaflet, they handed me even said I do not need an ETA to enter the UK. All of my documents are connected to my UKVisa account, and I have never experienced this before.

What would have caused this? How do I make sure I don't run in to trouble at the border again? Thank you!

Hi everyone,

I’m currently on a UK undergraduate visa, and my visa is due to expire on 30th May. I still have one remaining module/exam scheduled in June, which I need to complete to pass my course.

I contacted my university to request a short extension of my student visa or support with my situation, but they refused to provide any extension.

I also have written proof from my module leader confirming that I need to be physically present on campus to sit and pass the remaining exam.

I’m really stressed because I don’t want to miss my final module and risk failing my degree just because my visa expires a few days earlier.

Has anyone been in a similar situation or knows what options I might have
Thank you

Hi all,

I am currently on a UK Graduate Visa which is expiring in September 2026, and am considering applying for the UK Unmarried Partner Visa.

For context, I have been with my partner, a UK national, for the past 4 years. We met at University and have been together since. We lived together for a year (2022-2023) in a Twin Room on our university campus, we both had separate contracts. They graduated in 2023 and move out to their parents while I finished my final year. After I graduated in 2024, my partner started pursuing their PhD and had to move to a different city for their training year, before they started their thesis in their primary university. Since I was job hunting at the time, I decided to move to this city and we rented out a studio apartment. This accommodation was part of the student housing and though I was legally living there (the university was aware and we were paying a little extra for me to stay there), I was not mentioned on the contract. Funny enough, during that year I found a job in the city we were living in but my partner had to go back to their primary university after their training year had concluded. Since then, we have been meeting atleast once every month and have been calling atleast once everyday. I am trying to find a job near them but the job market has been really tough, especially for international applicants. Hence, we have decided to apply for the unmarried partner visa to increase my chances of getting a job closer to them. My current job doesn’t sponsor visa either.

I have looked into the process but wanted advice from people who have been successful with their application. I was wondering what documents evidences you submitted that are vital to the application.

My partner and I are in a gay relationship and their parents aren’t aware of our relationship or my resistance. If my partner came out to their parents, they’ll be disowned and worse things could happen.

Since my job is in a city far away from them, I am not sure how to provide evidence that we will live together after the visa has been approved. I do not want to leave my current job until I find a new one closer to them, would this cause an issue? Since they are doing a PhD I need to have my job in order to qualify for the financial criteria. Would it be okay to mention in the supporting statement that we will live together as soon I find a job closer to them or would it be better to just rent out a place that can accommodate the two of us?

I would appreciate any advice that you all might have. Thank you in advance for taking the time to read this post and for helping me out. :)

Applying online from the U.S. for my first British passport. I asked a longtime friend to be my identity confirmer - he's a U.S. citizen and attorney who had also served as a referree for my citizenship application - but when he tried to complete the confirmation online, HMPO rejected him as ineligible, and informed me that I need to select a British passport holder, even though the guidelines on the website clearly state that U.S. passport holders are eligible. Anyone else run into this? Most UK passport holders I know are either family members or not in a profession on the recognised list.

EDIT: thanks all, my American attorney friend is on vacation, so I'd rather not disturb him again with troubleshooting; my British friend who is currently in a non-qualifying profession reminded me that she is retired from a qualifying one, so I'll just have her complete it on that basis. Thanks!

Hi please can I have advice on what to do. We have been going through a very tough time with my wife’s grandma being in icu in critical cond and I have been supporting my wife who has post Partum depression and so I’ve been very stressed and worried for her and I’ve submitted my application for ilr 3 days late. I’m on a spouse visa. Is this good reason and will they consider this on compassionate basis? please someone help I don’t want my visa to be rejected or be put on the 10 year route. Has anyone experienced anything similar?

Will try to be as concise as possible and appreciate the help since home office have set a deadline of June 8th otherwise will reject the application and forfeit the fee.

I am British with a British Passport and born in the UK but now live in Japan since 4 years ago. My wife is Japanese. My son who is 6 and born in Cambridge UK with me easily got his British Passport.

But my daughter who is 3 and born in Japan, needs a document from paternal grandparents to show they held indefinite leave to enter or remain in UK at the time of my birth day in Cambridge UK in 1988.

My dad has been in the UK for 47 years, having been accepted into the UK in October 1979 as a Vietnamese Refugee (boat people) with the help of the Save the Children Organisation headed by Princess Anne to escape from the Vietnam war.

