Past the 60 day mark..

As I am sure you are fully aware every application has two sides to the story, I am sure those that are awaiting a decision will get there in the end its just frustrating been there done that got the t shirt albeit to a lesser extent and about to go there and do it all again.

Any apparent difference is possibly down to location and workload. All visa work is now done in Sheffield whereas previously there were several centres around the world - including Manila, Washington and Delhi.

I agree. I just think the authorities need not deal with applicants in such an inhumane way.

A great story @Sanders...

If you don't mind me asking, how long ago was your wife's 'journey' through the immigration process?

Which begs the question, for whose benefit is consolidation and centralisation of these services? It certainly ain't for the benefit of applicants, doesn't appear to be financially motivated and certainly not for reasons of improving efficiency or QoS...
As I have said in another Post, if non-UK agencies can communicate with applicants in a timely and (much more) helpful manner, why can't UKVI do the same bearing in mind applicants are paying for the privilege of communicating with THEM?

@UKDJ And all true.

My wife’s application went in in 2011 under the “old rules”. The application processing time was about par for the course at that time. As it was so long ago we cannot remember how many days it took but I have just looked up my email records:

2nd Sept - wife drops application off by hand at VFS in Makati who forward it on the U.K. Immigration authorities. We got a text to say the papers had been received.

I phoned British Immigration on 15th September and was told informally that “we would not be disappointed”.

I had kept in email contact with a helpful deputy manager at VFS and she emailed me on 16th September that a decision had been made. She didn’t say what the decision was. My wife also received an email from VFS earlier on 16th to say a decision had been made but no mention of the result.

20th Sept 2011 - wife receives passport and visa via courier.

To be honest I had forgotten how quick the process was at that time.

Needless to say it isn’t getting any easier in 2018. But I was able to speak both face to face and on the phone with British Immigration up till just a couple of years ago when it became unnecessary for me to do so anymore.

My underlying point being that a better service is possible. We experienced it.

You were lucky in that the Embassy in Manila was only processing applications from Filipinos when you and your wife applied. Around 2012 the Manila visa centre was handling all applications from Japan in the north to Australia in the south. Now everything is centralised in Sheffield.

So, not that long ago... but long enough for this 'shower' to completely wreck the system - as they have done, and continue to do, with so many aspects of life...!

An anti Tory post I guess!

I was wondering how long it would be before someone would attempt a bit of political point-scoring. You choose to ignore the fact that the world has become a far more dangerous place over the last few years and the prime responsibility of any government is t0 keep its citizens safe. That includes detailed security vetting of everyone who wishes to settle in the UK: those checks take time and have undoubtedly been tightened up. Also ministers tend to act upon the advice given to them by their senior officials - their top civil servants - and it is entirely possible that the decision to centralise visa issuance was not a political one but was made for operational reasons.

Rather than engaging in a bit of Tory-bashing, why don't you do something constructive - such as making an appointment to discuss your case with your local MP at his constituency surgery or by writing to him at the House of Commons. Regardless of your MP's party, you're likely to get a sympathetic ear and he may well pursue the matter with the Immigration Minister (Caroline Noakes).

Or if you prefer, you can sound-off in the closed Politics section. But not here, please.