Uk Settlement Visa Application Waiting Times, Bangkok

[chogiekim]

I like Man utd,but my team is Hereford united! One losing out on the league and another getting relegated so not good this year. I'm from Shrewsbury.

[chogiekim]

What do you plan to do once your in the UK?

[tribalfusion001]

What do you plan to do once your in the UK?

Start work and try to recoup the money I've spent being here, lucky enough if she gets the visa, she already has a couple of jobs lined up, cooking in Thai restaurants.

Just checked the VFS website, nothing today

[chogiekim]

I have stopped looking at their websites. Just waiting for and sms or call now. What do you work as? Much work around the Essex area? For me i have been here 6 years now and even though i love Thailand it is now time for a change. I know the UK is not great right now,but it gives my family more options. I have a 2 year old girl and would like to put her in school there. Good education and health care is just too expensive here. Maybe i will come back oneday.

[tribalfusion001]

I have stopped looking at their websites. Just waiting for and sms or call now. What do you work as? Much work around the Essex area? For me i have been here 6 years now and even though i love Thailand it is now time for a change. I know the UK is not great right now,but it gives my family more options. I have a 2 year old girl and would like to put her in school there. Good education and health care is just too expensive here. Maybe i will come back oneday.

I was working for EON in the debt department, got made redundant with 600 others in July 2010, since then been working in Thailand and then last September until February this year, working in uPVC window factory. There are jobs in Essex, but I took the first job that was offered to save up and come back here.

It's worth checking the VFS website, we paid the 75 baht last year for the sms and VFS never sent it, I only found out by checking the website several days after the passport/visa was ready for collection...

Edited May 11, 2012 by tribalfusion001

[7by7]

Although a very small minority of applications may require further enquiries and the ECO is awaiting the result of those, the main reason for delays in processing applications is the volume of said applications, of all types, settlement and non-settlement. As said before, apply at a quite time and your application will processed within days, apply at a busy time and it will take weeks, even months.

I know it's frustrating, I've been there; wife applied September 2000, arrived UK February 2001, but whether you believe me or not, the ECOs are not deliberately holding up applications. They, too, want to see the backlog cleared as quickly as possible, if only because it will make their life easier!

The more time they have to spend replying to emails etc. from people who haven't read the guidance and having waited for the advised 12 weeks to pass, then the less time they have for processing applications!

Lastly, be grateful that you are not American or Australian. A read through their settlement topics will show that it routinely takes much longer, up to 12 months, for a settlement application to either of those countries to be processed; with a lot more evidence required. Even though most of the complaints on this forum about issues such as waiting times seem to come from Brits, it does appear, from what I have read from our Transatlantic and Antipodean cousins, that a UK settlement visa is easier, cheaper and above all quicker to obtain than one for either of those countries.

No consolation if you're still waiting, though, but it does show that no matter how bad it is for you, there is always someone worse off!

[chogiekim]

You mean the application tracker? I go on their website but still get the same answer,being processed at the embassy!!! Bored of seeing that message!

[7by7]

Until it's been processed, that's all you'll see!

Did you subscribe to the SMS service? If so, you, or the applicant, will be informed when it's all back at the VAC ready for collection or courier. If not, you'll just have to keep checking.

BTW, neither the tracker nor the SMS will tell you the result. This is considered confidential between the entry clearance section and the applicant. Passports etc. are returned to the VAC in sealed envelopes and no one outside the ECS will know the result until the applicant, or their authorised agent, opens that envelope.

[tribalfusion001]

Although a very small minority of applications may require further enquiries and the ECO is awaiting the result of those, the main reason for delays in processing applications is the volume of said applications, of all types, settlement and non-settlement. As said before, apply at a quite time and your application will processed within days, apply at a busy time and it will take weeks, even months.

I know they have a backlog, but not updating the processing times for the whole world who need visas, that is a under performing government department.

My biggest gripe is that 90% of our application is the same as the one refused, the refusal reasons were covered, background checks had already been completed on the original application and all they needed to do was check the new information and they had another £810 in they coffers too! I'm not advocating that I should be first, but do they really need to take 6 weeks (ongoing) to check 9 pieces of paper!

