UK Visas and Immigration launches a new in-country visa application system on 02 November 2018 made within the UK with the introduction of new Super Priority visa service to get a decision within 24 hours after the biometrics.
The new Super Priority Visa Service appears similar to the recently pulled Same Day or Premium Service which used to operate quite differently in practice. The premium service was personal contact with the immigration officer at one of the public inquiry offices in the UK however, the new service involves sending a digital copy of an application through an outsourced third party Sopra Steria operating UK visa and citizenship application service.
Applications accepted
The new visa application service accepts almost all type of applications on priority or super priority service including;
- Spouse visa & FLR M
- FLR FP all routes
- Settlement all routes
- Majority of the point-based applications including Tier 2, Tier 4, & Tier 1
How much does it cost?
The price of the Super Priority service is identical to the old premium service. The service will cost £610 to use. Once you have booked the service, you must choose a date to attend a free-of-charge appointment. If an appointment is not available, it is possible to book one at short notice (on the day / next day) which costs upwards of £100.
The premium lounge appointments are available Monday to Friday from 08:00 to 18:00 for standard appointments with evening appointments available to 20:00 on Wednesdays and Thursdays. The price for standard appointment is £200 and £260 for out of hours appointment.
Processing time
24-hour super priority services start when you submit your biometrics. The service standard will end when the UK Visas and Immigration send their decision to you.
Some out of country applications are now also available in priority service and the service standard varies depends on the application centre.
In our experience, applications processed at a premium service centre were largely decided within 24 hours. We have found that the new system takes longer.
This is unfortunate, as, whilst awaiting a decision, there is no way to contact the Home Office to clarify why the decision is taking longer than 24 hours. We hope that this service is simply experiencing teething troubles, and that in future the service will be much improved.
If you looking to apply and would like more information tailored to your situation, we offer consultations and a full application service to provide advice and assistance on the best course of action to take to secure your place in the UK, please fill out our online enquiry
