Uk Settlement

[Boo]

Very very polite but very forcefully refused to be fobbed off by the thai person on phone at vfs, said that as a UK citizen they had the right to speak with a british officer & please put me through or give me the number (said that about 50 times apparently!!!) . Said it took over 30mins before finally getting the number but straight through to the eco.

This of course was extreme due to how long it has been taking but considering they still needed more info it seems worth it.

[kennkate]

on Tuesday my mate called the embassy (actual embassy) and got through to the actual ECO who had the case on his desk, he needed more info on bank accounts cause the fax received about 3 weeks ago wans't clear (3 weeks ago!!!!!) but said once they had the new copies then a desicion would be give n in 2 days, so docs faxed for them to see wednesday morning, result should be heard tomorrow!? They will update me as soon as they hear but will have to travel from Samui to get the result so Monday will be the day they find out.

3 Weeks ago. Nice to see things a moving normaly. SLOW Looks like that one actualy came to a Halt.

Unbelivable. Did they think it would become clearer if they put it to one side for a week or 3.

Now Come On Chewy. you must hear today and get off this crazy list.

[TickTock]

on Tuesday my mate called the embassy (actual embassy) and got through to the actual ECO who had the case on his desk, he needed more info on bank accounts cause the fax received about 3 weeks ago wans't clear (3 weeks ago!!!!!) but said once they had the new copies then a desicion would be give n in 2 days, so docs faxed for them to see wednesday morning, result should be heard tomorrow!? They will update me as soon as they hear but will have to travel from Samui to get the result so Monday will be the day they find out.

3 Weeks ago. Nice to see things a moving normaly. SLOW Looks like that one actualy came to a Halt.

Unbelivable. Did they think it would become clearer if they put it to one side for a week or 3.

Now Come On Chewy. you must hear today and get off this crazy list.

We had to do something similar about three weeks ago, a fax from the Mrs doctor confirming pregnancy and my passport stamp. I could not get through. Emailed the Embassy saying fax not working, finally got one back saying try again. I did, went through, emailed saying that they should now have my documents. I expected a "Yep, got them all ok, ta". I hope I'm not getting the same treatment as Boo's mate.

[theoldgit]

One wonders if he hadn't persevered and insisted on talking to the ECO whether the application might have remained in the "too difficult pile".

All credit to the ECO for at least saying what was holding up the decision, but it beggars the question of how long it would have taken before they actually queried it.

On a side issue I note that the tracking system is once again showing "service unavailable".

[AndyJoy]

YES come on guys who broke the tracker??????? lol

[Boo]

Woo Hoo.... just received a text message from my mate, her husband received a text to say pp ready so she called the embassy & the eco confirmed to her that he had recived the visa. He is now in process of packing up his shop & storing house stuff & will collect the passport on mon & fly over to UK on Wednestday. So would seem that it pays to start politely chasing for those of you still in the mid march time.

[Boo]

tlusername 04/3 granted 15/5 - 10weeks 2 days

AnyaDharu 09/3 granted 19/5 - 10weeks 1 day

Tango7 10/3 granted 12/5 - 9weeks

Johnson83 11/3 granted 22/5 10 weeks 2 days

chanthas 12/3 granted 25/5 10 weeks 4 days

Gypsymoth 13/3 granted 25/5 10 weeks 3 days

Friend Boo ILE 16/3 granted 18/06 13 weeks 3 days

Kennkate 17/3 granted16/06 13 weeks 1 day

Chewy 18/3

TheFiend 20/3 (RTD 10/4)

Sumrit 24/3 (RTD 10/4)

Merangue 25/3 Granted 03/06/09 10 weeks

fluidfusion 27/3 (RTD 8/4)

TickTock 30/3 (RTD 23/5)

George & Dragon 30/03

Delboy 30/3 (RTD 25/4 ?)

