UK settlement visa granted after on hold 3.5 months

[glastoglen]

Hi, we applied for a UK settlement visa  March 31st. On 2nd of June received an email that our application was on hold because we didn't meet the financial requirements(we did, through savings). Had no further contact until 2 days ago when someone from the embassy called to ask my wife when she wanted to travel. She collected the visa today about 3.5 months after we applied. From reading other boards it seems like any applications what were considered 'not straightforward' were indefinitely put on hold. Hopefully anyone else in the same position will get a positive result soon.

[iancnx]

we applied 17 April.  Biometrics BKK 27 April.  Docs confirmed received in Sheffield 4 May.

 

Taking 4 May as day one would mean we are on day 54. and waiting.

 

Very worried by hundreds of reports of backlog.  Sheffield simply cannot cope.

[MarkGB]

Glad to hear it worked out for the OP.  We've been waiting since 19th May (biometrics) via the 'priority' service. Looking on various boards, it seems decisions now come around the 60 working days mark, considerably slower since the process was moved to Sheffield. Best of luck to all waiting.

[RioMist]

You think the UK is bad.. you should try the Spanish Embassy! Bloody Night

mare. Demanding documents to be legalized that are against EU law. We had to have the Police Clearance Documents Legalized ( another nightmare with Thai Police and Ministry Of Foreign Affairs IN Bkk) We live in Phuket and having to travel to Bkk every time they demand new requirements is expensive and against the Laws which they supposed to uphold. The problem is however is that you never see a Spaniard person but a Thai and they only know black and white... nothing else!!!!!

[iancnx]

would be great to hear other experiences.  any one else here past Sheffield Day 50 and waiting

[iancnx]

1 hour ago, MarkGB said:

Glad to hear it worked out for the OP.  We've been waiting since 19th May (biometrics) via the 'priority' service. Looking on various boards, it seems decisions now come around the 60 working days mark, considerably slower since the process was moved to Sheffield. Best of luck to all waiting.

which other boards? can you please share?  thanks

[Baerboxer]

1 hour ago, RioMist said:

You think the UK is bad.. you should try the Spanish Embassy! Bloody Night

mare. Demanding documents to be legalized that are against EU law. We had to have the Police Clearance Documents Legalized ( another nightmare with Thai Police and Ministry Of Foreign Affairs IN Bkk) We live in Phuket and having to travel to Bkk every time they demand new requirements is expensive and against the Laws which they supposed to uphold. The problem is however is that you never see a Spaniard person but a Thai and they only know black and white... nothing else!!!!!

 

In the old days of real immigration officers at the British Embassy they also had Thai staff. I know from experience that some of the Thai staff, usually females, put their own interpretations on what the IO said, the tone used, and what was requested. 

 

It's unfortunate that we don't get to deal with people from our own country, who have been trained anymore. Britain outsources it. And as with all outsourced services something gets lost - usually customer service!

[perthperson]

2 minutes ago, Baerboxer said:

In the old days of real immigration officers at the British Embassy

 

Do you have any evidence for the Entry Clearance Officers being other than British? 

 

I very much doubt your claim that "real immigration officers" were ever deployed within the BE..........

[Baerboxer]

7 minutes ago, perthperson said:

 

Do you have any evidence for the Entry Clearance Officers being other than British? 

 

I very much doubt your claim that "real immigration officers" were ever deployed within the BE..........

 

As the company that currently holds the contract is Indian I very much doubt all the staff are British. There were cases a few years back in which people complained that appeals were apparently being dealt with in the Philippines. Try doing your own research - there is this wonderful new thing called the internet and it has search engines. 

 

As for your doubts. Well who do you think did the job when it was carried out by British Immigration Officers based at the British Embassy Consulate section? 

 

I had close dealings with a head of section and several of his officers when based in India. But that was 15 years ago before things were outsourced.

 

So doubt all you want. Your ignorance is not for me to inform.

Edited July 15, 2017 by Baerboxer

[iancnx]

alternatively we could attract posters who are in the current system as we have to abide with the system that has been set up for us - in Sheffield!

 

Any others here able to share CURRENT experience?

[Baerboxer]

Just now, iancnx said:

alternatively we could attract posters who are in the current system as we have to abide with the system that has been set up for us - in Sheffield!

 

Any others here able to share CURRENT experience?

 

If you want to dictate what people post try staring your own website! 

 

Some are interesting on posting their own experiences like the Spanish gentleman. If you want private discussions try using the PM facility.

[MarkGB]

1 hour ago, iancnx said:

which other boards? can you please share?  thanks

Various links on the topic in this forum..

 

http://britishexpats.com/forum/citizenship-passports-spouse-family-visas-uk-196/2017-uk-spouse-visa-timelines-892976/page25/ 

 

http://britishexpats.com/forum/citizenship-passports-spouse-family-visas-uk-196/2017-uk-spouse-visa-timelines-part-ii-timelines-only-899214/#post12288993

 

http://britishexpats.com/forum/citizenship-passports-spouse-family-visas-uk-196/chat-about-uk-spouse-visa-off-topic-posts-re-timeline-v-chat-threads-899282/

 

Wife is on a Facebook Group in Thai - called  'สะใภ้ยูเค (UK)' for women waiting for settlement  visas. Virtually no-one has one since the new system started in late April.

 

 

[brewsterbudgen]

 
As the company that currently holds the contract is Indian I very much doubt all the staff are British. There were cases a few years back in which people complained that appeals were apparently being dealt with in the Philippines. Try doing your own research - there is this wonderful new thing called the internet and it has search engines. 
 
