UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) may allow eligible applicants to pay for a Priority Service or Super Priority Service in order to receive a faster decision on a UK visa or settlement application. The Priority Service usually provides a decision within 5 working days for most eligible applications, while the Super Priority Service usually provides a decision by the end of the next working day. A 30 working day Priority target applies to eligible Family visa applications made outside the UK.

The services are optional, capacity is limited and they are not available for every application. The Priority Service currently costs £500 and the Super Priority Service costs £1,000 per applicant, in addition to the application fee. Paying for a faster decision does not make an application more likely to succeed and does not guarantee that UKVI will meet the target in every case.

In this guide we look at the current decision targets, eligibility, fees, booking process, delays, refunds and post-decision arrangements for UK visa Priority and Super Priority services. The UKVI faster decision service should always be checked immediately before an application is submitted.

1. Priority Service and Super Priority Service Processing Times

UK Visa Priority Service

If the Priority Service is available for your application, UKVI will usually aim to make a decision within 5 working days.

For Family visa applications made outside the UK, the Priority Service usually has a 30 working day target. This applies to eligible applications as a partner or spouse, parent, child or adult coming to be cared for by a relative.

The Priority processing period usually starts on the day of your appointment if you prove your identity in person. If you use the UK Immigration: ID Check app, it usually starts on the working day after you finish uploading your documents. The processing period ends when you receive a letter or email confirming that a decision has been made.

UK Visa Super Priority Service

If the Super Priority Service is available and you prove your identity in person on a weekday, UKVI will usually aim to make a decision by the end of the next working day after your appointment. If the appointment is at a weekend or on a bank holiday, the target is usually 2 working days after the appointment.

Eligible applicants can also use the Super Priority Service with the UK Immigration: ID Check app. Where document upload is completed on a weekday, the target is usually the end of the next working day. Where it is completed at a weekend or on a bank holiday, the target is usually 2 working days later.

Priority and Super Priority Times Are Not Guaranteed Deadlines

Priority and Super Priority times are service targets, not guaranteed legal deadlines. A decision can take longer if UKVI needs more information, needs to verify documents, requires an interview, needs to check details with another government department, is dealing with increased demand or is affected by a technical outage.

If UKVI asks for further information or evidence, it should tell you what to provide and when. Once the information is received, the application should continue to be prioritised. Where the published target has passed and UKVI has not contacted you, you may need to chase a delayed UK visa application.

2. Is Priority or Super Priority Available for My Application?

Availability depends on what you are applying for, whether you are applying from inside or outside the UK, whether you are the main applicant or a dependant, how you prove your identity, the application location and current capacity. There is no single rule that makes both services available for every visa or settlement route.

If a faster service is available, the option should be shown during the application process. If the option is not offered, you can normally continue with the standard service. You should not assume that a Priority or Super Priority upgrade can be added later.

Applications From Outside the UK

Applicants outside the UK may prove their identity through a visa application centre or, where permitted, through the UK Immigration: ID Check app. Priority or Super Priority may be offered for work, study and visit visa applications, but availability varies by location and application type.

You should submit the online application and follow the instructions generated for your country and route. If an appointment is required, use the GOV.UK service to find a visa application centre and check the faster-decision services shown for that location. Do not rely on historic assumptions about whether VFS Global or TLScontact operates in a particular region.

Applications From Inside the UK

Applicants in the UK can pay for a faster decision only on specified visa, extension and settlement applications. They must also have valid permission to be in the UK. The live eligible in-country applications table shows whether Priority or Super Priority is available through a UKVCAS appointment or the ID Check app.

Eligibility is route-specific. A Skilled Worker visa may be eligible for both services through more than one identity method, while some family, settlement or dependant applications may have only one faster option or no faster option. The position shown during the application is decisive.

3. How to Choose and Book a Priority or Super Priority Service

Where a faster decision is available, you will usually select it during the online application process and pay the relevant fee in addition to the application fee. The exact journey differs according to the route, identity method and location.

There is a limit on the number of faster-decision applications that UKVI accepts. If the option is not displayed, this may mean that it is not available for the route, identity method or current capacity. You can still complete a standard application.

A paid UKVCAS or visa application centre appointment, document-scanning service, courier service or other commercial add-on is not the same as paying UKVI for Priority or Super Priority processing. Applicants should check what the selected fee actually covers before paying.

4. Is Your UK Visa Application Suitable for a Faster Decision?

An application can be eligible for a faster service but still take longer than the target. This is more likely where the facts or evidence require additional consideration. 

Common reasons for delay include:

• inaccurate, incomplete or inconsistent information;
• a request for further evidence, including evidence of funds;
• verification of supporting documents;
• an interview or further enquiries;
• further checks concerning personal circumstances, such as criminality or immigration history;
• high application volumes; or
• an unexpected technical outage affecting UKVI systems.

