UK Visa Settlement Processing Time

Katydid if u come back on here congrats I knew u would get it !! Caitlin  .. I also had my visa denied 2 times and went to tibunial  then was approved for my visiters visa  ..  with all that and the turn back at heathrow  in Jan 2010 ...when I came back to states after 6 months in Scotland  , paid for priority  processing exceptonal case it was 16 working days  for them to process  GOOD LUCK TO EVERYONE !!! I'm here in Scotland and loveing it  .. OH and when I went through immigration at airport I was asked how long r u staying I said fiance visa /selltlement  border agent said oh, ok welcome stamped my passport  and and let me right through , not like the other 2 times I came into uk  what a difference !!!

hmmm maybe i'll wait until October to do mine as i wanna get priority as well, and still happy you got yours

I also paid the $1149 and have been worried over it since. I did the 'returning resident' application in May and was refused (wish I had found this blog before I did that). Not a clue about the fee difference, but it was an automatic and I defintiely filled out the correct for this time.

FYI, the technicality on the returning resident refusal was that I was not 'present and settled' when I last left as I had been admitted once as a visitor. I truly wish they would stipulate that being admitted as a visitor means you are NEVER a 'returning resident. Cost me the fee and a LOT of time, and at age 64 waiting to join my 71 year old husband, time is NOT something I have a lot of. Oh - and try living with Mommy and Daddy for a few weeks at MY age!

I also paid the $1149 and have been worried over it since. I did the 'returning resident' application in May and was refused (wish I had found this blog before I did that). Not a clue about the fee difference, but it was an automatic and I defintiely filled out the correct for this time.

FYI, the technicality on the returning resident refusal was that I was not 'present and settled' when I last left as I had been admitted once as a visitor. I truly wish they would stipulate that being admitted as a visitor means you are NEVER a 'returning resident. Cost me the fee and a LOT of time, and at age 64 waiting to join my 71 year old husband, time is NOT something I have a lot of. Oh - and try living with Mommy and Daddy for a few weeks at MY age!

Don't sweat it, I paid $1149 and have the visa in my hand!

Good luck!

Katydid if u come back on here congrats I knew u would get it !! Caitlin  .. I also had my visa denied 2 times and went to tibunial  then was approved for my visiters visa  ..  with all that and the turn back at heathrow  in Jan 2010 ...when I came back to states after 6 months in Scotland  , paid for priority  processing exceptonal case it was 16 working days  for them to process  GOOD LUCK TO EVERYONE !!! I'm here in Scotland and loveing it  .. OH and when I went through immigration at airport I was asked how long r u staying I said fiance visa /selltlement  border agent said oh, ok welcome stamped my passport  and and let me right through , not like the other 2 times I came into uk  what a difference !!!

scotland!! Yes!! Thank you so much, this board has been amazing and helped us so much.  Sadly, UPS were idiots and instead of getting my docs back yesterday, they only arrived this morning...so mad but still booked my flight for tomorrow!! Just to let those of you know who don't have straightforward apps, I had a refusal on my form and still received my visa (with priority) on day 15!! Priority is still worth it if you have an exceptional case!! Good luck to everyone out there, we always end up stressing about the minute details when really things work out the way they're supposed to!! xx

Katy perhaps once you are settled you could add your timeline of events to this thread. It would be helpful for others especially as you married on visitors visa.

Safe journey!!

Oh yes, I totally forgot! Okay, here's our timeline:

Entered UK on Visitor's Visa (really only intended to visit): December 15, 2010
Engaged!: December 15, 2010
Applied for Certificate of Approval: December 27, 2010
CoA Approved: February 7, 2011
Married!: April 1, 2011
Mistakenly applied for FLR(M): April 18, 2011
Refused FLR(M) based on visitor's visa: May 27, 2011
Returned to US to apply for VAF4 and submitted online app: May 29, 2011
Biometrics and sent app & docs, priority: June 2, 2011
Email saying they received docs: June 3, 2011
Email stating ours was an exceptional case and could take up to 15 working days: June 8, 2011
Visa Issued!: June 29, 2011 (exactly 15 days!)

So if there's a question that your app will fall under the "exceptional case" category, priority is still absolutely worth it!! Also, we were freaking out that since I left the UK at such short notice, we never had the colour copy of my husband's passport certified, instead he just self-certified and that seems to have been fine (though for sheer peace of mind I would just get it certified next time!)...Hang in there everyone, I freaked out over so many little things and was sure we'd be refused and it turned out I was just being silly! Oh and one more note, UPS totally dropped the ball and didn't deliver my passport and docs overnight as promised, instead we got them the next business day after some furious phone calls with their headquarters! (this wasn't the consulate fault, they sent it next day air, UPS just was lazy or something)

Good luck!! x

katy did and Scotland your cases give me so much hope.

