Intended travel date

Hello again,

Just a quick question about intended travel dates. On our application (priority settlement) we put a date that was just over a month from the submission date (20th Oct) as advised by our lawyer.

We have the visa arriving today (fingers crossed) and the intention is to fly back ASAP this week.

Is the visa dated only from the travel date we stated, or should he be able to travel earlier this week? Or does the date of travel not matter once you have the passport back with the clearance? Can you only travel from a specific date if you receive the approval back earlier than the intended travel date originally proposed?

Thanks

Because the visa is only valid for 30 days, they are supposed to honour the intended travel date you put on the application.... Unless that date has already passed, in which case it will be made valid from the date it was issued.

So, there's a good chance his visa will only be valid for travel between 20th October and 19th November... So he will need to wait until the 20th to travel because he won't have a valid visa to enter the UK as a spouse if he arrives before that date.

You might be lucky and find they've issued it starting on the date it was approved, but it will probably be the 20th


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Ah. Ok, thank you for the advice.

I know it's a small point, but as it's worded 'intended date of travel' does that mean he can't travel until that date? What I mean by this is that a lot of the flights are night flights, so he could travel the day before which ARRIVES in the U.K. on the date of the visa?

E.g. If visa is dated 20th, can he get a night flight that leaves on the 19th and ARRIVES in the U.K. on the 20th early morning?

I know it's a small point, but it's a technicality that we don't want to be told because he started his travel on the day before, that it could that be a problem?

The intended travel date you put on the application is the date you want the visa to start from - it is only relevant to the ECO processing the visa when they are making the decision and printing the visa.

In terms of the actual date he can travel, that depends on the 'valid from' date actually printed on the visa.

It's supposed to be the date you put for the intended travel date, but it may not be - he will need to check the date on his visa before he books his flight just to make sure.

But yes, it means he cannot ENTER the UK until that date... So he must not land in the UK before 00:01 on the start date of his visa.

I assume it's fine to get on the plane the day before as long as it arrives on the right day, though the airline may check his visa before he gets on the plane - I'm not sure if that will be an issue or not.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Yup, it's fine to board a flight that leaves the night before.    So long as he doesn't arrive into the UK prior to the 20th (assuming that's the date on the visa), he won't have any problems.

The "intended travel date" should be thought of as "earliest possible travel date", as they give 30 days from the date requested.

Thanks, both. That makes total sense.

Having thought about it further, when you think of the timezone, a flight that leaves (New York) at 11pm is technically 4am the next day already in the U.K because of the 5 hour time difference lol. So the flight leaves the USA at 11pm on the 19th would land in the UK at 11am on the 20th.

Assuming that it should be fine as he will arrive on the day the visa is valid from.

I'm sure I sound a bit crazy asking a question about such a small point, but as I've found out these small details are actually quite important.

I assume it's fine to get on the plane the day before as long as it arrives on the right day, though the airline may check his visa before he gets on the plane - I'm not sure if that will be an issue or not.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

So, he just got the pack and opened it just now and its APPROVED 

This visa is actually valid from the 15th - interestingly. Not the date of issue, not the date of 'intended travel' - somewhere inbetween.

Husband MADE me phone the support line to check whether he could fly sooner (even though I told him I already know the answer!) but they confirmed it (waste of money lol) however one interesting point they DID say, was that we should DEFINITELY check with the airline whether that was acceptable to them. Apparently, some airlines will not let you travel the night before, even if you will actually land in the UK on the date the visa is valid from. So, he's going to check when booking as we don't want to waste money rebooking.

Slightly giddy with excitement at the moment, and think it will all hit me later when I get home. Again, thank you to everyone for your support and stellar advice.

 

Congratulations!!! 

Congrats!

Very naughty of them to not honour your date, but glad it works in your benefit.

The airline thing seems like a load of bull to me, but I don't think the phone line can make it through a call without throwing in some type of incorrect information!

My visa was valid from January 3.  I flew out on the 2nd and landed on the 3rd.  No issue anywhere.

Thanks KF 

We actually knew the decision already (my call last week ended with being told 'he should have his visa next week'). I didn't want to say anything earlier because I was so excited and anxious at the same time, I wanted to make sure I had actually heard correctly and we got the visa in his hands before confirming it. It's funny how you can be told something and then still not believe it!

As mentioned before, I heard that a call is not very common, and it was mainly to verify some info, but I was also offered the chance to ask any questions and my mind went blank and then I asked 'were all the papers ok' and told 'yes they were very well prepared' to which I replied 'I was worried I had sent you way too much' to which the reply was 'not at all, it's all good'. And then the 'he should have his visa next week' and I just said 'that's great news' and we said goodbye and hung up. I then started questioning myself as to whether I had heard correctly! It's certainly not usual from what I've heard to get a call, but it has meant we had less of a nail biting last few days waiting for the pack to arrive, but happy it's all done and glad he can fly sooner!

 

The airline thing seems like a load of bull to me, but I don't think the phone line can make it through a call without throwing in some type of incorrect information!

Thinking more about this, my friend whose husband is from Egypt couldn't come to the uk on a normal holiday visa through restrictions to certain countries allowing citizens to just come to the uk for a vacation as standard. Unlike US citizens who can travel freely without any prior arrangement. Therefore, technically in that scenario they could well say they can't leave until the date as their passport on its own wouldn't cover them to travel the day before even if arriving on the actual date. Maybe that's why they ask you to check with the airline? That said, if that is the case they should have said 'being a US citizen you should be fine'. If that makes sense?

Thinking more about this, my friend whose husband is from Egypt couldn't come to the uk on a normal holiday visa through restrictions to certain countries allowing citizens to just come to the uk for a vacation as standard. Unlike US citizens who can travel freely without any prior arrangement. Therefore, technically in that scenario they could well say they can't leave until the date as their passport on its own wouldn't cover them to travel the day before even if arriving on the actual date. Maybe that's why they ask you to check with the airline? That said, if that is the case they should have said 'being a US citizen you should be fine'. If that makes sense?

Even though it's OK at the UK end. I would still check with the airline as they may have their own rules.  It doesn't hurt to do that and you'll have that extra peace of mind. 

Even though it's OK at the UK end. I would still check with the airline as they may have their own rules.  It doesn't hurt to do that and you'll have that extra peace of mind. 

Yeah, we checked already. They said it was fine and I told the husband to get them to email that confirmation or point to where it states that on their website. Just to be on the safe side! Mostly because its not the immigration bit we are worried about, its the airline: the help line says one thing, but the ground staff could easily say another. Just don't wanna have to re-book. But thats all precautionary as others have said, as long as he arrives in the UK after 00.01 hours thats all technically fine.

 

How would you go about extending the 30 days, due to unforeseen circumstances we may have to delay the flight to the UK...

Any advice would be much appreciated.

How would you go about extending the 30 days, due to unforeseen circumstances we may have to delay the flight to the UK...

Any advice would be much appreciated.

I honestly wouldn't delay. Even if you just go for as long as it takes to pick up the BRP then return to the US to finish up, that's what I'd do.

We have a member at the moment who is going though a terrible time right now trying to extend her dates and she now finds herself outwith the original 30 days but without a new travel window.