A previous refusal, adverse immigration history or criminal matter does not automatically make the faster service unavailable. It may, however, mean that UKVI cannot decide the application within the target. The strategic value of paying for a faster decision should therefore be considered alongside the need to prepare the application fully and address any adverse issues.

Particular care is required for extension or switching applications where a refusal could affect the applicant’s position in the UK. A faster decision should not be used as a substitute for careful legal analysis and evidence preparation.

5. Priority Service and Super Priority Service Fees

As at 8 October 2026, the fees are:

Service	Fee	Usual target
Priority Service	£500	5 working days for most eligible visa and settlement applications; 30 working days for eligible overseas Family visa applications
Super Priority Service	£1,000	End of the next working day, or 2 working days after a weekend or bank holiday identity step

Each family member applying with the main applicant must pay the relevant faster-decision fee. Family members applying together will receive their decisions at the same time, although the need for a family member to attend an in-person biometric appointment may cause delay.

These fees can change. They are separate from the application fee, Immigration Health Surcharge and any VAC or UKVCAS appointment or document-service charges.

6. Will I Receive a Refund if the Decision Is Late or the Application Is Refused?

You will not receive a refund of the Priority or Super Priority fee merely because the application is refused.

If UKVI misses the target because it needed further information or evidence, you will not usually receive a refund. UKVI may consider a refund where it could not meet the target because of something outside the applicant’s control, such as a technical problem. Each case is considered individually.

A refund may also be available if the application is cancelled before biometrics are provided or, for an app-based application, before the final evidence-upload confirmation step. the precise process depends on how and to whom the fee was paid. Applicants should check the current priority service refund guidance before making a request.

7. Does Priority or Super Priority Improve the Chances of Success?

No. Using the Priority Service or Super Priority Service does not mean that the application will be approved and does not increase the prospects of success. UKVI must still decide whether the requirements of the relevant Immigration Rules are met.

If an application is refused, the decision notice will explain whether an administrative review or appeal is available.

A carefully prepared standard application may be stronger than a rushed Priority or Super Priority application. The benefit purchased is faster consideration where the service target can be met, not a different legal test or a more favourable decision-maker.

8. Passport, eVisa and Post-Decision Arrangements

The faster-decision target ends when UKVI tells you that a decision has been made. It does not necessarily cover every later administrative step, such as the return of a passport by a commercial provider or the correction of an immigration-status record.

Successful applicants now usually access their immigration status through an eVisa linked to a UKVI account. The decision notice should explain what to do next. Applicants should check that the eVisa is correct and linked to the passport or travel document that will be used for travel.

Passport-handling and Keep My Passport services vary by provider, location and application type. Some provider services cannot be combined with Super Priority, while other arrangements may be compatible with Priority. Follow the instructions displayed for the particular application rather than assuming a universal rule.

9. What About Priority Service for British Citizenship Applications?

A separate Priority Service is now available for specified online British citizenship applications. It costs £500 and UKVI will usually aim to make a decision within 30 working days. Super Priority is not available for citizenship applications.

The citizenship service applies only to the online application types listed by the Home Office, including naturalisation and specified registration applications. Applicants are told whether they are eligible during the online process.

10. Contact Our Immigration Barristers

For expert advice and assistance with a UK visa or settlement application using the Priority Service or Super Priority Service, contact our immigration barristers in London on 0203 617 9173 or complete our enquiry form below.

11. Frequently Asked Questions

Can I pay for Priority or Super Priority after submitting my application?

You should not assume that you can upgrade later. The faster service should be selected when the application process offers it, and the available procedure varies by route, identity method and location.

Is a Priority or Super Priority decision guaranteed?

No. The published times are service targets. UKVI may take longer where it needs more information, verification, an interview or further checks, or where demand or a technical problem affects processing.

How much do the faster services cost?

As at 8 October 2026, Priority costs £500 and Super Priority costs £1,000 per applicant, in addition to the application fee and any other applicable charges.

How long does Priority take for an overseas Family visa?

The Priority Service usually has a 30 working day target for eligible Family visa applications made outside the UK.

Can I use Super Priority with the UK Immigration: ID Check app?

Yes, for eligible applications. The route and identity method must support Super Priority, and the option must be offered during the application process.

Will I receive a refund if my application is refused?

No. Refusal does not entitle the applicant to a refund of the faster-decision fee. Different rules apply to cancellation and to some missed service targets.

Does a faster decision also speed up my eVisa or passport return?

Not necessarily. The target concerns the decision. Passport return, provider logistics, eVisa access and the correction of any status error are separate steps.

Is there a Priority Service for British citizenship applications?

Yes, for specified online citizenship applications. It costs £500 and usually has a 30 working day target. Super Priority is not available for citizenship applications.