Another 'kick in the teeth' by UKVI...

If they were a business they would be losing customers left, right and centre! Must be amazing to have no competition and nobody to answer to...

It surely actually takes only a few days including a couple of phone calls and emails.

Incidentally, it wasn’t plain sailing for this chap, a certain Kuya who did indeed end up meeting his local MP over his wife’s spouse visa application. It makes an interesting read, his story of their visa application:

http://www.british-filipino.com/index.php?threads/decision-overturned.6528/

Absolutely - privatisation of a public service, such as immigration, would almost certainly make the process ten times worse AND more expensive! I am more critical of the fact that they have an absolute monopoly and apparently answer to nobody...

We applied at the beginning of November 2017. Still no decision. Totally unacceptable. We have just about given up on it. We are doing some traveling at the end of July and we need the return of my wife's passport but they have ignored my repeated requests for the return of it. When I have made enquiries about the application I get the usual
"We are still processing your application and are currently unable to provide you with a timescale for completion."
We now have a home secretary in charge who has family involved in a cash for visas con...total despair

Is your wife here, or still in the Philippines?
Whatever the case... completely unacceptable timescale!!!

As has been mentioned elsewhere in this Thread, have you considered getting outside help, e.g. your MP?

I still cite the example of the NHS who have a “monopoly” but have a much better stance towards their “customers”. I was on holiday the other week and forgot to take medicine with me. The receptionis at the surgery at my home surgery pulled out all the stops for me and I was able to collect my prescription in the south of England. It was impressive.

Yep - the NHS is one British public service (at least, in part, for now!) 'institution' I am fiercely protective of...
Yes, it has its faults but when you really need it, it's there!
It is a 'kind of' monopoly, but you do still have a degree of choice within the NHS, unlike UKVI who don't even appear to have any kind of complaints procedure they care to publicise, except the lengthy - and no doubt hellishly expensive - appeals procedure, which is not really the same thing anyway...

Agreed.

Did you read Kuya ,s posts on tackling the Immigration authorities.

Yeah, I did read it, but not sure I could cope with that level of tackling the authorities if it came to it!

Understood. And you shouldn’t need to.

Let's hope not! To coin a phrase I think I have seen you use in the past...

"It's 'squeaky bum' time..." -

The next thing we are waiting for is a reply to my email yesterday, pointing out that they had missed another of their own deadlines and asking them to justify why an application submitted over a month after ours had already received their result - but I won't be holding my breath for a sensible answer!

I will do, I was in two minds about whether to or not.

Better to be honest always. They will take that into consideration.

Yes, wife is still in Philippines. Been in touch a number of times with my local MP but not even had the courtesy to reply back. Ever get that feeling you have been ripped off?!

Wow they havent even replied to you? Have you tried calling them? I will try to call them next week.
They should have a office in your area, have you tried visiting them?

I am not sure if I have said this already but it does depend a bit on the political persuasion of your local MP - they are not all sympathetic to the spousal Immigration cause.

Wow - that is bad!

Yep - all the time since dealing with UKVI!!!

in a way--UKVI cant lose. by sitting on loads of settlement applications--they can claim the are cutting immigration...which is very popular with the great unwashed. and at the same time generating millions ££ in income for the treasury. a rare goverment success story.

Yep...

If they only have to report immigration figures annually, every application they can delay to the next year is a 'victory'...