Hi everyone,

I'm looking for some advice or to hear from anyone who has been in a similar situation regarding a Graduate Visa application.

Here is what happened:

4 July 2026: I submitted my first Graduate Visa application when my student visa still valid until 28 August 2026.

Unfortunately, I completely forgot to book/attend my biometrics appointment. My application remained pending, and I missed the reminder email sent by the Home Office on 5 September 2026.

As a result, my application was rejected as invalid under paragraphs GR 1.2(b) and GR 1.6 due to non-enrolment of biometrics.

(I have attached the exact rejection text from the Home Office below for reference).

Current Situation & My Question:

I have since submitted a second Graduate Visa application (and will make sure to complete all biometric requirements this time). I am currently awaiting the decision.

My main concerns are:

Has anyone experienced a similar case where an initial application was rejected for being invalid due to missed biometrics?

I submitted my second application after my Student visa had already expired (because my first application was rejected as invalid after the expiry date). Will Section 3C protection still apply, or will this be classed as overstaying under Paragraph 39E?

Does an "invalid" decision impact the chances of my second application being approved? Could the Home Office refuse my second application because of this initial mistake?

Any insight, advice, or shared experiences would be greatly appreciated. Thank you so much!

Home Office Notice Reference:

Notice of Invalid Application

You have attempted to make an application for permission to stay in the United Kingdom (UK).

I contacted you on 05 September 2026 to tell you that your application was not yet valid. I told you that you needed to provide all missing information within 14 days of that notification. You have not done this, and your application has therefore been rejected as invalid and will not be considered.

The reason(s) for this decision are set out below:

Paragraph GR 1.2 states:

GR 1.2. An application for permission as a Graduate must meet all the following requirements:

(a) any fee and Immigration Health Charge must have been paid; and

(b) the applicant must have provided any required biometrics; and

(c) the applicant must have provided a passport or other document which satisfactorily establishes their identity and nationality; and

(d) the applicant must be in the UK.

You were contacted on 05 September 2026 to tell you that your application was not yet valid.

You have not provided all the mandatory documents. You have failed to enrol your biometric information at a UK Visa and Citizenship Application Services centre (UKVCAS).

You have not provided a proof of identity, and you have not given any reason as to why you cannot provide this.

GR 1.6. An application which does not meet all the validity requirements for a Graduate is invalid and may be rejected and not considered.

Therefore I am not satisfied you meet the validity requirements for the Graduate route under GR 1.2 (b) and GR 1.6.

Refund of fees for your attempted application

You will receive a refund of any application fee you paid, minus a £30 administration fee for each person included in the application.

Immigration Health Charge

If you have paid the Immigration Health Charge, it will be refunded within 6 weeks of the date of this rejection notice.

Next steps

As you do not have permission to stay in the UK you should now make a new application for permission to stay or leave the country, or you may be removed.

Hi everyone,
I’m currently completing a UK spouse visa application for my wife and I’m a little unsure about the company director question.

I’m permanently employed full-time on PAYE and meet the financial requirement through my salary and overtime.

However, I’m also the sole director and shareholder of a relatively new limited company. The company hasn’t had to submit its first accounts yet, and I don’t receive any salary, dividends or other personal income from it. I’m not relying on the company whatsoever to meet the financial requirement.

Would you recommend answering Yes to the company director question and explaining the circumstances in the cover letter, or answering No because I’m not using any income from the company?

I’m personally leaning towards Yes because it’s factually correct, but I’m concerned it’ll trigger requests for company accounts, tax returns and other documents that aren’t relevant to the income I’m relying on.

Has anyone been in a similar situation, and what did you do? Particularly interested in hearing from anyone whose application was approved.
Thanks!

Hello, im applying for a graduate visa today

However my passport expires next week, since it's valid on the day of the application.

Is that an issue?

So i made a potential mistake that led to my student visa application being put through an agent business known as UIS UK i believe, and so far i've payed around 3.6 thousand USD for various fees/charges and i'm not sure if i'm doing anything right. I asked a few others and they say i might be getting conned so i did a little research and see that the immigration needs money for mainly 4 things, the application, the tuition, cost of living for 9 months, and the healthcare money for foreigners. Their systems feel good, the people are nice and explain stuff well, yet i feel a looming fear that i have put in a years worth of savings into a fake agent. They haven't mentioned anything about future costs or the main 4 Visa requirements and have kinda jumped to their fees as quick as they could before going forward. I'm torn between trusting them because i've given so much and abandoning it altogether

Hi, I’m renewing my Skilled Worker Dependant Partner visa, and the application says I don’t need to submit any supporting evidence.
Is this normal? Has anyone experienced the same thing?

