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Topic: Tier 4 Visa - Should I Be Worried Yet?  (Read 856 times)

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Tier 4 Visa - Should I Be Worried Yet?
« on: August 12, 2014, 03:31:16 AM »
Ok, so, background: I'm a 34 year-old woman married to a UK citizen (Northern Ireland), we married in the US in 2012 and this past year I was accepted to university in her town (I never got a degree back in the day).

I've been scouring the Internet and reading hundreds of horror stories from people who applied via the consulate in NYC and went months without hearing anything, or had their passport go missing, etc. Should I be worried or am I just freaking out over nothing? Will the UK deny my Tier 4 visa because I'm married to my wife and they think I'm trying to sneak in or something?

My timeline:

July 26: Finally get my loan letter from the school, apply for the visa and pay
July 29: Biometrics appointment, send everything via USPS overnight to NYC
July 30: Per USPS tracking, my package is signed for
August 1: Email stating my package was opened and should be reviewed in 10 working days

I sent all my financials, my loan letter, passport, application, 2 UK-sized photos, and letter of accommodation from the family I'll be staying with. Tomorrow is the 8th working day of the promised 10 but knowing that I can't contact anyone there in the event things go wrong is really wearing on me...I kinda haven't been able to sleep.

Am I freaking out over nothing? Any advice would be welcome!


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Re: Tier 4 Visa - Should I Be Worried Yet?
« Reply #1 on: August 12, 2014, 04:02:11 AM »
I'm confused...what specifically are you worried about?


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Re: Tier 4 Visa - Should I Be Worried Yet?
« Reply #2 on: August 12, 2014, 04:14:17 AM »
I wouldn't worry. This is the busiest time of year for student visas, so unless you paid for priority, it'll likely take the full amount of time. I've had experience with getting tier 4 visas twice now and never had an issue with the NY consulate.
April 11, 2012-Began talking online
June 2012-Officially dating
August 2012-Met in person
Aug 2012-Nov 2012-Tier 4 (General)
Aug 2014-present- Tier 4
Oct 2015-Wedding!!! and spouse visa sometime after that and before the Tier 4 expires


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Re: Tier 4 Visa - Should I Be Worried Yet?
« Reply #3 on: August 12, 2014, 08:11:08 AM »
I've been scouring the Internet and reading hundreds of horror stories from people who applied via the consulate in NYC and went months without hearing anything, or had their passport go missing, etc.

Where are you reading these stories? I've been here on UK-Y for a number of years, and have seen people applying for their Tier 4/student visas each summer and I've never heard of passports going missing or not hearing anything for months.

This is currently the busiest time of the year at the NYC consulate, because of all the Tier 4 visa applications being made at the same time -  they process something like 18,000 visas in NYC between July and September, compared with 6,000 visas in each of the other quarters of the year. So it can take a few extra weeks to get the visa at this time of year, compared to if you applied between September and June.

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Should I be worried or am I just freaking out over nothing? Will the UK deny my Tier 4 visa because I'm married to my wife and they think I'm trying to sneak in or something?

Worried about what? If you meet the visa requirements and you have a valid Certificate of Sponsorship, you will get the visa. Approximately 95-98% of visa applications made in NYC are approved, so there's really nothing to be worried about.

Your wife has nothing to do with it. You will be legally living in the UK on a student visa, so she has no relevance to the application.

Plus, if you want to (and you meet the requirements), once you are in the UK, you can always switch to a Civil Partnership visa based on your marriage to your wife, which will allow you to study if you wish, or work full-time (which a student visa does not allow). Also, time spent in the UK on a Tier 4 student visa doesn't count towards permanent residence or UK citizenship, but time on a Civil Partnership visa will, so if your goal is to live in the UK on a more long-term, permanent basis, a Civil Partnership visa might be a good option in the future.

Alternatively, you could have even applied for a Civil Partnership visa instead of a Tier 4 visa to move to the UK to study. However, a Civil Partnership visa is much more expensive ($1,500) and is more difficult to qualify for than a Tier 4 visa (financial requirements, relationship requirements, accommodation requirements).

