spouse visa application

Been filling out the online application form today for a spouse visa for my wife. At the top just below the unique reference number it now says
settlement-settlement-wife, is this right for what I am trying to do? I assume so but it's a weird set up where you select the visa type you want. Just want to make sure I will be asking for the right visa.

Also I noted that people mentioned VFS labels when sending their application to Sheffield, what does that mean and where do we get them from?

Someone did tell me and I have forgotten, which couriers they use to return the passport and documents.

At the top just below the unique reference number it now says
settlement-settlement-wife, is this right for what I am trying to do? I assume so but it's a weird set up where you select the visa type you want. Just want to make sure I will be asking for the right visa.

Yes, that's correct: she's applying for a Settlement visa as the Wife of a UK citizen

Also I noted that people mentioned VFS labels when sending their application to Sheffield, what does that mean and where do we get them from?

VFS Global is UKVI's commercial partner and it's a website from which you can purchase the Settlement Priority Processing service (which gets your application put to the front of the processing line when it arrives in Sheffield) and pre-paid UPS shipping labels.

See here: https://www.vfsglobal.co.uk/usa/user_pay_services.html

Someone did tell me and I have forgotten, which couriers they use to return the passport and documents.

It's up to you how you get it returned.

If you pay for the VFS Global return shipping label it will be returned by 2-day UPS shipping back to the US.

Alternatively, you can do it yourself through UPS or DHL, by creating an online account with one of them and including your online account number in your documents package. When they are ready to return your documents, they will charge your online UPS or DHL account for the return shipping.

In terms of sending the documents TO Sheffield, you can either use the VFS Global UPS shipping label and send through a UPS store, or just do it yourself with UPS or DHL.

Is it not possible to send the documents package myself, via UPS for example and just include return pre paid UPS envelope and labelling with it all?

Is it not possible to send the documents package myself, via UPS for example and just include return pre paid UPS envelope and labelling with it all?

You can send it yourself, but it is not possible to get an international return label to put on it (you can only purchase domestic US return labels, not international ones), so if you want to get it shipped back yourself using UPS, you need to set up an online account with UPS, then include your online account number with the documents and then Sheffield will use the number to charge your account for the return shipping after the visa has been processed.

I bought the return shipping and thought I was going to get a good deal from my store to send my application and I was wrong. I'd suggest just paying the 227 for there and back. But that's just my experience from yesterday.

Yeah. It's just simpler to buy the VFS labels, I think. You may save a bit of money if you buy your own, but here I think it's a matter of whether saving a few dollars is worth the hassle. What with all the stress and cost of the entire process, for me personally I figured why not just go whole hog and save a bit of stress.

Yeah. It's just simpler to buy the VFS labels, I think. You may save a bit of money if you buy your own, but here I think it's a matter of whether saving a few dollars is worth the hassle. What with all the stress and cost of the entire process, for me personally I figured why not just go whole hog and save a bit of stress.

^^ my thoughts exactly yesterday. I was like "Why did I just do that to myself??" Haha!

While I'm usually the first person to suggest cost cutting measures, I do actually support the VFS prepaid shipping.  Mainly just because it seems like when people don't use them, Sheffield can't figure it out (no matter how obvious the return information is made) and the application ends up sitting around unnecessarily for a few extra days while they email you, ask for everything again, and then match it up to your application.

I think that's what I'll do. It seems that asking for the priority service and using their courier service are 2 separate things, is that right?

I think that's what I'll do. It seems that asking for the priority service and using their courier service are 2 separate things, is that right?

Yes. 

Right, but you can buy them together. Also, be sure to print out the receipt showing you bought the priority service (if you do) and put it on top of your documents.

Once the purchase goes through, you can go back to the purchase summary to print out the waybills and the receipt, although you wouldn't know it from the instructions they give you.

Settlement Priority Processing
£450 (currently $572), gets your application put to the front of the processing line after it arrives in Sheffield
See: https://www.vfsglobal.co.uk/usa/user_pay_services.html#6

Courier Service
$141 for the return shipping only back from Sheffield (you ship it to Sheffield yourself)
$227 for round trip shipping to and from Sheffield
See: https://www.vfsglobal.co.uk/usa/user_pay_services.html#4 (same page as above, just different section)