This page identifies the public process and questions to check. It cannot confirm a deadline, preserve immigration status or determine the correct remedy for an individual case.
Start here
Four immediate checks
- 1
Confirm where and what type of application was filed
- 2
Read the withdrawal and document-return rules
- 3
Check passport availability and current permission
- 4
Obtain advice before leaving the Common Travel Area
Keep control of the facts
Build a reliable record
Keep the complete decision, application, status record, correspondence and dates together. Use the current official page rather than screenshots or social-media summaries.
Avoid preventable harm
Important risks
- Leaving can treat some in-country applications as withdrawn
- A pending application is not travel permission
- Airline checks depend on the travel document and digital status
Official starting point
Open the current government process
Know when a guide is no longer enough
Eligibility assessments, evidence reviews, application preparation and representation should be handled by a suitably regulated professional.