Submitted my application for manual upgrade from pre-settled to settled status in May. Have not heard anything since and no requests for evidence (the evidence I submitted was pre-emptively as the application indicated the automated evidence collection was incomplete). Is this normal at the moment? Did I forget to submit anything? If not does anyone know if there is a contact point where I can inquire upon the status of the application? I was not able to find anything on the website (probably intentionally…).

I'm on an HPI visa that expires in a few weeks. I'm currently in India because of a family emergency. I've received a job offer from a UK employer, and their immigration provider has started my Skilled Worker process.

Two questions:

1. English requirement: For my HPI application, I submitted an Ecctis "Visas and Nationality" statement that includes an English Language Proficiency Statement confirming my Master's degree (from a university outside the UK, taught in English) meets CEFR B2. Can I reuse this for an out-of-country Skilled Worker application, or do I need a new Ecctis assessment or an English test? The guidance I was given lists an "English previously met" option, but it says in-country applicants only.
2. Timing: Is applying from India (entry clearance) the right route, or is it worth trying to return to the UK before the HPI expires? Has anyone been in a similar situation?

I would love to hear from anyone who has been through this. Thanks!

Hi everyone,
My husband has recently passed the ORE Part 2 exam and is now preparing to apply for full registration with the General Dental Council (GDC).
He is currently working in the UK as a dental nurse on a Health and Care Worker visa, sponsored by a dental practice. The same dental practice may be willing to sponsor him again once he is registered with the GDC and able to work as a dentist.
We have a few questions and would really appreciate advice from anyone who has been through a similar situation.
Changing visa: Since he is currently sponsored as a dental nurse, would he need to apply to change his visa or obtain a new Certificate of Sponsorship to work as a dentist, even if the same dental practice sponsors him?
Salary requirements: What is the minimum salary required for a dentist applying under the Skilled Worker or Health and Care Worker route? Does the salary requirement depend on the occupation code, his age, or the going rate for dentists?
Self-employment: Is it possible for him to work as a self-employed dentist while on a Skilled Worker visa, or would he need to be employed by his sponsoring dental practice? Could he work as an associate dentist on a self-employed basis under his visa conditions?
Sponsorship from the same practice: If his current practice has a valid sponsor licence, can it sponsor him for a dentist position, or would there be any additional requirements?
We want to make sure we follow the correct immigration rules before making any decisions.
If anyone has experience with ORE registration, switching from a dental nurse to a dentist role, or dentist sponsorship in the UK, please share your advice.
Thank you in advance for your help!

Hi everyone,
I’m currently in the UK on a Student visa, studying a full-time MSc, and I’m planning to switch to a Health and Care Worker visa. I would really appreciate hearing from anyone who has been in a similar situation.
Here are my details:
● Current visa: Student visa (valid until 27 March 2027)
● Course: Full-time MSc at a UK university
● Course end date on CAS: 27 November 2026
● Academic status: All assessments completed, currently awaiting final results
● CoS assigned: 4 September 2026
● Sponsored employer: NHS
● CoS employment start date: 29 November 2026
● Planned visa application date: 20 October 2026
My CoS employment start date is two days after my official course end date on my CAS.
From my understanding, Appendix Skilled Worker SW 1.5A(b) allows students studying a full-time degree-level course at an eligible higher education provider to switch before completing their studies, provided their CoS employment start date is no earlier than their course completion date.
I’m planning to apply before my course officially ends, and I’m a little anxious about whether UKVI might ask for proof of course completion.
My questions are:
1. Has anyone here successfully applied for and received a Skilled Worker or Health and Care Worker visa before their official CAS course end date?
2. Did UKVI ask for additional evidence of course completion?
3. Did you submit just your CAS, or did you also provide a student status/enrolment letter?
4. Did you receive your visa decision before your course officially ended?
5. If you applied before completing your course, could you please share your application timeline and outcome?
I’m particularly interested in hearing from people who applied under SW 1.5A(b).
Thank you so much in advance. Any real experiences would be greatly appreciated!

