ILR Priority Service: Is It Worth It? (2026)

ILR processing options: standard, priority, super priority

When you apply for indefinite leave to remain, you choose your processing speed at the time of payment. The Home Office offers three options, each with a different cost and target turnaround time.

This guide explains what each option means in practice, when priority service is worth paying for, and how to make the most of it if you do choose the fast track for your indefinite leave to remain application. For a full walkthrough of the application from start to finish, see the ILR application guide.

Full cost comparison: standard vs priority vs super priority

The standard indefinite leave to remain application fee is £2,885. This covers the cost of processing your application at standard speed. Priority and super priority service are optional upgrades that add to this base fee. The full cost breakdown is as follows:

These fees apply to the main applicant. If you are applying for dependants at the same time, each dependant also pays their own application fee and can have their own processing speed selected. For families applying together for indefinite leave to remain, the choice between standard and priority service applies to each individual application.

Priority service adds approximately 17% to the cost of your indefinite leave to remain application. Super priority adds approximately 28%. Whether those premiums represent good value depends on your personal circumstances and the value you place on certainty and speed.

Note that the biometric enrolment fee of £19.20 is separate and is charged by UKVCAS regardless of the processing speed you select. The UKVCAS service level you choose (standard or enhanced) is an additional optional cost and is independent of the UKVI processing speed you select. Choosing a premium UKVCAS appointment does not speed up your indefinite leave to remain decision.

Standard processing: 6-8 weeks

Standard processing is included in the £2,885 application fee for indefinite leave to remain. There is no extra charge. The Home Office aims to process most applications within 6-8 weeks, but this is a target, not a legal guarantee.

Some applications take longer. Complex cases, incomplete document uploads, or requests for additional evidence can all extend the timeline. Busy periods, such as the period after major rule changes, can also push processing times out. In practice, some applicants wait 10-12 weeks or more on standard processing.

During the waiting period, you cannot travel internationally. If your current visa expires while your indefinite leave to remain application is being processed, your leave is automatically extended under Section 3C (explained below). You can continue working normally.

Standard processing is the right choice if you have no specific deadline, no upcoming travel plans, and are comfortable with a waiting period of up to 8 weeks or more.

Priority service: 5 working days

Priority service costs an additional £500 on top of the standard indefinite leave to remain application fee. The target is a decision within 5 working days of your biometrics appointment at a UKVCAS centre.

This option is best for people who have a specific deadline: an upcoming job change, a flight booked that they cannot easily cancel, or a visa expiry date that is approaching quickly. Priority service is available at all UKVCAS centres across the UK.

The 5-working-day clock starts from your biometrics appointment, not from when you submit the application online. If there is a delay in booking your biometrics slot, the timer has not started. This is why it is important to book your UKVCAS appointment as early as possible after submitting the online application.

If UKVI fails to meet the 5-working-day target, you may be entitled to a refund of the £500 priority service fee. The indefinite leave to remain application itself continues to be processed regardless, and you will still receive a decision.

Super priority service: next working day

Super priority service costs an additional £800 on top of the indefinite leave to remain application fee. The target is a decision by the end of the next working day after your biometrics appointment. This is the fastest processing option available for indefinite leave to remain applications.

Super priority service is worth considering if you have an urgent travel need, such as a family emergency, or if your visa is expiring very soon and you need certainty as quickly as possible. It is available at most UKVCAS centres, though availability can vary by location and time of year.

As with priority service, if the Home Office fails to meet the next-working-day target, the super priority fee may be refundable. Your indefinite leave to remain application continues in the queue and a decision will still be issued.

Super priority service adds £800 to an already expensive application. For most applicants, priority service (5 working days, £500) strikes the better balance. Super priority makes most sense when even 5 days feels too long.

How to book priority service on the day

Priority and super priority service for indefinite leave to remain applications are selected at the point of payment during the online application process, not afterwards. You cannot add priority service after you have submitted your application and paid the standard fee. The processing speed must be chosen before you complete your application.

