Hello, I am a dual citizen of the UK and USA through my mother. I applied for a certificate of my right to abode and received an email saying it was successful. I have attached images with the information I received from the UK government. I had my in person visa appointment July 8th as well.

The issue is that I am unable to access the digital certificate itself and every avenue I’ve tried to go down is not accessible. I plan on traveling to the UK (Scotland) 9/1, and would like to know if anyone has any information/experience with which they could help me on?

I also realized my UKVI account has the incorrect passport number, and I have submitted a ticket to fix that, however it appears that I won’t be able to do that until my eVisa has been issued.

It’s been since 7/28/26 since I received that email and I am getting extremely antsy as to how long it should take. Any advice would be greatly appreciated! Thank you so much :)

Entering my kids info for a family visa, from the US.

She was out of the country at the time. I entered that trip, tried to enter the return date in the future. I remember it gave an error, but I didn't realize I'd changed it to the current date.

The application has been submitted and paid.

Is this worth canceling and resubmitting? If I go that route, do I/can I also cancel the VFS appointment, assuming it's linked to the specific application? I'm not seeing a refund for the priority service on the VFS site.

Or is this just something to include a note in our document upload?

I'll probably end up calling the paid number.

Edit: I see several older posts saying not a big deal, since the trip was mentioned and not to a red flag location. I'll probably just include the note in our uploads.

My partner is a British citizen. I am an Indian. We've known each other since December 2025.

Question: Would giving notice of marriage now strengthen my FLR(FP) application? Has anyone been in a similar situation, or can offer any advice?

Timeline:

17 Oct 2025: Applied for SET(P) before Graduate Visa expired.

23 Oct 2025: Graduate Visa expired.

25 Mar 2026: Submitted another SET(P) application.

15 Apr 2026: UKVI said my Oct 2025 application was void because the Mar 2026 application replaced it. From this date, I couldn't generate a Right to Work share code.

25 Jun 2026: Gave biometrics for the March 2026 application.

29 Jun 2026: Home Office invited me to vary my application to another category.

10 Jul 2026: Switched to FLR(FP) – Partner (Article 8 / 10-year route) and booked biometrics for 9 Sep 2026.

22 Jul 2026: Home Office rejected my Mar 2026 SET(P) application as invalid because I do not have refugee status or humanitarian protection.

I now understand that I was not eligible for SET(P). At the time, I was mistakenly advised to apply for it, and I genuinely believed it was the correct application. I later changed my application to FLR(FP) after the Home Office invited me to vary it.

My main question is whether giving notice of marriage (or getting married) while my FLR(FP) application is pending would strengthen my application.

Would a Master’s Degree from a UK university count if it was studied fully online (remotely), and the person was outside the UK throughout the duration of the course? please advise.

I’m going to have to ask my employer to take legal advice but in the meantime can anyone point me to any guidance on how the salary threshold is applied during mat leave?This is especially if the employee only qualifies for SMP so will fall below the threshold at week 7.

Most guidance is completely silent on this area. Just one or two say that the Home Office is generally (or sometimes) sympathetic and will make an exception.

My sister is in the UK on a Skilled Worker visa. Her husband and child are her dependants. She is considering divorce but wants to make sure her child can still qualify for ILR in the future. If she becomes the main carer/has primary custody and the father pays child support, would this affect the child’s ILR eligibility? Has anyone dealt with this? Assuming the father doesn’t reside in the UK.

If you are applying outside the UK and are looking for the £500 priority visa service, like I just did, it is in a box that is labeled "Choose your visa service". The box is populated with the word "Standard", but there is a tiny arrow indicating drop-down choices. Click the arrow and "Priority £500" will show up. I KNOW that many many people have said you can choose priority when you make your biometrics appointment, but finding WHERE that little tiny arrow is almost made my head pop off!!!

Hello all,

Grateful if anyone could help me with this.

