Student Visa's processing timetable

Just got an email saying that my visa has been approved from the Chicago Consulate (application material was received on August 31). However, I don't know how they've shipped it to an incorrect address. I really don't understand how they could mess up the delivery address. Talked to the people at UPS and they said that I could pick it up from the service center location. So that's what I'm gonna do tomorrow and I'm just hoping they didn't mess up the details on my visa.

Mistakes happen, it's simple fix though.

Congratulations!!!!

End of day 19, officially on business day 20 now with premium processing.    This is insane.

ECOs across the network worked this weekend (and last, and Labor Day weekend and the one before that) to try and get through the backlog. If you're waiting for a response keep an eye on your emails tomorrow, while they may have been issued today and yesterday, you won't get the email until printed on Monday.

For those waiting on an application in Chicago, if you got your "application received" email on Aug 30th-Sep 1st there's a good chance you'll see movement tomorrow. From Sep 2nd, numbers received really dropped off and have slowed to a trickle now, so the wait time should considerably decrease this week.

Does anyone know if they will be working this weekend as well?

My visa came in yesterday! As a side question, will I have some form of ID card issued from the UK Gov?

My visa came in yesterday! As a side question, will I have some form of ID card issued from the UK Gov?

Congrats Retroslik. You must be pretty excited. Still waiting on mine, day 20 now with premium processing. Totally unacceptable....

My visa came in yesterday! As a side question, will I have some form of ID card issued from the UK Gov?

Congratulations!!

No. ID Cards are only issued for applications made IN the UK.

Thank you for the great forum and thread. Nice to see there's a support group for those in visa purgatory out here.

I've tried to be the strong one in family with the visa wait but, with our flight out on Monday, am beginning to get concerned. I'm hopeful someone can shed some light on if the following is standard or, as I fear, there's something wrong with the shipment.

On Tuesday, I received the following message from the Chicago Visa Office on my Tier 4 student visa:  Your application has been approved and the visa has been issued.

They provided a UPS tracking number which has been stuck at "Billing Information Received" since then. I've called UPS, who said they haven't received the package from the Consulate or the package hasn't been scanned in the system.

If it isn't on today's shipment, are there any options available? I tried to call some of the visa agencies but they said they can't help. I also called the Consulate directly but there isn't a way to connect to the Visa office. Any advice or thoughts would be appreciated.

You can try emailing the Complaints email for the Consulate which can be found in this thread: http://talk.uk-yankee.com/index.php?topic=57518.0

I'd say it's probably on the way to you and has just not been scanned by UPS. Usually when the approval email is sent it's the next day when the visa is shipped and you receive it the following or 2nd day. If you received your email on Tuesday I'd look for it tomorrow or Monday.

If it doesn't show today or tomorrow you're going to have to change your flight. It's highly advised that you do not purchase any tickets until you have your visa and have reviewed it for potential errors as these must be corrected BEFORE you leave for the UK.

Good Luck to you.

Congrats Retroslik. You must be pretty excited. Still waiting on mine, day 20 now with premium processing. Totally unacceptable....

I'm very sorry that you're so upset about your visa processing, however your application is not considered straightforward and the premium processing that you purchased even stated that persons with your type of issues should not expect that your visas will be processed within the stated timeframes. At this point the Consulate is probably having some serious concerns regarding your application(s) or they would have been processed by now. Each day that they take IMO is a good sign that they'll approve it... rather than just making an faster decision that could result in a refusal. But I do understand how difficult it is to wait.

I hope you'll hear something soon.

Well we were refused. And they didnt bother to tell us why in the email. All our convictions were spent. This is crazy. We are now jobless, homeless and posession-less. Our lives are completly ruined.

If someone could please give me information on how to go about administrative review, it would be much appreciated. Not that we really have any time left for that, but we are desperate.

I cant believe they couldnt even be bothered with telling us why we were refused in the email.

If someone could please give me information on how to go about administrative review, it would be much appreciated. Not that we really have any time left for that, but we are desperate.

I cant believe they couldnt even be bothered with telling us why we were refused in the email.

You'll get a letter detailing the reasons for refusal along with your documents and passports.  Until you get that letter, you won't know whether it's worth your time to attempt an administrative review.  Keep in mind that administrative reviews can take a really long time.  Depending on the reason you were refused, it might be better to see if you can defer university for a year and just make a new application.  It's a rubbish situation, and you'll need to consider your options carefully so that you can be sure to make the right decision about how to react. 

I'm really sorry this has happened to you, and hope you are able to pull through. 

You can try emailing the Complaints email for the Consulate which can be found in this thread: newcomer link: http://talk.uk-yankee.com/index.php?topic=57518.0 [nonactive]

Thank you for the quick reply. I sent an email to the consulate's address and received an email with the shipping number again. Still remains, "billing information received." Here's to hoping tomorrow or Monday is the lucky day (With a correct visa).

Thanks again for the advice!

If someone could please give me information on how to go about administrative review, it would be much appreciated. Not that we really have any time left for that, but we are desperate.

I cant believe they couldnt even be bothered with telling us why we were refused in the email.

An AR will only check to see if the ECO made a mistake on their refusal, with a refusal like this it was probably double checked by the ECM(Entry Clearance Manager) before it took place so it's unlikely that an AR will be successful.

But if they missed documentation or say you didn't include something (documnent wise) that was included then an AR may be successful, but if they refused for reasons other than that then a full blown appeal may be the only way to go and that can take up to a year to resolve.

But you won't know until, like historyenne said, you actually receive your documentation & refusal letters.

I am very sorry.

Well we were refused. And they didnt bother to tell us why in the email. All our convictions were spent. This is crazy. We are now jobless, homeless and posession-less. Our lives are completly ruined.

I'm so sorry.  Like the others have said, wait until you get your letter and see what it says. 

I know it's not really much comfort, but there was a girl in my course this past year who had deferred her place at uni the year before because of visa issues (not sure what the specific issues were).  The uni had no problem with it, held her space for this year, and she just re-applied for the visa when it was time, with everything a-ok.

Hang in there, and I hope you get everything sorted easily, whatever it is you end up doing.