How long have you had to wait for a Visa decision?

Hi

My wife submitted her Settlement Visa Application at VFS in Manila on the 7th April. We paid the extra £500 for a priority service (10 working days) and also paid extra for the scanning service to try and speed things up.

We have still heard nothing??? Thats 4 weeks today. Yes i know we have had 3 bank holidays but thats still 17 working days.

Has anyone else had experience of this and UK Immigration delayed?

Sorry...I just hate the anxious wait...and I want my wife back

If I was you I would be following up, not sure if the link below will help. Include your reference number in any communications.

Try to remain positive.

https://www.gov.uk/contact-ukvi-outside-uk

There might be a confusion with the old vs new process.

Bit late now but try to avoid doing things around Holy week or the start of it...

I have tried following it up with an email and got the response below:

Thank you for contacting the UK Visas and Immigration International Enquiry
Service.

"We understand that you would like to know about the current status of your
visa application. I have tracked the status (*************** and date of birth
***********) and found that a decision on your application has been delayed
whilst further enquiries are being conducted. Your visa application centre
or the entry clearance officer will contact you once a decision has been
made or, if necessary, during the consideration of your application.

Though we try our best to complete the visa application process in 15
working days, each application is subject to an individual assessment and
processing times may vary, hence applicants are requested to be patient and
wait for the processing to be completed. You can check how long you'll have
to wait for a decision on your visa application in your country (if you
applied from outside the UK) by entering your details at the following
link: https://www.gov.uk/visa-processing-times. Please note that the actual
processing times may vary depending on a range of factors."

Why they say 15 days when the premium service states 10???? Looks to me like another way of extracting more money from us. If we are in the middle of a visa application we are hardly likely to question and rock the boat....and they know this....I did phone a helpline only to get a very unhelpful person on the other end...she virtually told me to stop bothering her.

I enlisted an immigration Solicitor to put the application together...he is actually Filipino himself so knows the system in the Phils well which helped, but he told me I have a water tight application and everything in order as he compiled it himself as well and writing the letters so why they are delaying I have no idea.

Im being impatient I know...

I do not believe you are being impatient, in my view it is more than fair to have a concern for the reasons you have stated, I'd be pulling my hair out by now.

I just hope for your sake that your Filipino advisor knew what he was doing, having a advisor doesn't guarantee visa success as you will already know.

I hope you hear something soon.

Hi Timmers
He's an immigration Solicitor...Friends of mine have used him on quite a few occasions and always successful. My friends are Syrian so thats never going to be a straight forward application.
Obviously with the new changes as well then I dont know exactly where the application is being handled, here or in Manila. We already booked the appointment with VFS online and paid before this new information came out but as I said we submitted on the 7th April. My wife had the text later that evening that they had received the application but nothing since. I would have thought that if there was a problem that they would have made contact either to my wife or to my Solicitor...I may be wrong??

Yes I am pulling my hair out...I feel like my hands are tied and can do very little....I hate this waiting, it puts your life on hold

I think its good that when you called earlier they mentioned that it is still under review. So it means its not a 'no' just taking a bit longer than usual.

We applied March 15 for a settlement visa for my wifes daughter at VFS in Manila ,Had a follow email April 18 saying they had statrted processing and asking for some alternate phone numbers for our daughters legal guardian which we provided to arrange an interview , they never followed up on this info so why ask !

I too contacted the UKVI helpline and had the almost identical reply as what Mattp received.

As of today no news .

Very frustrating and an anxious wait .

Hi mistermatty....I know how you feel. Did you pay the extra for the priority service too?

Thanks Maley as you say at least I know they are looking at it. I think what annoys me most is the fact that they do not keep us up to date or we cannot track progress, or an explanation as to why they have gone over their suggested or advertised time especially that we paid an extra £500+ for the service. If they ran a business in the same way with the lack of information and lack of customer service they would not be in business long. Its a shame that anyone who may answer a phone to enquires cannot at least show a little respect and maybe even sympathise with applicants...anyway...rant over

Matt P Just the standard service ...

When we done the spouse visa application 8 years ago it was processes in 72 hours so we were very lucky , This seems like we have been waiting forever with life on hold as we both need to try and book the same weeks off work and get flights so we can go collect her withing that 30 day window ,

We've got this to come. That 30 day timeframe really complicates it.

Can someone please elaborate on the "30 day timeframe"?

We are still waiting for Kris ( @inaroiles ) + son's settlement (m) visa. VFS appointment was 9 March - standard service. On the application form we stated 1 June for the visa start date.

Messaged UKVI yesterday - got reply today. No decision yet - still being processed - can take up to 60 days. No mention of "delay".

Gerry

when the applicant gets their visa--they have to travel out within 30 days of the date. so they need to attend the cfo to get the sticker within that period.

Thanks Mac - I had forgotten that. Fortunately we are ok on that front.

Gerry

You have 30 days to get her out of RP and into UK... then I think you have another 10 days (from when she's stamped as entering) to get her BRP sorted - makes it expensive (and a pita) because you don't have a big window in which to shop around for a cheap flight.

If you are applying for fiance visa the 30 day rule doesn't apply to you. That's only for spouse visa since the vignette is only 30 days. Fiance visa is 6 months you can travel anytime within that even after 30 days.

Thanks John

We took a risk and booked flights months ago - mid-June. Hopefully be ok or will have to reschedule.

Regarding BRP I thought that comes with first FLR (m) after we're married?

Kris has attended CFO - will go back to get sticker when visa through.

Gerry

They thought you are applying for spouse visa Gerry. The 30 day doesn't apply to you and you won't get a BRP yet.

Thanks Glen - I did mention it was a settlement visa but easy to miss.

Gerry