Uk Settlement Visa Application Waiting Times, Bangkok

[Kananga]

Thanks for the advice. I checked BA first but as the flight is for Friday (three days away) Thai actually came out cheaper for the last minute fare. As I am booking flights for our children as well the discount was tripled. Also the Thai airways flight was much better timed for this situation leaving at midnight and getting in at 6:30am which is much better with little kids as they will sleep through most of it. The BA flight was all day. If it wasnt for that I would have booked them on BA without hesitation. Especially as it was only an extra 3000 baht each for premium economy.

[TCA]

Akin to what Barney said, Emirates have a similar policy. They retain the right to see the card used for booking at check-in. This is avoided if using a travel agent as airline staff cannot see their payment details on a booking. Different though for personal online bookings, so I don't take the chance with my own card if my wife is flying solo, although I've never heard of anyone being asked.

Edited January 11, 2014 by TCA

[kittaya]

Has anyone who applied in Nov 2013 receive their Settlement visa yet?

[mankinoon]

Im still awaiting my step sons settlement visa we applied on 11th October now past the 12 week mark

[BarneyRubble]

Im still awaiting my step sons settlement visa we applied on 11th October now past the 12 week mark

Mankinoon,

Have you been in touch with the embassy to let them know that they have exceeded their 12 weeks?

In my opinion, this visa process is perhaps the most disorganised thing I have ever experienced. Mixing asian culture with bureaucracy simply doesn't work.

We are on week 14 now with no signs of progress.

[BarneyRubble]

Anyone who hasn't already used Skyscanner should certainly try them before going else where when booking your flights!

[mankinoon]

I've rang them several times sent emails they say the embassy will deal it not vfs. I asked why I hadn't had an email response and they said it can take upto 20 working days for a email response it's a joke

[BarneyRubble]

I've rang them several times sent emails they say the embassy will deal it not vfs. I asked why I hadn't had an email response and they said it can take upto 20 working days for a email response it's a joke

So it would appear we are both going through similar processes. You would have thought after paying so much money that they would be working to better their service, it's clearly not the case.

[mankinoon]

What's weird is my wife has her settlement visa we got it on 20th December and her sons was submitted at same time but still not returned his

[BarneyRubble]

I would have previously said its weird but nothing doesn't surprise me with them anymore. Expensive, poor service and a lack of communication with the added extra of poor level of understanding their own laws. I guess this is nothing new for others who have gone before us.

[kittaya]

So at this moment what is the average processing time? 9 or 10 weeks?

[theoldgit]

So at this moment what is the average processing time? 9 or 10 weeks?

These are the latest published processing times http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/countries/thailand/processing-times/?langname=UK English

[kittaya]

I had sent a couple of emails to the vfs helpline and usually they reply within 48 hours. If they dont reply during that period I usually give them a call to sort it out.

As for the processing time those are for November and not updated to December yet.

[theoldgit]

They will update the figures in a week or so.

[Kananga]

So at this moment what is the average processing time? 9 or 10 weeks?

Approximately 10 weeks.

[Rob180]

So at this moment what is the average processing time? 9 or 10 weeks?

It appears over the last few weeks from other people's posts here that the current processing time is 10 weeks, as in 50 working days. There were 5 days in December that the Embassy was closed due to public hols (5th,24th,25th,26th,31st, plus January 1st; hence 10 weeks will effectively be 11 weeks and 1 day in actual time for applications submitted between mid-October and Xmas as all those applications will be in the Embassy during the days it was not open.

Ours was submitted on November 20th, which will be 11 weeks on February 5th, but due to the public holidays mentioned above, only 10 working weeks will have passed by that date.

I think it could be helpful if people wouldn't mind posting their own submission dates as this would enable us all to gauge the current processing times more accurately.

cheers

Edited January 14, 2014 by Rob180

[kittaya]

How I wish it was earlier. I thought there were less applications made during November. So shouldn't it be slightly quicker?

[Kananga]

How I wish it was earlier. I thought there were less applications made during November. So shouldn't it be slightly quicker?

