Navigating UK Immigration: Expert Guidance for Your Visa Journey

Navigating the United Kingdom immigration system requires identifying the precise legal route matching your circumstances, meeting strict statutory criteria under the UK Immigration Rules, and submitting compliant specified evidence before deadlines. Applicants must satisfy distinct validity, suitability, and eligibility requirements while navigating dynamic financial thresholds, English language benchmarks, and biometric protocols. A structured, evidence-led approach is essential to prevent costly delays, application rejections, or mandatory refusals.

Determining Your UK Immigration Route

The UK points-based immigration system and associated legal frameworks divide visas into distinct categories, each designed for specific purposes such as economic activity, academic study, family reunion, or business establishment. Selecting the correct route is the foundation of a successful application, as switching routes later can be subject to restrictive conditions.

Skilled Worker Route

The Skilled Worker route is the primary immigration pathway for overseas nationals seeking employment in the UK. To qualify, an applicant must have a formal job offer from a Home Office-approved sponsor holding a valid sponsor licence. The role must meet specific skill level requirements, normally set at Regulated Qualifications Framework (RQF) Level 3 (equivalent to A-levels) or higher, and align with an eligible Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) code listed in Appendix Skilled Occupations.

Applicants must satisfy the mandatory points criteria:

• Sponsorship (20 points): A valid, assigned Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) issued by an approved employer.
• Job at Appropriate Skill Level (20 points): The role must match an eligible occupation code.
• English Language Skills (10 points): Demonstrated proficiency at level B1 or above on the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) in reading, writing, speaking, and listening.
• Salary (20 points): The salary must equal or exceed both the general threshold (£38,700 per annum for standard applications submitted under current rules) and the specific going rate for the relevant occupation code, whichever is higher.

Certain tradeable points allow for lower salary thresholds, such as holding a relevant PhD in a STEM subject, having a job on the Immigration Salary List, or qualifying as a "new entrant" to the labour market. In these tradeable scenarios, absolute minimum salary floors apply (£30,960 per annum for standard discounts), below which an application cannot succeed.

Sponsor Licence for UK Employers

UK businesses wishing to hire non-settled workers must first secure a sponsor licence from UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI). The organisation must prove it is a genuine organisation operating lawfully in the UK, identify appropriate Key Personnel to manage the licence, and demonstrate robust human resource systems capable of meeting sponsor compliance duties.

Key duties required of licensed sponsors include:

• Reporting: Notifying UKVI via the Sponsorship Management System (SMS) within 10 working days if a sponsored worker fails to start work, is absent without permission for more than 10 consecutive working days, resigns, or is terminated.
• Record Keeping: Retaining copies of right-to-work documents, contracts, payslips, evidence of recruitment, and up-to-date contact details for each sponsored employee.
• Complying with the Law: Ensuring sponsored workers hold required professional registrations and only perform duties consistent with their assigned SOC code.
• Genuine Vacancy Test: Demonstrating that the role is not created solely to facilitate immigration and reflects an actual business requirement.

Failure to maintain these standards can result in licence downgrading, suspension, or revocation, which directly impacts all workers sponsored by that business.

Global Talent and High Potential Individual Routes

For highly skilled individuals, unsponsored routes offer greater professional flexibility:

• Global Talent Visa: Designed for established leaders (Exceptional Talent) or emerging leaders (Exceptional Promise) in science, engineering, humanities, medicine, digital technology, and arts and culture. Applicants must first secure an endorsement from an approved endorsing body (such as the Royal Society, Tech Nation, Arts Council England, or the British Academy) unless they hold an eligible prestigious prize. This route allows self-employment, employment across multiple organisations, and an accelerated path to settlement in as little as 3 years for leaders and endorsed researchers.
• High Potential Individual (HPI) Visa: Aimed at recent graduates from top-ranked global universities outside the UK. Eligible institutions are listed on the Home Office Global Universities List for the year of graduation. The visa grants a non-extendable stay of 2 years (or 3 years for doctoral graduates) to work, seek work, or engage in self-employment without needing an immediate employer sponsor.

Family Visas (Appendix FM)

The family migration framework allows British citizens, individuals with settled status (Indefinite Leave to Remain), and persons with refugee status to bring partners, children, and adult dependent relatives to the UK.