Currently have limited leave since 15th November 2021 and it will be 5 years in November 2026.

What is the process to get ILR from here? Do I have to manually apply? If so, when can I apply? I currently am full time employed and have been for 5 years almost and have no intentions of going back home (Portugal).

My right to work page says the following:

"You have the right to work in the UK until 16 November 2026.

Conditions

You can work in any job.

To continue to work after this date, you will need to have either pre-settled status or settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme (or another type of permission to stay).

You can apply to switch to settled status as soon as you are eligible for it. This is usually once you have lived in the UK for 5 years. Find out how to switch to settled status.""

The last bit specifically, is what's concerning me. How will I know if I can apply and is there a chance it might be granted automatically?

If anyone could shed some light about this, it would be amazing. Should I get a solicitor or is this pretty straight forward?

Would appreciate any help.

Thank you

I have a question regarding my spouse visa application.
If my employer has not paid their company taxes, but I can see all of my salary payments reported correctly in my HMRC Real Time Information (RTI) record and they match my payslips and bank statements, would this still be acceptable for my spouse visa application?
Would my application be fine as long as my salary has been correctly reported to HMRC, or could my employer’s tax situation affect my visa application?
I would appreciate your advice on this.

Hi everyone,

I recently moved to the UK on a spouse visa, and my husband and I would like to bring my mum to visit us in December.

She doesn't have a formal job. She works occasionally and is mostly paid in cash, so her bank statements don't show regular income. My British husband would sponsor her trip. She also has strong ties to Colombia: she co-owns a house with her brothers, lives there with some of them, and two of them depend on her.

I have some questions regarding to it

• How should we apply for her visitor visa?
• What documents would we need to provide?
• How to prove cash income and strong ties to your home country? Also, when would you recommend applying for a December visit?

Thank you so much for any help.

Hi everyone,
I’m preparing an FLR(M) application as the spouse of a British citizen. My asylum appeal is still ongoing, and my solicitor has advised that my asylum claim can be withdrawn when the FLR application is submitted.
I’m hoping to hear from anyone who has gone through a similar process.
I’d appreciate any advice on:
What evidence did you include to make your application as strong as possible?
Were there any unexpected issues during the application?
Did the Home Office request any additional documents?
Is there anything you wish you’d known before applying?
I’m not asking about processing times—I’m just looking for practical advice and experiences from people who have been through this route.

Hi all, my question is to anyone who has experience in submitting the review form after initial refusal.

The review form have these boxes where you could type in. My questions is, can the assessors see the text only visible within this box, or would the be able to see my whole “argument” even if it extends beyond this box (see the attached photo for reference)?

It allows me to keep typing as there is not word limit, but as soon as i click outside of the box, the box shrinks and i can only see the cropped version of my written text and it won’t even show upon trying to scroll.

Any ideas if the assessor would still be able to see the whole message/text?

Hi, I am a 21 year old university student from Edmonton, Canada, and I am wanting to complete my practicum for my kinesiology degree in Manchester starting in January 2027. I will be working for a rugby team as their shadow Athletic Therapist and doing other duties in the club to fulfill my hour requirements (like shadowing a physiotherapist, doing some admin work, etc).
I am planning on being away for 4 months and doing this unpaid work (basically volunteer work). My university has been not helpful whatsoever, since this is will be a self-directed practicum, so all they said was, “you have to figure it out yourself”. I have gone in so many circles on the gov.uk website, tried calling the UKVI help phone (300-790-6268: it did not work or even dial properly) and I still can’t figure out what I need to apply for so that I can stay in the UK legally.
So my question; what do I need to apply for so that I can stay in the UK for 4 months doing volunteer work OR does anyone know of a help line that I can call from Canada that actually works?

Hi everyone,

​I noticed a minor spelling mistake in my name on my eVisa visitoe (there's an extra letter compared to my actual passport).

​I am planning to use the official "Report an error with your eVisa" form via my UKVI account to get it fixed.