Borodave 01/4

JasonThai 02/4 (RTD 5/6)

Mrburb 03/4

feasantplukka 03/4 (RTD 16/6)

Muaylaosfalang 03/4 (RTD 02/5)

Kate46 (son) 08/4 (RTD 14/6)

AndyJoy 08/4 (RTD 1/5)

Marcjaiyenyen 08/4 Applied in Jamaica (RTD 30/5)

scotland 22/4

CinnamonRoll 29/4 (RTD 24/5)

Rolypies 29/4 (RTD 14/5) - Granted 10/06/09 6 weeks

Castor83 (RTD 01/7)

nelson111 04/5

alanr 07/5

true blue 14/5 (RTD 01/7)

spot 15/5

ajsp9 02/6

[JASON THAI]

Still the same for me oh well week 11 tomorrow, but it looks like you have to wait about 13/14 weeks now, up from the 10/11 weeks before

[CinnamonRoll]

same same here, hit 7 weeks + 1 day. :D

[sumrit]

Woo Hoo.... just received a text message from my mate, her husband received a text to say pp ready so she called the embassy & the eco confirmed to her that he had recived the visa. He is now in process of packing up his shop & storing house stuff & will collect the passport on mon & fly over to UK on Wednestday. So would seem that it pays to start politely chasing for those of you still in the mid march time.

Great news at last Boo, but I just wonder how long it would have taken for the ECO to make contact without any prodding?

[Boo]

well yes, that is the worry for those still waiting from mid-march as well imo.

My mate was told that the eco has 4 baskets & each basket has 8 case files & they were in one of the baskets. Had they not started chasing then who is to say that theirs would have been the last of the 32 to have been looked at??

[JASON THAI]

well yes, that is the worry for those still waiting from mid-march as well imo.

My mate was told that the eco has 4 baskets & each basket has 8 case files & they were in one of the baskets. Had they not started chasing then who is to say that theirs would have been the last of the 32 to have been looked at??

I bet those 32 are March applications which they need to sort out before the end of the month

[JASON THAI]

well another page and time to move the mad house list, I hope chewy gets an answer tomorrow

tlusername 04/3 granted 15/5 - 10weeks 2 days

AnyaDharu 09/3 granted 19/5 - 10weeks 1 day

Tango7 10/3 granted 12/5 - 9weeks

Johnson83 11/3 granted 22/5 10 weeks 2 days

chanthas 12/3 granted 25/5 10 weeks 4 days

Gypsymoth 13/3 granted 25/5 10 weeks 3 days

Friend Boo ILE 16/3 granted 18/06 13 weeks 3 days

Kennkate 17/3 granted16/06 13 weeks 1 day

Chewy 18/3

TheFiend 20/3 (RTD 10/4)

Sumrit 24/3 (RTD 10/4)

Merangue 25/3 Granted 03/06/09 10 weeks

fluidfusion 27/3 (RTD 8/4)

TickTock 30/3 (RTD 23/5)

George & Dragon 30/03

Delboy 30/3 (RTD 25/4 ?)

Borodave 01/4

JasonThai 02/4 (RTD 5/6)

Mrburb 03/4

feasantplukka 03/4 (RTD 16/6)

Muaylaosfalang 03/4 (RTD 02/5)

Kate46 (son) 08/4 (RTD 14/6)

AndyJoy 08/4 (RTD 1/5)

Marcjaiyenyen 08/4 Applied in Jamaica (RTD 30/5)

scotland 22/4

CinnamonRoll 29/4 (RTD 24/5)

Rolypies 29/4 (RTD 14/5) - Granted 10/06/09 6 weeks

Castor83 (RTD 01/7)

nelson111 04/5

alanr 07/5

true blue 14/5 (RTD 01/7)

spot 15/5

ajsp9 02/6

[Buzby]

The 'Guide to visa application processing times' for May 2009 is now on VFS website.

Processing times

Looks like standards are slipping slightly. 91% within 60 days. 104 decisions made.

Aprils figures (if my memory serves me correctly) were 95% within 60 days. 110 decisions.

The long wait continues

[JASON THAI]

The 'Guide to visa application processing times' for May 2009 is now on VFS website.

Processing times

Looks like standards are slipping slightly. 91% within 60 days. 104 decisions made.