For partner applications (spouses, civil partners, or unmarried partners living together for at least 2 years in a relationship akin to marriage), key requirements include:

• Relationship Requirement: Proof of a legally valid marriage, civil partnership, or a genuine and subsisting unmarried relationship.
• Financial Requirement: The applicant and sponsor must meet the Minimum Income Requirement (MIR), set at £29,000 per annum, unless exempt (such as where the sponsor receives specified disability benefits, triggering the "adequate maintenance" test). Income can be met through employment, self-employment, pensions, non-employment income, or qualifying cash savings.
• Accommodation: Evidence of adequate accommodation that is neither overcrowded under UK statutory housing standards nor reliant on public funds.
• English Language: Meeting level A1 of the CEFR for the initial entry clearance application, progressing to A2 at the extension stage, and B1 for settlement.

Student and Graduate Routes

International students wishing to study in the UK must apply under the Student route (Appendix Student). Applicants need a Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) from a licensed student sponsor, proof of academic qualifications, sufficient maintenance funds to cover course fees and living costs (held for a consecutive 28-day period), and proof of English language proficiency at level B2 for degree-level courses or B1 for below-degree level.

Upon successful completion of an eligible degree, students can switch within the UK to the Graduate visa (Appendix Graduate). This provides unsponsored work permission for 2 years (3 years for PhD graduates). Time spent on the Graduate route does not count directly towards the 5-year settlement pathway for Indefinite Leave to Remain, but it provides a transitional bridge to the Skilled Worker route.

Route Comparison Overview

The following table outlines the core parameters, financial benchmarks, and settlement trajectories across primary UK immigration routes:

Step-by-Step Application Workflow and Decision Points

Every UK visa application follows a structured procedural sequence governed by statutory requirements. Overlooking procedural details at any point can lead to invalidation, significant delays, or formal refusal.

[Step 1: Document Audit & Eligibility Check]
                     │
                     ▼
[Step 2: Submit Online Form & Pay Fees (Application + IHS)]
                     │
                     ▼
[Step 3: Biometrics Enrolment & Identity Verification]
                     │
                     ▼
[Step 4: Home Office Assessment: Validity -> Suitability -> Eligibility]
                     │
        ┌────────────┴────────────┐
        ▼                         ▼
   [Refusal]                  [Approval]
        │                         │
        ▼                         ▼
[Administrative Review    [eVisa / Status Granted]
 or Statutory Appeal]

Step 1: Pre-Application Verification and Document Auditing

Before accessing the online application portal, applicants must assemble, audit, and format all required evidence. The Home Office enforces strict evidential standards, particularly regarding financial records and relationship documentation.

Key actions during this preparatory phase include:

• Confirming that bank statements cover the required 28-day or 6-month period without a single day falling below the mandatory financial threshold.
• Checking that all overseas documents not in English or Welsh are accompanied by a fully certified translation meeting Home Office translation standards.
• Obtaining an approved Tuberculosis (TB) test certificate from an approved clinic if residing in a listed country for more than 6 months.
• Ensuring the passport or travel document has at least one blank page and remains valid throughout the application processing window.

Step 2: Online Submission, Fee Remittance, and the Immigration Health Surcharge

Applications are made through the GOV.UK portal. Applicants must complete the relevant online form, answer suitability declarations truthfully, and pay the associated government fees.

The application fee varies depending on the route, location (in-country versus out-of-country), and duration of leave requested. In addition to the application fee, most long-term applicants must pay the Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS). The standard IHS rate is £1,035 per year of the visa for adults, and £776 per year for children under 18, students, and Youth Mobility Scheme applicants. For example, a 5-year Skilled Worker visa for a single adult requires an upfront IHS payment of £5,175 alongside the standard visa application fee.

Payment marks the formal "date of application". This date determines the validity of documents (such as the 28-day rule for bank statements) and establishes whether an in-country application was made before existing leave expired, preserving rights under Section 3C of the Immigration Act 1971.

