I am planning for the stage 2 of my application, from inside the UK. I’m switching from a Tier-2 Skilled Worker visa and am trying to schedule my next few months so I have some questions about the application timeline.
Is stage-2 “guaranteed” in your opinion? Have you heard of cases where the stage 1 has been accepted but not stage 2?
The maximum processing time for stage 2 is 8 weeks. Is that starting from the day I attend the appointment and provide my biometrics? (I am from Lebanon so I’m 99% sure I’m going to have to do it in person.)
Does that mean I will give away my passport for 8 weeks and/or cannot travel during that time?
If I pay for the priority service, will it help me find an appointment faster or that only affects the time after the appointment?
Did I understand it wrong and the 8 weeks is the time between submitting my application and receiving a request to book an appointment?
I’ve switched my current visa (not Tier 2) to GTV very recently. My answers below are based on the experience I had.
I think it is pretty much guaranteed unless you forgot some documents required.
8 weeks count starts after you visited the visa center to provide your biometric information.
They didn’t take my passport, but you cannot travel until the decision is made - I googled this and it was no, because it would alter the information(travel history etc) you submitted as soon as you travel before the decision.
you can pay for the both service, you can book a paid service at the visa center and a priority service that makes decisions in 1 or 5 days.
Like I mentioned earlier above, it starts after your biometric information is forwarded to UKVI.
I strongly recommend booking the visa center as soon as possible because they don’t open a lot of free spots unless you are willing to pay for the paid slots. Once your biometric information is forwarded and then Stage 2 is started before your current visa expires, you will keep having the right to stay and work in the uk until the decision is made. Through my experience and what was shared in this community it usually takes 5 days for the applicants within the uk. - but do use the express service if you wanna make sure.
@Chaitanya_Bapat I did not use priority service, I chose one of the rare free slots - it took exactly 5 working days and it seems this is very usual for applicants within the UK.
Thanks. What do you mean by “rare free slots”? Free slot for biometric appointment or something else? FWIW, I completed my biometric Tue 17 Jan. So if it takes 5 working days, I’d prolly have something by 25th