If it seems that I'm annoyed, it's because I am annoyed

[chogiekim]

My wife has been on another site for thai people trying to get uk visas. She said some people that applied on the 5th or March got there visa on the 25th of April. Also some that applied on the 12th of March got visa on 9th of May!!

[jackinbkk]

I did this visa a long time ago with my ex. It was so simple back then and i got the visa within 2 weeks. Their was a big documentary on Panorama investigating the Embassy staff in Bangkok. They treated customers badly and i think they were all removed from their positions. I think the government changed everything,maybe that's why now they have an agency to help them with visas. But has anything really changed with the Embassy. They are still quite rude most of the time when you chat with them direct on on the phone. They never seem to want to help people. It just annoys me. I wish you could just get a tourist visa and change it to a settlement once in the UK. Things would be so much easier!

That's what I did guys. We were told to withdraw our application in Bangkok for a family permit in 2011. I told them I was entitled to the permit for a number of reasons but they scared my wife saying a failed application would put a black mark on her passport. I think they just didn't like processing an EU permit for free. She was told to re-apply the same way but for the settlement visa. (Well if that was the only difference their reasoning made no sense) I was desperate to get her back to the UK with me so I went for a 2nd visit visa. It gave us 6 months to review the situation.

Once she was here we re-applied in the UK and got the permit after 3 months. I'm glad I never have to deal with VFS again.

Hang in there guys. Last time I was in the visa office there were over 250 visas being picked up on one day. The number of applications must be enourmous. Unfortunately it's dishonest people trying to con the system who make it difficult for the rest of us. They can't let just anybody in. You are one application in hundreds or thousands.

Good luck. I know it's terrible waiting for any kind of visa. You've done all you can.

[7by7]

We were told to withdraw our application in Bangkok for a family permit in 2011. I told them I was entitled to the permit for a number of reasons but they scared my wife saying a failed application would put a black mark on her passport. I think they just didn't like processing an EU permit for free. She was told to re-apply the same way but for the settlement visa. (Well if that was the only difference their reasoning made no sense) I was desperate to get her back to the UK with me so I went for a 2nd visit visa. It gave us 6 months to review the situation.

I don't know for sure, of course, as I was not there; but I am certain that no one at the embassy would tell you to withdraw an EEA family permit application and replace it with a UK settlement one. If someone at the VAC told you to do so they were acting outside their remit as they are expressly forbidden from giving any advice of this nature.

VFS are paid a fixed fee as per their contract. The visa fee goes, as said previously, to the government to swell the Treasury's coffers/cut the deficit.

Are you sure it was someone at the VAC who told her this, and not an unscrupulous visa agent trying to get her to use their 'services'?

EEA family permits can be applied for in the UK, UK settlement visas cannot.

My biggest gripe is that 90% of our application is the same as the one refused, the refusal reasons were covered, background checks had already been completed on the original application and all they needed to do was check the new information and they had another £810 in they coffers too! I'm not advocating that I should be first, but do they really need to take 6 weeks (ongoing) to check 9 pieces of paper!

If it seems that I'm annoyed, it's because I am annoyed

The second application will, rightfully in my opinion, have been treated as a completely new application and so will have joined the back of the queue. They are not taking 6 weeks to check 9 pieces of paper, it is taking 6 weeks, or however long, for the application to get to the head of the queue so that they can check those 9 pieces of paper.

Why should this application jump the queue and so make others wait longer simply because you made a mess of it first time round?

[tribalfusion001]

We were told to withdraw our application in Bangkok for a family permit in 2011. I told them I was entitled to the permit for a number of reasons but they scared my wife saying a failed application would put a black mark on her passport. I think they just didn't like processing an EU permit for free. She was told to re-apply the same way but for the settlement visa. (Well if that was the only difference their reasoning made no sense) I was desperate to get her back to the UK with me so I went for a 2nd visit visa. It gave us 6 months to review the situation.