Aprils figures (if my memory serves me correctly) were 95% within 60 days. 110 decisions.

The long wait continues

Just as I thought the figures are going down, you would expect April's figures to be low due to Songkhan but May's figures should be a little bit higher, but that's not the case but then again they were sorting out the missed week in April in May so maybe I can understand , but the way June is going I will expect this figure to drop to 88%, not good news for us !!!!

[rolypie]

Jeez only two this week the law of averages should have given us more than that.

A big influx coming early next week i can feel it!!!

[JASON THAI]

Jeez only two this week the law of averages should have given us more than that.

A big influx coming early next week i can feel it!!!

2's not that bad for a week, remember they only do about 4-5 applications a day and this mad house is only a small number to what have applied, but lets hope we hear some good news tomorrow & next week and get some of the members off this list who have been waiting nearly 14 weeks it can't be easy for them !

[borodave]

WoW there was a total 3,839 visas for 1 month. Will the last Thai to leave please turn off the light.

[marcjaiyenyen]

well yes, that is the worry for those still waiting from mid-march as well imo.

My mate was told that the eco has 4 baskets & each basket has 8 case files & they were in one of the baskets. Had they not started chasing then who is to say that theirs would have been the last of the 32 to have been looked at??

congrats for your visa, wishing you all the best for the future

[rolypie]

Jeez only two this week the law of averages should have given us more than that.

A big influx coming early next week i can feel it!!!

2's not that bad for a week, remember they only do about 4-5 applications a day and this mad house is only a small number to what have applied, but lets hope we hear some good news tomorrow & next week and get some of the members off this list who have been waiting nearly 14 weeks it can't be easy for them !

Maybee but we didnt get a sausage from any of us for weeks

[JASON THAI]

Jeez only two this week the law of averages should have given us more than that.

A big influx coming early next week i can feel it!!!

2's not that bad for a week, remember they only do about 4-5 applications a day and this mad house is only a small number to what have applied, but lets hope we hear some good news tomorrow & next week and get some of the members off this list who have been waiting nearly 14 weeks it can't be easy for them !

Maybee but we didnt get a sausage from any of us for weeks

Yes this is true we did not hear anything for nearly 3 weeks but we don't know how many others applied who are not members here !!!! so lets says 80 applications were done in those 3 weeks maybe only 1 of them was a member of TV who knows ? but it looks like it's taking the full 3 months (just over 13 weeks) to get things sorted but we can not complain as we were told this in the beginning

[TickTock]

Jeez only two this week the law of averages should have given us more than that.

A big influx coming early next week i can feel it!!!

2's not that bad for a week, remember they only do about 4-5 applications a day and this mad house is only a small number to what have applied, but lets hope we hear some good news tomorrow & next week and get some of the members off this list who have been waiting nearly 14 weeks it can't be easy for them !

Maybee but we didnt get a sausage from any of us for weeks

Yes this is true we did not hear anything for nearly 3 weeks but we don't know how many others applied who are not members here !!!! so lets says 80 applications were done in those 3 weeks maybe only 1 of them was a member of TV who knows ? but it looks like it's taking the full 3 months (just over 13 weeks) to get things sorted but we can not complain as we were told this in the beginning

Sums are not my strong point, so forgive me if I've got the wrong end of the stick but one (1 i.e 1%) application had a response within 5 days based on 104 granted (near enough). How did they do that?

[borodave]

1 special case that had an answer within 5 days, 1 special case waited 15 days. but most applications had waited 60 days (about 86% of 104) and a few cases which had taken 90 days.

The thing thats worrying me is more are waiting longer and looking at the amount of applications many will move on to 90 days and 120 days.

Sorry to sound negative guys but look at our results and unless applications slow down longer times are expected. I think numbers have increased as people at the end of march trying to miss online application

[sumrit]

The problem with these figures is that they only show the 'performance' the Embassy achieved over the previous month, they don't give anybody any idea whether the 'pile' of applications is growing, or how far down the pile they are, or how long it will take them to get to the top.

