Any POSITIVE Visa's granted in May?

Business day 53 for us. Not a single word from UKVI, unfortunately. I can't help but feel depressed. They charge as much as they do then leave us in the dark for this long.. plus they kept our passports "hostage", for lack of a better word. Worst, like Pete, I also have two children who are supposed to start school early September. It would have been really nice if we we're told in the first place that the process will take AGES; we could have planned better. The problem is, we've been promised 10 days! That's what's upsetting. I hope we're all out of this limbo soon...

Thank you Numpters!

Hi @MrsDoyle, sorry for the delay in my response. We did get the ROM a day before I fly out to Manila. We've scanned everything only to find out I am exempted when I got to CFO. The counsellor told me she'll exempt me from the seminar because I have lived in UK for 5 years before coming back to the Philippines and my family lives in UK. She did ask if I have a UK gov't issued ID first. Lucky for me I took my UK driver's license with me. How's your application going? Have you heard from them yet?

Congratulations, Yorkshirelass88!!

Thanks @Stupot10 for the kind words..well we were just disappointed that they post the timeline for the philippines on their website..the UKVI timeline for PH says 13% of app gets done between 15- 30days..and then 100% for 60working days (both priority & standard)! Why do they have to wait for literal 60 WD or more before they update the status when they can see,assess,ask,clarify,call,interview or simply bug the applicants and give them update regarding the application in the middle of 60WD..we all are just one email away..a simple update of its whereabouts is a basic service..its already a big help..we fully paid for it! why wait for the tracker to reach 60+days before it works?! haha thats just crazy. Also, spouse visa applications especially for couples who've met each other in person, traveled both in Philippines and UK and other places i believe already means a lot..one google or social media search about an applicant also reveals a few stuff and helps evaluating how genuine the relationship is..it isnt hard in this digital age..the basic and essential requirements are also met/submitted! from financial to proofs of personal relationship as well..We applied under the salary route of hubby but combined with savings it's also additional proof that we wont be a burden..wedding isnt that easy to organize but it was done in manila and hubby reported to embassy as well so they can double-checked everything..it's just kinda redundant to bombard them with loads of cheesy documents..dont know if im making sense here haha but i know it sounds im ranting so i better stop typing just wanna say it isnt good to start a marriage where the couples are far apart from each other..personal and professional plans are greatly affected..but yeah hopefully it all pays off in the end. Goodluck and Godbless everyone here.

I can understand all your frustrations especially when it's an obvious relationship. But sometimes the obvious is too obvious to some government agencies. Unfortunately there is nothing we can do with the beurocracy of the immigration service.

Hi Surreydave, we are on day 24 so we are so in that 2nd stage and i think we will stay on this stage until the decision is made I just wish time moves forward a little bit quicker ....

Working day 50 today (though we've stopped counting honest ). Hopefully moving towards the end game now!!

Hope the time flys for you.

My wife's visa
Non priority
Biometrics May 15th
Docs at Sheffield May 19th
Acknowledged May 24th
Still waiting.......

Ouch.....way past your 60 working days ☹️☹️. Hope you get news real soon.

might be a good idea to give them a call and chase your application up this is the number 02034811736 it will cost you a few quid to make the call....i called them awhile ago when on working day 40 ish they couldnt help me much just told me my wife was in the system ,the lady said nothing they can do until its past working day 60 she told me if i hadnt heard by then to call back , just got the impression if i call back when 60 working days where up they might be able to speed things up a bit ....not sure but might be worth a try,your way over your 60 days,did you get an email from ukvi giving you a reason for the hold up at around day 60 ? if your application isnt sorted by then they should email you giving a reason why ....my wifes on working day 54 on priority desperate to hear something very soon ..really thought this was going to take just a few weeks , my wife is so stressed out and so am i .

matt whats happening any news yet mate ? ...you have waited so long ,cant help thinking of you and others here that have been waiting way over the 60 days

From chats on here, it seems a waste of time and money phoning them. They give everyone a standard "it's in the system and being assessed ".

No, we haven't received an email from them.
Has anyone on here past their 60 days had an email? I doubt it!
What's disturbing is the people who are on priority, and still not hearing after 60 days.
It's outrageous. Why did they set up a system to cater for every type of visa, in one place, with inadequate staff to process them?
Seems deliberate to me.

Rant over.

I agree with your rant. "UK Visas & Immigration is committed to offering the best possible service and to processing your application as quickly as possible." is clearly a load of ******** (not sure if you're allowed to swear on this forum so use your own word to fill in the blanks

Hey guys..not been on here in a while as been busy. Update...still nothing now WD 91 for us. Im going to make a flying visit to spend a few days with my wife in Manila toward the end of next month...its our 6 month wedding anniversary today this sucks.
I wish the TV Despatches team or a newspaper would do an undercover programme and expose this mismanaged shambles in Sheffield and how they still continue to rob people offering a service that they know they cannot provide. If anyone knows anyone in this line of work....have a quiet chat with them. Im sure this would be a shocking read to know exactly what goes on. I know someone who worked in the Sheffield immigration department 20 years ago and she said it was awful back then. If the application wasnt easy it was shelved and left until they had more time...months she said. Oh joy...as its a government department its probably not changed since then.
Glad to hear people are still getting good news..at least some of us are

Problem is..the audience for such a programme would probably applaud the government for doing something positive to curb immigration. So ukvi just can't lose.

Yes and no possibly depends how it was shown and in what light.
If people realised that other EU citizens living in the UK can marry who they like and bring them in no questions asked because they fall under EU law...for now...and that the UK government is penalising only UK citizens. Not to mention they are breaking the law by advertising the priority service still. They are still advertising visa decisions on the site as 100% by day 60...we know that is also incorrect.
Im having a winge....
Appologies im venting frustration

Vent all you want. We're all in agreement with you.

other EU citizens living in the UK can marry who they like and bring them in no questions asked

you forgot to mention--FREE.

Hi,

On day 86! Today. I have received pairs of contrasting emails on my day 60 which was last July 14...my husband called and email them regarding the matter...just last Sunday I've received an email stating can't share information about the application to UK sponsor & email address used for enquiries not on the applicants form... insert email address of the sponsor in the email and asking for consent.
That's just about what I got after a month of waiting since escalated.

Lets hope that everything will be sorted.