UK Student Visa Processing Time – Explained!

Hello students!

So, you’ve decided to pursue your education in the UK; you’ve already applied at colleges and universities, and are now waiting for the Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS). And while you wait for the good news, you plan the next step – that is, applying for your UK student visa.

As such, you will be having many questions about the application process — in particular, the time it takes for the application to be processed.

You have heard contrasting statements — time frames varying from a week to as long as a month. This has you even more confused.

Resourcing a team of knowledgeable and experienced London-based immigration solicitors, we are well positioned to answer all your questions about UK student visa processing time.

But before we proceed, here are few important things that we would like you to know.

When Can You Apply?

You can apply for a UK student visa after receiving your CAS, but not before 3 months of the start of your program. So, let’s say if your program is scheduled for March, once you have received your CAS, you can apply for the visa in December. The earlier you apply in this 3-month time window, the less problems you are going to face in case if there is a delay.

Now coming to the main question, the answer to which follows next.

How Long Does It Take for UK Student Visa Application to Get Processed?

The defined window is set to 15 working days by UKVI, from the date of submission of completed application.

But remember, this is not certain by any means.

Sometimes, due to increased application processing load (likely to happen during the months of June – August and November – December) it may take longer than 15 working days to get your visa application processed.

Similarly, if you have submitted incomplete documents, the process might get delayed.

Other factors on which the application processing time depends are as follows:

• The country from where you are applying.
• Your travel history.
• Whether you are required to appear for an interview.

What if you are applying for an emergency application?

In some cases, you might run the submission of application late—for varying reasons—and as such going through the normal process might implicate the risk of missing out on the start of term. You will have to submit a valid reason for your emergency application and will have to seek out priority service.

Your immigration lawyer should be able to guide you further.

Do you have any more questions about the visa application processing time or the application process in general? Feel free to reach out at our email address info@wembleysolictors.com or call us at 020 3417 3700, and our immigration experts would further assist you.

Best of luck for your future!