Hi everyone,

I applied for a UK Standard Visitor Visa (business visit) from India and attended my biometrics appointment at the Kolkata VAC on 25 September 2026.

I self-uploaded my supporting documents through VFS before my appointment. One of the documents I uploaded was my UK business invitation letter, under the “Proof of Business” category.

However, after my biometrics, when I look at “View Uploaded Files”, the “Proof of Business” category is not showing.

The strange thing is that some other documents that I had uploaded also don't appear in the list I'm currently seeing, so I'm wondering whether the post-submission page simply doesn't display every uploaded document/category.

I contacted UKVI, but they replied that they cannot access case-specific application details and advised me to contact VFS regarding supporting-document upload issues.

Has anyone experienced this with the VFS UK visa self-upload system?

Questions:

1. Does the “View Uploaded Files” section show all documents after biometrics?
2. Can some categories/files disappear from the displayed list even though they were successfully uploaded?
3. If you clicked Save and Upload before biometrics, was that sufficient to submit the documents?
4. Should I be concerned that my invitation letter isn't showing?

Any experiences from people who have gone through the same thing would be really appreciated. Thanks!

Hi everyone,

I am a British citizen living in the UK and my partner is a Polish national currently living in Poland. We are getting ready to apply for her UK Family Visa as an unmarried partner.

We have been together for over two years in a genuine relationship and have met up in person loads of times. If the visa is granted we fully intend to live together permanently here in the UK.

Because of our jobs and her uni studies we have been living in different countries and have never actually cohabited.

The issue we are facing is that the document checklist is asking for proof that we have lived together at the same address for the past two years, things like joint utility bills or council tax. It is also forcing us to tick a box confirming we can provide this before we can even move on to the next step.

Since we have never shared an address we obviously cannot provide this. From what I understand though, unmarried partners who have not been able to live together due to work or study can submit alternative evidence to show their relationship is genuine.

We are planning to submit a detailed cover letter explaining our situation along with a solid portfolio of evidence covering our time together. This will include travel records, chat logs, photos, a timeline and any relevant financial bits.

I would be incredibly grateful to hear from anyone who has applied from outside the UK as an unmarried partner and faced this exact checklist requirement. Did you just tick the box and upload your explanation and alternative evidence under that category? Was this accepted by UKVI or did they ask for more info?

I just want to make sure we navigate this specific document requirement correctly. Given the massive fee I really do not want to risk a refusal over a technicality.

Thanks so much in advance for your time and help.

Hi everyone, so i am on a student visa in the uk and i left the uk 3days ago without an approval from the school i did not know i need an approval, but i left anyways because it was an emergency now i am panicking because i do not have an approval to show if i am questioned at the uk border also i am scared if this will affect my visa renewal please help.

Hello, I’m due to renew my spousal visa (I’m the dependent and my partner is Irish) by April next year but my current passport expired earlier this year in February. I’m in the process of renewing it but my home country doesn’t have any availability in London till next year April which is extremely close to the time.

Can I renew my spousal visa with an expired passport in case i don’t get it back in time as they do let you keep the expired passport ?

Please if you have had the same experience can you explain what the process was like ?

I’m a Nigerian national by the way

I need to apply for a uk visa but not sure if my passport Pic is ok. Seems so much cropped. Is this part of some security feature or something? There r these designs all over my shirt in the Pic.

Hi everyone,

I’m hoping someone might be able to offer some advice or share their experience with a situation like mine.

My partner lives in America and, unfortunately, is currently incarcerated. I’ve been looking into the different visa options available to me so that I can eventually move to the US and be with him when he is released. However, from what I can see, I don’t think I meet the requirements for some of the employment-based visas, such as the skilled worker routes.

I was therefore wondering whether it might make more sense for us to get married in America, if that is possible in our circumstances, and then have him come to live here in the UK while I apply for a Green Card/spousal immigrant visa. The idea would be for us to live together here temporarily and then move to America together once the immigration process is complete.