As one or two of us from 'March' will know I have been looking at these figures and the APET reference number we've all been given to see if we can get any idea how long we'll all have to wait. I was going to wait until those of us from March had heard to see if I could get a reasonable way of working out roughly how long everybody might have to wait, but Mays figures suggest we'll have to wait a day or two more than I first thought. And if what Boo says is right and that each ECO is given the applications THIRTY TWO at a time then that further complicates things.

So here's what I've been looking at, and if anybody else has any more information they can throw into the pot we might be able to at least give ourselves a rough idea of how long we'll have to wait.

First of all these are decisions for May not applications. looking at the total decisions since February it looks like they do roughly 1000 per working week (5 days), or about 200 per day, maximum (of all types of visa). They also seem to give more priority to non settlement visas so if those applications increase our settlement visa times suffer, as I think they did a little for Aprils Figures and certainly seem to have done for May's. In February/March they made decisions on 8-9 settlement visas per working day, April was almost 8, but May's is down to 6.5 per working day.

What these figures don't tell us is the total number of applications made, but we have that information ourselves if we want to share it. If you look at the 'APET' number we've been given then the SECOND six digit number is a sequential count of the total number of visa applications made. So by comparing those numbers and the dates we applied we can work out exactly how many APPLICATIONS were made each day/week/month. Firstly that number will tell us if the pile is growing, shrinking or staying the same. I've been in contact with some posters from March and they've told me their six digit number. For example the difference between kennkate and ourselves is 1206 so there were over (they weren't the first and we weren't the last each day) 206 more applications made in that week than the ECO's would process on average. Between us and 30/3 (four working days) there were over 1100, so in those 9 days alone there were over 500 more than they would process in 9days. The settlement visas they appear to be working on at the moment are from that time period so this could explain why the waiting time is increasing. I've seen figures (but I can't remember from where) that said, on average, 8-9% of all visa applications are for settlement visas so,assuming this is right, again we can 'guess' that for every 100 total applications made about 8/9 are for settlement visas, just over one days worth of 'settlement visa decisions' (averaged over the last four months). So again from the APET numbers we could guess roughly how many (working) days/weeks we might have to wait.

Now I realize that a lot of what I've said is just 'average figures' but the APET number does give us an accurate count of the number of applications made so people will at least be able to see how far down the pile they are and whether the pile is shrinking or not, and using that info along with the 'averages' we might be able to give people in April, May, June a rough guide as to how long it might take.

It's up to everybody here if you want to give it a try I'm willing to collate everything...............................or if you think I'm talking rubbish just tell me and I'll shut up.

[kennkate]

Good Idea Sumrit At least it will give people a Rough Idea. At the moment peope don't have a Clue.

You just need suport from the waiting Folks Yes GOOD IDEA

[CinnamonRoll]

WoW there was a total 3,839 visas for 1 month. Will the last Thai to leave please turn off the light.

I went to VFS April 29th and there were already 114 applications, I was No.115 and was the last person of the day. My folder was bigger then anyone else there, I'm hoping the ECO will notice my application in the very near future.

[sumrit]

WoW there was a total 3,839 visas for 1 month. Will the last Thai to leave please turn off the light.

I went to VFS April 29th and there were already 114 applications, I was No.115 and was the last person of the day. My folder was bigger then anyone else there, I'm hoping the ECO will notice my application in the very near future.

That shows that applications had slowed to nearly a third of what they were for the last two weeks in March, and well within the capacity of what the Eco's have been processing each day, so maybe the waiting times will come down for those of you who applied more recently.

[sumrit]

The problem with these figures is that they only show the 'performance' the Embassy achieved over the previous month, they don't give anybody any idea whether the 'pile' of applications is growing, or how far down the pile they are, or how long it will take them to get to the top.

As one or two of us from 'March' will know I have been looking at these figures and the APET reference number we've all been given to see if we can get any idea how long we'll all have to wait. I was going to wait until those of us from March had heard to see if I could get a reasonable way of working out roughly how long everybody might have to wait, but Mays figures suggest we'll have to wait a day or two more than I first thought. And if what Boo says is right and that each ECO is given the applications THIRTY TWO at a time then that further complicates things.

