Settlement Visas - Expeditors allowed again??!?!?!?!?!?!?

So, I just finished filling out my marriage visit visa expeditor order form when I noticed something peculiar on the expeditor website:
Quote:
"Expedited UK visas now require an additional priority fee paid to the consulate. For most visas this will be $150 plus tax. For Settlement visas, this will be $300 plus tax. We can assist you with this once we receive all the documents"

Why is it that the UK decided all of a sudden that settlement could be expedited again, (if this is even true?)

My plans are officially screwy now, but I don't have to worry about it as my biometrics appointment is in 90 minutes.  Uggggg.

Yes, it is true as of June 16th 2010 (there was only a 16-day period where expediters were not allowed for settlement visas). However, it's not quite the same as using an expediter as you would have done before June 1st - the consulates are now offering their own priority service that you pay for on the Worldbridge website on the day you mail in your documents to the consulate. For $300 + tax they will process your visa within 15 working days.

However, this is not something you need to contact an expediter company about (as using one won't get your visa processed any quicker than just paying for the service yourself) - you can just do it yourself here: https://www.visainfoservices.com/Pages/Welcome.aspx.

From Worldbridge:

Settlement priority service

This service is available at the UK Border Agency in Los Angeles, New York or Chicago. This service is only available to applicants based in the United States.

Settlement priority service applications will be processed ahead of other settlement visa applications. Under normal circumstances, settlement priority service applications will be processed within 15 working days (not including public holidays) from the date of receipt at the UK Border Agency in the USA.

Cost: $300 USD + taxes for each visa application including dependants

You must complete steps 1-6 on the ‘How to Apply’ page on this website before sending your visa application to the UK Border Agency to be processed. You should only purchase the settlement priority service on the day you send your visa application to the UK Border Agency. You can purchase this service using the ‘Products and Services’ page on this website.

After purchasing this service, you must write ‘Settlement Priority Service’ and your WorldBridge payment reference code on the outside of your visa application envelope. This will enable the UK Border Agency staff to identify your visa application as priority. You must also print out your WorldBridge payment receipt and include it with your visa application. Please ensure that you place your receipt on top of your visa application documents inside the envelope.

Important note:This service does not imply or guarantee in any way that applicants using the settlement priority service will be successful in their visa application. All visa applicants must meet the requirements of the UK immigration rules. The amount paid for this service, as well as visa application fee, is not refundable if the visa application is refused, or in exceptional cases, takes longer than 15 working days to process.

You may experience extended processing times if any of the following applies to you:

   1. You have previously been refused a visa for the UK, and/or;
   2. You have previously been refused leave to enter the UK, and/or
   3. You have previously been deported, removed, or otherwise required to leave the UK, and/or;
   4. You have overstayed a period of leave in the UK, and/or;
   5. You have been refused leave to remain in the UK by the UK Border Agency, and/or;
   6. You have any unspent criminal convictions in the UK or the USA

If any of the above applies to you, your visa application will continue to be treated as priority and processed ahead of other settlement visa applications, although your application may be identified as an exceptional case and processing may take longer than 15 working days.

It's true and has been for about 3 weeks now. If you haven't sent your paperwork in which I'm assuming you won't have because of your biometrics then you can still purchase the priority settlement for $300

A Marriage Visit visa isn't a settlement visa though, is it?

I don't have the necessary paperwork for settlement (certified copies of my fiancée's birth certificate, her pay stubs, documentation that we can live somewhere, etc) because I have not prepared it in time, and I must leave for the UK in approximately 17 working days, it's just cutting it too close.

Is it possible to expedite a marriage visit visa without using a visa expeditor? and if so, how do you go about doing it? there was no option when I did the online application.  What would the processing time be for such if I did not use a courier?

A Marriage Visit visa isn't a settlement visa though, is it?

Actually, no, it's a visitor visa (should have read that properly), which is good news for the OP, because priority service for visitor visas is cheaper and quicker than for settlement visas.

A visitor visa can be expedited for just $150 + tax on the Worldbridge website and it should be processed within 48 hours, not 15 working days.

From Worldbridge:

Priority service

Available at the UK Border Agency in Los Angeles, New York or Chicago. This service is only available to applicants based in the United States.

Priority service applications will be processed ahead of other visa applications. Under normal circumstances, priority service visa applications will be processed within 48 hours (not including weekends or public holidays) from the day the UK Border Agency in the USA receives it.

Cost: $150 USD + taxes for each visa application.

This service is available for all visa categories with the exception of settlement visa applications. A separate settlement priority service is listed below.

You must complete steps 1 to 6 on the ‘How to Apply’ page on this website before sending your visa application to the UK Border Agency to be processed. You should only purchase the priority service on the day you send your visa application to the relevant UK Border Agency mailing address (see step 7 on the ‘How to Apply’ page on this website). You can purchase the priority service using the ‘Products and Services’ page on this website.

After purchasing this service you must write ‘Priority service’ and your WorldBridge payment reference code on the outside of your visa application envelope. This will enable UK Border Agency staff to identify your visa application as priority. You must also print out your WorldBridge payment receipt and include it with your visa application. Please ensure that you place your receipt on top of your application documents inside your envelope.

Important note: This service does not imply or guarantee in any way that applicants using the priority service will be successful in their visa application. All visa applicants must meet the requirements of the UK immigration rules. The amount paid for the priority service, as well as visa application fee, is not refundable if the visa application is refused, or in exceptional cases, takes longer than 48 hours to process.

You may experience extended processing times if any of the following applies to you:

   1. You have previously been refused a visa for the UK, and/or;
   2. You have previously been refused leave to enter the UK, and/or
   3. You have previously been deported, removed, or otherwise required to leave the UK, and/or;
   4. You have overstayed a period of leave in the UK, and/or;
   5. You have been refused leave to remain in the UK by the UK Border Agency, and/or;
   6. You have any unspent criminal convictions in the UK or the USA.


If any of the above applies to you, your visa application will continue to be treated as priority and processed ahead of other visa applications, although your application may be identified as an exceptional case and processing may take longer than 48 hours.

Well,
I just called up the expeditor and canceled my order to expedite now that I have found this; I have saved $175 which makes the whole visa only cost about $250 instead of $425; so thanks so much to UK-Yankee.com and all its smart people for saving me the money.

If anyone ever needs a pianist in the southern UK to play at their public/private functions, I hereby offer my services at a discounted rate if you tell me you found me on UK-Yankee.com :-P
Not spam: just a token of my appreciation.

Are you intending to move to the UK after marriage or just getting married there and coming back to the US? If it's the first, you're applying for the wrong visa (based on your offering of services in the UK....) Just an observation.

initial plan was to apply for settlement from the get go but when they temporarily stopped allowing expedition of the settlement visas (i thought it was more than temporary) i had to apply for the MVV due to the time of my wedding, giving notice, etc.  i'm returning to the USA 2 weeks after the wedding and then applying for settlement.

it wasn't so much an offering as a token of thanks :-)