Delay in Tier 5 YMS visa, and my passport?

[tcpm]

Hi all

I submitted online application for a Tier 5 YMS visa on 1 July and submitted my documents and biometrics on 9 July. I have applied for the priority services which says they aim to make a decision in 3 to 5 working days.

Now it has been 7 working days and I paid to send an email to ask for the progress. UKVI replied saying the application is being considered and awaiting for a decision. After reading some posts in this forum I realise that the processing time could be much longer than I originally expected. For some personal reasons I need to fly in the coming weeks and really need my passport back asap. I could have paid extra for "keeping my passport" service but it was not available for priority application.

Has anyone experienced delay recently for YMS visa application? I am also asking UKVI if I can get back my passport while waiting for a decision (it is quite unfair...if I knew it could have taken so long even for priority, I would have chosen standard service and paid for "keeping my passport" instead), so I wonder if anyone has tried this before? Any insights would be helpful. Thank you!

[essbee92]

Hello! Just wondering if you received your visa (and if so, how long did it take?), and also, were you able to get your passport back while they took a decision? I'm in a similar situation now, where my YMS looks like it's going to be delayed, though I didn't pay for priority, so wondering if I can request to get my passport back in the meantime.

[essbee92]

Hi @tcpm! Please do update. I am very anxious about my YMS visa as well, and would be great to know if you have received yours yet.

[tcpm]

Hi @essbee92! I have not received any decision yet and today is the 18th working day. I called and emailed a number of times but only got an email saying my case is escalated. I'm so lost and don't know what to do, at the same time worrying my documents are lost somewhere....

How many days have you waited for?

[Nakiah]

Hey! Any news?
I'm struggling with the same issue. Applied with priority in Vancouver, Canada, on the 10th of August, got my biometrics taken on the 14th, and was told 5-10 business days. It's well past 10 business days and I'm still waiting. I have a childcare job thats starts this Monday the 3rd. Extremely frustrating and a huge waste of money for the "priority" service.

[tcpm]

I finally got my passport back on 7th August, and the stamp on passport shows that visa was approved on 1st August, so it's 3.5 weeks after biometrics done... I got an email saying that my passport is ready to collect on 6th August if that helps. The call centre is not helpful by the way.

[stef8]

Nakish and essbee92 have you heard anything yet?
I had my appointment on September 4 and got an email it was received for processing September 7th and nothing since then. My travel date was supposed to be October 1st.