Here is the process for selecting priority service when you apply for indefinite leave to remain:

• Complete the online indefinite leave to remain application form on GOV.UK.
• At the payment stage, you will be presented with the three processing speed options: standard, priority, and super priority.
• Select your preferred processing speed and pay the corresponding total amount. Priority adds £500 to the £2,885 base fee. Super priority adds £800.
• After payment, book your UKVCAS biometrics appointment. Choose the appointment type that corresponds to your service level. At some centres, priority and super priority applicants book separate appointment slots from standard applicants.

When booking your UKVCAS appointment, ensure you select the correct service level. At certain UKVCAS centres, priority and super priority applicants must book a specifically designated slot. If you book a standard slot when you paid for priority service, the processing timeline may not be triggered correctly. If in doubt, contact UKVCAS directly to confirm which appointment type you should book.

UKVCAS appointment availability varies significantly by location and time of year. In major cities, particularly London, slots at convenient times fill up quickly. This is true for both standard and priority appointments. Book immediately after submitting your application to give yourself the best choice of dates and locations.

What does “same day” actually mean?

The terminology around super priority service can be confusing. The official name is “super priority service” and the target is a decision by the end of the next working day after your biometrics appointment. Despite what the name might imply, you will not receive a decision on the same day as your biometrics appointment. The decision comes the following working day.

Here is a practical example: if your biometrics appointment is on a Monday, you should expect a decision by the end of Tuesday (the next working day). If your appointment is on a Friday, the next working day is Monday, so you should expect a decision by end of day Monday.

“End of the next working day” means by close of business on that day, which the Home Office typically treats as 6pm. If you have not received a decision by the end of the next working day, your application has missed the super priority target. At that point, you may be entitled to a refund of the £800 super priority fee, but your application continues to be processed and you will still receive a decision.

Bank holidays do not count as working days. If your biometrics appointment falls on the day before a bank holiday, the next working day could be two or three calendar days later depending on the holiday. Plan your appointment timing with this in mind if you are relying on a tight deadline.

Is priority service worth it?

The honest answer: it depends on your situation. Here is a simple framework to help you decide.

When priority service is worth paying for

• You have a specific deadline. If you have a job change, property completion, or travel plans that require you to have settled status by a certain date, priority service gives you much greater certainty than the standard 6-8 week window.
• Your visa is expiring soon and you are cutting it close. While Section 3C leave protects your right to remain and work, having an open indefinite leave to remain application for months can cause stress. Priority service shortens that window.
• You want peace of mind. Some applicants find the uncertainty of a months-long wait genuinely difficult. Knowing you will have a decision in 5 working days is worth £500 to many people.
• You have international travel booked and need certainty. Once your indefinite leave to remain is granted, you can travel freely. Priority service lets you know your status quickly so you can book or confirm travel plans sooner.

When standard processing is fine

• You have no specific deadline. If you are applying early and have no travel plans or other deadlines, the standard 6-8 week window is perfectly workable.
• Cost is a significant factor. Priority adds £500 to a £2,885 application. That is roughly 17% more. If that money is better used elsewhere, standard processing is a reasonable choice.
• Your case is straightforward. Clean absence records, clear employment history, and complete documentation mean your standard application is unlikely to be delayed by requests for further information.
• You applied well ahead of your visa expiry. If you have months of valid leave remaining when you apply for indefinite leave to remain, Section 3C leave is not a concern and there is no urgency around processing speed.

Cost perspective

Priority service adds £500 to a £2,885 application. That is approximately 17% more. Super priority adds £800, roughly 28% more. If the certainty of knowing your indefinite leave to remain outcome in 5 days rather than potentially 8 weeks is worth that premium to you, it is a reasonable choice. If not, standard processing works just as well for most applicants.

Priority service: success rates and what happens if it fails

The Home Office does not publish official statistics specifically on the percentage of priority and super priority indefinite leave to remain applications that are decided within the advertised timeframe. However, based on applicant experience and published Home Office data, priority and super priority services generally deliver on their timelines for straightforward, complete applications.

The most common reasons for priority service timelines being missed are:

• Incomplete applications: If the caseworker reviewing your indefinite leave to remain application needs additional evidence, the priority timeline is paused while you provide it. A request for further information effectively restarts the review process.
• Complex cases: Applications that raise questions about absences, employment history, or character may require additional scrutiny that cannot always be completed within 5 working days.
• System or administrative issues: In rare cases, technical problems or administrative errors at UKVI can delay processing. These are uncommon but do occur.
• High demand periods: During periods of unusually high application volumes, even priority applications can experience delays.

