Return of Application Documents

Get your Visa, Immigration or Citizenship Documents Back 

You might be able to ask for your passport and other documents to be returned if you have sent them with your application but need them urgently. How you do this depends on whether you applied in the UK or not, and what type of application you have made.  

You might have to cancel your application, you will be told if you have to do this when you ask for your documents back.  

If you applied outside the UK  

Contact UK Visas and Immigration (external link) 

You will not get a refund if your application has been processed.  

If you applied in the UK  

You might be able to use the online return of documents form (external link). The form explains who can use it and how to get your documents back. You cannot use the online form if: 

  • you no longer have permission to stay in the UK (your ‘valid leave to enter or remain’ has expired)  
  • you want to cancel your application to extend your stay in the UK because you now plan to leave  
  • your application to stay in the UK (‘leave to remain’) has been refused or rejected  
  • you have applied for asylum  

If you are eligible, you will usually get your documents back within 10 working days. 

If your application has been refused and you do not have permission to stay 

If you do not have permission to stay in the UK and want to leave voluntarily or cannot use the online form, contact the Voluntary Returns Service (external link).  You will get your documents back at the airport. 

Voluntary Returns Service 

Telephone: 0300 004 0202 

Monday to Friday, 9:00am to 5:30pm 

You may be removed from the UK if you do not have permission to stay in the country and do not leave voluntarily. 

If you have applied for asylum  

Contact your caseworker or the Voluntary Returns Service to ask for your documents back. 

If you do not receive your documents  

You can report that you have not received your documents (external link) if they have not been returned after 10 working days. 

If you applied for British citizenship before 1989  

Your passport would have been sent to your country’s embassy in the UK. 

Cancel your request  

Use the cancellation form (external link) if you no longer need your documents returned. You cannot cancel your request if it has already been processed.