As for your doubts. Well who do you think did the job when it was carried out by British Immigration Officers based at the British Embassy Consulate section? 
 
I had close dealings with a head of section and several of his officers when based in India. But that was 15 years ago before things were outsourced.
 
So doubt all you want. Your ignorance is not for me to inform.

I can assure you all ECOs are British! Support staff can be other nationals but not the ECOs who make the actual decision.

[theoldgit]

I can assure you all ECOs are British! Support staff can be other nationals but not the ECOs who make the actual decision.

Indeed, and the whilst support staff can be Thai, they play no part in the decision making process.

Likewise the Visa Application Centre is staffed by Thai staff, though the global company that has the contract to operate it is Indian, again the staff there play no part in the decision making process.

[perthperson]

17 hours ago, Baerboxer said:

As the company that currently holds the contract is Indian I very much doubt all the staff are British.

That company acts as a collection point/post box on behalf of the BE 

 

The company plays NO role in the decision making process which is the sole reserve of the ECO's.

[iancnx]

22 hours ago, MarkGB said:

Various links on the topic in this forum..

 

http://britishexpats.com/forum/citizenship-passports-spouse-family-visas-uk-196/2017-uk-spouse-visa-timelines-892976/page25/ 

 

http://britishexpats.com/forum/citizenship-passports-spouse-family-visas-uk-196/2017-uk-spouse-visa-timelines-part-ii-timelines-only-899214/#post12288993

 

http://britishexpats.com/forum/citizenship-passports-spouse-family-visas-uk-196/chat-about-uk-spouse-visa-off-topic-posts-re-timeline-v-chat-threads-899282/

 

Wife is on a Facebook Group in Thai - called  'สะใภ้ยูเค (UK)' for women waiting for settlement  visas. Virtually no-one has one since the new system started in late April.

 

 

Thanks Mark, that's really useful, unlike some of the other diatribe seen elsewhere.  GL with yours.  I am praying she gets it this week.  My 4yo who is now here in UK with me (we flew ahead mid May) is regularly asking if he will ever see his mummy again. Heartbreaking.

[7by7]

To be fair, UKVI do say that settlement visa applicants should allow up to 60 days for their application to be processed.

 

Remember, though, that is working days, so, assuming no public holidays, 12 weeks or 84 actual days.

 

The latest figures for Bangkok show that they hit this target; but these are for decisions made in May. The new system was introduced in April. How many of those applications were submitted before the new system and so processed in Bangkok they don't say.

[7by7]

33 minutes ago, 7by7 said:

How many of those applications were submitted before the new system and so processed in Bangkok they don't say.

Forgot to add that 85% were processed within 30 days (6 weeks), and a proportion of these must have been submitted after the change in April and so sent to Sheffield.

Edited July 16, 2017 by 7by7

[Tee2008]

On 7/15/2017 at 4:22 PM, brewsterbudgen said:

I can assure you all ECOs are British! Support staff can be other nationals but not the ECOs who make the actual decision.

It may all be academic, as the word on the street is that the Embassy visa section is one of the several visa posts around the world that will be closed down next year.  The plan is, seemingly, to reduce the number of "hubs" (large visa posts) from around 20 to 10.  Something like that. That should be fun for the many thousands of visit visa applicants. 

[brewsterbudgen]

It may all be academic, as the word on the street is that the Embassy visa section is one of the several visa posts around the world that will be closed down next year.  The plan is, seemingly, to reduce the number of "hubs" (large visa posts) from around 20 to 10.  Something like that. That should be fun for the many thousands of visit visa applicants. 

Yes, that is in the pipeline following the centralisation of non-visitor visas. The word I have that it's likely to take at least two years to implement.

[Tee2008]

2 hours ago, brewsterbudgen said:

Yes, that is in the pipeline following the centralisation of non-visitor visas. The word I have that it's likely to take at least two years to implement.

I understood that the visa section will be closed by mid-year 2018.  But if it is, then where will they do the visit visa applications ?  I don't think Sheffield will be able to cope with the numbers.  Maybe processing will be moved to another hub, possibly Abu Dhabi ?

[sjl]

20 hours ago, theoldgit said:

Indeed, and the whilst support staff can be Thai, they play no part in the decision making process.

Unfortunately that's not true at all - the support staff get to control and influence what the ECO see and base their decisions upon - maybe using a visa agent to ensure the Thai BE staff are properly paid off would work better ......

[brewsterbudgen]

Unfortunately that's not true at all - the support staff get to control and influence what the ECO see and base their decisions upon - maybe using a visa agent to ensure the Thai BE staff are properly paid off would work better ......

I know quite a few Thais who work as assistants to ECOs in Bangkok and they don't complain about their salary. However most are looking at moving on as the writing is on the wall!

[theoldgit]

11 hours ago, sjl said:

Unfortunately that's not true at all - the support staff get to control and influence what the ECO see and base their decisions upon - maybe using a visa agent to ensure the Thai BE staff are properly paid off would work better ......

Quite an allegation, I have to assume that you have inside knowledge or can otherwise substantiate that claim?

[7by7]

10 hours ago, sjl said:

Unfortunately that's not true at all - the support staff get to control and influence what the ECO see and base their decisions upon - maybe using a visa agent to ensure the Thai BE staff are properly paid off would work better ......

You sound like a certain notorious visa 'agent' who falsely claims to have influence over the ECOs!

 

All ballocks, of course.

 

People come here for meaningful advice, not the pony you have posted.

[sarojshah]

Some time it may take time for submitted application to approve or the normal visa processing time may take 12 weeks.