Any updates from recent applicants?

Our timeline is:
Country Applying From: USA
Application Type: Settlement/ Fiancee w/ 2 children
Date Application Submitted: May 3, 2014 (online)
Date Biometrics Taken: May 5 and 6, 2014
Date Application Delivered to Sheffield: May 13,2014
Date Sheffield Acknowledged Receipt of Application: May 15, 2014
Date Upgraded to Priority: June 13, 2014
Date Email a decision has been made: June 26, 2014 - from UKVI!!!
Date told Email a decision has been made was sent in error!!!: June 30, 2014
Date told by email we were front of the priority queue: July 3, 2014
Date email from Sheffield that an ECO would process that day: July 11, 2014
Still no word.... 

we are having to cancel/reschedule wedding as it was planned for 8/2 and now wondering if we will make it before the start of the school year!! I am really hoping things don't drag out that long, as I've lost their spots in their school in California  never dreamed this would take so long based on the posted processing times earlier in the year...

Wow, these responses are NOT encouraging. Have any priority visa applicants who've applied in the past few weeks heard back?

I sent my priority visa application last week, they acknowledged receipt this past Tuesday, then got a follow-up email saying appendix 2 was missing, so I sent it through via email later that day and got a confirmation of receipt on Wednesday stating it had been linked to my application.

We are supposed to fly on August 14th and I'm wondering if I should just look at changing my flight at this point. It's stressful, because since we're moving from the US we need to sell our furniture and pack up our life, but since I have no idea when we're gonna hear back - do I just deal with an apartment empty of furniture until I hear back? Does my husband fly without me to start his job at the end of August? Aaaarrrrgh.

Yes, I realise I'm being neurotic and don't have any reason to complain at this point, I'm just not at all encouraged about the timescales I'm seeing listed on here. When I applied priority I had looked on the site and it said most applications had a decision within a week, and now it looks like it's... indefinite, to say the least. Sigh

When I applied priority I had looked on the site and it said most applications had a decision within a week, and now it looks like it's... indefinite, to say the least. Sigh

Unfortunately, the times given on the website are at least a month out of date, maybe two - and it gives the date range the times refer to at the bottom of the webpage.

At the time you applied, the processing times on the UKVI website would have been for either March or April 2014... and back then it was taking only 1 week for priority.

The current processing times listed on the UKVI website are for decisions made in May 2014 and the figure back in May was only 18% processed in 1 week, while 80% of applications were processed in 6 weeks.

We don't have the figures for June yet, as they are not on the UKVI website, but I would imagine they are worse than for May, and the times for right now in July won't be published on the website until August or September.

So, the best way to work out how long it is likely to take is to look around on the forums and see how long other people have been waiting. From the processing timelines listed here, we've deduced that during June and July it has been taking about a month for priority.

Every case is different though, and just because one person has had problems with their timeline, it doesn't mean you will too - other people recently have received their visas within 1-2 weeks of upgrading to priority.

Upgrading to priority next week. How do I do that?

We've had no notification that our daughter's (priority) application, delivered by FedEx on Monday, has even been opened.
We are actually worried it hasn't even gone to the right place now.

I wouldn't worry... It could take 1-2 weeks for a notification and you may not get one at all.

As long as you know that it was delivered to the address on the UKVI website, the visa will be processed.


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Even for priority? Really, 1-2 weeks?

I don't think it means they've not opened it. Just that they haven't notified you. Some people on here don't any any emails from them the entire time, and their visa just shows up one day. If your tracking says it's there then it's there. There's nothing to worry about.

Upgrading to priority next week. How do I do that?

Look at the VFS Global site. There are instructions there on upgrading settlement and non settlement visas. I don't know the site address offhand, but I just find it by googling VFS global UK priority service. It pops rights up.

I don't think it means they've not opened it. Just that they haven't notified you. Some people on here don't any any emails from them the entire time, and their visa just shows up one day. If your tracking says it's there then it's there. There's nothing to worry about.

That's slightly reassuring - except we rang on Weds and they said "not opened yet". Still a bit worried to be honest.

Even for priority? Really, 1-2 weeks?

Well, priority is taking about a month right now so it's going to take a few days for the application to be logged into the system and for them to send out emails.

Back a few months ago when priority was taking about 1 week, it could take 2-3 days from the package arriving to getting an email confirmation... So it stands to reason that if it's taking a month now, it will be more like 1-2 weeks for an email.


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Ok, one final question - is the current month from FedEx dropoff or from "acknowledgement", even if we don't get one?

Basically we are looking at our two month old daughter going into foster care if this goes on too long.

Ok, one final question - is the current month from FedEx dropoff or from "acknowledgement", even if we don't get one?

Basically we are looking at our two month old daughter going into foster care if this goes on too long.

Not really sure, to be honest. I think usually the processing time starts from the date they log your application into the system... which may be different from both the FedEx dropoff date and the 'acknowledgement' email date.

I believe though that most people on this thread are logging their processing times starting with the date that the documents arrived at the consulate and ending with the date they got their 'decision made' email... so you can get an idea of the times from the posts here on the forum.

The actual application only usually takes a couple of hours to be processed once it has been picked up by an ECO, so almost all of the processing time is actually just the application sitting in line, waiting to be looked at. If you use priority, the application gets put to the front of the line and so will be picked up sooner for processing, but if there are lots of applications waiting, it will take a while for them to get to yours.

I was told in the other forum that because I have received a refusal for the general visitor visa, my application will be more closely scrutinized and that 6 weeks would be unlikely for me to be processed.  How do you feel about that? I thought it was essentially me submitting the appropriate documents and ticking the boxes. If I have everything they need, why would it take longer?

Because any time an applicant has been refused a visa, they need to investigate the reasons for the refusal.