r/ukvisa

hey guys!!

looks like I’m far from the only one who’s had issues with the student visa system.

I received an email on 11 August saying that my application couldn’t be processed within the 3 week wait period, which lapsed 13 August. For context, I provided my biometrics in Sydney, Aus on 23 July.

I then opened an email enquiry after payment with UKVI which I’m sad to say has been less than helpful. I told them multiple times that the SLA/wait time had passed and that I was expected to arrive in the UK in a week. She asked me to re-provide all of the application information which I included in the opening of my initial email consult but was happy to provide it again if it helped process the decision ASAP.

I wanted to see if anyone else from Aus has had the same issues this year with getting the initial delay email and how long it took them to receive an outcome. Feeling v nervous

thanks in advance !!

Hello, just wondering if anyone else has had a situation like this. I am born overseas but my father is british and married my mother. Therefore I would be a UK citizen able to apply for a UK passport and hold dual citizenship. However, my father was adopted and I only have his adoption papers, no birth certificate. The adoption papers state where in the UK he was adopted and by whom, and what his date of birth is. But no detail of that he was born in the UK. We do not know his birth parents or name prior to being adopted. Will this be accepted in lieu of his birth certificate?

Have asked the UK passport office and they can't tell me until I apply. Would rather know before I spend lots of money doing an application.

Thanks!!

🎉 British Citizenship Approved! – March Applicant 🇬🇧

Finally my turn! I emailed Citizenship Support yesterday and received confirmation today that my naturalisation application has been approved. 🎉

My timeline:

Application: 31 March 2026

Biometrics: 13 May 2026

Citizenship Support enquiry sent: 18 August

Approval confirmed by Citizenship Support: 19 August

141 days from application

98 days from biometrics

No RFI

​

As mentioned in the title, I submitted the test, clicked "End Test" , left the building, checked my phone & the result was already there. Passed!

Honestly, I found a few questions quite tricky. I agree that the content was from the 17 official/mock question sets& I didnt get anything completely outside those topics.

Vut some questions the wording& way the questions for me were framed were noticeably different from mocks, so knowing the facts rather than just memorising the questions really helped.

My husband actually took his test in March 2026 & also prepared using the 17 mocks. He said his test felt very easy compared with mine as questions were straightforward, which makes me think the difficulty & wording can vary quite a bit between test attempts.

I probably made 2/3/4 mistakes😶‍🌫️, if Im counting correctly,

but thankfully still passed🤩

Some questions/topics I remember:

1. What is habeas corpus?

A. Protects a person's right to make a phone call

B. Protects a person's right to go to court ✅

C. Protects a person's right to have a visitor

D. [Other option]

2.What type of church is the Church of Scotland?

A. Anglican

B. Presbyterian ✅

C. Roman Catholic

D. Methodist

3. Which nation's army, led by Robert the Bruce, won at Bannockburn in 1314?

A. Welsh

B. Irish

C. Scottish ✅

D. French

4.How many people are normally on a jury in Scotland?

5.What is the minimum age for serving on a jury?

6.Question about young offenders/criminal court

7.Who was associated with the suffrage movement,

8.What changed regarding the voting age in 1928?

9.Minimum age/requirements for motorcycles and cars

10.Who is the patron saint of Scotland?

11.What is Edward Elgar famous for?

A. Theatre

B. Pop music

C. Classical music ✅

D. Economics

12.What is the King James Version of the Bible?

13.Where is the UK geographically located?

14 Questions about the Crown Dependencies & their relationship with UK

15.What is a bank holiday?

16.What is Margaret Thatcher famous for?

17.What does the UK Parliament consist of?

18.Which are responsibilities of UK citizenship? (Multiple choice selection)

19.What is not included in devolved administration/government?

20.who defeated King James II at the Battle of the Boyne in 1690?

A. Henry VIII

B. William III ✅

C. Charles I

D. George I

21 Who played a major role in the Northern Ireland peace process? John Major

22.Who received the 1962 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for discovering the molecular structure of DNA?

23. What scientific breakthrough is sir Ian wilmut credited with leading in 1996?

24.in Battle of Trafalgar in 1805, Admiral Nelsons Royal Navy fought against a combined fleet belonging to which 2 nations?

So Overall, I'd say do all 17 mock sets, practice it. but don’t just memorise the wording. Make sure you actually understand the facts because the real test can phrase the same information quite differently( did for me)

Good luck to everyone taking it! 🇬🇧

Hi guys,

My graduate visa is gonna expire on September 5th, and I have to leave as I couldn't find a sponsored job here. My question is: Do I have to leave the UK BEFORE Sep 5 or it is legal for me to leave ON that day (Sep 5)?