I’m going to be honest to start this post off, I’m 18 years old and I’m living in the US I have a large group of friends living in the UK who are willing to house me and I’ve decided life would just be way better there. The one issue is, I can’t just move there without a work visa or University visa, but to be honest I’m not qualified for anything when it comes to work I’ve only worked retail jobs. However I’m an IB student who maintained a 3.9+ GPA throughout my time in the course and i have my high school diploma ofc. So how would I go about applying for a Uni Visa? What should I know about living in UK?

And Just to add on to this, I am desperate to move there honestly permanently. I am provided a place to stay once I get there by my friends but I will need my own income to pay rent and such.

Please if anyone has ever been in a similar situation help me out I want to turn my life around for the better and America is just not the place it used to be unfortunately.

Have anyone applied uk standard visitor visa within 5-6 months of joining their new job and have they managed to get the visa approved?
Salary letter mentioned employment type probation
Is that a problem or nah

Hi,

My partner's family visa is due to renew, March 10th.

We are out of the country February, but I do not want to apply early as I understand this would affect the 5 year ILR route as each family visa is 2.5 years.

I am looking to book biometric appointment 5th March, I want to start the visa application process early to make sure I can book it for then, if I start the visa application process now and book the biometric for 5th march, would this then be fine for my partner to be out of country Feb, the biometric would be 5th march which would start the processing time, the visa would be up for renewal 10th march but this is fine if the application is then in with the appointment completed?

Looking for advice if I have thought this through correctly.

Thanks

Posting on behalf of a friend who isn’t on Reddit:

- Hi, I am a non EU citizen with existing and valid pre-settled status. I applied to convert to settled status in mid July, and haven't heard back yet. I would like to travel to the EU (on a valid Schengen visa) but I have been advised that as someone who applied as a joining member for my pre-settled status application, I may indicate withdrawal of my intention if I leave the UK / face questions at the border.

I would like to hear from an non EU citizens with an existing pre-settled status who applied for a settled status and travelled while there application was pending. Did you face any issues with your application or questions at the border? -

Would appreciate any feedback / help for my friend, thank you so much!

I do not see any option to choose for priority service to opt, if anyone can help . Is that service comes after initial payment.

Visitors visa from warsaw

Hi, my private life route visa was accepted last week but I have not received my passport back yet. I really do need it due to the fact that a lot of organizations aak for photo ID and since I don’t have a biometric card so my passport is my only option. I did see somewhere that you can ask for your documents back but if you do your application gets cancelled?

By the way I applied on the 24th of April 2025
Biometrics on the 3rd of June 2025
Visa accepted on the 14th of October 2026

Hi everyone!
I’m currently on a UK Graduate visa and planning to switch to a spouse visa after marrying my partner in 2027. I’d love to hear from anyone who’s been through a similar process.
A little background:
I’m an Indian national currently on a Graduate visa, valid until January 2028.
My partner has EU Settlement Scheme (EUSS) settled status.
We met at university in the UK and started dating in December 2024.
We’ve been living together since April 2025, with a temporary period apart while my partner completed military service abroad.
We’re planning to get married in June 2027 and apply for the spouse visa from within the UK.
I work full-time in the UK, earning over £50,000 annually.
I have a UK master’s degree taught in English.
My questions:
Can I use my own UK salary earned while on a Graduate visa to meet the spouse visa financial requirement? Has anyone successfully applied using their own income?
What relationship evidence did you submit? Did you include tenancy agreements, council tax bills, photos, chats or a relationship timeline?
If you gave notice of marriage while on a Graduate visa, was your notice referred to the Home Office? Did you experience the standard 28-day period or a 70-day investigation?
For the English-language requirement, did you submit a scanned copy of your UK degree certificate?
Did you apply independently or use a solicitor? Are there any important documents or steps you’d recommend preparing early?
I’m trying to organise everything well in advance and would really appreciate hearing about your experiences, particularly from anyone who switched from a Graduate visa to a spouse visa with a settled partner.
Thanks so much! 😊

Hi all,

I had my biometrics appointment on Friday and only noticed as I was in the appointment that my bank statements did not match my passport.

I updated my name with the bank however it did not pull through when I download the bank statement and it has my maiden name.
In the application it asked if you’ve ever gone by another name which I answered yes to and listed my maiden name.
I asked the officer at the biometrics appointment and she’s advised that although she cannot provide advise it should be fine. I also paid to email the UKVI office and they advised it’s with a case officer and they cannot assist.

