New UKVI service standards introduced
UK Visas & Immigration (UKVI) has announced a revision to its service standards for applications made within the UK since 1 January 2014. Whilst this sounds very positive, customers should be aware that the UKVI’s new standard for processing straightforward applications to remain in the UK on a temporary basis as a spouse, worker, Tier 1 General or student is still 8 weeks. For customers applying in the UK to remain permanently (or naturalise as British), the new ‘improved’ processing time is a staggering 6 months.
With the UKVI’s processing times for postal applications still far too protracted, many applicants will continue to be left with no option but to choose to by-pass such delays by paying a government premium fee to file their application via either the ’10 day priority postal’ or ‘same day premium’ service.
It seems the more you pay, the greater the service you will receive from the Immigration Service. Whilst this is a solution of sorts, is it too much to ask the UKVI to provide their customers with a modernised postal service offering much shorter processing times? We hope not!