Problem is no document exists. His whole family were first sent to a refugee camp in Hong Kong, then moved to Kettering initially when moved to the UK. He was then offered housing in Cambridge and been there ever since. The only thing they got given were National Insurance numbers

My mum met my dad in the UK and got naturalised and both have British passports. Unfortunately due to the eligibility period, they both got naturalised and have the certificate and their passport after my birth in 1988. We sent his National Insurance Number which he received on the first week he arrived in the UK in 1979, his naturalisation certificate and his marriage certificate but they want indefinite leave to enter or remain in UK at the time of my birth day in Cambridge UK in 1988.

We applied to the Home Office Subject Access Request for any documents to help us but they emailed back saying they do not hold records prior to 1986.

They pointed us to the National Archive for anything prior to 1986 but also said National Archive do not hold records of grants of citizenship between June 1969 and September 1986 which are no longer available. I did a search for his name and it did not show up, but we do have the option of official application of search so we are trying that but need to wait.

Any ideas what we can do or who we can go to?
Thanks

Hi there. I made an alt account for personal reasons, but I am about to start gathering documents to make a claim under section 4L to attempt to get UK citizenship as I have been told by multiple people that I could be eligible. I do have some concerns though that I am unsure if it will make them decline my application.

1. I was born after 1988, which I heard they would decline your application if you were.
2. I am applying from my great-grandmothers citizenship.

I am more concerned about the the 1st one because I have seen multiple places say that you cannot apply if you were born after that year, but I have also seen multiple sources saying you can. Can anyone clear this up for me? Thank you!

Hi

I am applying for UK study visa i got offer letter but main concern is i was born in Yangon,Myanmar.

According to citizenship law of pakistan i am only citizen of pakistan i dont have any ties with myanmar.

My father was embassy staff i was born there and we lived only 3 years there.

But my both parents are Pakistani so I am Pakistani so in my passport the place of birth is Yangon,MMR

Will this effect in every visa i am currently applying for uk study visa ..

I am really worries about this in Future

PLEASE HELP

Do I need to disclose a Turkish border entry refusal on my UK Student visa application?

Context: I had a valid Turkish e-visa but didn't know my nationality also requires a consulate sticker visa on top of that. Got turned back at the border. No fraud, no overstay, nothing serious purely an admin mistake on my part.

The UK visa form asks about refusals of entry to "any country."

My question As I’m willing to disclose will it affect my uk visa application?

And there's no Turkish entry stamp in my passport since I never actually entered.

Just wondering if anyone can advise or help!

I’m British, my fiancé is Nigerian. We’re confused on what visa we can apply for? To give a bit background.
He came ti the UK on a student visa in 2019. We worked together from 2021-2025. We got together in 2024. Don’t live together just yet due to his situation. However we see each other 3-4 times a week (sometimes more depending on work shifts). We’ve had pregnancy losses since 2025. We’re planning to get married in August. But I’m just wondering if anyone can advise which visa route we would need to go down until we’re married? He currently has a private life application with the home office but we’re not even sure if this is the right visa application we should have submitted? Or if we need to cancel and apply for another visa? Any help would be greatly appreciated!

My family immigrated to the UK on a skilled worker visa (my mom is the main applicant) when i was 16 years old in September 2018. She has since become a British citizen and this will be my fist time attempting to renew my visa since that happy development. I am now 24 years old. I have spent most of the time since we immigrated to the UK in my home country for school and then university and I would spend 3 months in the UK every year for summer holidays. My skilled worker dependent visa expires on Feb 2027. I have consulted several immigration solicitors and 2 of them actually encouraged me to apply for ILR (with their help) even knowing I don't fulfill the continuous residence rule, saying that travel for education is exempt. I consulted them for visa renewal and I was surprised with this information. Naturally, I would love to have ILR. Has anyone had a similar experience and received ILR? I'm asking as not only would the ILR application cost me the usual 3000 pounds, law fees will also be around that, and if it's improbable I get it, I'd rather not spend that money and let it go to waste. I'm really anxious to attempt this without knowing that it has been successful in the past. Thnx

Hi all. Me and my friend were planning a visit to UK next week. My (F, never married, new grad with corporate job) application was succesful but my friend's (F, divorced, has been working in public sector as a teacher for years) wasn't. The reasoning they've given was that she was divorced and that implied she was unlikely to return after her visit. She provided savings, income, job, the fact that she was divorced 2 years ago and the time between now and her divorce was longer than the time she was married etc. so pretty much everything. She said she forgot to upload her plane tickets but they can be easily provided.

