Closed petition Reduce ATAS processing time

Closed on 4 January 2023

There are currently many international students who need an ATAS certificate to study in the UK experiencing huge delays. The ATAS delays will force them to defer or even cancel their studies, so we want the Government to increase staffing for ATAS to address this issue.

Most international students and researchers need the ATAS certificate before they can study or research in the UK, but the waiting times for ATAS decisions are incredibly long. Many students have been waiting for more than three months, and some successful ATAS applications even need a half-year to complete. Together with the visa delays, many students will need to defer their studies for 2022 entry. The ATAS processing times have to be shortened to ensure prospective students have sufficient time to apply for visas before the semester starts.