Can anybody please advise me what are the current turnaround times for visit visas, my girlfriend is going to submit her application tomorrow.

I do believe that the wait has increased of late.

Also does anybody know when VFS update their "ready for collection page"?

Thank you

The UKBA have said that waiting times have increased, sorry I know that doesn't answer your question, but it does seem to be longer than or month or so ago.

You can get the actual statistics from the embassy website but it is something like 45% within 2 weeks, 95% within 3 weeks. Curiously though I was checking a friends application recently and her visa was actually issued (dated) by the embassy exactly 2 weeks after the application was submitted but it was another 6 days before it appeared as "ready to collect" on the VFS website.

Here's what the embassy are currently saying, actually improved since the last time I looked;

It took my partner 11 working days, that was three weeks ago.

Regards

JOHN

You can get the actual statistics from the embassy website but it is something like 45% within 2 weeks, 95% within 3 weeks. Curiously though I was checking a friends application recently and her visa was actually issued (dated) by the embassy exactly 2 weeks after the application was submitted but it was another 6 days before it appeared as "ready to collect" on the VFS website.

In my opinion this is a UKBA 'trick' to improve their figures on paper. This date difference has been routine with ILR applications approved within the UK for over a year. The explanation given was that it took time for the vignette to be prepared and I read somewhere that this was done by a different office!

I have to admit I don't believe a word of it but clearly non-UK offices have latched on to the 'wheeze'!

Thought I'd bump this as my Thai GF has just been through the visa application process for a 2 month visit and we experienced the following:

Applicaition submitted to VFS - Morning of Tuesday 2nd July

Email from Embassy to say decision has been reached - 19th July

VFS Posted passport/documents - 23rd July

Received in the post (Samut Prakan) - 24th July

It turned out to be quite a long wait but thankfully everything has gone smoothly for a first time applicaiton and she flies to the UK this Friday. Happy days!

We submitted ours to VFS on Monday 15th July, and paid the extra few baht for SMS updates rather than having to check the website. We were told a decision would be "within 3 weeks"

Haven't heard anything as yet, but with two public holiday days this week I guess that's no surprise

Fingers and toes are crossed!

The good lady collected her passport containing her UK visa on the 12th working day after she dropped it off earlier this month, the visa was dated two days before that.

Now waiting for her Schengen Visa from the French authorities, eight days so far.