My OH has just applied for an extension to his family visa which expires on 16th Feb. He had his Biometrics today. They scanned his passport and returned it to him and now we wait for the decision. My question is...can he travel outside the UK while we wait for the decision. Processing time in the website says 8 weeks.

If your OH leaves the Common Travel Area then his application is automatically withdrawn so he’ll need to wait to travel until he receives a decision.

Thankyou. I thought as much...but not liking this dreary weather. I suppose I could go without him 😉

If you travel outside the Common Travel Area while your application for limited leave to remain or Indefinite Leave to Remain is being processed, the Home Office will treat your application as withdrawn under Paragraph 34K of the Immigration Rules:

“34K. Where a decision on an application for permission to stay has not been made and the applicant travels outside the common travel area their application will be treated as withdrawn on the date the applicant left the common travel area.”

The Common Travel Area (or ‘CTA’) includes the UK, Republic of Ireland, Channel Islands and Isle of Man.

Thanks...Guernsey might be interesting to visit

If you go then I can recommend a day trip to Sark.

Sark does sound interesting...one of the few places with no cars. We spent a week in Jersey including Liberation Day and loved it.

We got the positive news that my OH's extension was approved today...just short of 6 weeks to process.
Glad that's over although must admit that the process seem smoother this time..whether that's because we had 'been there done that' before 😃

Glad it was sorted in good time. You can travel wherever you want now