Sept2018 Submittal Timeline/Savings Route

Hi there,

My (English) husband and I are currently awaiting a response to our application for spouse settlement visa.  We received the "Application Received'" email on September 3rd, so by my count we are at 100 calendar days/72 UK business days today.... 

I escalated the case at business day 61, and thereafter I was dismayed to find an email from them in my inbox requesting the same document they had requested on November 14th (asking that I provide a note from my bank stating the funds in an account were immediately available--the funds are immediately available, and I sent the scanned copy of the signed letter that same day)....so it seems between November 14th and their email response to my escalation on November 27th, they had not attached my letter to my case file.

I realize our case is probably a-typical (though I have not received a 'Case Not Straightforward' email) as we went the savings route rather than the verifiable employment route, as Rich is a self-employed electrician.  Has anyone else used this route?  Do you think that may be why our case is taking longer than predicted, and is receiving (I assume) additional scrutiny? 

Has anyone received a response on their visa sent in September of this year yet? 

Is there anyone out there with good news? 

I am becoming incredibly discouraged

We have one September application that was submitted via a lawyer that has not yet been decided but all of our members who submitted their own applications in September have all been decided.

What kind of savings did you use?  Is it an traditional instant savings account at a bank or a 401k type account?

Savings is the easiest category to prove as all you need is 6 full months of bank statements showing that the money has been held and is instantly accessible. 

We used traditional savings accounts for the majority, with 1 account being a 401k type (as I am no longer a participant in that plan, the money is instantly available).  We submitted account statement that were signed and stamped on every page, and exceeded the minimum amount by thousands.

I thought it would be the easiest to prove, but couldn't think of another reason we may not have heard back yet.  We are really pretty normal people lol

Ah, so more than one account.  And the 401k will add complexity as they don't all state they are immediately available (some take a few days to receive).  Just checking that the 401k is held as cash and not stocks?

If you exceeded the amount, it would have been better to leave the 401k out of it, as it's a tick box visa.  You don't get a bigger tick or better tick for having more than the requirement.  Always best to keep things as simple and streamlined as possible. 

Lately we've been seeing really quick turnarounds after requests for additional documentation, so hopefully you'll be one of those.  (24 hours or so after the additional documentation has been requested). 

Ah, so more than one account.  And the 401k will add complexity as they don't all state they are immediately available (some take a few days to receive).  Just checking that the 401k is held as cash and not stocks?

If you exceeded the amount, it would have been better to leave the 401k out of it, as it's a tick box visa.  You don't get a bigger tick or better tick for having more than the requirement.  Always best to keep things as simple and streamlined as possible. 

Lately we've been seeing really quick turnarounds after requests for additional documentation, so hopefully you'll be one of those.  (24 hours or so after the additional documentation has been requested). 

The 401k is in cash, and can be accessed immediately.  We exceeded the necessary amount, but would not have been able to do it without the 401k account, so there was not an option to leave it out.
So far we are at 27 days for the first request for that document, and 8 days for the second request for that same document.  I replied both times with the requested notice from my bank within hours.

The 401k is in cash, and can be accessed immediately.  We exceeded the necessary amount, but would not have been able to do it without the 401k account, so there was not an option to leave it out.
So far we are at 27 days for the first request for that document, and 8 days for the second request for that same document.  I replied both times with the requested notice from my bank within hours.

Hmmm... odd that they haven't issued the visa yet then.  Fingers crossed you hear something this week.