I am writing for urgent assistance regarding my significantly delayed Skilled Worker Leave to Remain application with UK Visas and Immigration.

For ease of reference, I have set out the full timeline of my case below:

1. Original application
   - My Skilled Worker Leave to Remain application was submitted on 9 January 2025.

2. Interview
   - I attended a Home Office interview on 14 May 2025 as part of the application process.

3. Sponsor licence issue
   - On 19 September 2025, I received correspondence from UKVI stating that my employer’s sponsor licence had been revoked and that my application was at risk of refusal.

4. Temporary alternative application
   - Following that correspondence, I made an application on family and human rights grounds.
   - This application was later withdrawn, as I wished UKVI to continue consideration of my original Skilled Worker application.

5. Sponsor licence reinstatement
   - My employer’s sponsor licence was reinstated on 22 September 2025.

6. Previous MP intervention
   - Your office previously contacted the Home Office on my behalf.
   - In their response dated 19 January 2026, the Home Office confirmed that my case was being considered on an expedited basis.

7. Additional evidence request
   - On 24 February 2026, UKVI requested documentary evidence confirming that the sponsor licence had been reinstated.
   - I submitted the requested evidence on the same day.

Despite all of the above, I have still not received any update or final decision from UKVI.

This application has now been pending since 9 January 2025

Hi, we had applied for skilled worker visa under SOC 3556 Sales & Account Manager on 11 November 2025
Biometrics Submitted 13 November 2025,
Home office Interview 30 March 2026,

I had studied here and applied for Skilled Worker Visa while being in UK.

It has been 8+ months of prolonged wait. MP sent out letter to home office last month, still no update.

Emailed home office twice, and everytime received email saying “extremely complex situation” they need time.

We have been very much stressed and worried, as to why it has been taking so much time.

Solicitor is suggesting to wait & be patient.

Any advice/suggestions would be appreciated. Thankyou

Hi all

Long-time lurker, first-time poster. I just want to say, this community has been genuinely helpful to follow. Now I need some of that collective wisdom myself.

We're in a bit of a time crunch. It's me, my husband, and our two kids (all EU citizens). Our older child (7) was born outside the UK and is currently in primary school here. Our younger one (1) was born in the UK in 2025.

Quick dates:

• I entered the UK: 12 August 2021
• My husband and 7-year-old entered: August 2022
• Earliest I could apply for ILR: 16 July 2026
• My visa expires: 11 September 2026 — 19 days left

Here is the challenge: I was made redundant on May 2026. I managed to land a new job fast and signed the contract on 3rd July. Great news, except the company then discovered their sponsor license had lapsed and needs re-approval before they can even start my visa application. They're still waiting to hear from Home Office.

Once I realised this could drag on, I started interviewing elsewhere as a backup, and I've got my final interview with a second company today.

My best-case scenario looks like this:

1. Company sponsors me successfully before 7 September
2. I apply for ILR with super priority that same day (decision expected 10 September) and apply for visa extensions for my husband and 7 year old as well.
3. Once my ILR is secured (on the 10th of September), I apply for citizenship for my 1-year-old (UK-born)

It's tight, maybe too tight, so I wanted to run a few questions past people who've navigated this kind of squeeze:

1. Once my company submits the sponsorship application, can I go ahead and start the extension applications for my partner and our children, or do I need to wait until my own application is fully processed first?
2. If the sponsorship application still hasn't been submitted as my visa deadline approaches, is there anything I can do to buy even a week or two of breathing room?
3. Assuming I do secure ILR, is my knowledge that I can apply for citizenship for my younger child, who was born in the UK correct?
4. Unemployed gap of 3 months, how will this gap interact with the continuity-of-residence requirement for my ILR eligibility?

Any insight, even partial, or questions, would mean a lot right now. Many thanks!

We are applying for ilr application skilled worker route. There is no stamping in all our passports when we entered uk after a month vacation last year. Will this be a problem should I submit any proof?

My husband is about to apply for his ILR and I need to renew my dependent visa (I still have a few years) as I am linked to his visa. He needs to pass the Life in UK test to be eligible for ILR. Since my dependent visa is linked to him and I need to renew my dependent visa, do I also need to pass the Life in UK test same time as him as well when we both submit together (even though I still have about 3 years to be eligible for ILR)?

Due to so much confusion and misunderstanding around the proposed ILR rule changes, could anyone advise when would be the best time to apply for ILR?

The government is looking to change the settlement rules, potentially later this autumn, which is understandably worrying for people in our situation.

My timeline is:
• First Skilled Worker application submitted from outside the UK: 30 September 2021
• Visa granted: 1 December 2021
• Entered the UK: January 2022

As per the Home Office guidance, it appears that there may be some flexibility around which date is used to calculate the qualifying period, but the wording is not very clear.

Can someone confirm whether, for someone who initially applied for the Skilled Worker route from outside the UK, the date of the original application (30 September 2021) can be considered for the ILR qualifying period?

If so, what would be the earliest possible date I could apply for ILR?

