sad and wondering how much longer

this is my first post on this forum. My husband and I are waiting for his visa. I'm a Brit moving back from the US. Came over in June, got a new job and started the visa process. Docs received in Sheffield 8 July. We did not do the priority service (wish we had now) as my husband wanted to spend July and August with his family before moving here. But now it's mid-August, we've heard nothing and we're both feeling really down. We miss each other so much. We've been married 3 years and we've been apart before but never for this long. The hardest part is just not knowing when he'll be here. Maybe it'll be next week, maybe it'll be another six weeks. Anyway, just wondering if anyone else is having similar experiences. What do you do to cope?

Hi, yes me! I am British and my son and I moved back to the UK in Nov. 2012. US citizen husband followed in Dec. and came as a tourist for 6 months while I worked and we kept savings in our account for the 6 month period. He left the country on June 11th and applied for his spouse visa from the U.S. his documents were received at Sheffield on July 8th but we also didn't do priority as he couldn't figure out how to do it. I actually just Skyped him to tell him to call WorldBridge to ask if we can pretty please pay the money now! It took them until 6th August to email him to say they had received the package, and apparently the clock doesn't start ticking until they acknowledge receipt of the package. I am so sad we didn't do priority. He has been gone for 2 months but his visa has only been "processing" for 7 working days  We have been together 10 years, married for 7 years, and have an almost 3 year old son. My son's birthday is at the beginning of September so we are planning to go to visit my husband in America then so at least we can see him for a bit. I work full-time and my son goes to nursery here in the UK. My husband is in the US staying with his mom and working, just waiting to come home to us. We are feeling pretty depressed but I am trying to keep upbeat for our son. I am trying to distract myself with family and friends, I feel worse for my husband as he hasn't seen our son for two months now, and for my son who misses his dad. When we got married I was so happy that we wouldn't have to say good bye again, and after I went through US immigration I honestly believed that. I didn't count on the British government changing the rules like they did but oh well. Sorry, don't have any great advice, this sucks, but I'm in the same boat as you.

this is my first post on this forum. My husband and I are waiting for his visa. I'm a Brit moving back from the US. Came over in June, got a new job and started the visa process. Docs received in Sheffield 8 July. We did not do the priority service (wish we had now) as my husband wanted to spend July and August with his family before moving here. But now it's mid-August, we've heard nothing and we're both feeling really down. We miss each other so much. We've been married 3 years and we've been apart before but never for this long. The hardest part is just not knowing when he'll be here. Maybe it'll be next week, maybe it'll be another six weeks. Anyway, just wondering if anyone else is having similar experiences. What do you do to cope?

It's not easy.  We had to spend 2.5 months apart after we had been married for about 9 months.

We were "lucky" in that we got the visa sorted in a few days so we knew I had the visa, I just couldn't travel until my 21st birthday so we knew the magic date straight away.

All you can do is wait, easier said than done.

this is my first post on this forum. My husband and I are waiting for his visa. I'm a Brit moving back from the US. Came over in June, got a new job and started the visa process. Docs received in Sheffield 8 July. We did not do the priority service (wish we had now) as my husband wanted to spend July and August with his family before moving here. But now it's mid-August, we've heard nothing and we're both feeling really down. We miss each other so much. We've been married 3 years and we've been apart before but never for this long. The hardest part is just not knowing when he'll be here. Maybe it'll be next week, maybe it'll be another six weeks. Anyway, just wondering if anyone else is having similar experiences. What do you do to cope?

This possibility has me freaking out a little bit. I am a US citizen married to a Brit and we live in the US.  We understood that I could apply for my visa once he had a job offer in hand which meets the financial requirements, but I am very confused about the timing of everything. We have never been apart for more than a few weeks, and the kids don't remember EVER being away from him.  I'm wondering if we could start the process earlier if we have the savings in place?

This possibility has me freaking out a little bit. I am a US citizen married to a Brit and we live in the US.  We understood that I could apply for my visa once he had a job offer in hand which meets the financial requirements, but I am very confused about the timing of everything. We have never been apart for more than a few weeks, and the kids don't remember EVER being away from him.  I'm wondering if we could start the process earlier if we have the savings in place?

If you were going to rely soley on savings, you would need £62,500 (£16,000 + 2.5x the entire financial requirement).  That's a lot of money, but if you have it (and it's been sitting untouched in your account for 6 months) it could mean you won't be separated at all.

If you're not planning on moving until late 2015 (as you say in your signature), you have no idea what the rules will be at that point.... they could be harder, they could be different or they could be lower (if they change the financial requirement to benefit the applicant).  No idea what it will be then.

Most people applying for a visa to join a spouse are separated for a while, so it's common that it happens (and it's a only small amount of time if you look at the big picture) but obviously, if you've got enough in savings, you can stay together throughout the whole process. 

Hi, me again. Just FYI. Last night I told hubby to call the expensive WorldBridge number and ask if he could pay priority now, even though it says on the website you can't do it after you have submitted the application (which we did non-priority and was delivered to Sheffield on 8th July but only marked as received by their email on 6th August). WorldBridge said they didn't recommend it as priority only really makes them open the package faster, but I told hubby to do it anyway, so he did and emailed Sheffield the receipt. Today he got this email from Sheffield:

Thank you for your email.

 Your receipt for priority service has been acknowledged and your application has been marked as such. It will be placed at the head of the work queue and processed in the next few days.

 Kind regards,

 Sheffield Visa Section

So I am hopeful now  and it seems like you can pay for priority after you have sent it in after all. Worth a try anyway for those like us who couldn't figure it out at the time of application.

Thanks for your replies.

Jessica29 I'm interested that you were able to do the priority after sending it. We phoned WorldBridge and asked the same question and they said, no, you just have to be patient.

Two days ago my husband got an email from Sheffield requesting further documents. It was a bit strange as they asked for documents that we had definitely already sent them. But anyway, at least we know they are looking at it.

Actually, it's not about whether Worldbridge will allow it... it's UKBA who decide whether or not it is possible to purchase the service after you have mailed the documents.

And it does actually say on the UKBA website that it is possible to purchase the priority service after you have mailed the documents, but that it is not encouraged:

From this page on the UKBA website (http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/countries/usa/worldbridge-services/?langname=UK%20English):

We do not encourage you to purchase the priority service after you have submitted your application. Where necessary, you can elect to purchase the priority service after submitting your application. If you purchase the priority service after submitting your application you must:

-    fax a copy of your receipt to 212-754-3062; and
-    include the relevant tracking number(s) for the package containing your application and supporting documents.

Once we have matched your application with your priority service receipt we will place your application at the front of the queue to be processed ahead of non-priority applications.

Glad i found this thread!! I will be going through what you all are currently going through soon enough... My hubby is a UK citizen so he will be going ahead after the holidays to get a job so we can start the waiting game to file for the spousal visa, then hopefully in the blink of an eye we will all be together again!!! We have 2 children as well so it will be a bit rough... Good luck to everyone else and I hope things work out for you all

Been here a little over a month. Left my wife and 1o week old daughter at home. They were supposed to be here by now, but alas...

I feel like I am missing everything in her life. And God I wish I could just have physical contact with someone!

Know how you feel and I hope everything works out for you soon.