Hi everyone,
I’m currently applying for a UK Student visa for the September 2026 intake, and my situation is a little unusual. I’m hoping to find people who have been through something similar and can share their experience, especially regarding UKVI interviews and credibility concerns.
Here’s my background:
● I completed my Bachelor’s in Hotel Management in India.
● I previously went to the UK in September 2022 to study an MSc in Hospitality, Tourism and Management at Coventry University.
● Unfortunately, my father passed away on 23 February 2023, while I was in the UK.
● Because of the situation, I returned to India immediately and discontinued my Master’s. I had completed around 6 months of the course.
● I have been living in India since then and have gained professional experience, including working in a business-related role.
● I have now decided to return to higher education and have applied for a new postgraduate business-related course in the UK for the September 2026 intake.
● I have received my CAS, completed my TB test and recently completed my UKVI biometrics on 17 August 2026.
● My application is currently under standard processing.
My main concern is whether UKVI could question why I previously started a Master’s in the UK, discontinued it and returned to India, and am now applying for another postgraduate course in the UK.
I am prepared to explain honestly that my previous studies were interrupted because of my father’s death and that my circumstances are different now. I can also explain what I have done professionally since returning to India and why my new course is relevant to my career plans.
I’m particularly interested in hearing from anyone who:

1. Previously studied in the UK but discontinued/withdrew from their course and later applied for another UK Student visa.
2. Had to return to their home country because of a family death or serious family circumstances and later reapplied.
3. Had a significant gap between their previous UK studies and their new application.
4. Had a UKVI credibility interview with a similar background.
5. Was approved or refused in a similar situation.
   If you had a similar case, what questions did UKVI ask you? Did they question why you were returning to the UK after previously discontinuing your course?
   And if you were successful, what do you think helped your application?
   I’m mainly trying to understand what UKVI may focus on and whether there are any things I should be prepared to explain clearly if I’m invited for an interview.
   Thanks in advance to anyone who shares their experience. 🙏

Hey all, hoping someone's been through something similar.

Applying for a UK spouse visa from abroad on the savings route (money side is fine). My partner's my sponsor and has settled status. We're in a civil partnership, relationship is 100% genuine — lived together in the UK for about a year before, plus loads of time together since, and we're actually together right now.

Here's what's stressing me out: my partner's been living and working remotely abroad for about 2 years now, and the work's open-ended so we don't have a set date for going back to the UK yet. The plan is definitely to live in the UK together once the visa comes through, and we've got a landlord letter saying a flat's ready for us when he's back. But I keep reading that they scrutinise whether you really intend to live in the UK, and I'm nervous ours looks shaky because he's been away so long with no firm return date.

So basically:

• Anyone applied where the settled sponsor was still abroad at the time? Did they question the UK intention?
• Did not having a fixed return date actually cause issues, or was genuine intention + a place to live enough?
• What did you put in to show you're serious about moving back? Did it help?
• Anyone get asked for more info on this instead of just getting refused?

Any stories welcome, good or bad. Just trying to figure out if there are any risk of rejection. Thanks!

Hi everyone,

I used joint income with partner to meet the 29k Fin requirement

Relying on my income and partner’s self employment.

I put in the application she makes £10,588 from her self employment for the previous tax year ,

but when we got the SA302 it was £13,204 accountant gave us and that’s what I uploaded.

So there’s a mismatch in what was filed in application and what was uploaded!!

Question is I’ve done biometric Sunday and just realised this mistake, I called UKVi today the lady that picked the phone said I should withdraw the application .
Has anyone been in this situation or what would you suggest ?

Would I be rejected out rightly, or be contacted for correct info from the case worker. Pls help.

Thanks In advance

Hii group ! I hope you can help me, I was under a student visa from one UK uni, for medical situation I did not continue studying therefore my visa was cancelled I received an email from the come office for my new curtailment date. I left two months before

Now I’m applying for a new student visa to a new university, there is this part that says:

For either the UK or any other country, have you ever been:
• Refused a visa
• Refused entry at the border
• Refused permission to stay or remain
• Refused asylum
• Deported
• Removed
• Required to leave
• Excluded or banned from entry

What should I put ? Since mine was cancelled/curtail, but there is not that option.

I asked my new sponsor university and they replied “just put no” but I just worried, there is no other question about cancelled visa?

I just do not want to have problems

Thank you
Ps I asked the visa team if my uni and they said to put “no”

Hi all,

I recently submitted my Skilled Worker visa application (Switching from graduate). In the section asking whether I've ever received medical treatment in the UK, I answered "no."