What could be the reason they thought that implied she was unlikely to return? What should we change in our appeal or in our new application?

This is the response:

This is the response we've gotten regarding the refusal:

>I have made careful consideration of both your personal and economic ties to your home country. In making my consideration, I note the statements made by you in your visa application form regarding your current occupation. By contrast, in making my consideration of your personal ties with your home country, I note that you are now divorced and that you do not have anyone relying on your financial support. Whilst I accept that being in receipt of a regular income is a positive indicator, given my concerns regarding your personal ties with your home country, I am not satisfied that your current level of income in your home country acts to sufficiently tip the balance of probabilities to satisfy me that you intend to depart the UK at the end of the period stated by you, nor that you seek entry for a purpose that is permitted under the visitor rules.

>Given all of the above, I am not satisfied that your personal and financial circumstances are as stated and that you are genuinely seeking entry as a visitor or that you intend to leave the UK at the end of your visit. Your application has therefore been refused under paragraph V4.2 (a), and (c) of the Immigration Rules.

Hi, how do I claim a refund of the application and IHS fee if I’ve not attended my biometrics for my dependent visa? I don’t need this application any longer as I’ve got my ILR.

My wife is a nurse in the NHS and is currently on the path to 5 year ILR. She recently got a Band 6 position but its 30hrs per week instead of the usual 37.5/week. The offer letter states the salary is £39,959 - £48,117 per annum, (Pro Rata). But I believe this is for full time (37.5hrs)? If so based on pro-rata calculation which I did, for 30hrs per week, the salary would be £31967.20.

My question is, what is the minimum salary needed in her case to be eligible for ILR?

Thanks in advance for your response.

Long story short - I was in the uk on a student visa and i failed my course (my fault, I know).

I have a cat and the logistics of getting a cat to the USA from the UK are a pain. I was thinking of going home for a few weeks and then coming back to the UK just for a week or so to grab the last of my stuff and bring back my cat.

My question is - is there a specific waiting period for me to be able to come back into the UK? This was all just a big shock for me and I have been stressed about it and I don’t want to get into any legal trouble!

(Additionally - my lease doesn’t run out until after my visa expires. Will I get in trouble for that?)

Hi guys,

Need your help regarding this. This is my last attempt and I’m a bit worried. I have CoS and applied for a Skilled Worker visa.

When I applied for FLR, I had to surrender my passport to the Home Office. They gave me a retained copy/document and told me I could use it if needed.

Now I’ve applied formy work visa through the super priority service and they’ve asked me to attend next week. The issue is that I don’t have my passport or BRP with me, as my passport is still with the Home Office. The only photo ID I currently have is my provisional licence.

Has anyone been in a similar situation? Is it okay to use the retained copy document instead of the original passport? Please share your experience if you’ve gone through this. Thank you.

Hey everyone,

​I’m currently helping my parents apply for a UK Standard Visitor Visa from the UAE to attend my sister’s graduation ceremony this July.

​My dad is a business owner here, and he is fully sponsoring both himself and my mom.

We are preparing the documents, and since it’s much easier, we downloaded his official 6-month bank statements directly from the bank's mobile app as an official PDF (e-Statement). It has the bank logo, his full name, account number, and all transactions perfectly clear.

​My question is: Does this same rule apply to the Standard Visitor Visa? Can we just upload the original, unstamped PDF e-statements for both my dad’s and mom’s applications? Or is it safer to go to the branch and get every page physically stamped? And also can my mom use the same statement?

​Has anyone applied recently from the UAE/Gulf with just electronic PDFs without a stamp and got approved?

​Would appreciate any insights. Thanks a lot!

Hi my partner has her iLR application deadline coming up following her 2nd FLRM VISA.

she hasn't taken her life in UK test yet but should be doing it soon however likely won't be able to retake before her current FLRM expires if she fails

I called the UKVI helpline to ask what should she do in the case that she doesn't have a positive pass of her life UK test before her deadline for submitting her ILR application and they told me she can still submit provided she can pass her life in UK prior to her biometrics appointment ( so she can bring her test certificate for scanning)

I know the ukvi agents aren't trained on the form itself so I'm not sure if this will actually work. For example does the ILR form ask for a life in UK test positive reference number or should she be able to submit her ILR without this?