Starting to worry....

As many of you know we are still waiting for my wife's FLR(M) to come back...We are into 17 weeks now with not so much as an update.

We have a family Thanksgiving arranged in the USA in November which we almost certainly won't be able to make.

My wife is now convinced there is a problem with the application and she is going to have to leave the country at a moments notice...Does the long wait indicate a problem?

I contacted my MP a few weeks ago - no response.

I phone the visa phone number frequently and they are useless.

I just don't know what to do, I am so frustrated. These guys are a law unto themselves held accountable by nobody. They can't even tell me if the process will take another week or another ten years.

I see many other people on this forum and others getting their FLR(M) back in 6 - 8 weeks. Why is ours so different?

I recommend going to see your MP during their office hours and meeting face-to-face with him/her.  Clearly ask them to use the MP hotline to contact UKVI and inquire about your application.

He/She CAN help and SHOULD help.  If they ask about your file, UKVI will dig it out of whatever pile it's sitting in and process it.

If you absolutely can't meet with them, call them daily.  Be polite but persistent.  You need an answer.

I can't imagine you are looking at a refusal.  Is there anything unusual about your application?

If it was a refusal, you would have time to resubmit a new application and your wife would not be sent packing.   

The original application was processed in two days from the USA so it didn't get hung up on anything at that time.

We easily meet all the financial requirements and own our own home in the UK now. We have no dependents or children (yet).

As for "anything unusual" - my wife does have a minor misdemeanor in the USA from ten years ago...It was a non-custodial sentence that was spent under UK law years ago. It was all listed on the original application and we just listed it again on the FLR(M) and sent the same supporting documentation.

I was expecting it to take slightly longer than the eight week service standard - maybe ten or twelve weeks...Not seventeen with no communication.

My wife's original visa has now expired. She can't reapply for an expired visa can she?

Thanks,

The original application time doesn't play into things, due to it being processed by a completely different team than applications from inside the UK.  But it does show how straightforward your application is.

So you have ZERO reason to thing the application is being refused.

Please contact your MP.  He/She should help!

I agree with KFdancer. Be persistent with your MP.

 Remember, the squeaky wheel gets the oil! 

I've been in contact with my MP over the past month about my wife's FLR(M) visa application which was submitted on July 11th. The MP has been contacting the Home Office on my behalf however there has been no movement on the visa whatsoever. Just silly updates about the application still being "in process" which means exactly nothing to me.

My wife and I are booked to travel next Friday - I very much doubt that will happen.

What a disappointing government we have in this country.

I've been in contact with my MP over the past month about my wife's FLR(M) visa application which was submitted on July 11th. The MP has been contacting the Home Office on my behalf however there has been no movement on the visa whatsoever. Just silly updates about the application still being "in process" which means exactly nothing to me.

My wife and I are booked to travel next Friday - I very much doubt that will happen.

What a disappointing government we have in this country.

I'm very sorry.  I'm disappointed your MP hasn't been able to get any movement for you.

It is shocking that we spend so much money for such an incompetent service...

I heard from my MP today...Apparently she spoke to the case worker and the visa is still undergoing "Mandatory Security Checks". The caseworker informed the MP that the visa wont be processed anytime in the short term and therefore my holiday isn't going to happen.

I need to get my British Passport back at this point for work travel which is the next date I am now at risk of missing in December.

Can I get my passport back as the sponsor without causing a problem to the application?

I heard from my MP today...Apparently she spoke to the case worker and the visa is still undergoing "Mandatory Security Checks". The caseworker informed the MP that the visa wont be processed anytime in the short term and therefore my holiday isn't going to happen.

I need to get my British Passport back at this point for work travel which is the next date I am now at risk of missing in December.

Can I get my passport back as the sponsor without causing a problem to the application?

Yes, of course.  But do it now as it can take up to 28 days to be returned.  You shouldn't have sent it in the first place!  A photocopy would have been fine (though you have to copy each page).

https://www.gov.uk/visa-documents-returned

I'm so sorry that you won't be able to go to the US for Thanksgiving.  I can't believe you aren't getting more answers.

Thanks KFDancer,

Looking at that website it mentions return of documents and WITHDRAWING the application. The last thing I want to do is withdraw the application...How can I be certain that the request for the passport wont disturb the application that is ongoing?

Make it VERY clear in your request that you are requesting the SPONSOR's passport back and the sponsor's passport only. Also state you are not withdrawing the application, but simply need your passport for business travel and realise that your passport was not required to be submitted with the application.

Looking at that website it mentions return of documents and WITHDRAWING the application. The last thing I want to do is withdraw the application...How can I be certain that the request for the passport wont disturb the application that is ongoing?

This is what I would be terrified of. How important is this business travel? Can you just explain the situation and blow it off? Think that's what I'd do in this horrid situation.

I have requested the passport back now. Unfortunately I cannot be without my passport for an indeterminate length of time. This has taken eighteen weeks already and I was basically told today that the visa wont be processed anytime soon.

Marriage and family life count for nothing. One thing that does matter to these people is money. If they mess up my job because I'm held prisoner in my own country then they will start crying foul about the financial requirement.

It's government behavior like this that makes people vote for Donald Trump. I feel so betrayed and insignificant right now.

I have requested the passport back now. Unfortunately I cannot be without my passport for an indeterminate length of time. This has taken eighteen weeks already and I was basically told today that the visa wont be processed anytime soon.

Marriage and family life count for nothing. One thing that does matter to these people is money. If they mess up my job because I'm held prisoner in my own country then they will start crying foul about the financial requirement.

It's government behavior like this that makes people vote for Donald Trump. I feel so betrayed and insignificant right now.

It is frustrating, but to be fair, there was no requirement for you to submit your passport at all - you could have just sent a copy and you would have been free to do whatever you liked for the last few months. It's not UKVI's fault you sent your passport when you didn't need to.

It explicitly states on the application form that your actual passport is not needed:

Your partner’s current passport or travel document showing that he/she is present and settled in the UK. If you are making your application by post you can send a complete and full copy of your partner’s current passport or travel document. Every page of the passport must be copied including any blank pages.

ksand24,

Yes you are correct. To be honest I didn't worry about it that much at the time as my planned travel was twenty weeks away...I thought this would be all done and dusted by then. I was wrong in that assumption.

My main grievance still relates to the bad news I have received today and the fact that I will most likely lose the 1500 quid in bookings I have made for travel plans etc. Not to mention missing out on seeing family for another year and spending three weeks of my hard earned holiday time in the UK winter weather while I should be in Florida.

I shouldn't have booked travel for my wife and I without having the visa in hand. And I should have kept hold of my passport. Not a mistake I will make again.

Why all this takes so long...I may never know.