I'm sure we all want answers and reassurance but the cold hard truth is that no one here is going to be able to predict when the visa will be approved. The best thing you can do is just wait and it will come when it will come.

You thinking there are less applications in November doesn't mean that there were less applications and even if there were, less applications doesn't necessarily mean faster processing times. Factor in the fact that the average for applications submitted in Oct was 10 weeks and use that as a benchmark.. However, don't be disappointed if it takes longer.

The official time-frame is 12 weeks so anything less than that should be viewed as a bonus.

Best of luck to all off you.

[mankinoon]

Response to my email to vfs chasing my sons visa which is now 14 weeks when my wife's was returned already 4 weeks ago. 20 days for embassy to respond joke

Dear Mr Stephens

Thank you for contacting the VFS Visa Information Service.

We can confirm that the Embassy has received your email. The UK Visas and Immigration Correspondence Team aims to respond to you as soon as possible, and within the UK Visas and Immigration customer service target of 20 working days.

Best regards,

----------

UK Visa Service Desk

----------

[kittaya]

Hi Everyone,

Did anyone hear about the visa yet?

[mankinoon]

My stepsons visa was returned today and granted submitted 11/10/13 strange thing is the valid date is 1/1/14 same date as my. Wife's who's was granted on 20th December. There is two stamps one states cancelled then issued another they haven't got a clue

Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

[kittaya]

That's strange but at least you got the visa. Congratulations.

[rossi2000]

my wife submitted hers on the 20th dec. it feels like 60days have passed already heh

[bobrussell]

My stepsons visa was returned today and granted submitted 11/10/13 strange thing is the valid date is 1/1/14 same date as my. Wife's who's was granted on 20th December. There is two stamps one states cancelled then issued another they haven't got a clue

Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

Not so strange. Validity of childrens visas tend to mirror the visa of the applying parent.

It goes on right through the system to citizenship and beyond. When my wife and step-daughter applied for British passports the daughters passport turned up before my wife had even had her interview!

[kittaya]

So at this moment what is the average processing time? 9 or 10 weeks?

It appears over the last few weeks from other people's posts here that the current processing time is 10 weeks, as in 50 working days. There were 5 days in December that the Embassy was closed due to public hols (5th,24th,25th,26th,31st, plus January 1st; hence 10 weeks will effectively be 11 weeks and 1 day in actual time for applications submitted between mid-October and Xmas as all those applications will be in the Embassy during the days it was not open.

Ours was submitted on November 20th, which will be 11 weeks on February 5th, but due to the public holidays mentioned above, only 10 working weeks will have passed by that date.

I think it could be helpful if people wouldn't mind posting their own submission dates as this would enable us all to gauge the current processing times more accurately.

cheers

HI Rob

Have you heard anything yet?

[husseinfatal]

Applied on 20th November (date documents handed in).

"Decision has been made" email received 30th Jan...arrived in post in Chiang Mai 1st Feb.

APPROVED!

[7by7]

Take Christmas and new year holidays out and I make that about 9 weeks. Better than the 12 weeks plus being reported earlier.

Figures for December 2013 are now out.

Processing times do seem to be reducing; which is not unusual at this time of year when demand for all types of visa falls.

Unfortunately, they will go up again as demand increases.

[rossi2000]

the latest figures show 1% of 70 decisions made got an answer in 5-10days?!?! how did they manage that lol

[adamwj18]

2nd application 12th dec 13

Visa collected approved 13th feb 14

1st applied 17th sept 13

Refusal received 21st Nov 13

Refusal as embassy incorrectly read my wife's entry into the UK from passport as 25/06/05 when in fact it was 25/06/10. This lead them to believe she was trying to extend her stay in UK to get ILR automatically after 10yrs when in fact she had only been in the uk studying for 3 yrs so was no where near automatic ILR.

Submitted both appeal and new application as I we didn't know if ECM review or new application would be quicker

A great deal of extra time of part, stress and extra expense for a basic admin error

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Edited February 13, 2014 by adamwj18

[rossi2000]

Nice!! you applied a week before we did in DEC.

Fingers crossed to hear something next week :-)