Premium service centre booking dates

Hello all. My first FLR(M) spousal visa runs out on 3rd June 2018. My husband and I will be applying for my extension at a service centre. I know that I can only apply 28 days in advance and can book 45 days in advance for an appointment at one of the centres. Do these dates sound correct based off of my above date?

Visa runs out: 3 June 2018
First available date to apply: 6 May 2018 (28 days in advance)
First available date to book online for in-person appointment: 22 March 2018

For some reason I feel that I am looking at these advance dates wrong. If I try to book an in person interview (say tomorrow) for any dates from 22 March - 2 June, that wouldn't be correct, would it?

I know it sounds slightly confusing, but hope it somewhat makes sense. Any guidance would be great. Thanks so much.

Those dates look correct to me, although I believe the UKVI website only has appointments available 42 days out, not 45 days... they've changed the instructions from 42 days to 45 days, but don't seem to have actually changed the appointment booking service yet!

Earliest date you can attend an appointment  = 6th May 2018
45 days before May 6th = 22nd March 2018
42 days before May 6th = 25th March 2018

- If you tried to book an appointment tomorrow, the website will only show you available appointments up to 25th April (42 days from tomorrow), which is too early for you to book.

- If you tried to book an appointment on 22nd March, it would only let you see dates up to May 3rd... which again is too early to book

- If you tried to book on 25th March, it would only let you see appointments up to May 6th... which is okay to book, but you would only be able to book for May 6th and no other dates.

In order to be able to see available appointments right up to June 2nd, you would have to wait until April 21st.

In order to be able to see available appointments right up to June 2nd, you would have to wait until April 21st.

This is correct.

I don't know which Premium Service Centre you will be using, but some of them rarely (or never?) show available appointments in my experience.  I would urge you to register now so you can familiarize yourself with the booking process and see what availability is like at your chosen center (if you're going to Sheffield, Belfast, or Glasgow, you'll be fine!).

Since registering a month ago, I have only ever seen one appointment available for my chosen center.  I'm actually planning to stay up 'til midnight the night six weeks before I'm eligible to apply so I can try to catch an appointment.  I'll do that every night until I catch one.  If it looks like I can't get one for my chosen center, Sheffield looks to be the next-closest, and that centre does tend to have a few appointments pretty consistently.

Thank you both for the insight.

This is all so confusing. Even on the Book a premium appointment page on the official website it says, "You can choose an appointment up to 45 business days in the future. Appointment times will be based on availability." So my husband and I took this as Monday-Friday amount of days, which would allow us to book for our day in May now. I've registered and begun looking at the available appointment dates, but it is all still very confusing and not fully making sense to me.

I will do a bit more research this week as well.

Since registering a month ago, I have only ever seen one appointment available for my chosen center.  I'm actually planning to stay up 'til midnight the night six weeks before I'm eligible to apply so I can try to catch an appointment. 

So you're going to book six full weeks in advance (before your first date that you can officially apply?)

Thank you both for the insight.

This is all so confusing. Even on the Book a premium appointment page on the official website it says, "You can choose an appointment up to 45 business days in the future. Appointment times will be based on availability." So my husband and I took this as Monday-Friday amount of days, which would allow us to book for our day in May now. I've registered and begun looking at the available appointment dates, but it is all still very confusing and not fully making sense to me.

I will do a bit more research this week as well.

They only release one day at a time.  And it's a buggy, glitchy system.  So some days it will say there are no appointments ANYWHERE for the next 45 days (when they mean 42).  But the next day the appointments will be visible.  UKVI!   

So you're going to book six full weeks in advance (before your first date that you can officially apply?)

That's what I did although the system was working well when I booked so I didn't need to do the midnight thing.
I am having more trouble booking the stupid NCS appointment than I did the PEO! 

So you're going to book six full weeks in advance (before your first date that you can officially apply?)

Six weeks is 42 days (6 weeks * 7 days a week = 42 days).  That's the maximum amount of time in advance you can book.  And it looks like for my PSC, if I don't book at or near midnight exactly 42 days in advance, I won't get an appointment because my centre is so in demand.  Or they just don't have the same level of staffing that the other centres have.  I don't know.

My five years started on June 5, 2013.  28 days before my five years is up is May 8, 2018.  And 42 days before that is March 27.  So on the night of March 26th, I'll stay up 'til after midnight and try to catch an appointment for May 8th.  If I don't get one, I'll try again the next night.  And I'll keep trying until I get one, or until the fee increase kicks in and it's moot.

"You can choose an appointment up to 45 business days in the future. Appointment times will be based on availability." So my husband and I took this as Monday-Friday amount of days, which would allow us to book for our day in May now.

As you now know, they really mean 42, even though it says 45 everywhere.  But it's actual days, not business days.  So up to 6 weeks prior to the date you want.  That means that if you booked today, the latest appointment you can make is April 25.

Six weeks is 42 days (6 weeks * 7 days a week = 42 days).  That's the maximum amount of time in advance you can book. 

Okay, thanks for that information!  They really don't make things easy for us, do they???

I hope all goes well with your booking!!

Okay, thanks for that information!  They really don't make things easy for us, do they???

I hope all goes well with your booking!!

haha!  No.  In fact, they deliberately make everything hard and expensive to discourage us.  It's calculated.

Thanks!  I hope so, too.

I am having more trouble booking the stupid NCS appointment than I did the PEO! 

Yay! Got that done, finally! 

Yay! Got that done, finally! 

Woohoo!

As you now know, they really mean 42, even though it says 45 everywhere.  But it's actual days, not business days.  So up to 6 weeks prior to the date you want.  That means that if you booked today, the latest appointment you can make is April 25.

How’s the availability been lately jfkimberly? You can book on Tuesday, right? 

How’s the availability been lately jfkimberly? You can book on Tuesday, right? 

Actually, please confirm for me one more time (I would hate to apply a day too soon and get denied!)...

I came on a marriage visa.  Was approved for FLR (M) #1 at an in-person appointment on June 5th 2013.  So 5 years is June 5, 2018, right?  And 28 days before that is May 8, correct?

I'm planning to refresh the page at midnight Monday night (Tuesday 'morning') to try for book on May 8th.

I've been keeping away from it lately so I don't stress so much, but the last few times I checked right at midnight, there has been one or two appointments visible briefly right after midnight.