Uk Settlement Visa Application Waiting Times, Bangkok

[Kadafi]

Update:

kadafi: submitted 6/7

was submitted 5/7

[ralphsilver]

Thank you 7by7 I think you are right, but when a person from the British Embassy telephones you and asks are the child applicants related it does not inspire confidence, and appears that the officer has not read the applications, or any of the supporting documents.

We are hoping for a positive result within six to eight weeks

[VisasPlus]

Thank you 7by7 I think you are right, but when a person from the British Embassy telephones you and asks are the child applicants related it does not inspire confidence, and appears that the officer has not read the applications, or any of the supporting documents.

We are hoping for a positive result within six to eight weeks

When an application is submitted it is "pre-assessed" by an Entry Clearance Assistant ( not an ECO). These ECAs have instructions to call applicants (or, in the case of child applicants, a parent or grandparent) under certain circumstances. Here is an extract from a response by the British Embassy to an enquiry from me about a telephone call to a child applicant's mother about the need for a custody order ( Por Khor 14 ) :

Within 3 days of receiving your clients settlement applications UKBA began assessing their applications. It was noted that the Por Khor 14 submitted was not of the standard format that the central Thai authorities distributed to their regional offices last year for use in showing which parents of common law relationships had custody. The document sent with the application was in effect an affidavit using a question and answer format with the mother. As you point out an affidavit in itself is not strong evidence of a fact or event, however the standard Por Khor 14 template referred to above consists of an investigative process carried out by regional government offices and draws a conclusion as to which parent has custody. In order to have a clearer picture of your clients circumstances and to ensure that the ECO was able to make a more informed decision we also conducted a number of telephone interviews, 1 with xxxxxxxxxx and another with her mother. During the interview with your client an Entry Clearance Assistant (ECA) explained the above and asked for a custody Por Khor 14 to be submitted.

Unfortunately, the ECAs don't actually always know why they are asking the questions - they are using a generic pro-forma, and they don't have the experience to follow up with pertinent questions"outside the box". It may well be that an ECA made the first call, and someone further up the chain realised that further enquiries would be useful. It doesn't seem that an ECO has yet even seen the application (as it is probably still in a queue ), so the question about the relationship between the two child applicants wasn't from him.

[ralphsilver]

Thank's for your input visasplus

[Jejwinner]

I really hope hardgrafter and Thomp hears something soon. Tomorrow be good. I hate all this waiting now, far to long to stay apart.

[thomp256]

I really hope hardgrafter and Thomp hears something soon. Tomorrow be good. I hate all this waiting now, far to long to stay apart.

I really hope so too! Some positive news about her visa tomorrow would be very welcome indeed!!

You said the visa company that you used suggested it would be around 39 working days for a decision now. Just so you know, tomorrow is working day 40 for hardgrafter and I.

hardgrafter - any news yet mate?

Thanks,

thomp256

Edited July 16, 2012 by thomp256

[Jejwinner]

Yes that's right, I was thinking about 42 time it comes around to myself but then again they say each case is individual. I think for a settlement visa it should be 2 weeks max and priority. My view of course. I have all my fingers crossed for you both.

Edited July 17, 2012 by 7by7
Unnecessary full quote of preceding post removed

[hardgrafter187]

Still nothing.

Don't worry Thomp and everyone else I will let everyone know the minute I here any news I understand how soul destroying this is for us all.

[marcjaiyenyen]

to all waiting, do not worry , as long as YOU KNOW you have filled in the forms correctly then everything WILL be fine , back in 2009 i was in the same poistion as you all and i know how you are all feeling, think once the olimpics are done waiting times will come down very quickly, its just that time of year, we waited 13 weeks and 5 days but all was good in the end,

wife now been over in blighty nearly 3 years and still complains about the british weather lol, ILR all done so all will be good as long as you follow the rules , wishing you all good luck

peace and light one and all@

[sheba]

Nearly forgot!

We submitted our settlement application on the 4th of July and still waiting...

[Jejwinner]

I really thought it was your day today hard grafter and Thomp.

[thomp256]

I really thought it was your day today hard grafter and Thomp.

Yeah... me too mate. TBH, I've been thinking that for the last week now!

The wait is becoming really tiresome and stressful!

I know how everyone is feeling, so I'll let you guys know as soon as we hear something.