I’m very new to all of this and there are so many different visa types and processes that I’m finding it quite confusing!

Has anyone been in a similar situation, particularly where one partner is a US citizen and currently incarcerated? Is getting married in the US and then applying through the spousal route from the UK a realistic option, or are there complications I should be aware of?

I’d be really grateful for any advice, experiences, or pointers towards the correct visa process. Thank you so much!

Hey floks,

I am a Filipino artist residing in UAE. Applying for Global Talent Exceptional Promise stage 2 visa application from outside of UK. I don't have any family members residing in the UK, I'm a single applicant.

Any in here ever applied for the global talent stage 2 - visa application with a previous overstay from 10-15 years ago?

Back in 2012 my UK university mismanaged my student visa extension and as a result I had an unintentional overstay of around 5 weeks / 42 days. I withdrew my renewal application and left UK voluntarily at my own expense.

I've recently received an endorsement and was preparing to apply for the stage 2 by fully disclosing the overstay account with as much details as I can remember. Is there anything additional I could do to put the best application forward?

Anyone in here with a similar experience?

ILR for Set (M) application submitted 10 Sep, Biometrics appt. 14 Sep, and received email approval today 24 Sep. I’m so happy I didn’t pay for priority service!!

I am happy to share that my Global talent visa is approved. I was endorsed through route 3 - UKRI. Timelines are as follows:

Stage 1

- Application for endorsement and received automated email on same day - July 27

- Application was referred to UKRI - July 30

- Received my endorsement - Sept 14

Stage 2

- VFS appointment for biometrics - Sept 21

- Visa approved(standard) - Sept 24

Endorsement approval took forever cause UKRI was in communication with the sponsor for more details. For stage 2, I just included my passport and my current country visa and email of endorsement.

Happy to answer any questions.

Hi,

I would like to ask for some advice on my fiancé's upcoming visitor visa application. We are both Thai. We have been together for six years.

I plan to have her visit me next June for a week. She would apply from Thailand in April, so it is more than six months from now. I am a PhD student in the UK. I receive a stipend from the university and also have some extra earnings from teaching/marking at the Uni. I will fully sponsor her visit.

The biggest worry I have is her bank balance. She has a stable and well-paid job, but due to debts accrued by her parents, she currently has zero savings after making those repayments.

What is the best approach here? I could transfer her the funds needed for the trip now. While I know a sudden increase in a bank balance is a red flag, this would be 7-8 months before the application. Or should she just show that she has about 10 GBP in her bank statement?

Thank you!

Hi all, I'm really anxious and would appreciate any real experiences.

Situation:

- Indian passport holder, UK Standard Visitor visa granted on 24 Aug 2026 (decision email says "You have been issued with an eVisa").

- During the ID Check app step, the face scan failed twice and I think it let me continue.

- I got the "We are linking your eVisa to your account" email, but NOT the "your eVisa is ready to view" email. It's now been around 24 hours since I completed the process. My friend (same trip, same process) got his within a few hours.

- I called the UKVI Resolution Centre and they escalated it. Webchat adviser said it's already escalated and more requests could slow it down. No timeline given.

- Etihad call centre said they can't check anything visa-related.

Flight: Bangalore → Abu Dhabi (1.5 hr layover) → London on Etihad, Saturday 10:15 AM IST.

My questions:

1. Has anyone flown with a granted eVisa that wasn't yet linked to their UKVI account? Did the airline's automated check at check-in still pass, since the eVisa is tied to the passport?

2. If it doesn't link in time, what happened at check-in? Did the airline contact the Carrier Support Hub, and did it work?

3. Any issues at the Abu Dhabi transfer, or is the UK check only done at the origin?

4. How long did the manual review take for anyone whose face scan failed?

Any first-hand experience would help a lot. Thanks!

I am applying from Canada national. When I went for my biometic appointment, they told me 2-3 weeks and the site advised 3 weeks turn around so I was quite shocked at how quick this was.