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My timeline:

July 26: Finally get my loan letter from the school, apply for the visa and pay
July 29: Biometrics appointment, send everything via USPS overnight to NYC
July 30: Per USPS tracking, my package is signed for
August 1: Email stating my package was opened and should be reviewed in 10 working days

Fair enough. You're only on working day 7 today (not counting the 1st), so you still have a bit of time to wait.

If you didn't pay for the priority processing service it may take a little longer to process, and if they get really busy it may take even longer - maybe a month or so, but hopefully you won't have to wait that long. Generally, Tier 4 visas are processed within 3 weeks, but it can increase to 1-2 months if they get really busy in Aug/Sept.

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I sent all my financials, my loan letter, passport, application, 2 UK-sized photos, and letter of accommodation from the family I'll be staying with. Tomorrow is the 8th working day of the promised 10 but knowing that I can't contact anyone there in the event things go wrong is really wearing on me...I kinda haven't been able to sleep.

What do you want to contact them about? There's no reason at all for you to be worried - in fact, you've actually sent them more evidence than you needed to.

If you are from the US, you are considered 'low risk' and are not required to send any financial documents (although you need to have them available if ask to see them). I don't think you needed to include accommodation documents either.

Generally, you just need to send:

- application form
- biometrics receipt
- passport
- passport photos
- CAS number
- marriage certificate if you are married

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Am I freaking out over nothing?

I think you might be - I'm not even sure what exactly you are worried about.

You sent the required documents, your visa application is being processed and you've only been waiting just over a week, which is nothing in visa processing times, especially at this time of year.

If it gets to the end of September and the course has started and you still haven't received your visa, then you can start worrying about how long it's taking. However, student visas are given priority at this time of year, and they make an effort to get them all issued in time for the courses starting.


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Re: Tier 4 Visa - Should I Be Worried Yet?
« Reply #4 on: August 12, 2014, 04:26:08 PM »
I'm worried that it'll go weeks and then months with no contact and no way to contact anyone. I'm worried that they'll approve my visa and say they're sending it back but then I never get it and my tracking # won't work. I'm worried my passport will be lost and then I'll have to get a new passport and THEN apply again for a visa, delaying everything by months. I've been saving both paychecks for a year and living at my parents' house to accomplish this...I'm terrified I wasted a year.

I read these things on the NYC consulate yelp page, FB page, and Google reviews page. Once that package enters that building it vanishes into a black hole and God help you if they mess something up. The people's reviews and stories are horrifying; Google for yourself and see.

Without my passport, I can't leave the country. In effect, a foreign nation is holding me hostage in my own country.

I'm sorry I annoyed everyone with my question, I'll go back to nervously pacing my bedroom. :(


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Re: Tier 4 Visa - Should I Be Worried Yet?
« Reply #5 on: August 12, 2014, 04:44:46 PM »
I'm worried that it'll go weeks and then months with no contact and no way to contact anyone. I'm worried that they'll approve my visa and say they're sending it back but then I never get it and my tracking # won't work. I'm worried my passport will be lost and then I'll have to get a new passport and THEN apply again for a visa, delaying everything by months. I've been saving both paychecks for a year and living at my parents' house to accomplish this...I'm terrified I wasted a year.

I read these things on the NYC consulate yelp page, FB page, and Google reviews page. Once that package enters that building it vanishes into a black hole and God help you if they mess something up. The people's reviews and stories are horrifying; Google for yourself and see.

Without my passport, I can't leave the country. In effect, a foreign nation is holding me hostage in my own country.

I'm sorry I annoyed everyone with my question, I'll go back to nervously pacing my bedroom. :(

No one is trying to be rude here I assure you. You are honestly worrying about nothing. I know it's hard not to find things to worry about when so much is riding on something like this.

