UK family visit visa - a lesson learnt

Due to various UK family members arriving to join us in Thailand, over the next few months and us not being home much over the coming few months, we decided to apply for my wives UK family visit early, aware that you can apply up to 90 days in advance, we were planning on leaving Mar 28th and returning together Sept 21st, something we have done numerous times before, with gaps of odd years.

Aware that we were heading to the UK over Easter (a busy time) I was looking at flights prices and managed to get a really good deal, I know the wise owls on Visa forum will say don't do it, but the price was so good I booked the flights and paid for them, assuming that getting a visa for my wife would be straight forward as on the past occasions.

Made the online application and paid for it in December, submitted the application in person Jan 7th, was amazed when received notification within 24 hours that a decision had been made and the passport was ready for collection, we had planned on this taking 5-7 working days.

As we were travelling we could not pick the passport up till today, not a problem as we told UKVS that this would be the case. The passport contained the hoped for visa, great, but......looking at the dates, the visa started 16th March and finished Sept 16th, I was puzzled and pissed of as to why they did not match our proposed itinerary, after a bit of digging around on the internet it turns out the 90 days starts from when you submit and pay for the application online not when you submit ti in person! something I, and I am sure others were unaware of.

A few phone calls later and for a bit more cash return flight dates amended!!!! Lesson learnt!!!