Uk Settlement Visa Application Waiting Times, Bangkok

[mankinoon]

Anybody know if the UK Embassy is still open processing applications with current situation in BKK

[BarneyRubble]

Anybody know if the UK Embassy is still open processing applications with current situation in BKK

Hi Mankinoon,

I had the same concerns as you but my friend said that they are no where near the British embassy so there wouldn't be any reason why they would stop or slow the processing down. They do not have anything that is contrary either on their website.

By the looks of things, the demonstrations are around Victory Monument like last time. Anybody that has any knowledge please inform.

Edited November 30, 2013 by BarneyRubble

[BarneyRubble]

Just a quick update for all you guys living out of Bangkok who like me have been concerned about visa processing in Bangkok due to the demonstrations. My friend is working in Bangkok and I have been asking him daily on the progress. He said that its business as usual for mostly all businesses, UKBA are currently unaffected.

we are on week 8, i hope one week away from finalisation.

[mankinoon]

Just a quick update for all you guys living out of Bangkok who like me have been concerned about visa processing in Bangkok due to the demonstrations. My friend is working in Bangkok and I have been asking him daily on the progress. He said that its business as usual for mostly all businesses, UKBA are currently unaffected.

we are on week 8, i hope one week away from finalisation.

Thanks for update

What date did you submit

[BarneyRubble]

Hi Mankinoon,

I applied on the 9th, the same week as you. I am actually waiting on you as my wife is Burmese so I am assuming that the process will take a little longer as they need to fly or carry the documents and passport, hopefully with the visa inside it back to Burma before my wife can collect it. You are applying from Bangkok and your wife is Thai, this will give me a good indication on the real processing time.

Just a quick update for all you guys living out of Bangkok who like me have been concerned about visa processing in Bangkok due to the demonstrations. My friend is working in Bangkok and I have been asking him daily on the progress. He said that its business as usual for mostly all businesses, UKBA are currently unaffected.

we are on week 8, i hope one week away from finalisation.

Thanks for update

What date did you submit

[mankinoon]

Hi Mankinoon,

I applied on the 9th, the same week as you. I am actually waiting on you as my wife is Burmese so I am assuming that the process will take a little longer as they need to fly or carry the documents and passport, hopefully with the visa inside it back to Burma before my wife can collect it. You are applying from Bangkok and your wife is Thai, this will give me a good indication on the real processing time.

Just a quick update for all you guys living out of Bangkok who like me have been concerned about visa processing in Bangkok due to the demonstrations. My friend is working in Bangkok and I have been asking him daily on the progress. He said that its business as usual for mostly all businesses, UKBA are currently unaffected.

we are on week 8, i hope one week away from finalisation.

Thanks for update

What date did you submit

OK, Im presuming the visa will arrive on the 13th - Im going to take the risk and book a flight for the 12th presuming it comes on the 13th so we can fly back on the 19th in time to have xmas with my son and daughter

[BarneyRubble]

We submitted on the 9th October.

My wife will be flying back alone, she has already been to the UK on a tourist visa. Her english is pretty good so a direct flight to the UK with British airways should be fine. I wont be taking any risks of booking flights as I know how intermitten UKBA are with their visa processing.

Hi Mankinoon,

I applied on the 9th, the same week as you. I am actually waiting on you as my wife is Burmese so I am assuming that the process will take a little longer as they need to fly or carry the documents and passport, hopefully with the visa inside it back to Burma before my wife can collect it. You are applying from Bangkok and your wife is Thai, this will give me a good indication on the real processing time.

Just a quick update for all you guys living out of Bangkok who like me have been concerned about visa processing in Bangkok due to the demonstrations. My friend is working in Bangkok and I have been asking him daily on the progress. He said that its business as usual for mostly all businesses, UKBA are currently unaffected.

we are on week 8, i hope one week away from finalisation.

Thanks for update

What date did you submit

OK, Im presuming the visa will arrive on the 13th - Im going to take the risk and book a flight for the 12th presuming it comes on the 13th so we can fly back on the 19th in time to have xmas with my son and daughter

[7by7]

That some member's partners have recently received their visas within 9 weeks is no guarantee that your wife will.

Whilst I appreciate your desire to be in the UK in time to spend Christmas with your family; I would strongly advise against booking flights until you are sure she has the visa.

Do you really want to book a flight for the 19th and then risk being unable to change it if her passport hasn't come back yet?

How long would you leave it until? The 16th, 17th, 18th, 19th?

But it's your choice.

[mankinoon]

That some member's partners have recently received their visas within 9 weeks is no guarantee that your wife will.

Whilst I appreciate your desire to be in the UK in time to spend Christmas with your family; I would strongly advise against booking flights until you are sure she has the visa.

Do you really want to book a flight for the 19th and then risk being unable to change it if her passport hasn't come back yet?

How long would you leave it until? The 16th, 17th, 18th, 19th?

But it's your choice.

Yeah i see your point but i wasn't booking the returns just a one way for me, then buy two one ways back to uk when her visa arrives

[mankinoon]

Anybody been granted there visas since the last update from dixy receiving his on the 27th November ?

Edited December 4, 2013 by mankinoon

[Rob180]

I take it nobody's heard anything further yet?

[BarneyRubble]

We are one day away from 9 weeks and haven't heard anything as of yet. Will keep you posted when we have any news.

[mankinoon]

Yes we are same this friday is the 9th week since submission got the tracking system so hopefully over next couple of days should see a processed mark against then hope its all good however the visa agent mentioned last week he has had other applications returned last week which took 10 weeks so heres hoping for a result tgis week

Sent from my GT-I9505 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[Rob180]

Good luck guys, shouldn't be long now!