But there were at least 3-4 people on this forum so far this summer who got tier 4's without a single problem. If you send the correct documentation (and it appears as though you send even more than you needed) there shouldn't be an issue. As ksand pointed out, the visa processing in NY is slow this time of year due to sheer volume. This really isnt anything to get worked up about.  I did priority processing and mine still took 3 working days to process and that was in early July.  The numbers were likely lesser then and a priority visa still took 3 business days. So since you're non priority and in a more crowded time, yours will probably take a bit longer. Just try to relax about it.
April 11, 2012-Began talking online
June 2012-Officially dating
August 2012-Met in person
Aug 2012-Nov 2012-Tier 4 (General)
Aug 2014-present- Tier 4
Oct 2015-Wedding!!! and spouse visa sometime after that and before the Tier 4 expires


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Re: Tier 4 Visa - Should I Be Worried Yet?
« Reply #6 on: August 12, 2014, 04:46:57 PM »
I'm worried that it'll go weeks and then months with no contact and no way to contact anyone. I'm worried that they'll approve my visa and say they're sending it back but then I never get it and my tracking # won't work. I'm worried my passport will be lost and then I'll have to get a new passport and THEN apply again for a visa, delaying everything by months. I've been saving both paychecks for a year and living at my parents' house to accomplish this...I'm terrified I wasted a year.

Okay, you just need to take some time out and breathe and relax. It's not going to happen.

I have literally witnessed hundreds and hundreds of people here on the forum applying for their visas through the NYC consulate and UKVI in Sheffield over the last 7.5 years and I don't think I've ever seen any of those things happen to anyone.

The only thing I can recall happening was that a few months ago ONE person had problems getting their visa delivered to them from Sheffield - for some reason, the package had the wrong state initial on it and it got delivered to the wrong address. However, as the package was tracked right through, she contacted the courier, who found it and got it safely delivered to her within a few days.

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I read these things on the NYC consulate yelp page, FB page, and Google reviews page. Once that package enters that building it vanishes into a black hole and God help you if they mess something up. The people's reviews and stories are horrifying; Google for yourself and see.

This is the first I've heard of any of this and as I said, I've seen many, many visas be successfully processed in NYC for a number of years now with no issues at all. Since I joined this forum in January 2007, no one here on the forum has ever had this happen to them.

Packages entering that building DO NOT just vanish. If it was signed for and you know they have it, your visa WILL be processed and returned to you.

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Without my passport, I can't leave the country. In effect, a foreign nation is holding me hostage in my own country.

They really aren't. You've only been without your passport for 2 weeks and your visa is likely to be processed in the next couple of weeks anyway, so you'll get it back soon anyway.

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I'm sorry I annoyed everyone with my question, I'll go back to nervously pacing my bedroom. :(

You haven't annoyed anyone :). I'm just trying to reassure you that you have no reason at all to be concerned that your passport will get lost.


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Re: Tier 4 Visa - Should I Be Worried Yet?
« Reply #7 on: August 12, 2014, 05:24:52 PM »
The people's reviews and stories are horrifying; Google for yourself and see.

I have just had a look on Yelp reviews for the NYC consulate.

I see 33 neutral/positive reviews (3 stars or more) and 19 negative reviews (1 or 2 stars). Of those 19 negative reviews, only 3 seem to be due to genuine problems with the consulate (1 damaged passport, and 2 problems with the visa not being shipped properly).

So, that's only 3 genuinely bad experiences with the consulate out of 52 reviews (i.e. it was the consulate's fault).