Step 3: Biometric Enrolment and Identity Verification

After submitting the online form and paying the fees, applicants must verify their identity. Depending on the applicant's nationality and passport type, this is completed through one of two methods:

• UK Immigration: ID Check App: Eligible passport holders (including EEA nationals and non-EEA nationals with biometric biometric residence permits or compatible chips) can scan their documents and capture a facial image using a smartphone. Evidence is then uploaded directly to the digital system.
• Biometric Appointment: Applicants who cannot use the app must book an in-person appointment at a visa application centre (run by VFS Global or TLScontact overseas, or UKVCAS within the UK). Biometric data collection includes digital fingerprints and a facial photograph. Supporting documents must be uploaded ahead of the appointment or scanned during attendance.

Step 4: Caseworker Assessment and the Decision Matrix

Once biometrics and evidence are submitted, the application enters the UKVI assessment queue. Caseworkers evaluate the application against a three-stage statutory test:

Stage 1: Validity Check
   - Correct form used?
   - Fees and IHS paid in full?
   - Valid passport provided?
   - Biometrics enrolled?
   - If NO: Application rejected as invalid (not a refusal; fee refunded minus admin charge).
   - If YES: Proceed to Stage 2.

Stage 2: Suitability Check
   - Criminal convictions triggering mandatory/discretionary bars?
   - False representations, deception, or non-disclosure of material facts?
   - Unpaid NHS debts (£500+) or outstanding litigation costs?
   - Breaches of previous immigration conditions?
   - If NO: Application refused under Part 9 Grounds for Refusal.
   - If YES: Proceed to Stage 3.

Stage 3: Eligibility Check
   - All points-based or Appendix FM criteria satisfied?
   - Specified evidence strictly compliant with Appendix rules?
   - Genuine intention / genuine vacancy / genuine relationship established?
   - If NO: Application refused on substantive eligibility grounds.
   - If YES: Visa granted.

Step 5: Post-Decision Outcomes: Approval, Administrative Review, or Appeals

Upon decision completion, UKVI issues an official decision letter:

• Grant of Status: Successful applicants receive their status digitally through an eVisa linked to their UKVI online account, or via an entry vignette in their passport for those coming from overseas who require initial physical endorsement. The grant details the visa expiry date, work conditions, study limits, and any restrictions on accessing public funds.
• Refusal without Appeal Rights: For points-based applications (such as Skilled Worker or Student routes), refusal letters typically offer the option of an Administrative Review. An Administrative Review must be lodged within 14 calendar days (in-country) or 28 calendar days (out-of-country) of receipt. The review is limited to assessing whether UKVI made a case working error in applying the rules or calculating points.
• Refusal with Statutory Right of Appeal: Applications engaging human rights (such as Appendix FM Partner or Parent routes) carry a statutory right of appeal to the First-tier Tribunal (Immigration and Asylum Chamber) under Section 82 of the Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act 2002. Appeals must be lodged within 14 days (in-country) or 28 days (out-of-country). An independent Immigration Judge reviews the decision on points of law and evidence.

Evidentiary Standards and Caseworker Scrutiny

Caseworkers assess applications against explicit evidential provisions laid down in Appendices to the Immigration Rules, including Appendix FM-SE (Family Specified Evidence) and Appendix Finance. Understanding what caseworkers look for allows applicants to construct a compliant evidence bundle.

Evidentiary Framework under Appendix Finance and Appendix FM-SE

The Home Office applies strict formatting and chronological rules to financial documents. Failure to follow these rules is a frequent cause of refusal.

Key evidentiary rules include:

• The 28-Day Rule: Personal bank statements used to prove maintenance funds under points-based routes must show that required funds were held continuously for at least 28 days. The closing balance of the statement must fall within 31 days of the application submission date.
• Appendix FM-SE Category A Requirements: Where income is derived from salaried employment with the same employer for at least 6 months, applicants must supply:
  • Wage slips covering the full 6-month period prior to the date of application.
  • A corresponding employer letter on official letterhead signed by a senior official confirming the gross salary, employment type, contract duration, and that the wage slips are authentic.
  • Personal bank statements corresponding to the exact pay dates, showing the net salary deposits.
  • Recent P60 or contract where supplementary verification is required.
• Cash Savings Rules: Under Category D (Appendix FM), cash savings held above £16,000 can be used to meet or offset the income requirement. For the standard £29,000 threshold, the formula is (Threshold × 2.5) + £16,000. Where savings alone are used, the total required is £88,500. These funds must have been held in the applicant's or sponsor's name for a full 6 months before submission, with detailed evidence of the source of funds.

