As many sponsors will know, the Home Office offers a priority change of circumstances service, allowing sponsors to request by email the prioritisation of certain Home Office sponsor-related actions (many of which are vital to their being able to progress a visa application). Without this service, the standard processing time for these requests of around 18 weeks would mean that some visa applications could be stopped in their tracks.
The priority requests cost £200 each and only the following actions are eligible:
- Requesting additional certificates of sponsorship as well as the annual allocations
- Adding a new level 1 user
- Changing a level 1 user
- Adding a legal representative
- Amending the organisation address details
- Replacing or amending the key contact (KC) listed on the licence
Once a request is received and the fee paid, the Home Office aims to make a decision within 5 working days. That period begins the day after the payment which will usually mean having to wait until the following week for a decision.
Previously, sponsors have had to submit these requests to the Home Office via email between 9am and 5pm Monday to Friday competing for just 60 slots each day. It is widely known that even if you manage to email the service at 9am on the dot, it’s still a fastest finger on the button lottery as to whether your request will be granted. If unsuccessful, your only current option is to keep trying, day after day with no points for persistence or how close you were to being in the first 60 requests. It’s no surprise the slots are filled up so quickly; there are over 100,000 registered sponsors according to Home Office statistics produced for Q2 2024.
In what looks like a bid to ease pressure, the Home Office has revised its terms, now stating that the service opens from 7am to 5pm Monday to Friday and that there will be 100 slots available – this is marginally good news for sponsors but means earlier morning starts for those submitting the requests by email and does not really begin to address the size of the problem, as 100 slots is still a drop in the ocean considering the number of sponsors. It will be interesting to see if the Home Office continues to expand this service to meet the clear demand or if 100 is really all they can handle for now. If you need support or have any questions relating to UK visa applications or other business immigration matters, please contact your usual Squire Patton Boggs business immigration team member or Annabel Mace, Partner and Head of UK Immigration.