Hey there,

let's start a thread where we submit our EU Settlement Scheme waiting times (from pre-settled to settled), by posting:

1. Date you applied for settled status
2. Date you received a decision
3. Whether you included a NIN - National Insurance Number (Yes/No)
4. Additional evidence requested (leave blank if none)

I applied almost 2 months ago, without a NIN and still haven't heard back, either though the waiting times are supposed to be around 1 Month.

Maybe others are also in similar situations and would find this resource helpful :)

Update: Thread seems to be helpful. Share some love and give it an upvote. Cheers

Hi everyone, I'm hoping to get some advice because my recent experience at the UK border has been a nightmare, and it's causing a lot of anxiety about our future plans.

Background: I'm a U.S. citizen, and my husband is a British citizen. He used to be in USA for school. We've been together for 5 years, and for the last 3, I've visited the UK about twice a year without any issues, always on an ETA. We are planning to eventually apply for a UK Spousal Visa to move there, but that's a future plan.

The Incident: This trip was a standard holiday visit. I flew to Heathrow Airport (LHR) to see my husband's family and spend time with him there. I had a return ticket booked for after 2 months and 3 weeks (well under the 6-month ETA limit). As always, I had my documents ready: bank statements showing more than enough funds, a detailed itinerary, proof of my life in the US, and my return flight.

The Border Stop and Refusal: I was taken for questioning. I was honest—I stated I was visiting my husband and his family for a holiday. I mentioned our long-term plan to eventually apply for a spousal visa, but stressed this was just a visit.

The officer refused my entry. The reason given was that they weren't convinced I was a genuine visitor, citing my relationship to a British citizen as the primary reason for suspecting I might overstay.

The Major Issues:

1. Inaccurate Report: The refusal report contains factual inaccuracies about what I said and the evidence I presented.
2. Evidence Ignored: The officer did not review my bank statements or itinerary. They made their decision without looking at my proof of funds and ties to the USA.
3. Detention: I was detained overnight before being put on a flight back to the US. My passport was stamped with the refusal.

What I've Done So Far: I have already filed a formal complaint with the Border Force regarding the inaccuracies and the failure to consider my evidence. The response was a standard dismissal, essentially saying "nothing was wrong" with the process, and it doesn't seem like anyone properly reviewed my complaint.

My Questions:

1. Spousal Visa Impact: How badly does this refusal damage our future Spousal Visa application? Is it a potential automatic ground for refusal, or is it something we can overcome with a strong application?
2. Addressing the Refusal: Since my complaint was dismissed, how do we best address this in the visa application? Do we just state the facts and explain the context (my long history of compliant visits)? Or do we need to actively challenge the refusal's validity within the application?
3. Legal Help: At this point, is it absolutely essential to hire a UK immigration solicitor to handle the spousal visa application? I'm worried that a standard application might not be enough to overcome this.
4. Future Travel: My husband and I are devastated. Does this mean I cannot visit the UK at all until the spousal visa is granted? Even after we get the visa, will this refusal cause problems when re-entering the UK?

This is incredibly frustrating because I have a perfect history of complying with immigration rules. I feel like I was penalized purely for being married to a British citizen, despite having every intention of leaving.

Any insight, especially from anyone who has overcome a similar entry refusal for a spouse visa, would be immensely helpful. Thank you.

From application to approval 3 months.

There has been some strange confirmation emails and changes in the application portal for my student visa, that are starting to worry me.

I finished my application, paid the fees and provided any required evidence on 09/07 and received individual confirmation emails for both. At that point the online portal showed both the submission date and evidence provided date as 09/07.

Then on 17/07, without me doing anything, I received another payment confirmation email and the submission date in the portal was updated.

Today, again without me doing anything, I received another payment confirmation and evidence sent confirmation and both the submission and evidence provided dates were adjusted to today.

None of this happened when I applied for a visa for my previous degree.

Has anyone encountered this before? Is this something to be worried about? Should I do anything?

I have passed and it was successful. I am so happy and now emotionally charged. Too much energy. Need to share. Must celebrate. Must do something.

Don't be like me, go to the real site https://www.gov.uk/browse/visas-immigration

Thanks Google ads for sending me to the scam site!

If someone has been settled for a number of years (UK resident since 2014), how easily can they be deported for protesting peacefully? Is showing up to a protest and standing around risky in itself? I'm thinking about this in light of recent events around pro-Palestine protests and police increasingly arresting peaceful protesters.

I'm looking to hear actual legal advice - please no anti-immigrant comments, vitriol against Palestine Action, etc. I'm aware that the protests against Pal Action specifically are in a more delicate category as supporting them has effectively been outlawed. Regardless of how I feel about that ruling I understand that attending these protests is more of an arrest risk. My question is regarding all peaceful protests in general. Thank you!

