This page identifies the public process and questions to check. It cannot confirm a deadline, preserve immigration status or determine the correct remedy for an individual case.
Start here
Four immediate checks
- 1
Identify whether the application was made inside or outside the UK
- 2
Read the official return-document conditions
- 3
Check whether cancellation would be required
- 4
Do not make irreversible travel plans first
Keep control of the facts
Build a reliable record
Keep the complete decision, application, status record, correspondence and dates together. Use the current official page rather than screenshots or social-media summaries.
Avoid preventable harm
Important risks
- A return request can cancel some applications
- Processed fees may not be refunded
- Leaving the Common Travel Area can affect an in-country application
Official starting point
Open the current government process
Know when a guide is no longer enough
Eligibility assessments, evidence reviews, application preparation and representation should be handled by a suitably regulated professional.