The other 16 negative reviews, were mainly people getting annoyed about the visa process or applying incorrectly:

- 5 were complaints about contacting the consulate by phone/email
- 1 was a complaint from 2008 that the NORMAL processing time of a month was too long
- 1 didn't check all the evidence that they needed to send and blamed it on the online application
- 1 was a complaint about the consulate contacting them because they didn't include all the required documents
- 1 was a complaint about the many steps involved in the application process
- 1 linked to a Daily Mail article
- 1 person got a tracking number for their visa (visa returns are usually next-day)... and then apparently didn't bother checking it, and instead waited 4 weeks before actually wondering where their visa was and finding out that it had not been shipped. If they had checked the tracking number right away and realised this, they could have got it all sorted out and got their visa within a couple of days.
- 1 complained and complained about their passport not arriving and not being tracked... and then it arrived a couple of days later anyway.
- 1 had problems because they did not apply properly - there was an issue where they weren't prompted to book biometrics when they applied and so the visa was refused.
- 1 was a complaint that they hadn't been sent an email confirmation about the visa being received yet... but as it was too soon after being sent to NYC - it just hadn't been logged into the system yet


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Re: Tier 4 Visa - Should I Be Worried Yet?
« Reply #8 on: August 12, 2014, 06:16:37 PM »

- 1 linked to a Daily Mail article

Okay, *this* one made me giggle a bit, ksand! ;)

Hey OP, I get your anxiety believe me. I sent my spousal visa application off to Sheffield five weeks ago and still haven't heard word back (when people who applied after me are now hearing). But ultimately you will be fine. There is no reason for them to refuse it. I understand that being without your passport - and not knowing exactly where it is - is immensely anxiety inducing. I see no reason you won't have it well ahead of time. You are still within the normal waiting period and nothing has come up with your application to indicate there is any problem at all. Hang in there - it'll be okay! (And... I should really listen to my own advice, I realise.)

And you haven't annoyed me at all. I ask anxious annoying questions on here all the time.  ;)
Priority spouse online visa application submitted: June 26 2014
Biometrics appt & sent off application: July 8
Application & docs arrived in Sheffield: July 11
Confirmation email from Sheffield: July 15
Decision email: Aug 18
Visa received: Aug 19
Moved to UK: Aug 22 2014
FLR(M) granted at premium service centre: April 20 2017


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Re: Tier 4 Visa - Should I Be Worried Yet?
« Reply #9 on: August 15, 2014, 05:00:56 PM »
It's just that my university dragged their heels through every step of the process, assuring me that I had plenty of time and it took "a week" to get a visa in the US, and now it's the 11th business day and another week is gone. I can't plan, I can't think ahead, I'm caught in some kind of mindless oblivion...and the worst is knowing that I can't get in touch with anyone, can't track my visa...I'm powerless.

I can't sleep anymore.


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Re: Tier 4 Visa - Should I Be Worried Yet?
« Reply #10 on: August 15, 2014, 05:14:58 PM »
It's just that my university dragged their heels through every step of the process, assuring me that I had plenty of time and it took "a week" to get a visa in the US, and now it's the 11th business day and another week is gone. I can't plan, I can't think ahead, I'm caught in some kind of mindless oblivion...and the worst is knowing that I can't get in touch with anyone, can't track my visa...I'm powerless.

You do still have plenty of time, but your university were wrong about the processing time - back in May, before the consulate got busy, it was taking 15 working days (3 weeks) for Tier 4 visas to be processed, so it may well be a bit longer than that now.

You're only on working day 11, so you're still well within the normal processing time.

Frustratingly the Visa Processing Times webpage on the UKVI website has been 'unavailable' for the last few days, so I can't check to see if they've updated it with new processing times.

However, the most recent processing times for Tier 4 shown on the site (times for May, but published in July) were as follows:

1% processed in 2 working days
11% in 3 working days    
19% in 5 working days
47% in 10 working days    
96% in 15 working days
99% in 30 working days
100% in 120 working days

The best possible thing you can do is try not to think about your visa, because as you said there is nothing you can do about it.

Your visa will be processed when it's processed and spending your time worrying about it won't do anything except make you feel stressed and unhappy and I'm sure you don't want your last few weeks before you move to the UK to be filled with stress :).