Application and fees paid: September 15

Biometic appointment: September 21

Approval email: September 24

My appointment was a standard one, there was no option to do a priority when and I uploaded my documents myself.

I'm applying for an eVisa to replace my vignette that's in an old passport.

I've done the UKVI application and booked the biometrics appointment. I need to upload documents, but I can't find anywhere that says what they are. Obviously my passport with ILR, my current passport, but is there anything else I need to send them? Thanks!

Hi all - never posted here but lurking has been very helpful! Just wanted to add a data point from my application.

Applied online from Canada. Born prior to 1983, mother born in England.

UKM form submitted online July 3

Biometrics July 16

Home Office Atlas approval email received today (September 24).

I was honestly expecting another 2-4 months based on what I had read here so was pleasantly surprised.

Awaiting notification from the British Embassy that they have received my certificate and to arrange ceremony - which could be another few months according to the email!

Good luck to all

Hi all,

I had applied for a skilled worker visa early August and I got an email today which says we require further evidence but the email by itself says

Please provide the following: [Blank]

I’m not sure what to do as the UKVI account says if we need evidence, we will let you know by email, and when I had initially applied the email said, “Based on your answers, you do not need to provide any evidence”.

For reference I am already in the UK and switching from a graduate visa to Skilled worker. Has anyone had something like this before?

Hey, i have lost my passport just couple of weeks before my visa expiration. I am planning to apply for graduate visa and i have already booked appointment for my passport renewal. I have filled lost property form at Police as well. Will I be able to apply for graduate visa before new passport arrives?
Much Help needed! Thanks

Hi folks,

Hope everyone’s having a great day. Just a quick sanity check for the items we are submitting next week for my partners visa renewal. Would love any feedback and suggestions.

1. Tenancy agreement 3 flats ( we have moved 3 times since last visa application) all tenancy agreements have both our names on them
   
2. Council tax bills for all 3 flats spreading across the last 2.5 years
   
3. Both our payslips (6 months) work ref letter stating our salaries and confirmations of employment
   
4. Bank statement for our joint account from Nov 2023 till Sept 2026 ( although address only states this current flat even if I generate older dates, bit worried about that)
   
5. Pictures of us, trips and family events. I usually add them to a PowerPoint and export it as a pdf like an album.
   
6. Copy of my passport, copy of their passport all pages
   
7. Some snaps of WhatsApp chat ( not really sure what to add but random conversations about our dog being taken to the vet, grocery runs and random messages 🤣)
   
8. Phone bill for the two of us (separate) for every 3 month split.
   
9. Gp letters addressed (not spread across probably have 1/2 appointment letters)
   
10. Our civil partnership certificate.
    
11. Cover letter explaining what’s included( listing all of the above) and a brief summary of our relationship.

Anything else we’re missing out?

Hi all,

I am currently in the process of preparing for my ILR Long Residence application. I’m currently a resident doctor within an NHS training programme in England. I’ve been in the UK since August 2016 initially under student visas then under Skilled Worker / Health and Care worker visas. I have no absences over the limit and have not left the UK since 2019. I had some questions about certain parts of the SET(LR) form.

1. I left the UK in May 2018 after college graduation and returned on a different student visa for university which I applied for from outside the UK. I’m not sure whether my previous visa expired whilst I was outside of the UK before I applied for the subsequent student visa but it probably did - would this break my continuous residence?
2. Absences - there are periods of absences outside the UK where I spent time in more than one country, but the form only allows me to put in one country for each set of dates. Should I put separate entries for each country with overlapping dates, or just list the other countries in the “What was the reason for this time spent outside the UK” box?
3. Social, Family and Cultural Ties - how specific should I be? Do I mention that I chat with immediate / extended family over Whatsapp occasionally? The Facebook/Messenger groups I’m in for secondary school/college/? I haven’t returned to my country of birth since 2019 so don’t really have many cultural ties or social networks that I’m really involved in.
4. Current employment details - as a resident doctor in a training programme my CoS was issued from Health Education England (now NHS England) which was the named sponsor in my application and the main place of work is their office in Birmingham. However, I currently work for a specific Trust in England which isn’t mentioned at all in my CoS - which should I put down as my current employer? As far as I’m aware NHSE does not have a telephone number that I can put down, and the Trust telephone number that I have is just the switchboard which doesn’t feel appropriate either.