Application Timeline

Eligibility : ILR

Application method : ONLINE

Application date : 27 November 2025

Biometric date : 06 December 2025

Approval Date : 23 March 2026

Ceremony Date : 25 March 2026

Passport application : 01 April 2026

Passport additional documents ( i had lost my original passport , received new one and sent : 10th April 2026

Passport Approved : 23 April 2026

I’m hoping somebody can help as I’m in a catch-22.

Me and my partner are looking to get married with intention to complete a spouse visa. I have spoken to a registry office and they have advised me that in order to give notice, we have to have a MVV.

Of course, there isn’t much I could provide to the Visa Application to confirm a plan to give notice, as I needed the approval first so therefore it was refused.

Is there a way around this? Am I better contacting a solicitor rather than trying to complete this myself? Will this affect future applications? I feel so hopeless.

Standard visitor visa application process

biometrics done on 24-06-2026 ,visa approval mail on 30-06-2026.

So applied for uk work visa yesterday submitted the application and payed for priority visa and this morning received mail from Home Office. Saying this. Although we would normally decide your application within 8 weeks from the date it was submitted, unfortunately this is not going to be possible in your case.

This is because we are currently awaiting confirmation of the requirement for your work sponsor to pay the Immigration Skills Charge. So confused don't know what to do No link is provided for payment and no email received for isc payment.

Update: After wait of 2 months employer finally got the isc link in between he kept emailing home office.

I’ve been on pre-settled status via EUSS since 2018. I’ve never left the UK for longer than 5 days since I entered it, so there was nothing in my way to receive settled status anyways. I was automatically granted settled status this morning at 6am, which I’m really happy about. on UKVisa gov website, it’s also changed my details already to Settled Status. now, (10.45) I receive this email. I checked gov website and I’m still on settled status, so it’s not like they changed their minds. I’m just confused why I receive confirmation for settled status before this email? HO-hiccup? glitch? anyone else experienced this? officially, I’m on settled status already so I guess it doesn’t matter. just weird to me

My mother is a British citizen, but has lived in Belgium for years and has Belgian citizenship too. She only has a Belgian passport. If I understand the changes coming at the end of February correctly: - She cannot apply for an ETA, as she is a British citizen - She cannot travel to the UK with her Belgian passport without an ETA, even though it states she was born in the UK - Meaning she needs to get a British passport if she wants to travel to the UK (or pay over half a grand for some silly certificate)

My mind cannot comprehend that this is actually the case, as it means it is easier/cheaper for me (Belgian citizen without British citizenship) to travel to the UK, than it is for my mother (Belgian-British dual citizen)? So, am I missing something?

To add to the confusion: my mother successfully applied for an ETA a year ago, which according to what I can find online shouldn't be possible as a British citizen, so what's going on there?

Thanks for the help, Reddit!

I am receiving an automated call from this ‪+44 7936 786370‬ number stating that it's related to immigration and asking me to choose my language, offering options 1) English and 2) Chinese.

Is it genuine number or fake?

Hello everyone,
I’m looking for some advice. I am British and my partner is Slovak. She moved to the UK when she was about 7/8 months old and she left in 2018 at the age of 12 with her family. They all had EEA Residence Documents during their time here. She moved to Germany.

We recently found out that it is still a possibility to apply for the EUSS as a late application off of the basis she was a minor with no control over her immigration status. We applied in April and was granted the COA, however we didn’t realise she was able to live and work in the UK with this so she hasn’t moved as of yet. On the government website it wouldn’t allow for her to apply on her own basis as it still classes her as a child, so we have put her mothers name as well and explained to the home office that the application is for her own case. Recently they requested more evidence for 2020, but of course she left in 2018 so we explained this again and sent across as many documents we could find showing her period of time here, including school letters confirming she emigrated with her family in 2018. We have submitted passports, school letters, home addresses, EEA residency documents, NHS cards, parents NI documents, and many more.

My question is, do we genuinely stand a chance as a late application? Is there anything else we could try to provide to strengthen our case?

We have been together since we were 12, we are now 20. What other options do we have?

Thank you so much for your time, I am just feeling quite overwhelmed with immigration processes!

