In some cases, visa applications may be temporarily paused while specific requirements are reviewed or additional details are needed. This article covers common reasons for such delays and outlines the steps you can take to help move the process forward.
Reasons a Visa Application May Be Paused
Awaiting Employer SMS Access: In some cases, the application process is dependent on your employer's Sponsor Management System (SMS). If Borderless is waiting to gain access to this system, your application may be paused temporarily. It will be unpaused and your application will be progressed once we gain access to the SMS.
Additional Requirements from External Systems: Some stages of the application depend on checks or access from external parties, which can sometimes affect processing times.
What Happens Next?
In most cases, you don’t need to take any action while the application is paused for these reasons. Once the required access is granted or the external step is completed, the application will automatically continue.
Borderless will keep you informed of any updates to your visa application. If you’re ever unsure about the current status or need clarification, please feel free to contact Borderless support and we’ll be happy to help.
For more information on visa application statuses or tips on navigating common procedural steps, explore other resources available in our help center.
When the pause is your employer's pending CoS request
The most common reason an application sits paused is that your employer has asked the Home Office for more Certificates of Sponsorship and is waiting for that decision. A CoS must be assigned to you before the Home Office can grant your visa, so until your employer has one available, the application cannot move forward.
There is normally nothing you need to do. Borderless holds your application ready, keeps the CoS request moving with your employer, and assigns the CoS as soon as one becomes available.
If your current visa is close to expiring. What protects your position is submitting an application in time, not the CoS being assigned first. Where expiry is approaching and the CoS request is still pending, we may submit your application before your visa expires so that Section 3C leave keeps your permission and your right to work in place while the Home Office decides. This is a judgement taken case by case on advice, so speak to your Borderless contact rather than assuming it will happen automatically.
When the pause is a dependant waiting for the main applicant
A partner or child applying as a dependant cannot be submitted until the main applicant's own application has been submitted to the Home Office. If your dependant has finished their form, payment and ID check and their case is paused, this is usually why. The hold is released once the main application is submitted. See How Can I Add Dependants to My Visa Application?
Waiting for your employer's payment to clear
If your employer's payment has not yet reached us, a Borderless caseworker may pause your application until it clears. Direct Debit payments typically take 2-5 working days to process. Once the payment shows as paid, your caseworker continues your application. You do not need to do anything, and you do not need to contact your employer or the bank.
If you are adding a dependant, their application fee also needs to be paid before either application can be reviewed and submitted.
While UKVI audits your employer's sponsor licence
If the Home Office is auditing your employer's sponsor licence, your application is paused until the audit report is issued. There is no action for you, and please do not complete the ID check or add Borderless as your UKVI helper until we tell you the application has resumed. Questions about your employment or right to work in the meantime should go to your employer.
When your caseworker is waiting for information from you
A caseworker may pause your application while they wait for a document or a correction from you, for example payslips, a letter covering a period of leave, or a change to your relationship status. Check your email and the Borderless platform for the request. Upload what is asked for under Case Documents, or reply to the email you received, and your caseworker will resume the application once they have reviewed it. If your application is paused and you are not sure why, contact support.