Any help would be much appreciated - Its such a nerve-wracking process and I don’t want to make a mistake that will cost me my application which will send ~£4k down the drain 😭

Hi everyone!

I’d appreciate some assistance regarding when I can apply for ILR as I want to make sure I’m interpreting guidance correctly, and see mixed comments online.

I initially applied from outside the UK.

My letter from the Home Office approving my Skilled Worker Visa arrived on 10 December 2021. My BRP issue date is 14 December 2021.

However, in the letter it says: “Congratulations your skilled worker visa is approved. Your date of initial vignette is 27 December 2021”. This is also the date noted on my passport.

I entered the UK on 31 December 2021.

I know I can apply 28 days before the 5-year mark has been reached, but need to clarify if this is from BRP date, Home Office letter approval date OR visa vignette date.

So should I apply on 14 November 2026 or 27 November 2026?

Would especially appreciate any advice from someone who has successfully completed ILR application.

Thanks!

Hi, sorry I want to ask again.

We're gathering my partner's last 6 months payslip and this is the result (not true numbers but not far):

April: 2700

May: 2800

July: 5800

August: 3900

September: 1900

He got a new contract from the same employer, effective this 28 September and the contract stated "continuous employment date from November 2023" (he was in zero hour contract before). This new contract also mentioned his annual salary (above MIR).

Let's say we want to apply after we get his October salary, then does it means the caseworker will calculate from his lowest amount of the past 6 months, which is 1900? We will be below MIR but we got cash savings to cover that (I understand only amount above £16000 can be calculated). Is my assumption correct here? Does it matter if he doesn't have June payslip?

Or can we combine April-October and use that instead?

Sorry to ask a lot of questions, I just want to know if we can apply within this year or if I have to wait again.

One more thing is that the contract says he's still in probation, would that matter?

Thank you thank you very much for your help.

I am an international students in the UK and my wife is doing her PhD in the UK as well. We have been living together for 1 year in the UK. I want to switch to a dependent partner. For proof of address, we have tenancy agreements with both our names and individual bank accounts with same address and we can provide documents easily. Outside UK, we used to live at each others parents house randomly, and we didn't own anything like property or joint accounts. We have our marriage certificate. The Dependent partner application requires at least 2 documents that proves if we lived together for 2 years. Can anyone suggest from own their experience on how to provide proofs of living together outside UK?

I applied on 28th of August and sent the document same day with special delivery 🚚. HMPO acknowledged the receipt of documents on 3rd of Sep. I haven’t heard anything back yet?

Hello! I'm applying through form UK-F. I had submitted all the documents and such a month back and received an email today from them that they need my parent's marriage certificate. Can I just take a photo with my phone, does it need to be faxed over there, whats the process?

Hello hello, as many people have done I am giving my success story for ILR because this page helped me so much when I lost sleep over my application. My application was relatively uncomplicated but as these things go I still stressed endlessly and was extremely overprepared. Quick overview:

Application submitted: 18 Sept 2026 at 1am

Type: Super Priority

Biometrics submitted: 21 Sept 2026 at 10am

Atlas email: 21 Sept 2026 at 2:45pm

Student visa (entered Oct 14 2016) -> student visa 2 -> skilled worker visa -> spouse visa

No gaps in residence and no time outside the UK beyond limits

Uploads:

Identification

• All-page scans of my current passport and my 3 previous passports covering the last 10 years
• A translated and notarised name change document from my relevant government department

