Visitor's Visa - How Long ?

[AFCB]

Hi,

Does anyone know the current expected turnaround times for VV applications please (assuming everything is OK with the paperwork etc) ? The application should be going in next week via the courier centre in Udon Thani.

Thanks.

[the scouser]

On the assumption that it's a UK visa that will be sought, the turnaround time is approximately one week. If the embassy decide that an interview is appropriate, the wait will then depend upon how long the interview queue is.

The embassy website alerts people to the temporary closue of the visa application centre and says that application received after 11 June may not be returned until 25 June or later.

Scouse.

[Mahout Angrit]

As you are submitting by courier from Udon, expect the turnaround (returned to courier in Udon) to be about 2 weeks provided your wife is not called for interview.

[sumrit]

Hi,

Does anyone know the current expected turnaround times for VV applications please (assuming everything is OK with the paperwork etc) ? The application should be going in next week via the courier centre in Udon Thani.

Thanks.

I took my gf application into the UK visa centre in Bangkok last Friday and it was issued and ready for collection on Tuesday afternoon. Last year was the same,ready for collection two days after we took it in, but last year they phoned me to clarify a couple things first. This year it was issued without even a phone call.

Edited June 2, 2007 by sumrit

[AFCB]

Is it a good sign if the embassy call my GF regarding the UK VV application ? Does this in theory mean that they aren't saying "no", but just want certain clarification ?

It's just that she had a call today.....

Thanks.

[the scouser]

It certainly means that the application hasn't been dismissed out of hand, but, obviously, you won't know for sure until the passport is returned.

I'd feel mildly optimistic.

Scouse.

[AFCB]

After 10 or so days my GF's VV application has been returned to the courier centre in Udon Thani. However, rather than grant the visa or stamp her passport to indicate a refusal, the embassy has returned all of the paperwork from the application and asked her to submit further copies of certain documentation within 28 days. By all accounts the paperwork that I provided was fine, so the gap is at her end.

Despite her English being very good, she is not certain at this point exactly what is required, as the covering letter appears to contain some fairly formal English. I suspect that this may relate to copies of her divorce certificate which wasn't included with this application as it had already been provided before for a previously successful UK VV application. Don't they keep a record of this in the embassy ?

We will know more tomorrow after she has had the letter formally translated into Thai, but has anyone been through a similar situation before and, if so, is there any advice that could be offered please ?

The whole situation is compounded by the fact that the Visa office will now be closed for a period of time, thereby delaying the whole process. I'm also making a couple of assumptions at this point - firstly that no further fee will be payable for the application and, secondly, that the revised paperwork can still be submitted via the courier centre despite them no longer accepting new applications.

As always, I appreciate any feedback offered on this forum. I suppose it's not all doom and gloom, but this certainly feels like a setback.

Cheers.

[the scouser]

On the assumption that your girlfriend's application has not be treated as withdrawn, she should not have to pay another fee or even go via the visa application centre at all. However, I would not wish to jump the gun, so when you have a copy of the letter, can you please tell us what it says verbatim.

Scouse.

[AFCB]

Thanks Scouse (as always),

Presumably "in progress" applications will not be subject to the new biometric regulations that are soon to be enforced ? I will hopefully know more tomorrow, but is it standard / common practice for the embassy to return all of the original application paperwork and ask for additional documentary evidence to be provided ? Wouldn't it be easier for them to hold on to what they already had and just wait for the "missing" bits ?

I'm hoping that by providing what they are now asking for will mean the eventual granting of the visa is a formality. Then again, is it ever that straighforward ?!

Cheers.

[the scouser]

Presumably "in progress" applications will not be subject to the new biometric regulations that are soon to be enforced ?

Exactly! As the effective date of the application is prior to the new system which is not retrospective.

is it standard / common practice for the embassy to return all of the original application paperwork and ask for additional documentary evidence to be provided ? Wouldn't it be easier for them to hold on to what they already had and just wait for the "missing" bits ?

It would seem easier for them just to hang on to everything and ask that the additional documents be sent straight to the embassy.

Scouse.

[AFCB]

Hi,

It would appear that the embassy has "refused the application on this occasion" and advised that this is due to a lack of certain documentation from my GF. This is despite me providing everything from bank statements, mortgage statements, phone bills etc and a request for just a two week visit. She also has made a previous visit to the UK and fully complied with the terms of the visa. I find it hard to swallow, especially given the trouble we both went to in preparing the application.

However, they have included an appeal form to be completed and returned "within 28 days of this notice and you must make sure that it is signed and dated". I thought that refusals could not be appealed against, so any idea what this is ? Also, they do not appear to have stamped her passport with a refusal stamp.

I'm a bit confused as to what is going on, but hope to receive a scanned copy of the letter tomorrow.

Any help / advice would be much appreciated.

Thanks.

[the scouser]

This is very confusing. Non-family visit visa applications do not attract a right of appeal. You really do need to see the correspondence sent by the embassy.

Scouse.