Can I ask for an earlier UK visa start date after visa issued? [duplicate]

I live in the US and I'm not a US Citizen. Just applied to the UK visa and received my passport back. I was supposed to go on a work project to India early August and on my way back I wanted to stay in London visiting friends. Which is why I put August 7th as a start date. However, the project changed and now it's a week earlier, meaning i will arrive in the UK (Transit) by July 31st. Am i going to be able to entry the UK? Can I change the date of entry? What can I do right now? My flight to India leaves July 22nd.

visas uk

Best Answer

You received an entry clearance with a start date of 7 Aug, but a change in plans means you will arrive in the UK on 31 July. You want to know if this is OK?

No. It's decidedly not OK. They do not like it when this happens and so they have a rule in place to cover it. It's Paragraph 30C, which says...

An Immigration Officer may cancel an entry clearance which is capable of having effect as leave to enter if the holder arrives in the United Kingdom before the day on which the entry clearance becomes effective or if the holder seeks to enter the United Kingdom for a purpose other than the purpose specified in the entry clearance.

They have the authority to vary the dates on the spot, but this requires an awesome level of personal impact and articulation skills, we're talking personal impact like Kim Kardashian here. So for practical purposes you can expect to be in trouble (in the very strange event that the carrier will allow you to board in the first instance).

What can I do right now?

You need to go through a VFS even though you did not go through one originally; they are the only way a person can access priority services. Contact whichever VFS can act as your liaison in this matter and sign up for one of their super priority services. Since you are US based there's a wealth of them to select from, you can even customise one if you have the money. There is still enough time between now and your flight to get a variation on your visa's start date.

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Can I change the start date of my UK visa?

No, the only way to change your visa start date is to cancel your existing application and submit a new application. The dates on your vignette sticker are just your UK entry dates, an arrival window that you are given to enable you to enter and collect your BRP.

How can I get UK visa early?

Applying from inside the UKThe earliest you can apply is 3 months before your course starts. You must apply before your current visa expires. Your new course must begin within 28 days of your current visa expiring. You'll usually get a decision within 8 weeks.

Can I amend my UK visa application after submission?

If you want to change something in your application after you've sent it contact UK Visas and Immigration ( UKVI ). You can ask to cancel your application. Your fee will only be refunded if UKVI has not started processing your application.

Can UK visa be Cancelled after being issued?

You can ask to cancel (withdraw) an application for a visa, visa extension or citizenship. You'll get a refund of the immigration health surcharge if you cancel before a decision has been made about your application. You may get a refund of the application fee.

UK Immigration : No More Delay for UK Visa | Fast Visa Processing for International Students | UKVI

Sources: Stack Exchange - This article follows the attribution requirements of Stack Exchange and is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

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