The rule
Under the withdrawn applications rules in Part 1 of the Immigration Rules, if you travel outside the Common Travel Area before a decision is made on an application you made in the UK, the application is treated as withdrawn on the day you leave.
The Common Travel Area is the UK, Ireland, the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands (Jersey and Guernsey). Travel between these doesn't withdraw your application. A trip anywhere else does, however short: a weekend in Paris, a work trip, or a family visit.
What happens if you travel anyway
- The application is withdrawn on the day you depart, and the application fee is generally not refunded.
- If your previous visa is still valid, you may be able to re-enter on it. If it expired while you were waiting (so you were relying on your pending application to stay lawfully), you may have no permission to come back.
- For ILR, you would need to make a new application on your return, with a new fee, if you still qualify.
What you can do instead
- Plan trips before you apply. Use our ILR absence calculator to check that your pre-application travel stays within the 180-day rule, then apply once you're back.
- Pay for a faster decision. Priority and super priority services are available for many routes, which shortens the waiting period.
- In an emergency, contact the Home Office before travelling, explain the circumstances, and ask whether the decision can be expedited. Get advice before you book.
- Once a decision is made and you have your status (for example your eVisa), you can travel normally. For ILR, keep in mind the absence limits for citizenship that apply from then on.
This covers applications made from inside the UK. If you applied from outside the UK, different rules apply. Check the guidance for your route or get advice.