Genuine Vacancy and Genuine Relationship Tests

Beyond verifying documentation, caseworkers perform subjective assessments regarding the authenticity of the application.

For Skilled Worker visas, caseworkers apply the "Genuine Vacancy" rule. They scrutinise whether the hiring organisation genuinely requires the role, whether the job description has been artificially inflated to meet high SOC skill levels, and whether the applicant has the appropriate qualifications and experience to undertake the work. Caseworkers may issue questionnaires to employers, request telephone interviews, or check historical business turnover to assess if the company can support the declared salary.

For Family Visas, the "Genuine and Subsisting Relationship" test requires evidence of shared commitments. Caseworkers review joint financial liabilities (tenancy agreements, mortgages, utility bills, joint bank accounts) over a sustained period. Applications relying solely on social media chat logs, photographs, or informal statements are vulnerable to refusal if they lack objective proof of cohabitation and shared life.

English Language and Knowledge of Life Requirements

Applicants must prove English language ability via one of three methods:

1. Approved Secure English Language Test (SELT): Taken at a test centre approved by the Home Office (such as IELTS SELT Consortium, Pearson, Trinity College London, or LanguageCert) at the required CEFR level.
2. Degree Taught in English: A degree awarded in the UK, or an overseas degree verified by Ecctis (formerly UK NARIC) as meeting both the academic standard of a UK Bachelor's, Master's, or PhD and having been taught in English at the appropriate CEFR level.
3. Exemptions: Being a national of a majority English-speaking country listed in the Immigration Rules, or being over 65 years of age, or possessing a qualifying permanent physical or mental disability.

For Indefinite Leave to Remain and British Citizenship, applicants aged 18 to 64 must also pass the Life in the UK test, demonstrating knowledge of British history, customs, legal systems, and institutions.

Common Mistakes, Traps, and Refusal Triggers

Minor oversights in UK visa applications can lead to formal refusals under Part 9 of the Immigration Rules. Understanding the most common pitfalls helps safeguard an application.

Omissions under Paragraph 9.7.1 and 9.7.2 (False Representations and Non-Disclosure)

Under Part 9, the Home Office must refuse an application if false representations are made, false documents are submitted, or material facts are concealed. A failure to disclose a past refusal, whether from the UK or any other country, is treated as deception or non-disclosure under Paragraph 9.7.2.

Applicants frequently assume that minor or historic visa refusals, traffic offences involving court appearances, or spent cautions do not need to be declared. Home Office forms require total disclosure of immigration history and criminal records. An undeclared refusal can lead not only to the immediate rejection of the visa, but to a mandatory 10-year re-entry ban under Paragraph 9.8.1.

Salary Calculation Errors and Incorrect SOC Code Assignment

In the Skilled Worker route, salary rules require careful mathematical breakdown. Caseworkers calculate hourly rates alongside annual figures.

Common calculation errors include:

• Working Hours Discrepancies: The general threshold (£38,700) and occupation going rates are benchmarked against a standard 37.5-hour working week. If a contract stipulates 40, 42, or 48 hours per week, the going rate must be pro-rated upwards. A salary meeting the headline £38,700 requirement for 37.5 hours will fail the eligibility test if the contracted hours are higher and the calculated hourly rate falls below the statutory minimum.
• Exclusion of Allowances: Overtime, performance bonuses, travel allowances, London weighting, and accommodation subsidies cannot be included to reach minimum salary thresholds. Only guaranteed basic gross pay counts.
• Misassigned SOC Codes: Allocating an occupation code that has a lower salary requirement, but which does not accurately reflect the actual duties in the job description, often triggers a refusal under the Genuine Vacancy test.

Breaching the 28-Day Financial Evidence Rule

Under Appendix Finance, bank accounts must be held in regulated financial institutions where electronic verification is possible. Common grounds for refusal include:

• The bank statement's closing balance is dated more than 31 days before the date the application fee was paid online.
• The account balance dipped below the required maintenance amount for even a single day during the mandatory 28-day continuous period.
• Funds are held in investment accounts, shares, cryptocurrency, or institutions that do not permit immediate cash withdrawal without penalties.
• The funds are held in a bank that UKVI does not consider to have verifiable financial regulation standards.

