Any updates from recent applicants?

Congratulations Pandapops and all the recent applicants!

My wife and I are submitting my application online on TUESDAY. Going priority, just like the marriage visitor one we did in March. I'm hoping to travel by September 8th...15th at the latest. It's been so difficult being apart - way worse than any time before once we said I DO!

So excited to finally get this last hurdle jumped.

CONGRATS EVERYONE!

Hope to hear something about the visa this week... Husband spoke with a friend who works in border security and apparently the issues in Calais and political spectrum aren't helping...that and apparently it is a bit of s lottery based on who is processing the application. He also mentioned getting a second passport could be an interim option if things extend for a long period of time...coming in as a visitor and then leaving...coming back on new Visa once it's issued...obviously not ideal...


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Hope to hear something about the visa this week... Husband spoke with a friend who works in border security and apparently the issues in Calais and political spectrum aren't helping...that and apparently it is a bit of s lottery based on who is processing the application. He also mentioned getting a second passport could be an interim option if things extend for a long period of time...coming in as a visitor and then leaving...coming back on new Visa once it's issued...obviously not ideal...


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Seriously, stop panicking .

You're only at 15 business days, which is not very long at all when it comes to processing visa applications and is well within the regular processing time.

You've upgraded to priority already which means your visa will probably be issued in the next couple of days (end of the week at most, I'd say), so there is no need to start thinking about contacting border officers or trying to get second passports - you'll get the visa faster than the time it takes to get a second passport and fly to the UK for a visit!

If it gets to October (after the 12 weeks target processing time) and you still haven't received the visa, then you can try to make a complaint, but for now, just be patient.

And by the way, the person who said they applied in April probably made a typo, because they said in a previous post they said that their application was received in Sheffield on May 26... which means they've been waiting a whole month LESS than they said and that's in line with how long other non-priority applications have been taking.

Good point...I'll try to cool my heals! Living with the parents is getting really old! I'm 27...with a 9 month old...come on mom..I don't need to tell you where I'm going when I leave somewhere!

Thanks for the encouragement! Focusing on prepping our German Shepherd for his flight next week...yay APHIS...Annex II....and USDA...!

Hi, I was curious if anyone had an issue this past month with the IHS fee when applying for a visa? I applied mid June --spouse settlement visa-- during that window of time, they were updating the application website and I wasn't able to pay the health surcharge fee...I received an email on Thursday saying they deferred my application until I paid the surcharge and that I needed to reapply online to use their new portal for IHS payments. Did this happen to anyone else? If so, any advice? Did you have to mail in your application again, or did you just reapply online? Any advice would be great-- feeling overwhelmed, but ready to do whatever it takes!

Hi, I was curious if anyone had an issue this past month with the IHS fee when applying for a visa? I applied mid June --spouse settlement visa-- during that window of time, they were updating the application website and I wasn't able to pay the health surcharge fee...I received an email on Thursday saying they deferred my application until I paid the surcharge and that I needed to reapply online to use their new portal for IHS payments. Did this happen to anyone else? If so, any advice? Did you have to mail in your application again, or did you just reapply online? Any advice would be great-- feeling overwhelmed, but ready to do whatever it takes!

You have to pay BEFORE you submit your application otherwise they won't process it and as far as I know, the only way to pay is to go to the IHS website WHILE you are filling out the application.

So, I would follow their advice and reapply online - I don't know what else you could do, to be honest.

Did they tell you anything else about what to do after applying online again - i.e. do you have to pay for the visa again and they will refund the original cost? Do you have to mail anything back to them?

Apparently even if I had paid the surcharge before I applied, I would have needed to resubmit another online application  because they just integrated an IHS portal straight into the online app. There was a short window of time where they did this... Hence why I didn't pay, because there was no option to at that time! Madness. But, it says I must resubmit and I talked to someone on a Facebook immigration forum who claimed I just need to start a new account----apply, pay both surcharge and visa fee, and then email UKVI my reference numbers.
Oh, and then request a refund for the visa fee. Apparently, I don't have to mail in the application. They will match it up.

I almost upgraded to priority service just hours before being notified that they started processing, but my card was declined. Fortunately! And then immediately they notified me of the deferment. Hopefully I will find out soon after resubmitting. Who knows! The woman I spoke to on Fbook shed some positivity on the situation, claiming that it is more likely a yes if they are asking me to pay the fee. Fingers and toes crossed X

Good point...I'll try to cool my heals! Living with the parents is getting really old! I'm 27...with a 9 month old...come on mom..I don't need to tell you where I'm going when I leave somewhere!

Thanks for the encouragement! Focusing on prepping our German Shepherd for his flight next week...yay APHIS...Annex II....and USDA...!

Hey there! Brand new to this particular forum and was reading through people's timelines. I noticed that you will be bringing your dog over to the UK. I just wanted to let you know that Annex II is no longer the correct form needed. I have emailed my APHIS vet recently and he informed me that the new form is Annex IV. They look almost identical in nature, but Annex II will no longer be accepted. Wasn't sure if you were aware of it or not, but figured I would let you know!!

Best of luck to everyone in the application process!

Hey there! Brand new to this particular forum and was reading through people's timelines. I noticed that you will be bringing your dog over to the UK. I just wanted to let you know that Annex II is no longer the correct form needed. I have emailed my APHIS vet recently and he informed me that the new form is Annex IV. They look almost identical in nature, but Annex II will no longer be accepted. Wasn't sure if you were aware of it or not, but figured I would let you know!!

Best of luck to everyone in the application process!

Thank you for the update on info!! Appreciate it very much!

Thank you for the update on info!! Appreciate it very much!

No problem! It is on the APHIS website. I was glad to find out in advance, otherwise that could turn into a real problem. I will be travelling with my 2 cats, most likely in October as long as our mental timeline goes as planned! Best of luck to you and your doggie!

No problem! It is on the APHIS website. I was glad to find out in advance, otherwise that could turn into a real problem. I will be travelling with my 2 cats, most likely in October as long as our mental timeline goes as planned! Best of luck to you and your doggie!

Weird, the new Annex IV doesn't actually call itself that on the website! Crazy!
Still no news on visa!!

Weird, the new Annex IV doesn't actually call itself that on the website! Crazy!
Still no news on visa!!

Yeah, which is why I think everyone is still referring to Annex II as the most updated form. But I emailed the USDA vet a few days ago to make sure I had everything I needed. Luckily, I mentioned I was using the Annex II form and he caught the mistake right away. He sent me an attachment to the new form. The website is not very clear in my opinion, but Annex II was updated to Annex IV in Dec 2014. So there ya have it!

Hope you hear news on your visa soon!! Fingers crossed for ya! 

 
I'm a Brit and my wife is an American (although I have my citizen oath ceremony on Wednesday).

My wife had her biometrics today so we are going to mail the packet out tomorrow. Still undecided on the priority service. I've booked my flight for Sept 1 but my wife is obviously waiting to get the visa before booking her flight.

UK job offer: 27/07/15
Applied online: 28/07/15
Biometrics: 03/08/15
Sending application: 04/08/15
UK citizen flying out 01/09/15...

Congrats! I recommend the priority service! I applied and everything was received on July 12th...nothing for two weeks...upgraded on the 29th and still nothing. Hoping to hear soon! I miss my husband so much!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

  The extra cost of the priority is annoying! If nobody used priority, then nobody else would need to use it! We will probably break down and pay for it anyways...

Compare the $3000 price with how much it would cost to use the Surinder Singh route (I believe that visa is free). A lot of extra work would be needed to find a job in Europe for 3 months but it might be fun :-)