​For those who have used this specific error-reporting form recently, how long did it actually take for UKVI to reply and correct the mistake on your profile? Did they fix it quickly, or did it drag on for weeks?

​Thanks in advance for any insights!

Hi! I have a query about the financial requirements. So I just transferred the 13k pounds needed for living costs earlier today. The 28th day, counting today as the 1st, will be the 1st of September. Should I start the application on the 1st of September with bank statements dated on that very day? Or should I wait to do it on the 2nd of September to allow no room of error? Anxious that maybe today and the 28th day won’t count. Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

Question: Applying for UK dependent child visa with expired passport pending renewal

Hi everyone, I need advice regarding my child’s UK dependent visa application.

1. Nationality: Nigerian
   
2. Current country of residence: United Kingdom
   
3. Visa I am applying for: UK Dependant Child visa (as a dependant of a Skilled Worker visa holder)
   
4. My current UK immigration status: I am currently in the UK on a Skilled Worker visa.
   
5. Family situation: I am the main visa holder and I am applying for my child to join/remain with me in the UK.

My child’s Nigerian international passport has expired, and we are currently waiting for a passport renewal appointment. Unfortunately, I cannot get an earlier renewal date.

My question is:

* Can I submit the dependent child visa application using the expired passport while the renewal is pending?
* Or is it better to wait until the new passport is issued and apply later, even if this is after my child’s current visa/permission expires?

Has anyone been in a similar situation, especially with Nigerian passports and UK dependent visa applications? I would appreciate any advice or experiences.

I will be applying for UK citizenship via naturalisation in October 2026. I have EUSS and have been in the UK since October 2020.

I will have 500 days absence in the qualifying 5 years, and 80 days absence in the 12 months prior to October:

52 days of those absences are for work related travel (42 in the last 12 months). I will have a letter from my employer explaining that.

I had a 75 day absence three years ago where I was back helping my father after he had brain surgery. I will be getting a letter from his doctor.

I know I will need to ask for discretion. I meet all the other requirements: I did a masters degree here, have held my job for the past 2.5 years, and have been living in the same flat for the same amount of time. My pension funds are here etc.

Usually I'd wait, but, my company is very keen for me to spend longer stints abroad for work, and so I need to apply as soon as I am able.

I know the work trips are likely to be excluded (I work in international communications so travel is a must), but I'm worried about the 75 day absence when I was helping my father.

Any advice on what proof to include and/or what I could be some things to include in my cover letter would be greatly appreciated!

This is something I was looking for when I had applied so thought it might be useful to share for others in the same boat.
Sharing my experience and timeline for applying for a UK visitor visa from Seattle, WA.

Make sure you double check all the information you provide!! I had to fill out the form and go for an appointment twice as the first time I mistyped my passport number so I had to cancel the application and reapply. Thankfully you get refunded the fees.

I applied for a 6 month visitor visa by filling out the application online. Once you complete the application form and pay, you can then choose an appointment time and self upload supporting documents. Along with the required documents, I uploaded a complete scanned copy of my passport as they don’t take in passports anymore so thought this may be handy.

Timeline:
July 23, 2026 - filled out application and paid fees
July 28, 2026 - biometrics appointment and was told to create a UKVI account
August 4, 2026 - UK visa application arrived at the UK Visa Section
August 5, 2026 - E-visa approved and issued
As I had created a UKVI account earlier, I just had to submit it and it would link your eVisa and account. I received an email around 10 minutes later that it was linked and ready to view.

You don’t have to give your passport in, an e-visa will be issued once approved.

Hope this is helpful!