Failure to Address Previous Immigration Breaches

Overstaying in the UK without valid leave is an immigration breach. While Paragraph 39E of the Immigration Rules provides a limited exception for applications made within 14 days of previous leave expiring where there was a good reason beyond the applicant's control (such as emergency hospitalisation), this exception is applied narrowly. Any historic overstaying, working in breach of visa conditions, or illegal entry must be addressed with comprehensive legal representations rather than left unexplained.

Complex Scenarios and Edge Cases

Immigration rules contain detailed provisions for complex circumstances. Applicants in transitional periods or non-standard employment must pay close attention to the specific legal mechanics that govern their status.

Switching Routes within the UK

Under the UK Immigration Rules, switching refers to changing from one visa category to another from within the UK without having to leave the country. Most routes allow switching, but there are explicit statutory restrictions.

Applicants cannot switch into points-based work routes or Family routes if they currently hold leave as:

• A Visitor.
• A Short-term Student.
• A Seasonal Worker.
• A Parent of a Child Student.
• An individual on immigration bail or granted temporary leave outside the rules.

Where an applicant is eligible to switch, their application must be submitted online before their current leave expires. By virtue of Section 3C of the Immigration Act 1971, if a valid in-time application is lodged, the applicant's existing leave and all accompanying conditions (such as the right to work or study) are automatically extended until the Home Office decides the application, including any subsequent administrative review or appeal period.

Leaving the Common Travel Area (the UK, Ireland, the Isle of Man, and the Channel Islands) while an application is pending automatically withdraws the application under Paragraph 34K of the Immigration Rules, immediately terminating Section 3C protection.

Dependant Visas and Eligibility Restrictions

Dependant rules have become significantly more restrictive across work and study categories:

• Care Workers and Senior Care Workers: Individuals holding sponsorship under SOC codes 6145 (Care workers and home carers) or 6146 (Senior care workers) can no longer sponsor dependants, unless they were already sponsored under those codes before the rules changed and are extending their stay with continuous leave.
• Students: International students enrolled in standard taught postgraduate courses (such as one-year Master's degrees) cannot bring dependants. Only students enrolled in postgraduate research programmes (such as PhDs or research-based Master's) or government-sponsored courses can bring family members.
• Dependant Work Rights: Spouses and partners granted dependant leave have open work rights in the UK, permitting employment at any skill level or self-employment, except working as a professional sportsperson or sports coach.

Continuous Residence and Absence Calculations

To qualify for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) after completing a qualifying period (typically 5 years on a Skilled Worker or Appendix FM route), applicants must satisfy Appendix Continuous Residence.

Key components of the continuous residence assessment include:

• The 180-Day Rule: For work and economic routes, the applicant must not have been absent from the UK for more than 180 days in any rolling 12-month period during the qualifying qualifying 5 years.
• Calculation Method: The 180-day rule applies on a continuous rolling basis, not by calendar year or visa year. Every potential 12-month window throughout the 5 years is examined.
• Permitted Absences: Absences exceeding 180 days in a 12-month period break continuous residence unless caused by exceptional circumstances, such as severe personal illness, natural disasters, conflict, or travel disruption. Work-related travel or annual leave counts toward the 180-day total.
• Appendix FM Partner Route Differences: The strict 180-day continuous residence limit does not apply to partner routes under Appendix FM in the same mathematical way. However, partner applicants must demonstrate that their permanent primary residence remained in the UK throughout the qualifying 5-year period and explain any prolonged periods spent abroad.

Transitional Arrangements for Skilled Workers and Family Routes

When the Home Office introduced major policy changes in April 2024, transitional protections were established for applicants already in the system:

• Skilled Workers Assigned CoS Before 4 April 2024: Workers who were already sponsored under the Skilled Worker route before 4 April 2024, and who have held continuous leave since, are exempt from the new £38,700 general salary threshold. When extending their visa, changing employers, or applying for settlement, their general threshold is benchmarked against a lower standard (£29,000 or the updated 25th percentile going rates from the 2020 SOC system), provided they do not break continuous status.
• Family Route Transitional Provisions: Partners who applied for their initial leave on the 5-year partner route before 11 April 2024, or who held leave as a fiancé(e) granted before that date, are assessed against the previous Minimum Income Requirement of £18,600 per annum (plus additional child elements) rather than the £29,000 requirement, when applying for extensions or ILR.

