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UK Visa Timelines: What to Expect and How to Avoid Delays
A realistic view of what slows applications down—and what you can do to keep things moving.
Rita Almeida
UK visa timelines: how delays actually happen
Most delays don’t happen because the applicant is “wrong”. They happen because the file is:
- unclear
- inconsistent
- missing key evidence
- hard to verify
The three most common delay causes
1) Identity and consistency issues
Names, addresses, and dates must match across documents.
2) Weak evidence packaging
The documents may exist, but they aren’t organised in a readable way.
3) Late responses to requests
If you get a request for more information, respond quickly and cleanly.
The best way to speed up
Create a single evidence pack:
- labelled folders
- a short summary note
- consistent formatting
HAVN helps applicants build submissions that are easy to review.
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