What will happen on the day?

This page explains the process you will follow when using our premium service at a public enquiry office. The processes vary slightly, depending on which office you attend, but the following is a general guide to what you can expect.

The times given are approximate ones for Croydon. Depending on the number and type of applications that we receive on the day, and the public enquiry office that you attend, your application might take more or less time to process.

Arriving at the public enquiry office

Follow the signs to the public enquiry office. (At Croydon, follow the signs to 'Appointments'.) You must have booked an appointment in advance.

Please arrive 30 minutes before your appointment. PEO Croydon customers please do not arrive any earlier than this, as we regret that you will not be allowed into the building, due to limited customer seating.

Security - 5 to 15 minutes

For your own safety, you will go through an airport-style security check. Your personal possessions will all be scanned, and any sharp or dangerous objects will be taken away. Please do not bring penknives. You can find out more about the Security screening and search process.

There is nowhere for you to leave luggage, so , you will need to carry it with you at all times. You cannot bring large quantities of luggage into the Cardiff office. There are lifts at the Liverpool office. At Croydon, lifts are available for the elderly, people with young children and people with disabilities. The Belfast, Cardiff, Glasgow, Sheffield and Solihull offices are on the ground floor.

Reception - 10 to 15 minutes

After going through security you will be called to a counter at reception, where an officer will validate your application before you go to the cash office.

To ensure that you are prepared when you arrive, please look at the information on this website, read the forms carefully. You must show all the required documents on the day, for your application can be fully considered.

If you are applying as a student under Tier 4 of the points-based system, please ensure that your education provider is a registered sponsor. We will refuse your application if your education provider is not registered.

We will only accept original documents. Any computer printouts must be validated. For example, a printout of your bank statement must be validated by your bank (which means that someone at the bank must officially stamp and sign the printout).

When you application has been validated, you will be directed from the reception area to the payment desk. At Croydon, you will receive a ticket and told where to go. Please keep the ticket as you will need to show it to staff and security while you are in the public enquiry office.

Paying your application fee - 10 to 15 minutes

For most applications you will have paid in advance. We will check your payment sheet to ensure that you have paid the correct amount.

If you have not been required to pay in advance, see the How much does it cost? page for information about application fees and how you can pay. Please check which methods of payment are accepted at each Public Enquiry Office.

If you pay on the day with a credit card or debit card that is not in your name, the person named on the card must be present to authorise the transaction.

Registering your case - 5 to 15 minutes

You will be called to a counter, where we will register your application on our immigration database. You will be asked to wait until you are called to the biometric enrolment booth.

Enrolling your biometric information - 10 to 60 minutes

We will ask you to sign an acknowledgement form, to confirm that you understand what you need to do. We will then ask you to place your fingers, followed by your thumbs, on a fingerprint scanner. When your fingerprints have been recorded, we will take a digital photograph of your face. You will then be asked to wait until you are called to a counter.

Considering your case - 20 to 90 minutes

At the counter, an officer will examine your papers and make a number of checks on our immigration databases. You will be asked questions about your application, and your case will be considered according to the current Immigration Rules and regulations.

When the officer has confirmed that your application can be processed, you will be asked to wait (and you might be able to leave the building) while your passport and documents are taken to another area.

We will then notify you of our decision on your application. If we refuse your application, we will tell you whether you have any right to appeal.

We continue to process applications until we have seen the last customer, but we lock the doors at closing time for security reasons. You will still be able to leave the building after this time, but you will not be able to return.

Issuing your biometric residence permit

If your application is successful, we will send your biometric residence permit to you by post within 7 working days. We will not issue it to you on the day of your appointment. We advise you not to make any travel arrangements before you receive all of your documentation.