march timeline

My visa arrived back on Monday.  We had put a travel date of the 27th of April and they only pushed it up one week to the 20th of April. We had even included a note saying we would
Love to change it to earlier!

Congratulations! The 7 days earlier seems to be consistent with visas issued in the last month.  Which is probably okay for 99% of people, but when the guidance says to put the earliest possible travel date and that you'll have 30 days to enter - it's not entirely true!

Agreed if I could go back I would have put end of march and if it ended up passing whatever. We did the application before finding the forum here and among the terrible advice I had received before I was told to put 12 weeks from application date that it would offend the eco if before... at least now I know for flr where to go for advice!

Can we change the intended travel date now the application is with them?

Can we change the intended travel date now the application is with them?

Unfortunately not - you can't make any changes or add any documents once you have mailed the package to Sheffield.

So I'm wondering how people plan such a major move without knowing when the 30 day window of valid travel begins??

Am I right in my understanding on this? That when I, a US Citizen married to a UK Citizen, apply for a spouse visa ("apply to join family living permanently in the UK") I can request a travel date up to 90 days from the date of the application, though that date might not be approved? But when a date is approved and stamped in my passport, I have 30 days from that date to make my move?

In my case, my wife and I hope to move together after I get a visa approved, but the uncertainty of a date makes planning a conundrum. Our move will include selling our current house, getting our dog ready to emigrate, shipping belongings, etc.  Could I fly over to the UK during the initial 30 days, pick up the Biometric Residence Permit that will be waiting at a Post Office, fly back to the US, and then do the move? Seems an expensive option! And I know from you good folks that I ought to be thinking about the next stage in the long process of applying for citizenship, not spending too many days out of the UK after I get an initial spouse visa.

So I'm wondering how people plan such a major move without knowing when the 30 day window of valid travel begins??

Am I right in my understanding on this? That when I, a US Citizen married to a UK Citizen, apply for a spouse visa ("apply to join family living permanently in the UK") I can request a travel date up to 90 days from the date of the application, though that date might not be approved? But when a date is approved and stamped in my passport, I have 30 days from that date to make my move?

In my case, my wife and I hope to move together after I get a visa approved, but the uncertainty of a date makes planning a conundrum. Our move will include selling our current house, getting our dog ready to emigrate, shipping belongings, etc.  Could I fly over to the UK during the initial 30 days, pick up the Biometric Residence Permit that will be waiting at a Post Office, fly back to the US, and then do the move? Seems an expensive option! And I know from you good folks that I ought to be thinking about the next stage in the long process of applying for citizenship, not spending too many days out of the UK after I get an initial spouse visa.

All of your assumptions are correct.  The 30 days is quite new and I agree, rather limiting.  But yes, an option is to fly over, collect the BRP, and return when ready.  Luckily time out of the UK for citizenship only applies for the final 3 years so you have a bit of wiggle room.

Unfortunately not - you can't make any changes or add any documents once you have mailed the package to Sheffield.

It seems daft that once you get your passport back you can't travel anyway, theoretically as a visitor. Doesn't the date of the vignette just relate to the timeline around collecting the BRP?

It seems daft that once you get your passport back you can't travel anyway, theoretically as a visitor. Doesn't the date of the vignette just relate to the timeline around collecting the BRP?

You could *try* to enter as a visitor but you'd need strong proof that you were genuinely visiting and not trying to relocate early.  It's best to just wait.

No, the date is supposed to be the earliest date you wish to move.  They allow a 90 day advance from the application so that people are not forc s into moving before they are ready.  So it's not really to do with the BRP (whichbyou only have 10 days to collect once you enter), it's aligned with when the applicant wants to move.

You can return the passport and vignette for an updated 30 day entry window.  But it's time consuming and expensive so most people don't find it worth it.

You could *try* to enter as a visitor but you'd need strong proof that you were genuinely visiting and not trying to relocate early.  It's best to just wait.

No, the date is supposed to be the earliest date you wish to move.  They allow a 90 day advance from the application so that people are not forc s into moving before they are ready.  So it's not really to do with the BRP (whichbyou only have 10 days to collect once you enter), it's aligned with when the applicant wants to move.

You can return the passport and vignette for an updated 30 day entry window.  But it's time consuming and expensive so most people don't find it worth it.

In our case, we are both slated to attend a work related conference in Marseille on 23 March and we were hoping that if the visa application is approved quickly as it is priority and things seem to be moving quicker, Rachelle could fly here and join me before we drive down to France together. I messed up an put 28 Mar as intended travel date, as I got the wrong date for the conference. So if we could show proof that she is just passing through on way to Marseille would that be acceptable do you think?
Of course we are jumping massively ahead and may find that her application doesn't get processed quickly.

It seems daft that once you get your passport back you can't travel anyway, theoretically as a visitor.

As KFDancer said, you could, in theory, try to enter as a visitor before it starts, but it's risky, because in order to be allowed in as a visitor, you have to show:
- you have no intention of living in or moving to the UK
- you have an onward ticket out of the UK (and possibly also evidence of a return ticket back to the US after the conference)
- you have a home, job and a life to go back to in the US.

