Completing online applications for visa, settlement or citizenship

When you apply for a visa, settlement (‘Indefinite Leave to Remain’), or citizenship in the UK, you must also book an appointment to submit your biometric information with the UK Visa and Citizenship Application Services (UKVCAS).

This page has advice about application forms, payments, booking appointments, uploading documents, and how the RCN's Immigration Advice Service can support you.

Most UKVI (UK Visa and Immigration) application forms must now be completed and submitted online, on the GOV.UK website.

The online application forms used for visa and citizenship applications made from within the UK are normally divided into the following sections: 

1. Start
2. Application
3. Documents
4. Declaration
5. Pay
6. Further actions

You will be able to partially complete the application, save your progress, and log back in to complete the application later.

If you do this, the link to enable you to log back into your partially completed application will be emailed either to you or to your legal adviser if you have stated on the application form that you have a legal adviser and have provided their contact details.

You should only state that the RCN Immigration Advice Service is your legal adviser if we have explicitly agreed to represent you.

In the ‘Pay’ section of the application form, you will be required to pay the Immigration Health Surcharge (if applicable) and the application fee for your specific application by credit or debit card.

Before submitting your payment, you will be given the option to choose the service you would like to receive. You will not be able to change this selection after the fees have been paid.

You will be able to choose either: 

• standard service (most people get a decision within 26 weeks after attending their biometrics appointment) or
• super priority service

You will have to pay an additional fee if you choose the super priority service. Please note that this service is not always available. 

Once payment has been processed, you will no longer be able to go back and change your answers on the application form.

After you have paid the application fees, you should receive:

• an email from the UKVI confirming receipt of your payment and
• a link to enable you to return to your application to complete your further actions (check your spam/junk mail folder if you don’t receive this).

You will then be directed to the appointment booking system on the UK Visas Citizenship Application Service (UKVCAS) website where you will be required to register, book, and then attend an appointment with the commercial partner of the UKVI in the UK (Sopra Steria) to:

• provide your documents and
• enroll your biometrics (fingerprints and facial photograph).

Choosing a location, date, and time

When booking your appointment, you will be asked to choose a location by inputting a postcode convenient to you, and choosing a date and time from the slots available (up to 28 days in advance)

Free appointments

Appointments are charged at different rates depending on the time e.g. early mornings, evenings, weekends, etc. However, the Home Office is legally required to provide free appointments. Free appointments are released at 9.30am each day and are booked up within a short time.

Before you attend your appointment at the UKVCAS centre, you will be required to scan and upload the supporting documents for your application to your account on the UKVCAS website.

If you have paid an extra fee for your documents to be scanned by UKVCAS, then you must take all your original supporting documents with you to your appointment.

When uploading your scanned documents, you will need to separate them into categories. For example, depending on your application, document files might be separated as follows: 

• Residence in the UK: P60s, proof of address, proof of cohabitation (e.g. bills etc.)
• Proof of identity: Current and expired passports, BRPs
• Finances: Bank statements
• Life events: Marriage/divorce/birth certificates
• Education
• Life in the UK test certificates and English language or university degree certificates
• Employment: Employer letters, payslips
• Proof of application: printed copy of the application form with signed declarations, document checklist.

You can contact the RCN Immigration Advice Service if you are an RCN member and would like further advice about the supporting documents that you should provide for your application.

Further information

The UK Visa and Citizenship Application Services (UKVCAS), run by Sopra Steria on behalf of UK Visas and Immigration, forms part of the visa or citizenship application process.