I have read that applicants applying from USA calculate the 60 day period from the date they get an email from Sheffield. However a few questions on this because it doesnt quite add up..... some people never get an email from Sheffield saying that their application is being prepared etc etc so how can they determine 60 days from this if they never received an email?
If they don't receive the email, then they count from the date that their documents were signed for in Sheffield. It may not be completely accurate, but it's all they have to go on.
In this email it also states about supporting documents being sent but "disregard if you have already sent them" so this email can not be used to determine receipt of documents..is there another email that is sent out?
No, there's only one email... which is that one.
In some countries, the applicant submits their application forms and passport(s) in person at their biometrics appointment, which are then transmitted to Sheffield for them, and then the UK sponsor has a certain number of days to mail their supporting documents to Sheffield from within the UK.
In the US though, everything has to be sent together in one package, so Sheffield receive your online application and the sponsor's documents at the same time, in the same package.
The email covers all possibilities though... so for US applications, you just ignore the part about sending the documents, because you've already done that.
I emailed the "visa people" and they stated that it was from biometrics which seems a lot more logical? Ive been counting my 60 days from biometrics (22nd) but I got my email on 12th March 
This puts us waaaay back 
The thing is that Sheffield can't start the processing time count until they actually receive your application and documents. On the date of biometrics for US applications, Sheffield do not yet have your documents, so they can't start processing them yet.
In many countries, biometrics are given at a Visa Application Centre, and the application forms and documents are submitted at the same time. Therefore UKVI receive the documents on the same date as the biometrics, and so the processing time count starts from that date.
However, in the US, biometrics are taken by US immigration on behalf of UKVI, and then it's the applicant's responsibility to mail the documents to Sheffield within 5 days.
So, in that case, you potentially have a gap of several days between biometrics and Sheffield receiving your documents, where nothing can be processed... and Sheffield aren't going to take responsibility for those few days that it took you to get your documents to them.
If you did your biometrics on Feb 22nd, but Sheffield didn't receive your documents until March 12th, then there was no way for them to start processing your visa until March 12th... because for 12 working days (Feb 22nd-March 12th), they didn't have anything to process.
By my count, you are on business day 30 from the date they received your application forms and documents and could start processing them.
Also, am I supposed to have got an email to say that our supporting docs got there? I have tracking to say that it has and I have an email to say online application has been received but thats it...is this normal?
Yes, that's normal - that's your email to say they have your documents.
You know your documents got there because:
- your tracking shows they were delivered
- you got the email to say they have received your application
The online application does not get transmitted anywhere, so no one will see it until you physically mail it to them... therefore the email is a bit misleading (in other countries, they get it when they do biometrics because that's when the application and documents are also submitted).
