Any updates from recent applicants?

Well, non-priority is taking up to a month at the moment anyway, so you're just on the right amount of time for a straightforward application.

However, your refused entry to the UK in June will automatically make your application non-straightforward and could delay the processing time by a couple more weeks on top of the regular processing time.


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Thank you Becca I appreciate the support. I can handle the waiting but I'm gonna be heartbroken if we don't get to spend Christmas and New Year together. Just makes no sense 1, why it takes so long and 2, why people who applied after you get their decision before you. My honest feelings are that no one at the UKBA has any empathy. We paid a fortune as we used a visa agency to help and paid priority really starting to wish we hadn't bothered with either.

When people use visa agencies, often the communication with UKVI goes through them.  There is every chance they have heard (or will hear) and not notify you.

I really wouldn't worry yet.  Usually processing times slow this time of year, but they do NOT seem to have slowed this year.  I would imagine you will have a decision by next week.

Thank you Becca I appreciate the support. I can handle the waiting but I'm gonna be heartbroken if we don't get to spend Christmas and New Year together. Just makes no sense 1, why it takes so long and 2, why people who applied after you get their decision before you. My honest feelings are that no one at the UKBA has any empathy. We paid a fortune as we used a visa agency to help and paid priority really starting to wish we hadn't bothered with either.

But priority is meant to give a decision within three weeks if all is ok with the application, right? So you're still within that time frame. 

We have the shipping number and have contacted the visa agency and nothing  although they are terrible at replying and wish we hadn't bothered paying for them. Our visa isn't completely straight forward as my husband came to visit and they detained him, let him in for a week and then sent him back. Also I do not earn the £18,600 but am in receipt of DLA for my son. With this in mind will they still have to give a decision within 3 weeks?

But priority is meant to give a decision within three weeks if all is ok with the application, right? So you're still within that time frame. 

Not so anymore. The priority service used to say 'within 15 working days' but they've taken that part out of the description now will not guarantee any kind of timeline now.

It only says:
This service allows settlement visa applicants to pay to have their visa application placed at the front of the queue once received by the UK Visas and Immigration Decision Making Centre (DMC) in Sheffield, to commence processing ahead of other visa applications

So, while most priority applications probably will still be processed within 3 weeks, it could take longer.

With this in mind will they still have to give a decision within 3 weeks?

They don't have to give a decision within 3 weeks anyway, but if an application is not straightforward, it could take a couple of weeks more on top of that.

However, as your husband was not actually refused entry to the UK, his application should hopefully still be considered straightforward.

And receiving DLA doesn't make it non-straightforward either, it just means your application doesn't have to meet the new financial requirement and so you don't have to provide as much paperwork.

kfdancer is right about using a visa agency. We used one and he never sent us any emails. The Visa package just randomly showed up at my door one day. Maybe you could send your visa agency an email and ask them to forward you any emails that Sheffield sends to them.They do seem to have slowed down a bit lately but there's still a chance that you could get it before Christmas.Fingers crossed for you.Good luck!!

Visa arrived today!! It was approved on the day we got the received email, Nov 19th  But I'm just happy it's here now! Flight leaves in two days so I've got lots to do! Thanks everyone here for your help, I'll be around!!

Congatulations kcolville!! I'm leaving in 4 days. Hope we can all keep in touch!! I went to UK for 4 months this past summer and only met 1 other American the whole 4 months. I wast thinking where are all the other Americans hiding around here lol

Congrats kcolville  . Thank you also to all the comments off everyone they are keeping me hopeful 

I'm seeing a pattern here where most use priority service which apparently takes around 3 weeks.

Which begs the question, typically how long does a straightforward non-priority settlement take ?

The Visa service web site shows most complete in 60 days

https://visa-processingtimes.homeoffice.gov.uk/y/united-states/settlement-visas/settlement

does this line up with people's experience here ?

It depends on the time of year.  It varies continuously.

It depend on the time of year and the number of applicants. Mine was non-priority and it was approved in 5 days.That was just a few weeks ago,but it's getting closer to Christmas.I would think this time of year it would take straight forward priority 3-4 weeks.

I see non priority get a decision in a week yet we paid priority and they've had our application 2 weeks and haven't even looked at it yet according to our local MP. However they do it their system clearly doesn't work and it's pretty pointless paying for priority.

I see non priority get a decision in a week yet we paid priority and they've had our application 2 weeks and haven't even looked at it yet according to our local MP. However they do it their system clearly doesn't work and it's pretty pointless paying for priority.

Priority absolutely puts your application to the front of the queue.  It really does.  What it doesn't do is get the application processed more quickly.  Hang in there.  In the world of UKVI, you haven't been waiting long.  Two years ago, in country applications were taking almost a year to process...   

I see non priority get a decision in a week yet we paid priority and they've had our application 2 weeks and haven't even looked at it yet according to our local MP. However they do it their system clearly doesn't work and it's pretty pointless paying for priority.

It's way, way to early to be bringing your MP into this. You've barely been waiting any time at all yet in the grand scheme of things and you're still within normal processing times.

Priority can take anywhere from a few days to a few weeks and there's no guarantee how long yours will take compared to others. The application will be put to the front of the queue but after that, all bets are off... If your application requires any further processing or extra scrutiny it can take longer than other applications. Priority processing simply cuts the time the package is waiting in the queue, as KFDancer said, it doesn't speed up the actual processing time once it has been assigned to an ECO.

MPs should only be contacted either if UKVI have gone over their processing standards time of 3 months or if you have an emergency that means you have to travel to the UK immediately (i.e. a dying relative)


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