Keeping your paperwork in order while you wait

Waiting for a decision can take weeks or months, and there is often nothing to do but wait. A little organisation now saves a lot of stress if you are asked for more information, because requests usually come with a short deadline.

Keep one folder

Keep copies of everything you sent, in the same order, with the date you lodged the application written on the front. Add the receipt or confirmation email, and any reference number you were given. If you kept only digital copies, save them in one clearly named folder and back it up.

Tell us about changes

A new job, a new address, a new baby or plans to travel can all matter to an application that is still being decided. Some changes have to be reported; others can affect whether you meet the rules. Let us know before you act, not after, and we will tell you whether anything needs to be done.

Read every message

Requests for information usually come with a deadline. Check your email, junk folder included, and forward anything official to us the same day. If a letter arrives by post, photograph every page and send it to us before you reply.

Keep your documents valid

An expired document can hold up a decision, so:

• Note when your passport, permits and test results expire

• Renew anything due to lapse in the next six months

• Keep original documents somewhere safe and easy to reach

Know when to ask

Decisions don’t always arrive in the published time, and a delay on its own isn’t a bad sign. If yours goes well past the usual time, ask us. We can check where it stands and whether a polite enquiry would help.