Thanks,

thomp256

[davos09]

Hi guys,

It's fair to say Thai Visa Forum has been a valuable resource for all of us.

I'd like to add my wife's settlement application to the list that's going. She submitted all documents on the 7th of July.

I've been back in the UK for six months now; having lived in Thailand for the previous 4 years. It has been a really tough time as my wife and our two young children are still out there. Both our children have British passports already so are all set.

On a positive note, I'm confident there will be no problems with her application. But am anxious to see her and our two children ASAP.

Good luck to all who's waiting ?

And thanks again Thai Visa Forum!

Cheers

[Kiggs]

Sup boys and girls.

The wife is going tomorrow to submit all the papers. 20/7. The visa company I'm with is says 6/7 weeks.

Fingers crossed.

[VisasPlus]

For information, we had a settlement application that we submitted on 11th May returned today.

[Kadafi]

Quick question.

If a settlement visa was submitted on 5/7 but they ask for additional information which has been passed on today. Will the application still be class as submitted on 5/7 or will they change the submission date to 19/7 because they required an additional document?

[7by7]

The application was submitted on the date it was submitted; in the example you give that would be 5th July.

The entry clearance section requesting further information does not change this.

[Kadafi]

The application was submitted on the date it was submitted; in the example you give that would be 5th July.

The entry clearance section requesting further information does not change this.

Many thanks for your response.

[thomp256]

For information, we had a settlement application that we submitted on 11th May returned today.

Hi VisasPlus,

Thanks for the info - really helpful for setting our own expectations.

Care to add whether the application was successful or not?

I notice that Thai Visa forum members have enjoyed a high success rate so far this year which is great news! Anyone know what the general/overall success rate is (for UK settlement visas being processed at the Bangkok embassy)?

Thanks,

thomp256

[VisasPlus]

For information, we had a settlement application that we submitted on 11th May returned today.

Hi VisasPlus,

Thanks for the info - really helpful for setting our own expectations.

Care to add whether the application was successful or not?

I notice that Thai Visa forum members have enjoyed a high success rate so far this year which is great news! Anyone know what the general/overall success rate is (for UK settlement visas being processed at the Bangkok embassy)?

Thanks,

thomp256

It was successful. We have a 100 % success rate for UK settlement visas. Actually, we also have a 100% success rate for UK visit visas too ( for the past two and a half years ).

Edited July 20, 2012 by VisasPlus

[thomp256]

It was successful. We have a 100 % success rate for UK settlement visas. Actually, we also have a 100% success rate for UK visit visas too ( for the past two and a half years ).

Thanks VisasPlus - an impressive record!

But, I think, I was meaning something more like; does the UK embassy release statistics showing the overall percentage of settlement visa applications which are successful (initially and/or after appeal)?

Thanks,

thomp256

[VisasPlus]

It was successful. We have a 100 % success rate for UK settlement visas. Actually, we also have a 100% success rate for UK visit visas too ( for the past two and a half years ).

Thanks VisasPlus - an impressive record!

But, I think, I was meaning something more like; does the UK embassy release statistics showing the overall percentage of settlement visa applications which are successful (initially and/or after appeal)?

Thanks,

thomp256

I think they do ( 7x7 will know for sure where to find them), but I've never checked as I really don't think it's relevant. An application will be successful or not, on its merit. I don't quite see how the odds make any difference ?

[7by7]

Entry clearance statistics used to be published annually on the UKBA website in an easy to follow way giving a breakdown by country and type of visa.

They are now published by the Home Office and it's harder to find what you are looking for.

Which is a shame, as I feel the consistently high success rate (90%+) for both settlement and visit application in Bangkok can only be encouraging to those going through the process for the first time.

Immigration Statistics January - March 2012

[Jejwinner]

All this waiting is really getting on my block now. Far to long! #whatajoke

[Kadafi]

All this waiting is really getting on my block now. Far to long! #whatajoke

yeah 2-3 months is a long time out of someone's life to be waiting for an application to be looked at

[thomp256]

Entry clearance statistics used to be published annually on the UKBA website in an easy to follow way giving a breakdown by country and type of visa.

They are now published by the Home Office and it's harder to find what you are looking for.

Which is a shame, as I feel the consistently high success rate (90%+) for both settlement and visit application in Bangkok can only be encouraging to those going through the process for the first time.