I don't know for sure, of course, as I was not there; but I am certain that no one at the embassy would tell you to withdraw an EEA family permit application and replace it with a UK settlement one. If someone at the VAC told you to do so they were acting outside their remit as they are expressly forbidden from giving any advice of this nature.

VFS are paid a fixed fee as per their contract. The visa fee goes, as said previously, to the government to swell the Treasury's coffers/cut the deficit.

Are you sure it was someone at the VAC who told her this, and not an unscrupulous visa agent trying to get her to use their 'services'?

EEA family permits can be applied for in the UK, UK settlement visas cannot.

My biggest gripe is that 90% of our application is the same as the one refused, the refusal reasons were covered, background checks had already been completed on the original application and all they needed to do was check the new information and they had another £810 in they coffers too! I'm not advocating that I should be first, but do they really need to take 6 weeks (ongoing) to check 9 pieces of paper!

If it seems that I'm annoyed, it's because I am annoyed

The second application will, rightfully in my opinion, have been treated as a completely new application and so will have joined the back of the queue. They are not taking 6 weeks to check 9 pieces of paper, it is taking 6 weeks, or however long, for the application to get to the head of the queue so that they can check those 9 pieces of paper.

Why should this application jump the queue and so make others wait longer simply because you made a mess of it first time round?

Well, you have your opinion and I have mine, it was hardly a mess, Tony from Visa Plus said on another day or another ECO would have passed it.

[chogiekim]

I was told you can't go to uk on a visit visa and change it to a settlement visa once there!

[7by7]

Why should this application jump the queue and so make others wait longer simply because you made a mess of it first time round?

Well, you have your opinion and I have mine, it was hardly a mess, Tony from Visa Plus said on another day or another ECO would have passed it.

Maybe 'you made a mess of it' is a bit harsh, but from what you have posted you did leave evidence of your finances out. Of course, I am only judging this on what you have posted in the open forum; anyone who has seen the refusal notice will have a lot more info.

I was told you can't go to uk on a visit visa and change it to a settlement visa once there!

You were told correctly; but an EEA family permit is completely different to a UK settlement visa.

[tribalfusion001]

Why should this application jump the queue and so make others wait longer simply because you made a mess of it first time round?

Well, you have your opinion and I have mine, it was hardly a mess, Tony from Visa Plus said on another day or another ECO would have passed it.

Maybe 'you made a mess of it' is a bit harsh, but from what you have posted you did leave evidence of your finances out. Of course, I am only judging this on what you have posted in the open forum; anyone who has seen the refusal notice will have a lot more info.

I was told you can't go to uk on a visit visa and change it to a settlement visa once there!

You were told correctly; but an EEA family permit is completely different to a UK settlement visa.

I'll send you a pm with the refusal letter. My understanding of settlement visas was not as good back in early February, but reading the forums after the refusal gave me a better insight and a stronger application was submitted.

[arick]

There terrible. They take so long! I know many people are going this year,but i'm getting a bit angry now. I quit my job because i expected to get the visa already now. It has to be soon. I need to start my new job!

As has been said before, but is worth repeating for new users, the major cause of delay is the sheer volume of applications.

Apply at a quiet time and it will be processed quickly. I personally know of settlement applications that have been processed in 5 working days; a member here has reported previously that his wife's took one day!

However, for reasons which are beyond me, for the past few years the number of applications seems to increase from February each year, before dropping again round about September. So for that period waiting times do tend to be longer. There is a fixed number of ECOs in post and they can only process so many applications each day.

To be fair to the UKBA and it's staff in Bangkok, all the official guidance does recommend allowing three months for a settlement application to be processed.

BTW, whether one used an agency or not will have no bearing on the speed with which an application is processed (or the result!) and any agent who tells you differently is lying. Unless there are strong compassionate grounds for an application jumping the queue, all applications are dealt with in the order that they are received.

