The United Kingdom has started processing student visas on a priority and super-priority basis so they don’t miss their first day on campus.
Announced after August first week, the priority visa processing provides a decision within five days and costs £500.
For the super-priority visa, as per the UK government website, students get a decision within a day for £800 over the regular fees.
The UK says the processing time is 15 days for a regular student visa. But many applications have taken longer.
In an update for Indian students arriving in the UK this fall, British High Commissioner announced the start of super-priority and priority visas for students to tackle the high demand.
Ellis stated that they have surpassed their records for the total student visas issued until June 2022 globally. And this number will increase for the upcoming academic year with most students coming from India. So, Ellis mentions that you should submit your student visa application now if you are planning to study in the UK.
He further added, “Make sure you’ve included the right documentation. That includes an offer letter from the university, the TB certificates, the CAS, and your funding proof. And if needed, you can apply for the priority visa with a turnaround time of five days or a super priority visa with an even quicker turnaround. At present, we are taking roughly 15 days to deal with student visas. The demand is really high. Please reconsider if you are an Indian student wanting to study in the UK. Get your paperwork in order and apply now.”
When applying, select “priority service” if you are qualified. You will need to pay £500 extra than the application fees and get a response in five business days. The time begins either on the day of your appointment or the first working day following the completion of your document upload.
And, you can also choose the “super priority service” if you want to receive a decision by the following working day.
If your appointment is on a weekday, you’ll receive a decision by the end of the next working day. And if your appointment falls on a holiday or weekend, you’ll receive the decision two working days after your appointment.
Nearly 118,000 Indian students received a student visa for the year that ended June 2022, according to the recent UK Immigration Statistics, released on August 25. This is an 89% YoY increase. According to a statement from the UK HC, India has now surpassed China for receiving the most sponsored UK study visas.
Last week, Ellis remarked, “India first again. I’m happy to report that, in the year ending June 2022, Indian nationals received the most study, work, and visitor visas from the UK. A major proportion of visitor visas that the UK issued comprised Indians (28%). In the fiscal year that ended in June 2022, more than 258,000 Indian nationals were granted visit visas, a 630% increase from the prior year (when travel restrictions due to the Covid-19 pandemic were still in place).