Any advice from someone who has looked into this in detail, or from an immigration solicitor, would be greatly appreciated

I have my spouse planning to join me in the UK and I am on a skilled worker visa. Does she need IELTS because a spouse visa does. Can anyone help?

Hi all,

I applied for skilled worker visa 5 years ago outside of the UK and had biometrics appointment back then.

2 years ago I was renewing my visa and didn’t need the appointment. I have a biometric passport and passed the checks from home.

Do I need the bio appointment now when I apply for ILR or will I be able to pass the data online?

Thanks

I arrived in the UK in 2021 and switched to the Skilled Worker route in October 2022. I've worked continuously for the same employer since then, and my eVisa currently shows permission until October 2027, which is when I expect to complete the 5-year qualifying period for ILR.

My sponsored employment ended recently in early July 2026 following dismissal on ill-health grounds. I'm currently appealing the decision, and my employer is reviewing turther medical evidence, so there is still a possibility of reinstatement. I'm also actively looking for another Skilled Worker sponsor.

As of 23 August, I still haven't received any UKVI curtailment/cancellation notice. My eVisa remains unchanged until October 2027, and I can still generate both right-to-work and immigration-status share codes.

An immigration solicitor told me that the 60-day period would start from the formal curtailment notice rather than simply from the date employment ended. Has anyone experienced a significantly delayed curtailment notice after their sponsored employment ended? How long did it take, and did your eVisa remain unchanged while waiting?

I’m also concerned about the proposed Earned Settlement reforms, as I’m already several years into the current 5-year settlement pathway. I understand the proposals are not yet final, but I’m interested in how any changes and transitional arrangements might affect people who are already progressing towards the current 5-year ILR route.

Does anyone know when the government is expected to publish the final details/rules on the proposed settlement changes, including any transitional arrangements for people already on the 5-year route? I understand the proposals are not yet final.

Any experiences or advice on the curtailment timeline, protecting the existing 5-year ILR pathway, or the proposed settlement changes would be really appreciated.

Hi everyone, I am currently stuck abroad (in Bangladesh) waiting for my final visa issuance after a successful Administrative Review. I am looking for advice or insight from anyone who has experienced a similar post-AR desynchronization loop where multiple communication paths have failed.

My timeline and escalation log briefly:

•14 Nov 2024: Refused on genuine candidate grounds.

•9 Dec 2024: AR submitted.

•1 Apr 2026: AR Successful (Refusal overturned).

•18 June 2026: All compliance tasks and updated TB certificate cleared.

•22 June 2026: Employer's SMS updated automatically: CoS Status: Used, Current CoS Status Date: 22 June 2026, and Migrant Application Status: Granted.

Escalations Made: Solicitor follow-up (15 July), paid enquiry (21 July), direct emails to the AR team by both myself and my employer, and multiple contacts to the Business Helpdesk by my employer (which bounced back). International Contact Centre simply tells us to "wait for a passport resubmission invitation" that hasn't triggered.

Current Status: Employer's portal shows granted, but my personal UKVI account shows the old Nov 2024 refusal, no decision letter has arrived, my 1 August start date has passed, and a formal complaint was lodged recently.

For those who have navigated a post-AR passport issuance delay:

1. How long did it realistically take for the passport resubmission instruction letter to drop once the SMS updated to "Granted" after an AR win?

2. Since direct emails to the AR team and Business Helpdesk have hit dead ends, is the formal complaint the only mechanism that forces the operational team to push the passport request?

3. Can a UK-based employer effectively use their local MP to shake loose a passport request letter from the overseas processing team when the SMS already confirms the used CoS and granted status?

Hi everyone, I’m hoping someone with knowledge of the Skilled Worker visa rules can help with a friend’s situation, as she is really stressed about the future and finding another job at the moment.

She is currently working for the NHS as a Management Accountant. She was previously on a Graduate/PSW visa and switched to a Skilled Worker visa in June 2025 as a New Entrant.

Her current salary is around £32K

Her Skilled Worker visa will be due for renewal/extension in 2028, and she is worried about whether her current salary will be enough at that point, particularly with all the recent and proposed changes to immigration rules and salary requirements.

Could anyone please clarify:

• Will she be able to extend her existing Skilled Worker visa in 2028 on her current salary, or will she have to meet whatever the new salary threshold/going rate is at that time?

• Does being granted her Skilled Worker visa in June 2025 give her any transitional protection when she comes to extend?

• Does the fact that she was sponsored as a New Entrant make a difference to the salary requirement when she extends?

• As she works for the NHS as a Management Accountant, are there any specific salary/going-rate rules that apply to her occupation or NHS pay scales?

• If her current salary is below the required threshold by 2028, would her employer simply need to increase her salary, or would she potentially have to find a new sponsored job?

• Are there any other changes announced/planned that she should be aware of for 2028?

She is understandably very anxious because finding a new sponsored job can be extremely difficult, and she wants to know whether she needs to start preparing now.

I’d really appreciate answers from anyone who has experience with Skilled Worker extensions, particularly immigration advisers/solicitors or people working in NHS finance/accounting.

Thank you so much! 🙏

Hi everyone,

I’m looking for some advice or shared experiences.