In the Month of Feb and March Nigeria was 14 days for completion for a Settlement visa. Then 6 days to get it back to teh VFS global. Jamica in March was exactly 4 weeks. In Bangkok we has a refusal in 3 weeks and 1 day. This time it better not be more then 5 weeks. Because my Thai Partner and myself are invites to Buckingham Palace for teh royal Jubilee concert June 4th.

WELL DONE UKBA you manage to complete all EEU SETTLEMNET AND NON SETTLEMENT within 3 days. Mean while David Cameroon is text the NEWs of the World '' quote LOL waste...

[arick]

Called them today,still they say within 3 months. Went on the application tracker,and it just says the same,being processed at the embassy. They did send me an email about 5 mins ago. This is what they wrote.

Thank you for your e-mail dated 11/05/12

The UK Border Agency aims to process 95% of settlement applications in not more than 12 weeks and is currently working within these time targets. You can visit the UK Border Agency website for a detailed guide to visa processing times, and further details on customer service standards. Each application is assessed individually, and the actual processing time may depend on a number of factors. We are unable to guarantee that your visa application will be assessed by the date that you have requested. This is because of the unique circumstances of each cases.

Entry Clearance Applications fall under the Data Protection Act and therefore we are unable to provide information regarding possible visa applications to third parties including an applicant's partner or sponsor. Please also note that you will not be informed when your application is ready for collection unless you choose to purchase the SMS and email update service at the time of visa application submission. However, you can use the Track your Application facility on the VFS website to track the status of your visa application and to determine when your visa decision and documents are ready for collection from the VFS visa application centre.

So really still not getting anywhere!

I think Bangkok must be one of the Awkward Embassies. Like I ealier said. Friend and collgues first hand have had their settlement visas in Nigeria done in 32-3 weeks. Jamicia was done in 4 weeks. 5000 vistor visas where completed in Feb 2012. I don't understand why settlement visa take the longest. They are dealing with spouses and family. It is not lawful under the EU law to kepp spearated family but the Uk charges for teh priveldge. wait gets better. in two years time you will ahve to pay another £830 for indefinte leave and then another £840 for citzinship. plus the UK LIFE TESt!

[arick]

Called them today,still they say within 3 months. Went on the application tracker,and it just says the same,being processed at the embassy. They did send me an email about 5 mins ago. This is what they wrote.

Thank you for your e-mail dated 11/05/12

Entry Clearance Applications fall under the Data Protection Act and therefore we are unable to provide information regarding possible visa applications to third parties including an applicant's partner or sponsor. Please also note that you will not be informed when your application is ready for collection unless you choose to purchase the SMS and email update service at the time of visa application submission. However, you can use the Track your Application facility on the VFS website to track the status of your visa application and to determine when your visa decision and documents are ready for collection from the VFS visa application centre.

So really still not getting anywhere!

I included a letter giving me dpa to talk on her behalf, I previously sent an email to UKBA last year regarding a visit visa, but I didn't have dpa, so got the same response as you. I can pick up her passport from VFS, (she signed an authority letter), when it's been processed that is.

Do you think they are sitting on settlement applications until near the 12 week timescale and dealing all other visas as a priority?

Settlement visas should be priority.!!!!

[arick]

What I find annoying about this waiting game is that when we lodged the application, my partner was told it would take about a month and that we were lucky to apply when we did ( miss the longer waiting time). I know that it states on the receipt that it could take upto 12 weeks which is in my opinion a worse case scenario. It would have been better for the VFS staff to not have given an indication at all, there we were thinking a month, it'll be two months next week!

Strange ours was place on Feb 23rd and given back March 14th refusal. We wrote that we were traveling on the front page in 4 weeks do you think they even look at that!

[arick]

Possibly. I just think they don't have many staff and they probably work on flexi time. It's friday today,can't see them really working hard today! I'm really not that impressed with their service. They charge us for this visa which is way over priced,then we have to pay further more for the uk test and citizenship. Surely if we have to pay for all this we should at least get some kind of help back towards our visa. I might write to my local MP to see if he can help!

Teachers in London make £11000 to £20000 more then a ECO

[arick]

This should give you a clue why settlement/fiancee visas take so long, it's got nothing to do with the process being more complex and time consuming, it's all about how much money UKBA receives in Bangkok and other countries.