If the Home Office misses the priority service timeline, your application is not refused or withdrawn. It continues in the queue and will be decided as soon as possible. The key consequence is that you may be entitled to a refund of the priority fee.

To request a refund if the target is missed, you need to contact the Home Office and explain that the priority timeline was not met. Refunds are not automatic. You will need to raise this directly. Keep records of your biometrics appointment date and the date you received your decision, as these are the key data points for calculating whether the target was met.

If your priority indefinite leave to remain application is refused (not just delayed), the refund of the priority fee does not apply. A refusal on the merits of the application is a different matter from a processing delay. You would have the same appeal and review rights as a standard applicant whose indefinite leave to remain was refused.

What if your visa expires while waiting?

A common concern is: what happens if my current visa expires before I get a decision on my indefinite leave to remain application? The answer is Section 3C leave.

Under Section 3C of the Immigration Act 1971, if you submit a valid indefinite leave to remain application before your current permission expires, your existing leave is automatically extended while the application is being decided. This is sometimes called "3C leave" or "statutory extension."

During Section 3C leave, you can continue to work for your current employer under the same conditions as your existing visa. Your rights and conditions do not change. Your employer can verify your status using the Home Office online right-to-work checking service, which will confirm that your application is pending.

What you cannot do on Section 3C leave is travel internationally. If you leave the UK while your indefinite leave to remain application is pending, your Section 3C leave ends immediately when you depart. You would then need to apply for re-entry using a different route, which can complicate or invalidate your pending application. Do not travel abroad while your indefinite leave to remain application is being processed.

Section 3C leave is valid until a decision is made. This means even if the Home Office takes longer than 8 weeks on a standard application, your right to be in the UK and to work is protected throughout.

Tips for priority and super priority applicants

If you decide to use priority service or super priority service for your indefinite leave to remain application, here is how to make it work smoothly.

Book your UKVCAS appointment immediately

The priority service clock starts from your biometrics appointment, not from when you submit your online application. UKVCAS slots fill up quickly, especially at popular locations and during busy periods. Book your appointment as soon as possible after submitting the application. If you wait weeks to book your biometrics, you have effectively delayed your own priority processing.

Have all documents ready before you apply

Priority processing does not slow down for document requests. If the caseworker reviewing your indefinite leave to remain application needs additional evidence and has to pause to request it, the priority timeline is disrupted. Upload every document you need at the time of application, not as an afterthought after submitting. The ILR document checklist lists every document required so you can prepare well in advance.

Submit a complete application

The best way to get a fast decision is to give the caseworker everything they need the first time. Check your documents against the ILR checklist before you submit. If a request for additional evidence is issued after you apply, it can restart the review process and extend the timeline beyond the priority service target.

Make sure your biometrics appointment matches your service level

When you book your UKVCAS appointment, ensure you select the correct service level. Priority and super priority appointments are distinct from standard appointments at some centres. If you book a standard biometrics slot but paid for priority service, contact UKVCAS to correct this before your appointment date.

Keep track of your timeline

After your biometrics appointment, note the exact date and calculate when the 5-working-day (or next-working-day) target expires. If you have not heard anything by that deadline, contact UKVI to ask about the status of your indefinite leave to remain application. You may also want to start the process of requesting a refund of your priority fee at that point.

How ILR Tracker helps

Planning your indefinite leave to remain application involves more than just choosing a processing speed. ILR Tracker gives you the tools to prepare confidently.

For a full breakdown of every cost involved in the indefinite leave to remain process, including the application fee, biometric enrolment, and optional priority fees, see our ILR costs guide. You can also check the latest Home Office processing targets on the ILR processing times tool to see whether current standard times make priority service more or less worthwhile.

The ILR Eligibility Calculator helps you find your earliest application date and plan your timing. If you are trying to coordinate your indefinite leave to remain application with a specific deadline, knowing exactly when you can apply is the first step. From there, you can decide whether standard or priority service is the right fit for your timeline.

For ongoing tracking of absences, documents, and application readiness, create a free ILR Tracker account and manage your entire journey in one place.