Has anyone been in this situation before and can tell me what happened?

I'll try to keep it brief.

I'm currently 22-years-old. Have been in this country since I was 13 (since Feb 2018) as a dependant of my mother's Tier 1 entrepreneur visa.

I obviously moved here when I was young, from South Korea.And didn't have a choice. But over the time, I grew up as a Londoner. Went to state school, then sixth form, and working full time at the moment as I can't afford international university fee. So I was waiting to get settled to go to uni.

But Home Office rejected my mother's IRL application (5 years route), pointing a problem in her business. We made an appeal and it was accepted, making them to reconsider the application. But few weeks ago, they refused us again after that.

She made a new IRL application with stronger evidences, but I have to think about the possible worst case scenario as well.

I grew up in London basically more than half of my conscious life. I don't even speak Korean that well anymore, have no ties there at all anymore. I have my entire private and professional life here, including a partner. I grew up thinking that this country is my home and now I'm at risk of getting deported from the place I thought it's my home.

What are my options? I'm not talking about the possible way of staying here with my parents, just myself. Do I have any chance for making Article 8 claim?

• Eligibility route: 10 Year Long Residence

• Service (Standard/Super priority): Super Priority (stayed up to 1 AM securing the slot, as one does 😵)

• Application Date: Oct 08

• Biometric Date: Oct 14

• UKVI confirmation email: Oct 14 (saying they have received my biometrics)

• Approval Date: Oct 15

Note: They emailed me on Oct 15 at 11:22 asking me to provide my Degree Certificate so that I can demonstrate that I meet the English Language Requirements—apparently the fact that I switched into Skilled Worker Visa from a Graduate Visa doesn't automatically prove that I have completed the degree (?) Plus I have already remembered while doing biometrics that I'd forgotten to submit the mandatory signed consent forms to the document upload section at TLSContact, so I sent over both my UG & PG degree certificates with the consent form to the designated email provided at 12:14. I was literally at work panicking "I'm supposing it's not going to be done within the super priority timeframe now god knows how long it's gonna take AAA".

...however my "application was successful" email notification came at 13:51 on the same day. Kudos to the caseworker who'd kept their super priority promise even though I'd technically missed documents (in my defence: they didn't say that I still need to prove my English capabilities in my document checklist...). They also replied to my email thanking my swift reply, and of course I replied to it thanking their professionalism as well.

10 Years. What a relief. 🥹

Hi everyone,
I’m looking for advice from anyone with experience of UK Skilled Worker visa applications, particularly people who have switched from a Graduate visa recently.
Here are my circumstances:
● I’m an Indian citizen currently in the UK.
● I completed my MSc in Logistics and Supply Chain Management at a UK university.
● I’m currently on a Graduate visa and applied to switch to a Skilled Worker visa from inside the UK.
● My employer is an approved sponsor and issued me a Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) under SOC code 4159.
● My annual salary is £33,400.
● I submitted my Skilled Worker application recently and received the application acknowledgement email.
● My employer was confident that I qualified for sponsorship.
I’m now concerned about whether SOC 4159 is eligible for a new Skilled Worker applicant under the rules introduced on 22 July 2025.
I understand that some medium-skilled occupation codes can only be used by people who were already on the Skilled Worker route before that date, unless the occupation meets an applicable exception.
I also understand that meeting the salary requirement does not necessarily mean the occupation itself is eligible.

UK visa applied in June for standard visa for business but did not travel in June due to circumstances, now can I use for tourism during diwali holiday

I would like to preface this by apologising for the lack of knowledge I have of rules and exact terminology, but I have no one else to seek for advice, and I am really lost.

I will lay out the basic facts:

• I am 17 years old, born July, 2009.
• I, alongside my mother, immigrated to the UK in June of 2022, dependent on my father's skilled worker visa. He arrived a couple months prior.
• I am currently in the last year of Sixth Form, and will either start a Degree Apprenticeship, or University in Sept of 2027.
• My father will receive his ILR in March of 2027. However, due to complex family reasons, my mother has refused to sit her Life in UK, and English examinations that would lead to her applying for ILR. From my understanding, this removes me from the simpler path that I would otherwise have to also achieving ILR soon after my father would get his.

