Considering switching to in-person application

Hi guys.
I was just wondering how far in advance appointments have to be booked to do an in-person FLR(M) application. We thought we'd have our house by now but the sellers are dragging their feet. We are hoping to have the contracts signed by early July, and I can apply after July 2nd but before August 10th. But they might not. My husband and I were just discussing if it would be easier to try and wait for the contracts to finalize and apply in person after July.....its just hard to tell right now. Tried finding out on the website but I didn't want to get too far into the booking process just to find out. :-( Thanks.

I booked my appointment at the beginning of April (to beat the price change) and was able to get a date for the second week of May. There did seem to be fair availability for the weeks in between, especially if you don't have a preference what time you want to go. This was in Croydon. If you cut it really close, there are other centres you can go to which may not be as busy.

Thanks.
We are buying a house and thought we'd have it by now but its taking longer than hoped. So we are thinking of waiting and applying in person to avoid having too much paper work. I've recently read some horror stories on this forum, which is making us want to do it in person more. Its just coming up with the additional 590 quid. :-(
Thanks for your input.

Appointments are made available to book 42 days in advance .

Thanks so much.
We have actually decided to do an in-person application. Between this and the house buying, I don't know if my anxiety could handle a two month wait. So thanks so much for the info! We are planning about the third week of July. (We should have our house by then *fiingers crossed*)

Good luck! I hope everything falls into place.

Hello all! I'm a little confused on the processing times. Is there a difference in FLR times compared to wife settlement visa applying from here in the states? Also I can't remember ever seeing an option for priority service. How did I miss that?

Sorry wanted to post this, not reply.
Good luck tho!

Hello all! I'm a little confused on the processing times. Is there a difference in FLR times compared to wife settlement visa applying from here in the states? Also I can't remember ever seeing an option for priority service. How did I miss that?

Yes, FLR is a different application, it's done from within the UK and the processing times are different.
Priority service can be purchased through the vfs global website.

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

Hello all! I'm a little confused on the processing times. Is there a difference in FLR times compared to wife settlement visa applying from here in the states? Also I can't remember ever seeing an option for priority service. How did I miss that?
[/quote

Yes, FLR is a different application, it's done from within the UK and the processing times are different.
Priority service can be purchased through the vfs global website.

https://www.vfsglobal.co.uk/usa/user_pay_services.html [nofollow]

Thank you


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Can anyone tell me exactly what to expect with an in-person appointment? I know the biometrics will be done at the appointment. But other than that, do I just hand over the documents and sit biting my fingernails? Do they come ask us questions or can we verbally make a case for things (such as the not-quite-so-evenly-spaced mail I have for us over the last 2 years)? My husband will be coming with me, of course. As well as my father-in-law for moral support as he dealt with immigration issues before (my mother in law is from cyprus before it entered the EU). Just looking to see what I can expect. Thanks guys.

Can anyone tell me exactly what to expect with an in-person appointment? I know the biometrics will be done at the appointment. But other than that, do I just hand over the documents and sit biting my fingernails? Do they come ask us questions or can we verbally make a case for things (such as the not-quite-so-evenly-spaced mail I have for us over the last 2 years)? My husband will be coming with me, of course. As well as my father-in-law for moral support as he dealt with immigration issues before (my mother in law is from cyprus before it entered the EU). Just looking to see what I can expect. Thanks guys.

I haven't done an in person appointment but until someone who has comes along with the details, I can tell you that I have only read good things about them.
Everyone seems to report how nicely they were treated.   

Just did mine in 10th May.

We arrived at 11:20ish for an 11:50 appointment. The building is undergoing some work so it's a bit helter-skelter there. First thing you do is show your appointment confirmation to the person at the door who will send you to security.

Security took a minute, if that. Bags and coats on the belt, no metal in your pockets. Easier than the airport.

Then you go up a few floors until you find the level for in-person appointments. Go to reception. You can check in 15 minutes before your scheduled appointment. We arrived 20 minutes early and they had us wait. At the desk, present the passports, appointment check list (from email) and the FLR form with signed declarations at end. They will check you in, return your documents, give you a number, then send you to the side to wait for your number to be called.

When your number is called, you will be directed to a desk in the first part of the room. The person will ask for passports and the application form. They will also give you a folder into which you place all your supporting documents. My lady said take everything out of sleeves and separators except for the photocopies. The person enters your basic info and makes sure the form is all set. This took about 20 minutes. Then, you take your documents in their new folder and wait to be called for biometrics.

Biometrics is down a further hallway. You will be called to a booth with a desk, a stool, and a camera on the way. Give your application to the person at the desk (make sure everything is in it because this is when it gets sent for processing). They will take your fingerprints and your photo. At this point, you are done with the appointment bits; now comes the wait.

If you leave the appointment area, down the hallway is a huge waiting area. There are some tables but mostly chairs. There is a tiny café bit. This is where you wait for the decision. There are screens on the wall that show you where your application is at: awaiting arrival, biometrics verification, awaiting review, under consideration, decision made. You can watch your number go through the stages which is rather nice. If there is an issue with something, they will call you back to a desk (people in front of me had an issue with biometrics). When a decision had been made, your number is called to a desk in the first room where your documents are returned and you are informed of the decision.

All in all, it was a fairly easy experience. Just be prepared for a lengthy wait. We spent 4 hours in the waiting area. Definitely bring a book or something. There was no WiFi. Also consider bringing snacks because the café doesn't have a ton of choices. But the same-day response is so worth sitting there for a few hours.

Let me know if you have any more questions or anything. Hope your appointment goes as smoothly as mine. 

It was similar in our in-person appointment at Liverpool.

It is a very modern nice office there on the ground floor.

Similar to Beatlemania. However, no café at Liverpool. I wasn't sure if you could leave to come back in as we didn't want to take the risk but our appointment was at 9am and we had a healthy breakfast at Moose.

Be prepared to do a lot of waiting. We got called up once as we submitted the entire wrong year in payslips. That's the risk of quadruple checking everything every single day, we ended up submitting the discarded payslips. Fortunately, we were there to submit the correct payslips!

We waited 2.5 hours from arrival to walking out with a successful FLR(M) application. Good luck

Yes, sorry, I should have specified.  My appointment was in Croydon so it may be a slightly different layout if you are going to a different center.