So here's what I've been looking at, and if anybody else has any more information they can throw into the pot we might be able to at least give ourselves a rough idea of how long we'll have to wait.

First of all these are decisions for May not applications. looking at the total decisions since February it looks like they do roughly 1000 per working week (5 days), or about 200 per day, maximum (of all types of visa). They also seem to give more priority to non settlement visas so if those applications increase our settlement visa times suffer, as I think they did a little for Aprils Figures and certainly seem to have done for May's. In February/March they made decisions on 8-9 settlement visas per working day, April was almost 8, but May's is down to 6.5 per working day.

What these figures don't tell us is the total number of applications made, but we have that information ourselves if we want to share it. If you look at the 'APET' number we've been given then the SECOND six digit number is a sequential count of the total number of visa applications made. So by comparing those numbers and the dates we applied we can work out exactly how many APPLICATIONS were made each day/week/month. Firstly that number will tell us if the pile is growing, shrinking or staying the same. I've been in contact with some posters from March and they've told me their six digit number. For example the difference between kennkate and ourselves is 1206 so there were over (they weren't the first and we weren't the last each day) 206 more applications made in that week than the ECO's would process on average. Between us and 30/3 (four working days) there were over 1100, so in those 9 days alone there were over 500 more than they would process in 9days. The settlement visas they appear to be working on at the moment are from that time period so this could explain why the waiting time is increasing. I've seen figures (but I can't remember from where) that said, on average, 8-9% of all visa applications are for settlement visas so,assuming this is right, again we can 'guess' that for every 100 total applications made about 8/9 are for settlement visas, just over one days worth of 'settlement visa decisions' (averaged over the last four months). So again from the APET numbers we could guess roughly how many (working) days/weeks we might have to wait.

Now I realize that a lot of what I've said is just 'average figures' but the APET number does give us an accurate count of the number of applications made so people will at least be able to see how far down the pile they are and whether the pile is shrinking or not, and using that info along with the 'averages' we might be able to give people in April, May, June a rough guide as to how long it might take.

It's up to everybody here if you want to give it a try I'm willing to collate everything...............................or if you think I'm talking rubbish just tell me and I'll shut up.

Just to correct one of the figures. I read that settlement visas account for about 4% of all visa applications. 8-9 was the average number of settlement visas processed per day.

[CinnamonRoll]

The problem with these figures is that they only show the 'performance' the Embassy achieved over the previous month, they don't give anybody any idea whether the 'pile' of applications is growing, or how far down the pile they are, or how long it will take them to get to the top.

As one or two of us from 'March' will know I have been looking at these figures and the APET reference number we've all been given to see if we can get any idea how long we'll all have to wait. I was going to wait until those of us from March had heard to see if I could get a reasonable way of working out roughly how long everybody might have to wait, but Mays figures suggest we'll have to wait a day or two more than I first thought. And if what Boo says is right and that each ECO is given the applications THIRTY TWO at a time then that further complicates things.

So here's what I've been looking at, and if anybody else has any more information they can throw into the pot we might be able to at least give ourselves a rough idea of how long we'll have to wait.

First of all these are decisions for May not applications. looking at the total decisions since February it looks like they do roughly 1000 per working week (5 days), or about 200 per day, maximum (of all types of visa). They also seem to give more priority to non settlement visas so if those applications increase our settlement visa times suffer, as I think they did a little for Aprils Figures and certainly seem to have done for May's. In February/March they made decisions on 8-9 settlement visas per working day, April was almost 8, but May's is down to 6.5 per working day.