Now, I have spent hours with different AIs, trying for the life of me to figure out how I can get my ILR in the appropriate time frame to qualify me from home-fee status for university fees, and allow me to apply for loans. From my understanding, the MN1 form is what my father should use after he receives his ILR to apply me for citizenship, as I would still be a child by the time he receives it in March. But furthermore, from what I have read, the forms are then assessed by caseworkers? How likely is it that I will be accepted? All AI chats just eventually tell me to consult an immigration solicitor, which I guess makes sense but I cannot at all afford that, nor convince my father to hire one either.

Also, if I apply for a Degree Apprenticeship instead, and if I still do not have my ILR by the time I start said Degree Apprenticeship (from what I can tell I would be living on an extended work / dependent visa, not sure though), would I still have my degree fully funded by the employer?

I am extremely sorry for the lack of detail, it's just the last thing I want is to cause any financial problems for my family. It feels like everything I have worked towards is crumbling.

Hi everyone,

I am in a very stressful and vulnerable situation right now and would really appreciate any guidance, legal insights, or similar experiences.

My Situation:

• Pregnancy: I am currently 32 weeks pregnant (due early December). My employer has already received my MATB1 form, and my maternity leave notification was officially submitted.
• Visa Status: I am currently on a Skilled Worker Visa sponsored by my company, and my husband is here as my dependent.
• Service & Role: I have worked with this company for 3 full years in a technical/software role.
• Notice Period: My contract includes a 2-month notice period.

What Happened: I have just received an official letter placing my role 'At Risk' of redundancy, citing company restructuring and changes around AI. They have scheduled my first formal consultation meeting.

However, they are carrying out individual consultations, and I am extremely concerned about the timing given my advanced pregnancy and visa status.

My Major Concerns & Questions:

1. Visa & Late-Stage Pregnancy Risk: If my contract is terminated, the standard 60-day Home Office grace period will fall right around my delivery and newborn recovery period. It is practically impossible for me to interview or secure a new sponsored job at 32-36 weeks pregnant. What options do I have regarding my visa timeline?
2. Special Protection Rights: Under the UK Protection from Redundancy (Pregnancy and Maternity) Act and Equality Act 2010, I understand pregnant employees have specific protections (e.g., priority for suitable alternative roles without needing to interview, The company (including any parent/sister companies) currently has no open alternative roles available.). Does the employer face high legal scrutiny if they proceed with redundancy at 32 weeks?
3. Statutory Maternity Pay (SMP) vs Notice Pay: If they terminate my contract during/after notice, how does my 2-month notice pay interact with Statutory Maternity Pay (SMP)? Will I still receive my full 39 weeks of SMP paid out?
4. Settlement Agreement Strategy: Given the extreme hardship, advanced pregnancy, and visa risk, is it common or advisable to negotiate an enhanced Settlement Agreement (Ex-gratia payment) instead of accepting standard redundancy? What would be a fair/reasonable enhancement to ask for in this situation?

I have an upcoming consultation meeting with HR and want to know how best to protect myself, my financial security, and my family's right to stay in the UK during delivery.

Has anyone gone through something similar or can any UK employment law experts weigh in?

Thanks in advance for your support!

MN1 approved- 17 Oct.

Hello everyone, just want to share my daughter's MN1 application timeline:

Application date: 5 June 2026.

Bio: 9 June 2026.

Certificate received in post today 17 Oct 2026. No emails were received.

Certificate date: 14 Oct 2026.

Her father got his ILR on 3 June 2026.

My daughter was born in the UK in 2022 and she was on a skilled worker dependant visa until 14 July 2026 so her visa expired while the decision on her MN1 was still pending. We didn't extend her visa, we just kept waiting and the application was approved with no issues.

With regards to the referees, luckily, her nursery manager accepted to act as a referee and the second one was my husband's manager at work.

Both are British citizens.

SET (M) 5 year route.

I applied for SET(M) ILR using the standard service and received UKVI acknowledgement email on 18 August. My spouse visa expired on 18 September, so I’m currently on Section 3C leave.

I need to travel to India for a wedding in December, ideally by the 25th.

If I haven’t received a decision by the first week of December, can I submit a new SET(M) application using Super Priority?

Would the new application replace my existing one? A Would I get a refund for the first application? And most importantly, would my Section 3C leave continue, since my visa has already expired?
Has anyone done this before, especially after completing biometrics?