Steps to follow after AN online application

Steps to follow after completing the form online.
Depending on your category, you will fill the appropriate form online:

Step 1: Pay fee and submit application via UKVI ONLINE.

Tip: Date of application is the date you pay and submit online, biometrics date is irrelevant.

Step 2: After payment, you will reach “further actions page.” If you click on “book an appointment,” system will reroute you to create an account on UKVCAS where you can upload your documents and book an appointment.

Tip: You are sent an access code to set up an account on UKVCAS which usually lands up in Junk folder.

Step 3: Booking an appointment with UKVCAS.

You must book an appointment now. IDV is the past except T4. You get 45 working days after submission.

Tip: You are given a deadline to submit your biometrics on the further actions page. Since the backlog for biometrics has subsided, you should meet the deadline.

Step 4: Now you can submit your documents to UKVI via UKVCAS portal even before your biometrics. The option usually appears when you have uploaded all your documents, sign out and sign in again. The option can be found on the “document upload page” right at the bottom.

Note: Self-submission is OPTIONAL. If you want to benefit from the new feature, you must upload and self-submit up to 48hrs before the appointment. If you do NOT want to self-submit, you can upload ANYTIME before the appointment date and submit at the appointment itself. Self-submission is recommended as you may save some processing time - your documents are sent to UKVI even before biometrics in this case. You can self-submit only ONCE. But if you forget to upload any documents, you can always upload later on (after self-submission) and submit at the appointment then (you will not be able to self-submit again but can submit at appointment again - UKVCAS staff will do it for you).

Read “self-submit” “submit” “upload” separately.

Tip: The best approach would be to benefit from the new self-submit feature.

Step 5: Once the process as stated above is completed, you should wait for a decision.
Cullinan

Suggestion for booking biometrics appointments, might be helpful to new users:

You have 45 working days to book an appointment (excluding Sat/Sun) after online submission. These days biometrics appointments are running at a 28 days lag i.e. you get an appointment for the 28th day unless you get to find an earlier cancellation.

My suggestion:
1) Login UKVCAS booking system 12 AM midnight GMT to look for appointments.

2) Look for different centres and locations if you are willing to travel.

3) Look continuously for 3/4 days regularly (after submission and before booking a slot) to find an earlier cancellation or free appointments during the day/after midnight. For free appointments look especially between 6am-9am in the morning. Free options are offered by Core Centres only (week days).

4) If you fail and can not find any earlier cancellations or free appointments for next 3/4 days after submission, book one logging in at 12 AM midnight GMT. You will get one for the 28th day (has to be a week day for better availability). If the 28th day is a Sat/Sun, availability will be almost nil.

I would suggest you try your luck for 3/4 days before you book one. Once you book an appointment, you will not be able to see any more availability.
Cullinan

Timeline (delays due to corona):
1) Decision can take up to 6 months (sent via email/or post). But majority are decided in 3-4 months.

2) Ceremony invitation can take up to 3 months after Approval (sent via email/or post).

3) After you receive ceremony invitation from HO: Ceremony date depending on council availability/modes of ceremony conducted via the particular council.

Note: Adults become British only on date of ceremony (not approval). For Children: they become British at the date of approval/date on registration certificate. Certificate is posted at home address.

You are free to travel before ceremony on ILR BRP. After ceremony you become a British Citizen and need British Passport to travel.

You apply for British Passport separately after ceremony and once you have naturalisation certificate in hand.
Cullinan