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My UK visa decision is delayed

How to check the published service standard, recognise when a case is outside it and use the correct UKVI contact route.

Resource type
Problem-solving guide
Last reviewed
26 July 2026
Official sources
1
Platform role
Information only
General information, not a personal recommendation

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.

01

Start here

Four immediate checks

  1. 1

    Confirm when processing officially started

  2. 2

    Use the current inside- or outside-UK processing tool

  3. 3

    Check email and spam folders for requests

  4. 4

    Contact UKVI only when the published guidance says to

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

  • Booked travel is not evidence of a decision date
  • Requests for further evidence may change practical timing
  • Do not pay an unofficial person claiming to accelerate UKVI

Official starting point

Open the current government process

Personal circumstances?

Know when a guide is no longer enough

Eligibility assessments, evidence reviews, application preparation and representation should be handled by a suitably regulated professional.

Verify a regulated professional