What these figures don't tell us is the total number of applications made, but we have that information ourselves if we want to share it. If you look at the 'APET' number we've been given then the SECOND six digit number is a sequential count of the total number of visa applications made. So by comparing those numbers and the dates we applied we can work out exactly how many APPLICATIONS were made each day/week/month. Firstly that number will tell us if the pile is growing, shrinking or staying the same. I've been in contact with some posters from March and they've told me their six digit number. For example the difference between kennkate and ourselves is 1206 so there were over (they weren't the first and we weren't the last each day) 206 more applications made in that week than the ECO's would process on average. Between us and 30/3 (four working days) there were over 1100, so in those 9 days alone there were over 500 more than they would process in 9days. The settlement visas they appear to be working on at the moment are from that time period so this could explain why the waiting time is increasing. I've seen figures (but I can't remember from where) that said, on average, 8-9% of all visa applications are for settlement visas so,assuming this is right, again we can 'guess' that for every 100 total applications made about 8/9 are for settlement visas, just over one days worth of 'settlement visa decisions' (averaged over the last four months). So again from the APET numbers we could guess roughly how many (working) days/weeks we might have to wait.

Now I realize that a lot of what I've said is just 'average figures' but the APET number does give us an accurate count of the number of applications made so people will at least be able to see how far down the pile they are and whether the pile is shrinking or not, and using that info along with the 'averages' we might be able to give people in April, May, June a rough guide as to how long it might take.

It's up to everybody here if you want to give it a try I'm willing to collate everything...............................or if you think I'm talking rubbish just tell me and I'll shut up.

Really good idea. I've sent you PM, did you get it?

[sumrit]

The problem with these figures is that they only show the 'performance' the Embassy achieved over the previous month, they don't give anybody any idea whether the 'pile' of applications is growing, or how far down the pile they are, or how long it will take them to get to the top.

As one or two of us from 'March' will know I have been looking at these figures and the APET reference number we've all been given to see if we can get any idea how long we'll all have to wait. I was going to wait until those of us from March had heard to see if I could get a reasonable way of working out roughly how long everybody might have to wait, but Mays figures suggest we'll have to wait a day or two more than I first thought. And if what Boo says is right and that each ECO is given the applications THIRTY TWO at a time then that further complicates things.

So here's what I've been looking at, and if anybody else has any more information they can throw into the pot we might be able to at least give ourselves a rough idea of how long we'll have to wait.

First of all these are decisions for May not applications. looking at the total decisions since February it looks like they do roughly 1000 per working week (5 days), or about 200 per day, maximum (of all types of visa). They also seem to give more priority to non settlement visas so if those applications increase our settlement visa times suffer, as I think they did a little for Aprils Figures and certainly seem to have done for May's. In February/March they made decisions on 8-9 settlement visas per working day, April was almost 8, but May's is down to 6.5 per working day.

What these figures don't tell us is the total number of applications made, but we have that information ourselves if we want to share it. If you look at the 'APET' number we've been given then the SECOND six digit number is a sequential count of the total number of visa applications made. So by comparing those numbers and the dates we applied we can work out exactly how many APPLICATIONS were made each day/week/month. Firstly that number will tell us if the pile is growing, shrinking or staying the same. I've been in contact with some posters from March and they've told me their six digit number. For example the difference between kennkate and ourselves is 1206 so there were over (they weren't the first and we weren't the last each day) 206 more applications made in that week than the ECO's would process on average. Between us and 30/3 (four working days) there were over 1100, so in those 9 days alone there were over 500 more than they would process in 9days. The settlement visas they appear to be working on at the moment are from that time period so this could explain why the waiting time is increasing. I've seen figures (but I can't remember from where) that said, on average, 8-9% of all visa applications are for settlement visas so,assuming this is right, again we can 'guess' that for every 100 total applications made about 8/9 are for settlement visas, just over one days worth of 'settlement visa decisions' (averaged over the last four months). So again from the APET numbers we could guess roughly how many (working) days/weeks we might have to wait.

Now I realize that a lot of what I've said is just 'average figures' but the APET number does give us an accurate count of the number of applications made so people will at least be able to see how far down the pile they are and whether the pile is shrinking or not, and using that info along with the 'averages' we might be able to give people in April, May, June a rough guide as to how long it might take.

It's up to everybody here if you want to give it a try I'm willing to collate everything...............................or if you think I'm talking rubbish just tell me and I'll shut up.

Really good idea. I've sent you PM, did you get it?

And replied to it :D