In February there were 5293 applications for the following visas, general visit, business, family, other, and these visas cost £78 each, that makes a total of £412,854, there were 125 settlement visas in February at a cost of £810 each, total amount £101,250.

UKBA guidelines, non settlement visas up to 15 days, settlement visas up to 12 weeks, guess which visas are processed first, the one's that make the most money for UKBA!

Excellent work. I will text news of world via David cameroon.

[arick]

Another week gone by. That makes it 8 weeks. The house has been aired out, the furniture is in place, there's food in the fridge, the car is topped up witth petrol. There's a job waiting for her.What else is left? Ah yes! the bloody visa

I can not believe you have waited for 8 weeks. Do you have children with your partner? Is your application lost? when did you apply?

[arick]

Still no news yet! Getting angry now. Found flights with quite a few airlines at around 18,000-23,000 one way. Cheapest with EVA and British airways! Come on Embassy sort yourselves out!!

skyscanner check that. it was only £281 oneway to London form BKK on air India.

[arick]

I can always get a flight,but yeah a good price right now. I just want to get this visa first and think about flights later. I just wish the embassy could just contact people to tell us what's going on. "Sorry for keeping you waiting sir,you are in a line and we will do our best to get your visa done in the next week or so" Anything like this so we have some kind of idea what is going on!

Dear Mr Chogiekim

I writing to inform you today that we have not processed your visa as yet. We have many applications to process and yours is not a high priority for us, we are not sorry about the delay, but it will be processed according to our guidelines of up to 12 weeks for settlement visas.

Thank you for your application fee of £810, we all decided to have a bit of a jolly up on your account, we had a great time in Pattaya! Things could be worse, Mr Bloggs has been waiting for 11 weeks, but his wife is quite ugly and so is he!

Yours sincerely

ECO, UKBA, Brtish Embassy, Bangkok, Thailand

My partner and I are Gorgous that is why they refused us in 3 weeks and a day! Or were they jealous.

[tomcreeduk]

Well I guys I've followed this post and many previous others. Myself & wife are submitting our application on the 19th of June. One of the questions online are when is the proposed flight. Should I put 4 weeks from submitting documents or 12 weeks or what do you suggest.

[simmsc]

hi tom,

we submitted our application on 16th March 2012 and I put 10th April 2012 as my fiancees travel date.

it is now 12th May 2012 ... and we've had no response.

they don't pay any attention to this date unless you have compassionate reasons (and they have to be strong ones) to travel early.

you can put any date you like - it won't make any difference.

[tribalfusion001]

What I find annoying about this waiting game is that when we lodged the application, my partner was told it would take about a month and that we were lucky to apply when we did ( miss the longer waiting time). I know that it states on the receipt that it could take upto 12 weeks which is in my opinion a worse case scenario. It would have been better for the VFS staff to not have given an indication at all, there we were thinking a month, it'll be two months next week!

Strange ours was place on Feb 23rd and given back March 14th refusal. We wrote that we were traveling on the front page in 4 weeks do you think they even look at that!

What were the refusal reasons?

[chogiekim]

I submitted the application on the 16th March. I told them i wanted to leave on the 7th of May. I had a good letter from my brother saying i will start a full time job for his company as soon as i arrive. They didn't take this into consideration!! What about all the money people are losing??? i'm spending money that i could be using for the UK. I have to keep paying rent on the place i'm staying because i intended on moving out 2 weeks ago. They really don't care about peoples situations!!

[retard]

Another week gone by. That makes it 8 weeks. The house has been aired out, the furniture is in place, there's food in the fridge, the car is topped up witth petrol. There's a job waiting for her.What else is left? Ah yes! the bloody visa

I can not believe you have waited for 8 weeks. Do you have children with your partner? Is your application lost? when did you apply?

Applied 16th March, but there are several of us discussing this thread, many of whome applied arounf the same time. I think it's just a backlog of applicants. No, no kids thank God!