Priority processing on most in-country UK immigration applications available again

The United Kingdom has resumed priority processing in most U.K. immigration categories for applications submitted from within the U.K.

Key Points:

• For an additional fee, applicants can apply for faster decisions on certain U.K. visa or settlement applications, including Skilled Worker and ICT applications. Depending on the visa or immigration category, processing may be possible within five working days or by the end of the next working day.
• The U.K. suspended priority processing for most applications early in the COVID-19 pandemic; however, priority services are now available for most categories. The full list is available here.

Analysis & Comments: The resumption of the priority service routes is certainly good news for visa applicants applying from within the U.K. However, applicants need to be mindful there is currently a lead time of around four weeks to secure an appointment, and that the issuance of the Biometric Residence Permit (BRP) could take up to a further seven to 10 working days following the approval of the application. Applicants for U.K. visas or settlement are welcome to discuss possible expedited processing options with Deloitte.

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