How to Check Your UK Visa Application Status

May 18, 2023 | Blogs - Immigration

If you’ve applied for a UK visa, waiting for a decision can be a stressful experience, particularly if you have a travel deadline or other important plans. Fortunately, the UK visa application process allows applicants to track the progress of their UK visa application and check their UK visa application status.

In this post, we’ll walk you through the various ways you can check your UK visa application status, so that you can stay informed and up-to-date throughout the UK visa application process.

How to Check the Status of Your UK Visa Application Outside the UK

1. Using the VFS Global website

Step-by-step instructions for checking your UK visa application status on the VFS Global website:

You can track the progress of your out-of-country UK visa application on the VFS Global website:

  1. Go to the VFS Global website: Start by visiting the VFS Global website at https://www.vfsglobal.co.uk/ in your web browser.
  2. Select your VAC location: Select the location of the visa application centre where you provided your biometric information.
  3. Click on ‘Track your application’:  At the top of the page for your VFS Global visa application centre, you may see a section called ‘Track your application’. If so, click on this section to begin the process of tracking your application status (If you cannot see a section called ‘Track your application’ then proceed to ‘3. Using the UKVI website’ below.).
  4. Click on ‘Track your visa application status online’: You will see ‘track your visa application status online’ highlighted in orange.  Click on this to be taken to a login page.
  5. Enter your reference number: The reference number may be your GWF number or your VAC reference number, depending on the type of visa you applied for.  Enter the number in the appropriate field.
  6. Enter your last name: You will also need to enter your last name in the appropriate field.
  7. Click ‘Submit’: Once you have entered all of the required information, confirm that you are not a robot and click the ‘Submit’ button to view your application status.
  8. View your application status: You should now be able to view the status of your UK visa application. The status may indicate that your application is being processed, or that a decision has been made. If a decision has been made, you may also be able to view the details of the decision, such as whether your application has been approved or refused.

If you have any questions or concerns about your UK visa application status, you can contact VFS Global customer service for assistance. Their contact details can be found on the ‘Contact us’ page of the VFS Global website.

2. Using the TLScontact website

Step-by-step instructions for checking your UK visa application status on the TLScontact website:

You can track the progress of your out-of-country UK visa application on the TLScontact website:

  1. Open your confirmation email from UK Visas and Immigration: Start by locating the confirmation email that you received from UK Visas and Immigration when you set up your visa application form.
  2. Sign into your application: Next, click on the link in the email and sign into your application on the GOV.UK website by entering your password and clicking ‘Sign in’.
  3. Navigate to the TLScontact website: Once signed in, click on ‘Provide Documents and Biometrics’ and then on ‘Continue’.  You will now be redirected to your account on the TLScontact website.
  4. Select ‘Track’: Select ‘Track’ to view the status of your application in real-time.
  5. View your application status: You should now be able to view the status of your UK visa application. The status should indicate whether biometric enrolment has been completed, whether your application has been transferred to and received by the decision-making centre (DMC), whether the decided application has been transferred to and received by the visa application centre (VAC) and whether you have picked your passport up from the VAC.

If you have any questions or concerns about your UK visa application status, you can contact TLScontact support by clicking on the ‘Contact us’ page on the TLScontact website.

3. Using the UKVI website

Step-by-step instructions for checking the status of your UK visa application on the UKVI website:

You can track the progress of your out-of-country UK visa application on the UKVI website.  Please note that this is a paid-for service. Queries about the progress of a UK visa application cost £2.74. This cost includes an initial email enquiry plus any follow-up emails that you send relating to the same enquiry:

  1. Go to the UKVI website: Start by visiting the UKVI website at https://ukvi.mysecurepay.co.uk/Home in your web browser.
  2. Click on ‘Start’: You will see ‘Start’ highlighted in green.  Click on this to be taken to the next page.
  3. Click on ‘General Enquiry’: You will see ‘General Enquiry’ highlighted in green.  Click on this to be taken to an online form.
  4. Complete the online form: Complete all the fields on the online form.  In the ‘Enquiry’ box you should make clear that you are enquiring about the status of your application. If the standard processing time has been exceeded then you should mention this.
  5. Click on ‘Continue’: You should now be able to proceed to enter your payment details and confirm.
  6. Click on ‘Submit’: If you do not select ‘Submit’ then your enquiry will not be completed and you will not be charged.  You should receive a reply to your query within 5 days, except on Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays and UK public holidays.

4. Contacting UKVI by telephone

You can track the progress of your out-of-country UK visa application by calling UKVI on +44 (0)300 790 6268 and selecting option 1.

The telephone line is open 24 hours a day, Monday to Friday.

Calls cost 69 pence per minute on top of your standard network charges.

If you cannot contact UK 0300 numbers, then use +44 (0)203 875 4669.

How to Track the Status of Your UK Visa Application Inside the UK

1. Using the UKVCAS website

Unfortunately, UKVCAS does not provide any application status updates on its website.

If you have any questions or concerns about the application status of an in-country immigration application, you should contact UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) instead (proceed to ‘4. Contacting UKVI by telephone’ below).

2. Contacting UKVCAS by telephone

It is also not possible to telephone UKVCAS to check the progress of an immigration application.

If you have any questions or concerns about the application status of an in-country immigration application, you should contact UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) instead (proceed to ‘4. Contacting UKVI by telephone’ below).

3. Using the UKVI website

Unfortunately, UKVI does not provide any application status updates on its website (proceed to ‘4. Contacting UKVI by telephone’ below).

4. Contacting UKVI by telephone

You can track the progress of your in-country immigration application by calling the UKVI contact centre on 0300 790 6268 and selecting option 2.

The telephone line is open 9am to 4:45pm on Monday to Thursday (excluding bank holidays) and 9am to 4:30pm on Friday (excluding bank holidays).

Information on call charges can be found here.