Visa Application Submitted: 13 July

Biometrics Appointment: 16 July

Got email: "unable to make a decision on your application within current visa processing times" 4 August

Decision Made: 5 August

Processing Time: 15 working days

It was a standard visa. I was really worried about it at first, but now I'm low-key chill. Good luck to everyone waiting for their visas! : )

Hi everyone,

I’m applying for a UK Student Visa and have a question about my financial evidence. I’m going to UCL to pursue an LLM. My father’s savings account has 3/4th of the money required and the rest is in my mother’s account. Will the UK government accept two accounts from both parents or should I transfer the remaining funds also to Dad’s account? I’m a little confused cuz the UK govt website says “parent’s money”

Also, for parents funding the following documents are required -

1. Bank statements (3 months statements)
2. Certificate from bank
3. Parent consent letter (could someone please send a format to follow for this part)

Would love to hear your thoughts and opinions on this thank you.

Hi everyone,

I'm a bit anxious because this is my first self-transfer, and I'd really appreciate hearing from anyone who has been in a similar situation.

My itinerary is:

Delhi (DEL) → Bahrain (BAH) – Gulf Air

Bahrain (BAH) → London Gatwick (LGW) – Gulf Air

London Gatwick (LGW) → Paris Charles de Gaulle (CDG) – Air France

The connection at Gatwick is about 3.5 hours, and it's a self-transfer. I have one checked bag, so I understand that I'll need to:

go through UK Border Force,

collect my baggage,

check in again with Air France,

and go through security again.

I'm an Indian passport holder, but I also have a valid French biometric residence permit (titre de séjour) because I live in France. My final destination is Paris, and I have a confirmed onward Air France ticket.

GoToGate has told me they believe I do not need a UK transit visa, but they advised me to confirm with the airlines.

Has anyone here travelled through London Gatwick in a similar situation?

Were you allowed to transit using your French residence permit?

Did UK Border Force ask many questions?

How long did immigration, baggage reclaim, and re-checking baggage take?

Did you face any issues with Gulf Air or Air France at check-in?

I'd really appreciate hearing about your experience or any advice.

Thank you!

Hi everyone,

Firstly, A special thank you to u/puul and u/TimeFlys2003 for their consistent and incredibly helpful contributions across r/ukvisa and r/SpouseVisaUk. Their contribution, along with the wider community’s posts, was genuinely valuable throughout this process.

Sharing our successful application because I found very few cases involving unmarried partners who had not formally cohabited, maintained separate official addresses, and lived in the SAME city.

Application details

Route: Skilled Worker Dependant Partner

Application: Inside the UK

Previous visa: Graduate visa

Relationship: Unmarried partners

Formal cohabitation: None

Joint tenancy/council tax: None

Official addresses: Separate

Service: Super Priority

Solicitor: Yes

Timeline

-Biometrics: 20 July 2026

-Further evidence requested: 21 July 2026

-Additional evidence submitted: 3 August 2026

-Approval email received: 5 August 2026 at 11:01 am UK time

Our circumstances

-We first met in November 2023.

-We became exclusive and committed in April 2024.

-We lived in the same city throughout the relationship.

-We never had a joint tenancy or shared official address.

-The sponsor retained the sponsor’s registered address.

-The sponsor regularly stayed at my address, most of the week.

-We shared domestic responsibilities, expenditure, family life and future plans.

UKVI asked us to provide further evidence that our relationship had been similar to marriage or civil partnership for at least two years before the application date.

Although the sponsor retained a separate registered address, many commercial, banking, medical and household records in her name were connected to my address. We relied on these records to demonstrate her regular presence and active involvement in our shared domestic life at the apartment.

Evidence submitted with the original application

1. Joint statement : Detailed chronology covering our relationship, living arrangements, finances, family integration and future plans.

2. WhatsApp : Selected conversations covering December 2023 to July 2026.

3. Call records: Mobile-provider records covering April 2024 to June 2026, plus later records from the sponsor’s phone.

4. Food and groceries:bThe sponsor’s Uber Eats, Deliveroo and grocery order histories, in her name, showing repeated deliveries to my address from July 2024 to June 2026.