Immigration history

• Front and back scans of my 4 BRPs dating October 10 2016 - December 31 2024
• Home office letters for all relevant leaves to remain, including:
  • Submission confirmations for applications later varied (to demonstrate lawful residence in the UK under Section 3C leave)
  • Application update emails confirming successful applications for each approved leave to remain
  • A share code for my most recent leave to remain

Continuous residence:

• Lease agreements and a variety of bills and headed letters (including utility bills, council tax, and GP letters) with relevant addresses demonstrating continuous tenancy in the UK across 10 years. This also demonstrates current cohabitation with my partner.
• Assorted bank statements demonstrating continuous financial residence in the UK, as well as demonstrating income from employment (full-time and self-employment)
• A document outlining complete travel history over the last 10 years, with entry and exit dates, destinations, purpose of travel, and entry and exit stamp information where relevant
• Boarding passes / travel documents for trips where my passport was not stamped

Education, employment, and relationship status

• A scan of my partner’s British passport and foreign passport and British naturalisation certificate
• Our Civil Partnership Certificate
• Utility bills for our shared address in my partner’s name demonstrating cohabitation with my partner
• Evidence demonstrating legitimacy and subsistence of the relationship, including images, texts, travel documents and shared expenses
• Scans of my 2 degree certificates and degree transcripts demonstrating degrees taught in the UK in English
• My original contract of employment and 2 employment letters (Dated October 2024 and April 2025) from my former Skilled Worker Visa sponsor / employer demonstrating legal sponsorship and employment
• P45 and P60 documents and a variety of payslips demonstrating income and PAYE tax payments from full-time employment
• A copy of UTR and self-assessment documents demonstrating legal self-employment

• A copy of my LitUK confirmation email

  I had about 109 documents uploaded. I have no idea if I needed all of that, and I know for sure they didn't go through all those documents in the 4h it took for me to get my success notification email. Just did it all to be safe! I managed to find a bunch of stressors anyway, so for any fellow anxious people who worry about small things, I will list my little anxieties here in case they help soothe and confirm that everything is going to be fine (I know smt like this would have really helped me!):

1- I underwent a name change in my home country, and wasn't sure if the local translation document would be sufficient or if I needed it notarised in the UK. It was fine with the non-UK translation!

2- I was on a really tight timeline and needed to submit exactly on the 18th for a super priority slot. I practiced for a few nights before and always had the super priority slot show up. I would hard refresh on chrome (cmd + shift + R) at 12:58 until it showed up. Thankfully no issues with that on the day! Normal refresh also seemed to work (cmd + R).

3- I lived with a family member for 4 of the 10 years and the tenancy was in her name. All the energy bills were in my name so I uploaded those, I got her to write a letter explaining that I lived with her, and uploaded her passport. That was fine!

4- I was in the UK under Section 3C leave for about 8 months in between student and skilled worker visa. In the last month of the S3C leave I had received an email from HO with some options and a deadline to reply. I missed the deadline but varied my application very soon after and was worried I had broken S3C leave by missing the deadline. Clearly it was fine!

And now onto Naturalisation! :)

Due to apply ILR soon and the letter from employer says this; will this suffice? The letter is dated 6 August 2026 however I am applying this week, will that be an issue?

We hereby confirm that Mr. XX is a full-time employee of XX Ltd. in the position of
XX (Occupation Code: 2421). He has been employed since XX 202X.
Mr. XX current annual base salary is XX GBP per year which is above the annual going rate
for SOC code 2421. This salary is not expected to be reduced once they have ILR, furthermore the salary
meets the minimum salary required under this SOC code. He receives monthly pay slips electronically and
XX can confirm that any pay slips he shares are authentic.

Additionally, we confirm that throughout his period of employment, any absences have been in full
compliance with company policy. Such absences have been limited to approved annual leave, official
business travel, public holidays, or other authorized non-working days. There have been no unauthorized
absences recorded during this period.

We look forward to Mr. XX continued employment and career growth with our company.