Travel during Visa Application

[firesinavalon]

I currently have a visa application out for changing a PSW to a Teir 2:general. (and a dependent visa for my partner) with the UKBA. We sent in 2 November, had our biometrics taken 30 november.

We are supposed to be traveling home for the holidays on the 17 december.
We are holding out hope that our visa will get here by that time.

Our embassy has agreed to provide us with temporary passports while we wait to get the results of our visa application.

I called the UKBA about the possibility of traveling out of the UK on these passports and have gotten mixed information.

We see two options.

1.) just wait and hope that our passports are returned in time and if not cancel the trip(what do people think the chances of this are?)

2.) take the temporary passports and go home. Then wait at home until our permanent passports arrive at our UK address and have them mailed to us in our home country and enter back into the UK with these passports.

3.) take the temporary passports and go home, then return to the UK with these passports.

I am given to understand that 2.) is a possibility that legally should be fine and would not nullify our application and cause it to be refused. Though I have been told that it could. I am to understand that 3.) would nullify our application and we would lose any visa status.

Does anyone know about the possibilities of traveling out of the country while you still have a pending application.

Thanks for your help and if you need clarification just let me know!

[firesinavalon]

I guess to simplify my question

If we have a pending application with the home office and the current visas we are on have expired (but the process was begun prior to the expiration of our visas) will we be legally allowed to leave and return to the UK (with temporary travel documentation/2nd passports we still have in our posession) or will doing so terminate our pending application?


What if we leave and wait for our visas to be returned to our address in the UK and then have them mailed to us overseas and re-enter the UK with them?

[The Station Agent]

If you leave the UK while you have an application pending (and they find out) your app is treated as being withdrawn). You would then have to get entry clearance (visas) from your home country in order to come back. So I suggest you press for a quick return of the original passports.

[firesinavalon]

Thanks for the response, that is what I figured. The last question is then I wonder how likely it is that they would find out, not that I'm really considering throwing away our application for a trek home for the holidays.

I guess I'll just pray that the passports arrive in the next day or two!

[mt_dilber]

what is more important for u?? ur hollydays or visa.

[firesinavalon]

it's for my grandfathers 100th birthday... so yeah I'd like to be there if I at all possibly can.

[mt_dilber]

wow...best of luck then