Sponsor Compliance and Revocation Risks

A sponsored worker's immigration status is directly linked to their employer's sponsor licence. If UKVI suspends or revokes an employer's licence following a compliance audit, workers face immediate consequences:

• Suspension: If a licence is suspended, current employees can continue working, but the employer cannot assign new Certificates of Sponsorship, and pending visa applications tied to that sponsor are placed on hold.
• Revocation: If the licence is formally revoked, UKVI issues a curtailment letter to all sponsored employees. The worker's leave is curtailed to 60 calendar days (or to the date their visa naturally expires, whichever is shorter). During this 60-day window, the worker must find a new licensed sponsor to take over their sponsorship, switch to another eligible visa route, or leave the UK. Failing to take action within the 60-day period results in overstaying.

The Path to Settlement and Naturalisation

Long-term immigration strategies usually aim for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR), followed by British Citizenship through naturalisation.

Indefinite Leave to Remain Qualifying Periods and Requirements

ILR removes immigration time restrictions, allowing individuals to live, work, and study in the UK without further sponsorship or salary compliance requirements. However, ILR can be revoked if the holder stays outside the UK for a continuous period of 2 or more years.

Standard qualifying periods for ILR across common routes:

• Global Talent (Endorsed as Leader / Promise): 3 years (for Exceptional Talent, designated research leaders) or 5 years (for Exceptional Promise).
• Skilled Worker: 5 continuous years.
• Family Route (Appendix FM Partner): 5 continuous years on the standard track (or 10 years where exceptional circumstances or human rights exemptions apply).
• Long Residence Route (Appendix Continuous Residence): 10 continuous lawful years combining any legal visa categories (excluding periods on immigration bail or visitor status).

In addition to satisfying the continuous residence test and the relevant salary or income threshold at the time of application, all applicants aged 18 to 64 applying for ILR must pass the Life in the UK test and demonstrate CEFR level B1 English proficiency in speaking and listening.

Naturalisation as a British Citizen

After holding ILR for at least 12 months (or immediately upon receiving ILR if married to a British citizen), individuals can apply for naturalisation under the British Nationality Act 1981.

Naturalisation requirements include:

• Future Intentions: Demonstrating an intention to continue making the UK your principal home.
• Absence Allowances (5-Year Route): No more than 450 days of absence from the UK in the 5 years preceding the application, and no more than 90 days in the final 12 months.
• Absence Allowances (Married to a British Citizen - 3-Year Route): No more than 270 days of absence in the 3 years preceding the application, and no more than 90 days in the final 12 months.
• Physical Presence Rule: The applicant must have been physically present in the UK on the exact day 5 years (or 3 years if married to a British citizen) prior to the date the Home Office receives the application.
• Good Character Requirement: Caseworkers evaluate criminal history, civil judgments, bankruptcy, immigration compliance, tax compliance with HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC), and general conduct. Deception in past visa applications or unpaid financial obligations can lead to a refusal under the good character policy.

Preparing Your Application

Preparing a UK visa application requires structured planning. Every factual assertion made in an application form must be backed by specified, verifiable evidence matching the Immigration Rules.

Before submitting your application:

1. Verify the specific requirements for your chosen route, including any transitional arrangements that apply to your situation.
2. Conduct an audit of your financial records to confirm the 28-day rule and minimum income figures are met without exception.
3. Ensure all non-English documentation has certified translations that meet UKVI standards.
4. Review your full immigration and personal history to ensure complete disclosure across all suitability questions.

Taking time to assemble an evidence package that directly addresses Home Office rules minimizes processing delays and provides the clearest route to a successful outcome.

Reviewed by Wesbridge Associates team on 31 August 2026. We check our published guidance against GOV.UK and current Home Office rules.

Frequently asked questions

Common questions on this topic, answered by our advisers.

What is the Skilled Worker Visa and who needs it?

How do I know if my employer can sponsor me for a UK visa?

What is the Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) and why do I have to pay it?

Can Wesbridge Associates help if my previous UK visa application was refused?

What documents are typically required for a UK visa application?

How long does the UK visa application process usually take?

Do I need to attend an interview for my UK visa application?