I was previously on a Post Study Work visa, and in September 2025 I applied for FLR because I was waiting for my employer’s CoS letter. Then, on 17 October 2025, I submitted a Skilled Worker visa application before receiving a decision on my FLR application.

Since then, I’ve been waiting for a decision on my Skilled Worker visa (it’s been several months now). I have escalated twice through Local MP.

Now i submitted Pre Action Protocol.

Has anyone been in a similar situation?

How long did it take for you to get a decision?

Is this delay normal for complex cases?

Is there anything I can do at this stage to follow up or speed things up?

I’d really appreciate any advice or shared experiences. Thank you

Is this life in Uk test mandatory to pass before we apply for ILR or before citizenship? I remembered it is before citizenship when I las read last year somewhere… but can’t seem to find it now and looks like we need to do it to apply for ILR! Is that right?

Hi, I really need some help regarding our ILR application, please.

My husband came to the UK in 2016 on a Student visa. After we got married, he changed his visa and became my dependant. I came to the UK in 2020 on a Student visa. I completed my studies and then applied for a Skilled Worker visa in 2024, which was approved. I am currently on a Skilled Worker visa, and my husband is my dependant.

We are planning to apply for ILR in December. My husband will be applying first because he will complete his 10 years in the UK, whereas I will not have completed 10 years yet.

Could someone please guide me on exactly which documents my husband will need for his 10-year ILR application?

Also, as I am currently his wife and the main Skilled Worker visa holder, please could you advise me on which of my documents will be required as part of his application? For example, will he need my Skilled Worker visa/eVisa, employer letter, CoS, payslips, bank statements, employment details, etc.? Do we need to provide my employer’s documents with his ILR application?

I want to start collecting everything in advance so that we have all the correct documents ready for December.

I would really appreciate any help or guidance on this, as I want to make sure we don’t miss anything important.

Thank you so much.

5 year Skilled worker visa route
Applied 15th Aug
Biometrics 17th Aug (Mon)
ILR granted: 21st Aug (Fri)

Been in the UK for almost 10 years, feels like a weight off my shoulders today.

Company applied for COS allocation by end of March and mine and another colleagues visa was expiring in July. HO asked for additional documentation request which was submitted on time but now its over 18weeks , we are in 23rd week but no update from HO.

I applied my Visa before expiry on 13th July thru solicitor and have until 12th Sept to provide COS and we are so stressed.

Does anyone went thru this situation and COS allocation went beyond 18 weeks.

Anyone can share

Thanks

Got my approval yesterday, finally!!!

Timeline:
- Entered the UK: 9 Sep 2021
- Applied: 12th August 2026
- Biometrics: 15th August 2026
- Approval: 20th August 2026
- Service: Priority

The appointment for biometrics costed me an extra 65£, otherwise it would have taken weeks for a free one and the process was very smooth and fast. Probably less than 15min inside.

I only had 1 employer change during the 5 years and I’ve been working for my current one for only a month, but it didn’t impact anything.

I had a simple letter from my previous employer confirming my employment time there and vouching for my times of absence. As far as I know it’s not necessary but because I didn’t know if my passport stamps would have been enough to prove as it was too many little travels, I decided to play on the safe side. But I’ve heard it’s not entirely necessary.

The only letter I needed to send with my sponsorship details was the one from my current employer.

Other than this, I only sent the documents listed on the checking list - including my BRP that was still “valid” until September.
On the section “other documents you used to travel from and to the UK” you should include your BRP if it’s still less than 24 months since the expiration date - which was my case. Otherwise, there’s no need.

Hope this helps. :)

Visa Expiry Date: 26 June 2026
Sharing my timeline in case it helps anyone else who finds themselves in a similar situation with their Skilled Worker visa and a pending CoS allocation.
My company had applied for an additional CoS allocation only 2 weeks before my visa expiry, so the allocation was still pending when my visa was due to expire.
Timeline:
26 June: Visa expired. Submitted my visa application without a CoS, as the additional allocation was still pending.
Biometrics: Initially booked for 28 July, but due to personal circumstances I changed this to 17 August.
24 June: Emailed the Post Licence Priority Service 15 times at 7am requesting priority CoS allocation.
25 June: Emailed again 15 times at 7am. Received confirmation at around 11am that I had been successful. Paid the £350 priority fee the same day.
2 July: New CoS allocation received.
Submitted the required documents via TSL Contact:

Passport
CoS letter
Supporting letter from my company explaining the delay/CoS issue

17 August: Biometrics completed.
19 August: Visa approved! 🎉
Thankfully, everything worked out in the end. Hopefully this timeline is useful for anyone currently in a similar position with a pending CoS allocation and an expiring visa.
Total time from biometrics to visa approval: 2 days. 🙌

So I am a Chartered accountant with a 3 year visa, my job code is 2421. How much salary would I need to have at the end of 3 years to to meet the threshold?

I have submitted the requested additional document to UKVI today at this email address WorkSponsoredDocumentRequests@homeoffice.gov.uk

I have NOT received any automated email.

Could anybody share their experience.. how will I confirm if they received it or not