Uk Settlement Visa - 25 Days So Far And No News

[Xiengmieng]

My wife applied for her spouse visa 25 days ago, we were a little over-optimistic that she'd get it within a week. (she has to travel from Laos to apply) She waited in and around Bangkok for 12 days but then had to return to Laos, she collected her passport from the UK embassy and returned home and express mailed the passport straight back to the embassy the next day.

Getting a little worried now, we've applied for visa's before with quick results. Our application does the hoops and THEN some.

Any ideas why it's taking so long?

I've tried emailing the embassy but they've never ever replied.

Ideas/thoughts/input would be welcomed.

Cheers

Xieng-Mieng

[7by7]

The embassy aim to process settlement applications within 10 working days, however at busy times this can and does take longer.

Are you certain that when she collected her passport to return to Laos that the embassy were aware that she would be returning it and was not withdrawing her application?

[CharlieB]

My wife applied for her spouse visa 25 days ago, we were a little over-optimistic that she'd get it within a week. (she has to travel from Laos to apply) She waited in and around Bangkok for 12 days but then had to return to Laos, she collected her passport from the UK embassy and returned home and express mailed the passport straight back to the embassy the next day.

Getting a little worried now, we've applied for visa's before with quick results. Our application does the hoops and THEN some.

Any ideas why it's taking so long?

I've tried emailing the embassy but they've never ever replied.

Ideas/thoughts/input would be welcomed.

Cheers

Xieng-Mieng

The current timescale for processing seems to be about a month or more. Whether this is due to less people checking, more applications, or more thorough checking, who knows. If you use the search facility you will see others have asked the same question in the last 2 or 3 months.

[benjamat]

My wife applied for her spouse visa 25 days ago, we were a little over-optimistic that she'd get it within a week. (she has to travel from Laos to apply) She waited in and around Bangkok for 12 days but then had to return to Laos, she collected her passport from the UK embassy and returned home and express mailed the passport straight back to the embassy the next day.

Getting a little worried now, we've applied for visa's before with quick results. Our application does the hoops and THEN some.

Any ideas why it's taking so long?

I've tried emailing the embassy but they've never ever replied.

Ideas/thoughts/input would be welcomed.

Cheers

Xieng-Mieng

The current timescale for processing seems to be about a month or more. Whether this is due to less people checking, more applications, or more thorough checking, who knows. If you use the search facility you will see others have asked the same question in the last 2 or 3 months.

Yes, see my post "another settlement visa question". Remember that the only days that count are working days meaning 5 days per week. We just got ours and it took 5 weeks.

I would be wary of the fact that they do not have her passport, how can the visa be issued without it. The visa is physically attached to the passport.

[Xiengmieng]

Are you certain that when she collected her passport to return to Laos that the embassy were aware that she would be returning it and was not withdrawing her application?

I would be wary of the fact that they do not have her passport, how can the visa be issued without it. The visa is physically attached to the passport.

My wife had already discussed with Embassy staff that she was able to collect her passport in order to return to Laos AND confirmed it with them on collection. She returned to Laos and sent it by courier immediately back to said embassy (as arranged with Embassy). Would have arrived early next day.

I've also been using the online tracking system that still says "Your visa application has been forwarded to the British Embassy 17 Feb 2009", hopefully wouldn't say this if the application had been withdrawn.

Thanks all for the feedback and pointing out the other posts, has helped me relax a little.

[chris41]

we're in the same position - straightforward UK settlement application for my wife - sent to the British Embassy on 10 February - still waiting - its a relief to know that others are in the same boat as I was starting to get worried that something was wrong

[rob01792]

we're in the same position - straightforward UK settlement application for my wife - sent to the British Embassy on 10 February - still waiting - its a relief to know that others are in the same boat as I was starting to get worried that something was wrong

hi all

i have been waiting since the 2nd feb and still nothing and its her 2nd visa first 1st was only 5 days to get this 1 is a settlement visa and so far its 6 weeks .

[7by7]

From this and another thread it seems to be a common problem at the moment. Maybe the embassy is simply experiencing a high demand?