# Returning Resident visa processing time from India

How long the Returning Resident visa takes from India right now: the standard service, priority and super priority where offered, and what slows Indian files.

Source: https://ukvisadesk.com/visas/returning-resident-visa/processing-time · Updated 2026-10-08 · Reviewed by UK Visa Desk counselling team, licence 849/DC/PTA/PLA/LC-3/2024 · UK Visa Desk, a brand of Pro Lifeset Overseas Private Limited, Patiala, India. WhatsApp +91 91155 80911, Mon to Sat, 9:00 AM to 7:00 PM IST.

Standard 12 weeks; priority 30 working days; super priority not offered. UKVI figures as of 2026-09-09, verified 2026-10-08. Processed as a settlement entry clearance application (12 weeks). Priority settlement availability for this route at Indian VACs not confirmed on 8 Oct 2026.

## FAQ
**How much does the Returning Resident visa cost?**
£726 on gov.uk as of 8 October 2026. There is no health surcharge because the visa restores settlement. Priority settlement service, where offered, costs £500 extra.

**I was away for 2 years and 3 months. Have I lost my ILR?**
Yes. Indefinite leave lapses after 2 continuous years outside the UK, even by a few months. You need a Returning Resident visa or a new visa on another route. A short absence over the limit with strong UK ties is the easiest case to win.

**What counts as strong ties?**
Family who are British or settled, a home you own or rent, a UK job or business, a pension, bank accounts you kept open, children in UK schools, and regular visits during the absence. Officers look at the whole picture against the length of time away.

Full guide: https://ukvisadesk.com/visas/returning-resident-visa.md

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UK Visa Desk is a brand of Pro Lifeset Overseas Private Limited, a visa consultancy licensed by the Government of Punjab, India. We are a private company, not affiliated with the UK Government, and we are not regulated by the UK Immigration Advice Authority. We serve applicants who are in India; applicants already in the UK are referred to a regulated UK adviser. We do not handle work visas. Information here is general, not legal advice, and no visa outcome is guaranteed.
We do not handle UK work visas. Applicants already in the UK are referred to a regulated adviser.