In a welcome move the Home Office has recently expanded its list of applications that are now eligible for priority processing
After the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, the Home Office suspended almost all priority services for processing applications made within the UK. Some of the working and study routes had priority services restored to them during the winter. In a welcome move the Home Office has recently updated and expanded its list of applications that are now eligible for priority processing (see here) to include:
- Applications on the basis of family life as a partner, parent or dependent child or on the basis of private life in the UK (through form FLR(FP) or form FLR(M))
- Applications for human rights claims, leave outside the rules and other routes through form FLR(HRO)
- Applications for other routes through form FLR(IR)
- Application to settle as the partner of a person, or parent of a child, who is present and settled in the UK (through form SET(M))
These applications are now eligible for Super Priority processing if you are applying from within the UK. This means you could get a decision on your applications on the next working day, after attending a biometric appointment.
If you previously made an application using the standard service because the priority service was unavailable, you may be able to withdraw your application and submit a new one using the priority services. However, you should only do this if you currently have valid permission to be in the UK and have sought legal advice.