My daughter in Law also has a refusal of entry (bounce I think they call it on here) and she over stayed slightly when she was on her visitors visa (passport for six months)  not her fault though the icelandic volcano erupted so there was no flights) but technically it is an overstay.

its nice too know that you both got your visa's in round about three weeks with priority and I think if my son can afford it we should definitly go for it.

Love pads x  (congrats to you both) x

Hello all, I'm still waiting for a decision, and it's starting to drive me mad, but here's the timeline so far!

Spousal Application submitted online         Tuesday, June 14
Biometrics Appointment                            Monday, June 20
Documents sent via USPS to NY consulate  Monday, June 20
Signed for by "Blyth"                                Wednesday, June 22 @ 12:57 PM
Confirmation email from NY consulate        Monday, June 27 @ 12:20 PM

I still have not heard anything else.  It kind of confuses me that they had my documents for so long before confirming that they received them.  I know that the mail room signed for them because of the USPS confirmation receipt, but the consulate did not actually acknowledge their reception of the documents until the following Wednesday.  I'm not sure if I should count the processing days starting at the day Blyth signed for them, or the day I received the confirmation email.

REALLY wishing I had paid for priority at this point.  I have to come back to the states in August for my brother's wedding, and the further we get into July, the more pointless it seems to move to Belfast and then come back a few weeks later.  On the other hand...I absolutely do not want to stay in Pennsylvania at my parents' house until August.  I'm sure a lot of you can sympathize there.  Living with parents is possibly one of the most difficult parts of this! haha

I still have not heard anything else.  It kind of confuses me that they had my documents for so long before confirming that they received them.  I know that the mail room signed for them because of the USPS confirmation receipt, but the consulate did not actually acknowledge their reception of the documents until the following Wednesday.  I'm not sure if I should count the processing days starting at the day Blyth signed for them, or the day I received the confirmation email.

They don't send the confirmation email until your application is actually picked up from the pile and opened... and depending on how many applications are waiting in line ahead of yours, it can take several days between your application arriving at the consulate and them actually opening it. Also, any applications sent as priority that arrive after yours will be put to the front of the line and opened before yours, which means you end up waiting even longer for the confirmation email.

Hi all :-)  Newby here.  Just curious... anyone had 2 refusals?  I am so nervous.  I applied back in April was refused due to lack of funds and my daughter didnt have her UK Passport yet.  So this time I had to get a sponsor (the in-laws) and my daughter now has her UK passport.  So... 1 british hubby, 2 british children and a very American me... the only one who CAN'T get in yet.  uggghhh.  If they deny me again my family will be split up for a while... hubby and son going back July 27th before my son's passport expires.  Baby girl and me?  Waiting anxiously behind.  :-(  Really need the support right now as feeling terribly nervous.  Not to mention I have had a job waiting on me since April!  Not sure how much longer they will hold out.  Submitted my re-app for my settlement visa July 1st.  Went through an agency called A Briggs.  Has anyone used them?  Trying to not get 2 refusals :-(  Good Luck everyone :-)  SO HAPPY I have found this site :-) 

It seems to me that they could have refused you because you daughter did not have a passport yet technically if she didn't have a british passport then they might have thought she would need a visa to travel.

If you where short of funds last time and this time you have a co sponsor then I think you should have fixed everything and it should be ok.

Your refusal last time will just mean that your case will be looked into more closely and might take longer to process.

I am not an expert by any means though I only know what I have read on here.

I suggest you might like to start a new thread with this as a topic then more people might chip in with information.

Hope this helps love pads x

We've had good news the visa was issued today 

Applied June 20th
Missed out sponsors letter and had to send passport from UK despite a lost week while the passport was in the post we got the visa today.

Can't tell you how happy we are to start our lives together.

If  anyone forgets anything please don't worry as they are very good at contacting you for more info.

It's been an agonising wait and a stressful time so hang in there people! Good luck to anyone else who's waiting   

We've had good news the visa was issued today 

Applied June 20th

Congratulations Fluke and good luck with your move!  Just a quick question-- did you pay for priority?

We've had good news the visa was issued today  Smiley

Applied June 20th
Missed out sponsors letter and had to send passport from UK despite a lost week while the passport was in the post we got the visa today.

Can't tell you how happy we are to start our lives together.

 Smiley

I know right, 10 days and we can be together forever, it was getting worrying not knowing there for a while-plus rebooking the flight back to the UK 3 times, the visa arrived to my house in Pittsburgh today! It was approved yesterday via email form the British Embassy in NYC as my husband was saying-10-11 days processing time in all for the settlement visa-we did pretty good with that all things considered......I will be in Scotland the 17th of thins month. So happy!!!!!!

fluke on the forum-is my husband, he is living in Scotland on Skye I am moving there from the states (Pittsburgh PA) the 17th this month-10 days, but who's counting??