Immigration Statistics January - March 2012

Thanks 7by7. It's good to hear about the consistently high success rate (90%+) for these types of applications in Bangkok. But I agree; it's a shame that they don't publish easier to follow stats, broken down into visa type etc.

Jejwinner, Kadafi - I completely agree. The wait is getting a bit ridiculous now. I've been thinking about VisasPlus' news that one of their clients applied on the 11th May and got result on 19th July (combined with previous news from ken2000s that his wife applied on 8th May and got result on the 5th July), and I must say that I couldn't help but wonder; what have the embassy been doing for that 2 week period? Surely, there can't have been that many settlement applications between 8th and 11th May - was processing of these put on hold?

It's such a shame that settlement applications are treated in this way since they directly affect families and their futures.

Monday will be working day 44 for us - but, we're not expecting to hear anything until Thursday (given the info VisasPlus provided).

Thanks,

thomp256

[7by7]

The only way for one application to be processed more quickly is if others are pushed to the back of the queue. 'First come, first served' may be frustrating when, as now, it has been busy, there is a backlog of applications to clear and you're at the back of the queue; but I can't think of a fairer way.

I know what a long wait for the decision can be like; I've been there.

But 12 years later, the wait seems like nothing.

Hang in there, and in a few years time you will have forgotten how long it took; remember you are preparing for a lifetime together.

[7by7]

Updated, and added applications from earlier in the year. Apols to anyone I've missed.

quibbler; submitted 12/12/11, result received 20/1/12, visa issued.

manxlad: submitted 5/1, result received 16/2, visa issued. Longer processing time as had to be referred to the Isle of Man.

kiethsimminds: submitted 5/1, result received 6/2, visa issued.

S4161: submitted 9/1, result received 6/2, visa issued.

ThompsonPeter: submitted 11/1, SMS received 8/2, result not reported by member.

samsingsong: submitted 20/1, result received 6/3, visa issued.

Danart69: submitted 2/2, result received 20/3, visa issued.

nelly1977: submitted 13/2, result received 14/3, result not reported by member.

jumpyjumpa: submitted 14/2, result received 16/3, visa issued.

Tingtongmakadangdang: submitted 15/2, no further news reported by member.

tribalfusion001: submitted 15/2, result recieved15/3, refused.

Romfordboy: submitted 22/2, result received 22/3, visa issued.

jingjingna: submitted 12/3, result received 16/5, visa issued.

retard: submitted 16/3, result received 21/5, visa issued.

simmsc: submitted 16/3, result received 23/5, visa issued.

chogiekim: submitted 16/3, result received 23/5, visa issued.

dracos: submitted 19/3, result received 21/5, visa issued..

rightontime: submitted 19/3, result received 23/5, visa issued.

jessicanguyenself: submitted 26/3 in Hanoi, result received 30/5, visa issued (extra 6 days to send passport back to Vietnam).

tribalfusion001: submitted 27/3, result received 25/5, visa issued.

funkyronster: submitted 12/4, result received 5/6, visa issued

farmerfred: submitted 16/4, result received 1/6, visa issued.

arik: submitted 20/4, email received 7/6, result not reported by member.

sweeneytodds: submitted 24/4; result received 3/7, visa issued.

POMCHOB: submitted April, result received June, visa issued.

ken2000s: submitted 8/5, result received 6/7, visa issued.

hardgrafter187: submitted 18/5

thomp256: submitted 18/5

steady: submitted 22/5

MaprangHolmes: submitted 29/5

Jejwinner: submitted 29/5

braid101: submitted 8/6

tomcreeduk: submitted 19/6

Jared: submitted 25/6

alaninlamphun: submitted 23/6

sheba: submitted 4/7

ralphsilver: submitted 5/7 (two child applications)

kadafi: submitted 5/7

alldone: submitted 6/7

davos09: submitted 7/7

Kiggs: submitted 20/7

We haven't had a reported result since 6/7; but this does not mean the entry clearance office have been idle. Not everyone who has applied for or sponsored a UK settlement visa is a member here.

[tomcreeduk]

Good work 7by7

[Kiggs]

Mornin all.

Looking over the stats from members i can see that there seem to be a high percentage of visas being issued,Is this due to good paper work or due to the fact that we are married?