The Process for Applying for a UK Visa

In this section, we’ll focus on applicants applying within the UK to extend their current visa or “switch” from their current UK Visa to another category of UK Visa. First Migration is an OISC approved Immigration Consultancy that can assist you with the full application process under our full representation service. The application chronology, as stated below, reflects the process our typical clients receive when applying through First Migration.

• You begin by paying our professional fee (full fee or deposit if agreed) and agree in writing to our Terms and Conditions, which we will email you.
• Once both tasks have been completed, we will provide you with our Expert Document List and the document templates you need to keep things as simple for you as possible.
• You must gather all the required supporting documents together first so we can ensure the application will be approved.
• Once the documents have been gathered and checked by First Migration, we will set up the online application form and complete it (as the application process is now fully digital and documents are no longer submitted to the Home Office by post).
• Once we have drafted your online application form, we will email you a copy to review so you can let us know if any changes or amendments are needed. We always ensure you are fully involved in every aspect of your case for your peace of mind and to ensure a thorough process.
• When the application form is ready for submission, we will submit the online application for you, and we will use your designated credit or debit card to pay the appropriate government fee and Immigration Health Surcharge fee. Once the payments have been made, we can book your biometric appointment at the nearest biometric centre to where you live in the UK.
• After online submission, your dedicated First Migration consultant will be able to upload all your supporting documents to the Home Office server and then provide your fully prepared application back to you so that you can take it to the biometric centre appointment with you.
• After attending your biometric appointment and having your biometrics taken, we will have to wait for between one working day (with the UKVI’s Super Priority Service) or 8 to 12 weeks (with the Standard Service) for the Home Office caseworker to make a decision on your application. Waiting times can increase during peak times and for certain types of applications such as ILR. The clock begins on your processing time from when your biometric information is enrolled at the biometric centre.
• Once a decision has been made, you and First Migration will receive the decision by email. Biometric Resident Permits are being phased out from 31st December 2024 onwards, so you will now be issued with an electronic visa. 

If you're looking to apply without our assistance, you'll need to follow each of these steps to give yourself the best chance of approval. 

Should you be applying from outside the UK in your country of residence for a UK Visa, the application process with our full representation service will be as follows:

• You would sign up for our service by paying our professional fee and agreeing to our Terms and Conditions.
• Once done, we will send you our detailed document list, templates, and everything you need to gather for the required supporting documents.
• Once you have gathered all the documents needed, you must provide them to your dedicated UK Visa Expert at First Migration for checking.
• Once we are happy we have received all the supporting documents we need, we will set up the online application form.
• Once the form has been filled out, we will submit the online application form on your behalf, and use your credit/debit card to pay the government fee, the NHS Surcharge, and the Priority Service fee (if you want a decision in 6-8 weeks rather than 12-14 weeks).
• Once we have completed the online submission process, we can print off the forms you need to submit and book your appointment at the VFS Global or TLS Contact Visa centre in your country of residence.
• Should the visa centre in your country of residence be operated by TLS Contact, we will fully upload all your supporting documents onto their system, so we can guarantee the approval and ensure no mistakes are made that could lead to refusal.
• Should the visa centre you are attending be operated by VFS Global, your supporting documents will be taken to a location in the UK for scanning.
• At this step, all the applicant must do is attend the biometric visa centre appointment, have their digital fingerprints and photo taken, and hand them their passport for the visa to be stamped once the UK Visa application has been approved. The visa centre will forward the applicant’s current passport to the local British Embassy or British High Commission, as they will need the passport to stamp the Entry Clearance Visa paper vignette once the UK Entry Clearance Officer has made a decision.
• After a few days or weeks (depending on the category of visa you applied for and the British Embassy/High Commission making the decision), you should receive an email to say that a decision has been made on your application. Please note that this is always the most stressful part of the process for our clients, as the Entry Clearance Officers’ (ECO’s) email will not confirm the decision, they will state that a decision has been made. This means you will only find out whether the application has been successful when the applicant returns to the visa centre and collects their passport back. Rest assured that our clients always receive an approval letter back with their passport, which will contain the Entry Clearance Visa.
• All UK Visas issued for over 6 months must nowadays be issued as a Biometric Residence Permit (BRP) Visa ID card. Should your visa issued be for longer than 6 months, the passport will be returned with a 30-day Entry Clearance Visa stamp to allow you to fly to the UK to collect the BRP Visa card from a specific Post Office when you arrive in the UK.
• All you must do now is ensure you arrive in the UK before the Entry Clearance Visa expires (and collect your BRP Visa ID card if your visa is valid for longer than 6 months)!

As we have outlined, the application process for applying within and applying from outside the UK is slightly different.  As we manage each step of the process, from preparing, submitting, and securing UK Visas daily, letting us help you with this process can give you the peace of mind that securing your UK Visa approval will not be a stressful experience.