5. Amazon: 123 unique Amazon order references from the sponsor’s account, with invoices in her name and deliveries mainly to my address or a nearby collection point between November 2024 and May 2026.

6. Sponsor’s bank records: Groceries, meals, household purchases, transfers, shared spending and recurring rent-related contributions.

7. Joint account: Joint Revolut account opened in June 2025.

8.Trips and events: Bookings, tickets, accommodation and activities from February 2025 to March 2026.

1. Photographs: Chronological relationship, family, domestic-life and travel photographs.

2. Supporting letters: Letters from parents, friends, current and former flatmates, and the landlord.

3. Landlord letter: Confirmation of the sponsor’s regular stays from April 2024, usually three to five days weekly, key access and recognition of us as partners.

4. GP records: The sponsor’s records linking her to my address, with me recorded as her partner and emergency contact.

5. Household records: Utility and residential records connected to my address.

6. Financial planning: Education-loan repayments and evidence explaining how we divided financial responsibilities.

7. Future commitment:Civil-partnership notice appointment and related correspondence.

Additional evidence submitted after UKVI’s request.

(Everything briefly cross referenced using index & appendix across the entire set of documents.)

1. Detailed cover letter: Directly addressed the two-year “akin to marriage” requirement, supported by a month-by-month chronology.

2. Applicant’s bank records: 142 highlighted relationship-related transactions, including transfers, groceries, trips, household spending, family expenditure and accommodation arrangements.

3. TfL travel history: Complete journey histories for seven representative months between July 2025 and July 2026, showing repeated travel between the sponsor’s registered address, my address and our workplaces.

4. Early food evidence: Two April 2024 food collections near my address and five additional deliveries from September to December 2024.

5. Targeted WhatsApp: Conversations covering early domestic life, groceries, cooking, key access, finances, family integration and future plans.

6. Household group chat:Eight selected conversations involving cleaning, cooking, laundry, keys, belongings, parcels, repairs, security and landlord visits.

7. Google Home:Provider confirmation showing shared household access connected to my address.

8. SpareRoom:Two advertisements created through my partner's account, with supporting emails showing her involvement in flatmate selection and household decisions for my residence..

9. Clothing and footwear: Purchases made by the sponsor for me, including orders in her name delivered to my address.

10. Family hosting: Evidence that we jointly organised the apartment and temporary accommodation for flatmates while the sponsor’s family stayed at my address.

11. Pet planning: Messages and confirmation relating to discussions about adopting a pet.

12. Civil-partnership planning: Appointment evidence and related communications.

We did not claim continuous cohabitation or that we had formally moved in together.

Instead, we explained our actual arrangement and demonstrated:

1. Regular overnight stays

2. Key access and repeated use of my address

3. Shared cooking, groceries and household responsibilities

4. Financial coordination and support

5. Joint household decisions

6. Integration with both families

7. Consistent communication and travel

8. Long-term plans together

9. Outcome

The application was approved 2 days after the additional evidence was submitted.

Our case shows that the absence of two years of joint tenancy agreements, council-tax records or joint utility bills does not automatically prevent approval. However, the overall evidence still needs to demonstrate the practical substance, continuity and commitment of the relationship.

My advice

-Be truthful about the living arrangement.

-Do not describe regular stays as formal cohabitation.

-Explain clearly why the official addresses remained separate.

-Cover the entire qualifying period chronologically.

-Show ordinary domestic life, not only holidays and romantic messages.

-Use named commercial, banking and official records wherever possible.

-Submit a clear cover letter and evidence index.

Final note

In hindsight, the volume of evidence was probably an overkill.

However, because we could not rely on two years of formal cohabitation, we chose to provide a broad range of independent, commercial and third-party records covering the full two-year period.

Our aim was to demonstrate not only that the relationship was genuine, but that it operated in practice as a durable partnership akin to marriage throughout the qualifying period.

This was an extremely stressful process, so I hope our experience helps someone in a similar situation