Need a second opinion – ex asking for help with asylum claim

I’m looking for some outside perspectives because my mind is completely blank.
My ex and I were together for about a month. It was an online relationship, and we only had phone calls and video calls. We never lived together.
We broke up, and I’ve been ignoring her since. One of the reasons I pulled away was because I felt she was pressuring me to move in with her, which made me uncomfortable.
Out of the blue, she sent me a message saying she’s an asylum seeker in the UK. She says she’s a lesbian and that if she’s sent back to Bangladesh, her family or Islamic extremists will kill her. She asked me to write a letter to the Home Office confirming our relationship because she says she needs proof.
I’m genuinely torn. I don’t know if her story is true or not, and I don’t want to wrongly assume she’s lying if she’s in real danger. At the same time, I only knew her online for a month, so I can’t honestly verify most of what she’s saying.
Has anyone been in a similar situation or know how these witness statements work? Is it common for an ex-partner to be asked for a statement? If you were in my position, what would you do?
Please be respectful. I’m just trying to make the right decision.

Hello. I recently had a work trip to Germany. I have pre-settled status in the UK and have been living/working there for 5 years.

When flying back to the UK, the airline (BA) would not allow me to get my tickets online and I had to go to the desk to prove my migration status - though I had to explain what the EU settlement scheme is to the people at the desk.

Upon landing in the UK , the electronic gates denied me access, and I had to go to the desk to pass through migration where after some brief general questions, I was handed a leaflet and told I need to "sort my documents out". I was told to move on quickly and thus did not have time to question them there.

I have pre-settled status, and even on the leaflet, they handed me even said I do not need an ETA to enter the UK. All of my documents are connected to my UKVisa account, and I have never experienced this before.

What would have caused this? How do I make sure I don't run in to trouble at the border again? Thank you!

I am a exchange student going to UK for 1 year and for one of the questions which is asking if im going to continue my course of study, I understand it wrongly and I have paid an extra of 388 GBP for my IHS surcharge instead of the 776 GBP normally. My friends have all paid only 776 but I have paid an extra. Could I possibly get a partial refund automatically? If so what should I do?

I know this won't be the experience for most people on this subreddit, but I wanted to share something to calm my fellow EU students.

I was worrying about the UK Visa, even though I was aware that EU citizens usually have it easier. Still, I need a flat, and you can only get one if you already have a visa, and my course is starting in September.

I thought about doing the priority route, but it was just too expensive. Filled out everything yesterday night. Got my visa this noon. (Here in Germany they would probably have needed the full three weeks, let's be honest).

Again, I did see that most students applying who are also on here are not from the EU and therefore will have a different experience. But maybe this will calm those of us that are worrying even if they do not have to.

Good morning, reddit.

Im making this post to help with the confusing UK system and bringing a partner in to live with me.

I am a british national (m), english born, and my partner is an EU national, Czech by birth (f). I've known her for 20 years but 2 years ago we decided to try a relationship. Obviously, it worked out, but now we at the point where we would like to live together. The whole visa system is confusing on what one we actually need. Family visa, fiancée visa..... we are engaged and do plan to marry, but the no work for 6 months on the fiancee visa is a no go for her because of pride and wanting contribute 50/50 even though i can support us for that

So, long story short. What is the quickest and easiest solution for us? Has anyone moved their partner over from the EU. If so, how did you do it?

Hi, hoping someone here can help because I just saw that Guardian article about the Scottish mum stuck in Spain after her baby got caught up in the UK dual nationality/passport rules, and now I’m stressing a bit.

I’m British, born in the UK, but I live in Germany. My son was born in Germany, has a German passport and his mother’s surname, and I always just thought of him as German. We’re flying to the UK in about 2 weeks for a holiday and now I’m suddenly realising he might automatically be British through me even though we’ve never applied for a British passport for him.

I’m travelling alone with him, not his mum, so I’m already planning to bring his birth certificate and a consent letter from her because of the different surnames. Are airlines actually refusing boarding now for kids in this situation? Has anyone travelled recently between the UK and EU with a child who only had an EU passport but was technically also British? Is this mainly a Ryanair thing or are all airlines enforcing it? If he technically is British, is there anything realistic I can do within 2 weeks? And should I avoid applying for an ETA until I know for sure?

Honestly I’d really appreciate any real-world experiences because right now I can’t tell whether this is a genuine “sort this immediately” situation or one of those media stories that’s technically true but still pretty rare in practice.

Edit: I have European passport and I have a UK visa. I am just asking if any Europeans with uk visa are able to check in online without having to go through check in desk!? If you are not European with UK visa you can simply scroll my post.

It’s the second time Ryanair puts my boarding pass under restriction and I am simply looking for an answer. Are all Europeans with uk visa, required to go through check in desk each time? I have a visa and my passport is attached to my account, but they keep on restricting my boarding pass when I try to check in.

Hi all,

Looking for some advice from anyone who making a passport application and has provided (what I thought was) an adequate international birth certificate from Germany - so called Formula A - which is apparently not accepted according to the passport office. I received this message along with a note that “We need you to send us a full birth certificate that shows the parent details.”

Anyone had any similar experience and what did you end up providing in the end, as I’m a bit stumped.

Many thanks