And if you've just applied for and been granted a spousal visa to MOVE to the UK, and you have packed up your life and left your job and are on your way to move to the UK, you won't really have a leg to stand on when trying to prove you are just a visitor and will go back to the US.

Doesn't the date of the vignette just relate to the timeline around collecting the BRP?

No, it's the earliest date you are allowed to enter the UK. The visa should be made valid for 30 days from the date you specify and then the BRP will be made ready to pick up based on the date you gave on the application.
 
The intended travel date question is your chance to determine the most convenient time for you to move. Your BRP will then be made ready to pick up based on the date you want to travel.

It's best to put the earliest possible date you will be ready to move, so you aren't hanging around in the US waiting for the visa to become valid if it's approved earlier than the travel date.

I messed up an put 28 Mar as intended travel date, as I got the wrong date for the conference. So if we could show proof that she is just passing through on way to Marseille would that be acceptable do you think?
Of course we are jumping massively ahead and may find that her application doesn't get processed quickly.

At the moment, applications are being processed in less than 1 week, so I would imagine you'll get it in the next few days.

However, a few people have found their visa is being granted with a valid from date about 7 days before the date they put on the application form, so you may find that they issue it from around March 21st.

As KFDancer said, you could, in theory, try to enter as a visitor before it starts, but it's risky, because in order to be allowed in as a visitor, you have to show:
- you have no intention of living in or moving to the UK
- you have a return/onward ticket
- you have a home, job and a life to go back to in the US.

And if you've just applied for and been granted a spousal visa to MOVE to the UK, and you have packed up your life and left your job and are now in France on your way to move to the UK, you won't really have a leg to stand on when trying to prove you are just a visitor and will go back to the US.

No, it's the earliest date you are allowed to enter the UK. The visa should be made valid for 30 days from the date you specify and then the BRP will be made ready to pick up based on the date you gave on the application.
 
The intended travel date question is your chance to determine the most convenient time for you to move. Your BRP will then be made ready to pick up based on the date you want to travel.

It's best to put the earliest possible date you will be ready to move, so you aren't hanging around in the US waiting for the visa to become valid if it's approved earlier than the travel date.

Thanks for the advice. Well I guess at this stage we best just hope for approval and if they do grant it we get an earlier date than requested.

The 30 days is quite new and I agree, rather limiting.  But yes, an option is to fly over, collect the BRP, and return when ready.  Luckily time out of the UK for citizenship only applies for the final 3 years so you have a bit of wiggle room.

Thanks much for the confirmation. Maybe we should hurry up with our application in case that 30 day window closes more.    I sure am glad for the advice from you folks on this forum!

In our case, we are both slated to attend a work related conference in Marseille on 23 March and we were hoping that if the visa application is approved quickly as it is priority and things seem to be moving quicker, Rachelle could fly here and join me before we drive down to France together. I messed up an put 28 Mar as intended travel date, as I got the wrong date for the conference. So if we could show proof that she is just passing through on way to Marseille would that be acceptable do you think?
Of course we are jumping massively ahead and may find that her application doesn't get processed quickly.

They seem to issue the date one week earlier than requested, so if the same pattern follows, you'll be golden!

Hi,

I'm wondering if my situation puts my timeline so short that I should give up on submitting my application for a settlement (spouse) visa.  My facts are as follows.

I used advise from 1st Global.

I paid UK Settlement visa fees (with a UK spouse) on 28 Feb 2017. The payment went through 1st Contact.  I don't recall the reason, but my adviser said that we needed to pay priority processing fees the next day.

My person at 1st Contact also had arranged an appointment for me in St. Louis USA on 3 March for biometric collection information.  My visa application dossier was complete (except for the biometric stamp and return shipping label at that time and it reads Settlement - spouse.

Prior to my trip to St. Louis, I obtained a return shipping label through VFSGlobal.  When I entered personal information to receive this shipping label, I incorrectly marked "Long-Stay" visa, rather than Settlement visa.

The next day my 1st contact person said that my error caused us to be unable to pay for priority processing.  She told me to go to St. Louis and get the biometric stuff done. She though that they should be able to get the error fixed, and receive my payment for the the priority processing fee.

I got to St.Louis and was told that all they did was fingerprinting and photographing.  They accept no fee payment and fix no errors.I did the biometrics.

When I got back home, I contacted VFSGlobal. I was told a mishmash of things,  particularly that they do not process settlement visas, and when I had my biometric information processed the application was officially in and no changes could be made (why wasn't I told this first?).

I have let my adviser know about this, but no calls until she gets to work on Monday.

My question:  What is the likelihood that, if I ship my application in on March 5 (after a talk with my adviser), I will have my visa and passport back by May 1.  We fly out on May 2, and our first lease runs for 5 months.  Time is getting tight, which is why I wanted priority processing.

Any information that you can offer on the time a standard settlement-spouse application gets processed and visa and passport returned (from your experience) would help me decide what to do.
 
I can roll the dice and send in the application -- if that fails I wait until I get my passport back (whenever).  Then, I pay the horrible fees for a flight that's rescheduled for 2 people under these conditions.  I'm also paying for unused rent in London. Caching. Caching.  Or,I give up on my application, travel for fewer than 6 months, return and try again. Lost UK fees and 1st Contact fees. Caching. Caching.