Instead, try to put it to the back of your mind and concentrate on enjoying yourself and preparing for your move - make the most of your time in the US, see family, catch up with friends, get out and about, eat foods that you might not be able to eat in the UK, have some fun... enjoy the summer :).
« Last Edit: August 15, 2014, 05:19:33 PM by ksand24 »


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Re: Tier 4 Visa - Should I Be Worried Yet?
« Reply #11 on: August 16, 2014, 06:31:18 PM »
I've been trying to de-stress by working more hours at my part-time job (bookstore) as it's a nice place to be and it's earning me money at the same time. I sent an email to that 3rd party company that manages customer service and got this response:

Dear ,

Thank you for contacting the UK Visas and Immigration international enquiry
service.

We understand that you would like to know about the current status of your
visa application. I have tracked the status (GW[removed] and date of birth [removed]) and found that the application has been processed and a
decision was made on 10/08/2014 and it should be with you in the next few
days.

Please note that your passport and documentation could still take some time
to reach you whilst being sent back from the decision making centre and
whilst other administrative formalities are completed. The visa application
centre will be in contact with you regarding the collection or delivery.

If you have purchased a courier service then your documents will be
dispatched to the delivery address you have provided. We appreciate your
patience while you wait to receive your documents.


So...I'm at a loss for what that means. Nearly a week ago they made a decision but nothing's happened since? I checked the tracking number from my USPS customer copy and nothing's been sent on it...no emails from anyone. Now I'm worried that means that they've denied the visa as I read online from someone who had theirs denied that they weren't emailed, just got their papers back with a rejection.

I have a federal loan (and loan letter), CAS, more than enough money to cover the rest of tuition and the maintenance requirement, so I have the 40 points needed. Have you ever heard of anyone being denied and then just not hearing back?


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Re: Tier 4 Visa - Should I Be Worried Yet?
« Reply #12 on: August 18, 2014, 04:08:54 PM »
Does anyone know what the above email means? Why would they make a decision and then do nothing for over a week? Does this mean my visa has been denied?


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Re: Tier 4 Visa - Should I Be Worried Yet?
« Reply #13 on: August 19, 2014, 02:30:55 AM »
It's busy season; between the consulate sifting through hoards of paperwork and UPS expecting to scan everything, you might not get everything back straightaway. But you submitted what you needed to, and tier 4's are pretty much always granted. At this point, just take a deep break and wait for it to come back to you, more than likely with a visa intact.
Sept '11: premium service same-day tier 4 visa granted in NYC
July '13: tier 4 visa - applied from boston
October '14: FLRM - applied priority in sheffield office
March '17: FLRM 2 - applied priority in sheffield office
Sept 2019: IRL, priority at Croydon, granted same day
October 2019: submitted naturalisation application
January 2020: citizenship approved!
March 2020: last citizenship ceremony before covid :-O


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Re: Tier 4 Visa - Should I Be Worried Yet?
« Reply #14 on: August 19, 2014, 07:30:52 AM »
Does anyone know what the above email means? Why would they make a decision and then do nothing for over a week? Does this mean my visa has been denied?

I don't know for sure, I doubt it necessarily means anything at all.

There could be a number of possibilities, especially since it's an email from a third party company and not from the consulate. For example, the email could be wrong and actually, your visa hasn't been processed yet, which is why you haven't received it (actually this is probably the most likely scenario). It could be that what they tracked was just the visa being assigned to an ECO for processing on August 10th (again this is quite likely, given the current processing times). Or they might have mixed up your application number with someone else's.

Personally, I wouldn't trust anything you hear from anywhere but the actual NYC consulate who is processing your application. They are the only ones who can tell you for sure whether your visa has been issued or not. When the visa has been processed, you should get an email from NYC directly telling you that it has been approved (or refused) and that it is being mailed back to you. And then you should receive it within 1-2 days.

As the email said, the consulate will contact you when they are mailing your application back (which is usually the same day that the visa decision is made - and that's what makes me think that it hasn't actually been processed yet).

Those third party companies do not actually know the details of your specific application, and are known for giving incorrect and very bad advice (half the time they are just 'guessing' or assuming). As far as I know, all they can do is look something up on their computers and tell you what comes up (whether it is correct or not).


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