Possible refusal

Sheffield received my documents Wednesday and I just got an email stating a decision has been made and they are shipping my documents back. How can that be possible?  It is Friday so of course we have the weekend to deal with this. Has anyone else had this. I am such a mess right now.

Quick decisions are approvals.  Refusals take time.

Sheffield has been totally jacked up all summer.  They are trying to skew statistics to keep in their 60 day service standard.  That statistic is easily met by grabbing the most recently received application and turning it around.  Be thankful!  You are this months unicorn!   

I wouldn't worry just yet.

Approvals are quick, but refusals take more time because they have to look into everything more carefully and often request further documents if something is missing.

Did you use priority processing? If so, it sounds like this may be the end of the backlog and they could be back to normal processing times... back in a January 2017, a priority decision in 2 days was normal!


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Do you have any reasons other than the quick processing time to believe that you have been refused?

If so, let us know what they are so that we can hopefully help put your mind at rest and get you through the weekend as painlessly as possible. 

Quick decisions are approvals.  Refusals take time.

I understand the idea behind this, but this hasn't been my experience, actually.

I got a refusal for ILR (a SET(O) application), and it took less than three weeks for them to get the too-bad pack back to me. I was really surprised. When it arrived at the door, I thought it was going to be an approval based on the quick turn-around. I think I stood there for a good five minutes staring at it before the reality finally set in.

Anyway, I hope it works out for you in the end.

PS: I successfully got my ILR a year later, so yay.

We're talking about applications made outside the UK, specifically for settlement visas - in the almost 11 years I've been on the forum, a quick decision has almost always meant an approval. A refusal usually takes a week or two longer.

ILR is a different kettle of fish altogether - especially ILR NOT based on marriage to a UK citizen (SET(O)). If you have applied incorrectly or your payment doesn't go through they will usually send the package back quickly with a note saying it can't be processed.


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We didn't do priority processing and no reason to believe I would be refused just shocked by the quick reply. I don't know why they don't state in the email the decision I just have to wait to get my documents back. You have helped me greatly with your replies. I will let you know for sure when I receive the documents. Thank you again so much.

We didn't do priority processing and no reason to believe I would be refused just shocked by the quick reply. I don't know why they don't state in the email the decision I just have to wait to get my documents back. You have helped me greatly with your replies. I will let you know for sure when I receive the documents. Thank you again so much.

When settlement visas were processed in New York, they used to give you the result in the email but since they moved to Sheffield, it's been the way it is now.

When I get my documents back next week, will the decision be in with my paperwork or how do they notify you of the decision?


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You have to wait for the paperwork to find out the decision.

- If it's a fiancé visa, it will just be the visa in the passport, with no accompanying letter

- if it's a spousal visa, there  will be the visa in the passport plus a letter explaining where and how to pick up your BRP card

- if it's a refusal, in both cases, there will be a letter stating the reasons for refusal




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Nobody panic! (quoting J. Saunders as Edina),   😎

Listen to these three! They know what they are talking about! Their advice is spot-on. If it makes you feel better, I was just in the same boat as you are--my visa was decided in record time (13 business days, non priority). It was an approval. My approval letter was also dated more than a week before the email notification, so that puts UKVI's actual decision five days after receipt of materials.  They waited a week before sending me the decided email, which was sent the same day they sent the package back.

I know how stressful it is, though. I actually felt ill when I saw the decision made email (thinking it had to be a quick denial for something).  I phoned my husband and he said, "What?! Already?!" We weren't expecting to hear anything until end of November at the earliest.

Say it with us!


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Say it with us!


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Lol you guys are great!!  I believe in myself !! 


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Definitely will be an approval! This approval bag is getting way too big and heavy for my back now!

That is a super quick turn around. Looks like that ECO backside was on pure fire and got it processed in quick time. Maybe they are having a contest behind closed doors to see which ECO can clear their desks within the month quicker! Whatever it is, let's hope we see more quick turn around for applicants across the world.

I think so too.  This is how much of a freak I am. After I got the email I figured they got something wrong and I read a post on another site where the guy was worried about mistaken identity, that it had happened to him before.  So I decided to go to our local FBI office to see if I could pull my report and check for errors. Now I'm a nurse so my background has to be spotless but nevertheless I went. The guy was very nice, said I could request it but I would have my answer from the U.K. well before I got anything back from them and to try to relax. The range of emotions I've gone through with this is crazy. I'm a rational, the glass is half full, level headed woman but I haven't felt like one since we started this process that's why I'm so glad I found this forum.  All of you keep me centered and that makes a world of difference getting though this.


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