Uk Settlement

[rolypie]

There seem to be a few refusals of late

[Bukseeda]

According to the vfs website, they only completed 35% of settlement visa applications within 60working days (12 weeks). /that doesn't seem to correspond with the experience of people here as most seemed to get it in that period.

Anyway, I'm getting worried now - the fiancee's flight is next friday and we've heard nothing so far. Globaleyes' application went in a day before ours and his came through on Monday...

It looks like recent applications (May,June,July onwards - including my wife's) are getting a decision around about the 10 week mark from date of submission. You have to be close to getting a decision, is your flight amendable?

Yes it is. altough the leave i booked off work the week after isn't unfortunately. A couple of months ago we were resigned to the likelihood we wouldn't get the visa in time but as people had been starting to get it around the 10 week mark, we made the mistake of starting to believe we would get it in time.

[Thongkorn]

When i filled my application for a settlement visa I just put when application granted i would book a flight , it says not to book flights, as the dates cannot be guaranteed,

[ThaiVisaExpress]

Its 10/12 weeks average.

[moodysufc]

Well had time to get over the decision and i think i can provide evidence to what they declined the Visa on. What has got my back up is the fact they have stated they didn't need an interview to go over some of the points that they have declined the application on, when infact they had an interview over the phone with my partner, asking about where she would be living, how many people are in the house and then asked if we had ever spoke of getting married.

What i don't understand is that it's ok for her to come over to the UK on a visit visa and stay at my home for a period of 5 months twice and then say they are worried she won't have somewhere suitable to live if she comes here on a settlement visa.

Ah well i get to take an unexpected return to LOS next weekend for 10 days to get the appeal handed in. Haven't seen all the paperwork the partner received but where abouts do you hand the appeal in?? Is it at the VFS office or at the Embassy?

[ajsp9]

According to the vfs website, they only completed 35% of settlement visa applications within 60working days (12 weeks). /that doesn't seem to correspond with the experience of people here as most seemed to get it in that period.

Anyway, I'm getting worried now - the fiancee's flight is next friday and we've heard nothing so far. Globaleyes' application went in a day before ours and his came through on Monday...

It looks like recent applications (May,June,July onwards - including my wife's) are getting a decision around about the 10 week mark from date of submission. You have to be close to getting a decision, is your flight amendable?

Yes it is. altough the leave i booked off work the week after isn't unfortunately. A couple of months ago we were resigned to the likelihood we wouldn't get the visa in time but as people had been starting to get it around the 10 week mark, we made the mistake of starting to believe we would get it in time.

Chin up mate. This coming week is yours, for sure.

Where you from in Hampshire?

[tjthai]

Come on guys.....where's the news?

[enquirer]

http://www.ukvisas.gov.uk/en/howtoapply/processingtimes

According to this, settlement visas are currently completed at the rate of 35% in 60 days, 98% in 90 days and 99% in 120 days. Surely this is even worse than it used to be? If the bulk are completed within 90 days, that is up to18 weeks!

[simiUK]

all gone a bit quiet chaps any news of the mid june applicants yet?? my missus has a return filght ticket to manchester end next week which will be 9 working weeks for them to process. the VFS answer phone still says they are processing applications by due date to travel (which doesnt seem to have happened for many of the guys on here) so ive sent an email to the complaints address to chase up as they still havnt replied to an email i sent for advice in early june. am tempted to accept the worse and book a cheap one way flight for october as back up (airasia.com can get you direct to stansted from kuala lumpur one way including taxes for £124 on 20 october... with £15 on top for link flight from bangkok ...but thats bound to go up as the time gets closer). chins up to everyone else in front of me in the queue!

[Thongkorn]

We have been waiting 9 weeks tomorrow , As soon as we get a Tex i will put you in the pictour,getting a bit twichy now , Waiting for the phone call from the wife to say she has had a tex ,

[ThaiVisaExpress]

I hope for good news for you all bank holiday weekend coming up as well.

[Bukseeda]

According to the vfs website, they only completed 35% of settlement visa applications within 60working days (12 weeks). /that doesn't seem to correspond with the experience of people here as most seemed to get it in that period.

Anyway, I'm getting worried now - the fiancee's flight is next friday and we've heard nothing so far. Globaleyes' application went in a day before ours and his came through on Monday...

It looks like recent applications (May,June,July onwards - including my wife's) are getting a decision around about the 10 week mark from date of submission. You have to be close to getting a decision, is your flight amendable?

Yes it is. altough the leave i booked off work the week after isn't unfortunately. A couple of months ago we were resigned to the likelihood we wouldn't get the visa in time but as people had been starting to get it around the 10 week mark, we made the mistake of starting to believe we would get it in time.

Chin up mate. This coming week is yours, for sure.

Where you from in Hampshire?

Thanks. I grew up in Whitchurch but left in 1998. Have since ended up back in Hampshire in Eastleigh via Bangkok and Norwich first! Are you from Hampshire?

[Bukseeda]

http://www.ukvisas.gov.uk/en/howtoapply/processingtimes

According to this, settlement visas are currently completed at the rate of 35% in 60 days, 98% in 90 days and 99% in 120 days. Surely this is even worse than it used to be? If the bulk are completed within 90 days, that is up to18 weeks!