[mankinoon]

does anyone knowing the working times over xmas for the Embassy I hear they close on the 20th until the 2nd January anybody know if this is true ?

[Rob180]

No it doesn't seem to be true thankfully..... I've pasted the 2013 public holidays below from the Embassy website. I presume they'll maybe only close Jan 1st and 2nd after that although it doesn't say anything about 2014. Assuming it's 2 days in January, looks like that will be a full week over Xmas/New Year where nothing's happening, not much we can do about that I guess.

Public holidays

The Embassy will be closed on the following office holidays in 2013:

• Tuesday 1 January - New Year’s Day
• Monday 25 Feb - Makha Bucha Day
• Friday 29 March - Good Friday
• Monday 1 April - Easter Monday
• Monday 15 April - Songkran Festival
• Tuesday 16 April - Songkran Festival
• Monday 6 May - Substitution Day - Coronation Day (& UK Early May Bank Holiday)
• Monday 22 July - Asarnha Bucha Day
• Monday 12 August - HM Queen’s Birthday
• Wednesday 23 October - Chulalongkorn Day
• Thursday 5 December - HM King’s Birthday
• Wednesday 25 December - Christmas Day
• Thursday 26 December - Boxing Day
• Tuesday 31 December - New Year’s Eve

Edited December 10, 2013 by Rob180

[mankinoon]

Cheers for the holiday list, they have only been closed 2 days since my application so no excuses lol

[Rob180]

Hopefully you should hear before Xmas Mankinoon, unfortunately I've got at least another 6 weeks to wait! This trouble in BK is not looking too clever at the moment. They're talking about an election on Feb 2nd, which apparently is sure to result in Yingluck being re-elected as PM, which I assume may cause further unrest!

Edited December 10, 2013 by Rob180

[BarneyRubble]

Hi Guys, so we applied on the 9th October, so if the 9 week processing time is still correct, it would make sense that we should hear something tomorrow and at worst Friday.

[mankinoon]

Yeah we were 11th so expecting Friday also the tracking system is shocking

[BarneyRubble]

Yeah we were 11th so expecting Friday also the tracking system is shocking

Did you end up booking your flights? I am know longer optimistic and neither pessimistic. The passport and visa (maybe) will come when it comes and there is nothing I can do about it. I will continue posting as it gives people who are also going through the same process something to follow. The UKBA are not exactly clear and if they were I guess they would charge even more money for the visa.

[mankinoon]

I'm just looking as it happens was looking to go the 14th but a bit close if the 9 week thing isn't secure so now looking at 22nd then fly back 24th to be home for xmas day morning

The wife is 6 months pregnant and isn't having a good time of it, the baby is hating Thai food, and even though we are only 10 mins outside of BKK city there isn't much farlang food about so just keen to get her back so at least she can eat properly

[BarneyRubble]

I'm just looking as it happens was looking to go the 14th but a bit close if the 9 week thing isn't secure so now looking at 22nd then fly back 24th to be home for xmas day morning

The wife is 6 months pregnant and isn't having a good time of it, the baby is hating Thai food, and even though we are only 10 mins outside of BKK city there isn't much farlang food about so just keen to get her back so at least she can eat properly

I don't know how much money you would lose but surely it would be better to fly once you know whether you get the visa. It could end up being a complete waste of time and you would be even more frustrated. I would personally wait upon the visa and then arrange accordingly. I'm not in your situation and the cake is baking in the oven so only you can decide what is right or wrong according to how you feel.

Any way, not long to go

[Rob180]

How much are one way flights near Xmas Mankinoon? Would you not be better waiting at least until after New Year when the prices will go back down?

What's the problem with the tracking system, does it just say nothing except 'sent to Embassy' as other people have said?

Edited December 10, 2013 by Rob180

[mankinoon]

Flights are circa £1200 return for me and £400 one way for her so not to bothered about this to be honest just want to get it sorted and start life here for good instead of thinking oh back to thailand in x months or weeks

Yeash thats all the tracking site says ill try and do a screen dump

[mankinoon]

STATUS OF YOUR APPLICATION Reference Number APET/111013/326279/9 Application date 11 Oct 2013 Status Your visa application has been forwarded to the British Embassy : 11 Oct 2013

Thats all the info we get

[7by7]

According to the embassy website the embassy will be closed on 25th, 26th and 31st December. They don't say, but they are usually closed on 1st January as well.

[Thai at Heart]

STATUS OF YOUR APPLICATION Reference Number APET/111013/326279/9 Application date 11 Oct 2013 Status Your visa application has been forwarded to the British Embassy : 11 Oct 2013

Thats all the info we get

Same with us.

Let's hope it gets sorted asap,the kids are missing their mum.

[Rob180]

I'm just looking as it happens was looking to go the 14th but a bit close if the 9 week thing isn't secure so now looking at 22nd then fly back 24th to be home for xmas day morning

The wife is 6 months pregnant and isn't having a good time of it, the baby is hating Thai food, and even though we are only 10 mins outside of BKK city there isn't much farlang food about so just keen to get her back so at least she can eat properly

Not sure about what you mean about the baby hating Thai food, did you not say your wife was 6 months pregnant ? Or are you meaning another child?

[mankinoon]

Sorry Rob, yes the wife is 6 months pregnant and whenever she eats thai food she is sick but farlang food she is fine so she claims the baby inside does not like Thai food