UK Visa Settlement Processing Time

all the best, and I hope the process is speedy and the resolution is soon.

Good luck, ajanjig

Question:

When do you start counting your processing days? For example:After an email is received from the consulate stating that your application has arrived OR On postal receipt that the application has reached the Consulate?

I have started my processing days after I received an email from the Consulate.

Question:

When do you start counting your processing days? For example:After an email is received from the consulate stating that your application has arrived OR On postal receipt that the application has reached the Consulate?

I have started my processing days after I received an email from the Consulate.

Processing time begins when you get the email confirmation from the Consulate directly that your application has been received at the Consulate for processing. As that is the date it has entered their system for processing. Prior to that it has not been opened and logged & is most likely still sitting in the mail room.

http://www.ukvisas.gov.uk/en/howtoapply/processingtimes

The processing time begins when the UK Border Agency or one of our commercial partners (VFS Global and WorldBridge), has received your completed application form, with your passport and supporting documents, your biometrics registration and the relevant application fee. It ends after a decision has been taken on your application and your passport is available for collection.

That would totally stress me out if I was one of the ones that did not get a confirmation email!

That would totally stress me out if I was one of the ones that did not get a confirmation email!

That rarely happens, and now that the onslaught of Tier 4's has pretty much ended you're going to see it happening even less and processing times should start to pick up. Especially since we're into October now.

I thought it was from the email as they don't know it exists till then. It could be a good thing if you did not know the day count! Less anxious.

I am sure it is going to pick up now too, I just hope quickly! Can I not donate lots of hight caffeine drinks to help?

Here is the email I sent yesterday and the response I got today. Maybe someone else can benefit from this.


Dear Sir/Madam,

 Thank you for considering our Visa applications. We submitted our applications on 23rd July and they were received by your office on 30th July 2010. We are on business day 44. As I have brought to your attention before, my children are in peril of losing their school placement. The school has informed me that they will not be holding the places much longer as it is not fair to the other children who would like to attend. I completely understand their situation and yours as I know your office has been extraordinarily busy. As I was not aware of priority service at the time of my application and I know that I can not purchase it now, I was wondering if there was any other fee or service I could purchase to help expedite matters? Thank you for time and understanding.


Charlene,
 
If you wish the cases to be expedited you can exceptionally process priority settlement at this stage and forward the four recepits to this address. However, please note expedited settlement processing is still up to 15 business days. We would anticipate that you would have a decision within that time frame anyway.
 
Kind Regards,
UKBA New York

Here is the email I sent yesterday and the response I got today. Maybe someone else can benefit from this.


Dear Sir/Madam,

 Thank you for considering our Visa applications. We submitted our applications on 23rd July and they were received by your office on 30th July 2010. We are on business day 44. As I have brought to your attention before, my children are in peril of losing their school placement. The school has informed me that they will not be holding the places much longer as it is not fair to the other children who would like to attend. I completely understand their situation and yours as I know your office has been extraordinarily busy. As I was not aware of priority service at the time of my application and I know that I can not purchase it now, I was wondering if there was any other fee or service I could purchase to help expedite matters? Thank you for time and understanding.


Charlene,
 
If you wish the cases to be expedited you can exceptionally process priority settlement at this stage and forward the four recepits to this address. However, please note expedited settlement processing is still up to 15 business days. We would anticipate that you would have a decision within that time frame anyway.
 
Kind Regards,
UKBA New York

Wow!! That last bit sounds very hopeful!

Question:

When do you start counting your processing days? For example:After an email is received from the consulate stating that your application has arrived OR On postal receipt that the application has reached the Consulate?

I have started my processing days after I received an email from the Consulate.

Hey there Nickiboo...These are the emails I have received from the NY Consulate

email stating they received the two applications and I would hear shortly from them when they began processing the applications (me and my daughter) - day after I sent it (sept 9th)

I received and email last week (Sept 22) stating they have started processing the applications (2 emails...one for each app). 

I was confused though because it seemed like it said after the second email that it would only take 5-10 business days from that email to receive a decision.  Here is a copy of what the 2nd email stated:

Dear Applicant

Your UK visa application has arrived safely at the UK Border Agency, New York and is currently being processed.

Please note UKBA service standards for all applications  are: to complete 90 per cent of visa applications (except settlement categories) in not more than three weeks, 98 per cent in six weeks and 100 per cent in 12 weeks.

The current estimated processing time in New York for UK visa applications is 5 - 10 working days plus return mail time, however in certain cases it is necessary to make additional enquiries on an application which will extend the processing time.
You will receive a further e-mail advising you of the outcome of your application in due course. This e-mail will also provide you with details of your return package. 

We are unable to respond to status enquiries. Further information on UK visa services is available at www.visainfoservices.com

Regards

UK Border Agency, New York

Am I reading it right when it says that it should be processed in 5-10 business days and also, has anyone else received 2 different emails...one for receiving the app and one for starting to process it?

Thanks,
Nikki

Charlene,
 
If you wish the cases to be expedited you can exceptionally process priority settlement at this stage and forward the four recepits to this address. However, please note expedited settlement processing is still up to 15 business days. We would anticipate that you would have a decision within that time frame anyway.
 
Kind Regards,
UKBA New York

Thank you so much for posting this, that is very good news indeed for everyone! Otherwise you would have been told that was the better option. I hope you hear something sooner as you need it a little more when there is more than just one person involved!

Am I reading it right when it says that it should be processed in 5-10 business days and also, has anyone else received 2 different emails...one for receiving the app and one for starting to process it?

You received 2 emails because you sent 2 applications.

I'm sorry I didn't clarify myself...I've received 4 total emails.  2 letting me know they received the apps then 2 more last week stating they are processing the apps.  I haven't read that people have received 2 Different emails saying different things.  then I posted that last email and what it said.

I have received only one e-mail but it stated just what your second one did, about taking 5-10 processing days. I think that's some sort of general robot e-mail they send out once they get e-mail addresses entered. I don't know about the first e-mail, I never got one of those. I know from the Post Office mine was received August 9th, and my e-mail about processing came on the 13th, so I don't count those first 4 days as processing. I wish I could be of more help to you :-\

Thanks for the clarification. I sent an email to Worldbridge asking when processing begins.  Worldbridge wrote:

"As an applicant, you will be notified via email when your application begins processing and again when your package is ready to ship...."

So there we have it!! That still puts me at day 45! Hopefully next week someone from this thread gets an answer!!!