Yeah I noticed that as well but it didn't seem to correspond with the experience people were having on here.

[7by7]

Remember that the data on that link is regularly updated; currently it is showing the processing times for visas issued in July.

[ThaiVisaExpress]

I average 11 weeks just been looking with respect as we do these regularly its a rough idea of the average timescales involved.

[Bukseeda]

I was just wondering - when they let you know that the passport is ready they send fiancee an sms text message, right?

2 things:

1. Around what time of the day do they send the message?

2. Can you pick up your passport the same day?

CHeers.

[TruthWillOut]

I just skimmed this thread from start to end, blimey talk about stress. Good luck all.

[sumrit]

I was just wondering - when they let you know that the passport is ready they send fiancee an sms text message, right?

2 things:

1. Around what time of the day do they send the message?

2. Can you pick up your passport the same day?

CHeers.

They usually send the text message in the morning (before 12.00 Thai time), and you can collect your passport anytime after 3pm the same day. That is of course assuming your fiance paid for the text message service and she didn't arrange to have the passport sent to a 'local' collection office for her to collect.

[tjthai]

Has anyone any news?

[Bukseeda]

Has anyone any news?

Nothing. Seems to have gone dead.

[Bukseeda]

all gone a bit quiet chaps any news of the mid june applicants yet?? my missus has a return filght ticket to manchester end next week which will be 9 working weeks for them to process. the VFS answer phone still says they are processing applications by due date to travel (which doesnt seem to have happened for many of the guys on here) so ive sent an email to the complaints address to chase up as they still havnt replied to an email i sent for advice in early june. am tempted to accept the worse and book a cheap one way flight for october as back up (airasia.com can get you direct to stansted from kuala lumpur one way including taxes for £124 on 20 october... with £15 on top for link flight from bangkok ...but thats bound to go up as the time gets closer). chins up to everyone else in front of me in the queue!

i think i know the answer, but did you ever get a reply to your email?

[Thongkorn]

I am 9 weeks and one day , we have heard nothing , but the average is 10/11 weeks Ours went in 23 June, still time chill a bit ..

[simiUK]

no reply yet buddy but i did try and write it with a bit of self deprecating humour that a thai person would have to pass to a brit to understand! also copied it to gerry.grant's (the ECM) email address but got an automated response saying hes "out of the office until 31 august... and that WORK related emails should be forwarded to the general enquiries address... guess that means he's ok to take personal emails from his buddys and he'll catch up with those first when he gets back from his hols! (only joking gerry mate if you're looking in!!)

[Bukseeda]

I am 9 weeks and one day , we have heard nothing , but the average is 10/11 weeks Ours went in 23 June, still time chill a bit ..

ours is 11 weeks 1 day now. Unfortunately we were hoping she could come this friday, but if we hear nothing tomorrow then...

[Thongkorn]

I have just heared from My friend who is waiting for a holiday visa and he has been waiting 6 weeks , seems like they have a large work load ,or they are just making us wait ,

[Bukseeda]

I have just heared from My friend who is waiting for a holiday visa and he has been waiting 6 weeks , seems like they have a large work load ,or they are just making us wait ,

I wonder whether they've started prioritising student visas. Whatever the reason, they need to get on top of this as it seems to have been a problem for months. It's interesting if you read the first posts in this thread as back at the start of the year people were moaning about waiting half the time we're having to!

[TickTock]

I have just heared from My friend who is waiting for a holiday visa and he has been waiting 6 weeks , seems like they have a large work load ,or they are just making us wait ,

I wonder whether they've started prioritising student visas. Whatever the reason, they need to get on top of this as it seems to have been a problem for months. It's interesting if you read the first posts in this thread as back at the start of the year people were moaning about waiting half the time we're having to!

Good luck. I went through this (Mrs applied 30th March) and waited 11wks 4 days for the visa with a rejection thrown in too. I also sposored the Mrs' sister visit visa to the UK. She applied on the 4th August on got the visa on the 17th - just under two weeks. I thought there had been a general improvement in processing times, but based on 6wks for a vv above maybe not.

[Bird on the Wire]

..also copied it to gerry.grant's (the ECM) email address but got an automated response saying hes "out of the office until 31 august...

"Da word on da street" has it that Gerry Grant's off to Canberra next month for a 3-4 year stint and doesn't give a hoot about any enquiries he gets from the hoi polloi. I'll betcha he's not on his hols, but has just set his email to suggest he is.

[pingit]

..also copied it to gerry.grant's (the ECM) email address but got an automated response saying hes "out of the office until 31 august...

"Da word on da street" has it that Gerry Grant's off to Canberra next month for a 3-4 year stint and doesn't give a hoot about any enquiries he gets from the hoi polloi. I'll betcha he's not on his hols, but has just set his email to suggest he is.

where did you hear that? so... you know who's taking over?

[Bird on the Wire]

Sources can't be named, but "da word on da street" has it that a manager from the British embassy in Lagos is to take over.

It's also suggested there's a new regional manager in place. She's apparently based at the Brit embassy in BKK and is responsible for UK visa stuff in South-East Asia. It's further suggested she's a bright, young thing who has done a couple of years at Number 10 but has never done immigration stuff.