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.