After submitting, I remembered that around 4 to 5 months ago I had a single walk-in visit to a GP/clinic for a throat infection. It wasn't a booked appointment, I didn't pay anything, and I wasn't given a prescription. It genuinely slipped my mind when filling out the form.

I was wondering get advice on the matter.

Thanks in advance.

Has anyone successfully obtained ILR shortly after switching from Skilled Worker to Global Talent in similar circumstances? I entered the UK on 4 July 2023 on a Skilled Worker visa, switched to Global Talent (applied 26 June 2026, granted 16 August 2026), and completed 3 years' UK residence on 4 July 2026. Can I apply for ILR on 1 September 2026, or do I need to hold Global Talent status for a minimum period before applying? Has anyone had a successful ILR application shortly after receiving their Global Talent visa?

Has anyone withdrawn a UK naturalisation application before biometrics and reapplied with Priority?

Hi everyone, I’m wondering if anyone has been in this situation recently.
I submitted my British citizenship/naturalisation application but haven’t attended my biometrics appointment yet. Since the new citizenship Priority Service is now available, I’m considering withdrawing my existing application and submitting a fresh application using Priority.

Has anyone actually done this?
I’d really appreciate hearing about your experience, particularly:
Was the first application successfully withdrawn without any issues?
How long did the refund take?
Were you able to submit a new application immediately after withdrawing?
Did you have any issues with the second application because you had previously submitted and withdrawn one?
How quickly did you get the Priority decision after biometrics?

Any recent experiences would be really helpful, especially since the citizenship Priority Service is so new. Thank you! 🙏

I had applied for a visitor Visa to the UK through VFS Global. During the visa process, the counter staff told me that I have to create a e-visa account in order to view the outcome of the visa. When I got back home, I created an account and during the process, there was a question for me to give the previous GFW number in order to complete the creation of the account. I previously had a visa which had expired in March 2026 and had applied a couple of days back for a new one. When I view the dashboard of the account, I could only see the previous Visa (expired) and there is no way, I could input the newly issued GFW number to view the new Visa. There is no option even to delete the created account and re-create it with the newly issued GFW number. Any help would be appreciated.

As the title says… that happened. Pls don’t judge, I can explain.

I sent the certificate to the passport office to get my first British passport issued. They sent my documents back, including my other foreign passport. I thought it was just my other passport in the envelope, and I was in a rush, so i ripped the envelope in half… and also the naturalisation certificate, alongside some other less important documents. I was not aware those documents would be sent back with my passport.

Anyway… HOW CAN I GET A REPLACEMENT? 😭😭😭

Hi there,

I’m applying for ILR under the 10-year Long Residence route and stuck on one field.

My dates:
• First entered the UK: 17 September 2016
• 10 years completes: 17 September 2026
• Earliest valid application date: 20 August 2026
• Planned submission: 21 August 2026
So on the day I submit I’ll have 9 years, 11 months and 4 days. The form has a “How long have you lived in the UK?” field with separate years and months boxes.

Do I enter 9 years / 11 months (literally true on the date of application), or 10 years / 0 months (the qualifying period I’m relying on)?

Would appreciate input from anyone who’s been through the 10-year ILR application process.

Thanks! Truly appreciate your help.

Australian living in Germany, applying for UK Youth Mobility Visa. I've recently had a new Aus passport however my current German residency permit is tied to my old passport (the old passport number is printed on the card). Am I still able to present the correct residency permit at my biometrics appointment or do I need to have absolutely everything up to date? Alternatively can I present the permit and BOTH passports?

Apologies if obvious questions are obvious, but I don't know how much leeway the UK authorities give on these matters and some helpful advice would be appreciated. Thanks.

I made them upload all the document more than the checklist required, to show that i am a genuine student. (Took the document upload service)
VFS office :-Delhi, India
Applied on :- 3rd august
Biometric:- 10th august
Visa received:- 17th august
Nationality:- Indian
Application type:- Standard

Application Date: 31st March 2026
Biometric Date: 8th April 2026
ILR Route: 10 years (5 years ICT, 1 Year on Tier2 Dependent, 4 years on Skilled Worker Visa)

Status Update from Citizen Support: 18th Aug 2026 (Citizenship.Support@homeoffice.gov.uk)

https://preview.redd.it/l043ed2095kh1.png?width=2802&format=png&auto=webp&s=87083681bcc74fb2824e3091bb20fa372feed220

I sent an email to Citizenship.Support@homeoffice.gov.uk almost every week from last 2 weeks, and finally received the status