November Timeline

I know it's no longer November but I though I'd add mine... The start of Christmas season and all.

Docs Shipped: Dec 7
Docs arrived in Sheffield: Dec 9

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Hi

Hope you are well.

Sheffield received our supporting documents on Thursday 8th December.  So we are close in timelines.  Did you get a mail confirming receipt of your documents?  We have not had any correspondence.  Did you use priority service??

thanks - Good Luck!

This is probably a daft question, but does the UKVI take time off during Christmas? I mean, I imagine that they don't process anything on Christmas itself, but do they continue processing applications between Christmas and New Year, or are applications received during that time just not touched till early January (besides the normal backlog, I mean)?

This is probably a daft question, but does the UKVI take time off during Christmas? I mean, I imagine that they don't process anything on Christmas itself, but do they continue processing applications between Christmas and New Year, or are applications received during that time just not touched till early January (besides the normal backlog, I mean)?

They will have the 26th, 27th, and 2nd off as they are all bank holidays here in the UK.  I imagine loads of employees will take the days in between to bridge the gap, as many people in the UK do.  But technically it should be business as usual during those three days between the holidays.

Hope you get a reply soon.  Did you receive a mail from Home Office confirming receipt of your evidence?  We submitted our folder last week and still have not got a confirmation.  Good Luck and will look out for your updates!

Hi Polly, I have received a conformation email that says my application and supporting documents have been received but no email to let me know they are finished. Hopefully you will get yours soon! Good luck!

It's not that it's best not to travel via Dublin.  It's that he won't technically be entering on his visa if he travels in from Dublin!  Ireland is part of the CTA with the UK.  What that means is that passengers arriving into the UK from Dublin do not go through UK passport control.

Your husband's visa will have a vignette (sticker) in his passport that is valid for 30 days.  He needs to have UK Border Control stamp this sticker in his passport during that 30 day window.  He then takes his passport, with the stamp to the designated post office to collect his Biometric Resident Permit (his actual visa).  If he doesn't have the stamp, he can't collect his visa!

An option would be to have him fly in via Dublin.  Then for you (ooops him) to take a trip to the continent and re-enter and get the stamp.

I knew I'd forgotten something!!! 

I booked my wife's flight to LHR via Shannon! Ok so now we have to go on a trip outside the UK within 30 days of her arrival. So they really are ok with that KF? My wife might not be too upset to hear that - she's been waiting at her mother's in Maryland for 2 weeks now. Like you, Polly, I'm trying to get her to Belfast in time for Xmas.

Barring a catastrophic refusal, the timeline has been a bit sluggish and frustrating for us of late, which might be some comfort to others.
Her documents confirmation email was received on the 24th Nov. We went with priority but are still waiting for the decision email. We put her date of intended travel as 19th Dec, so I'm now hoping that they're working towards that date.

I knew I'd forgotten something!!! 

I booked my wife's flight to LHR via Shannon! Ok so now we have to go on a trip outside the UK within 30 days of her arrival. So they really are ok with that KF? My wife might not be too upset to hear that - she's been waiting at her mother's in Maryland for 2 weeks now. Like you, Polly, I'm trying to get her to Belfast in time for Xmas.

Barring a catastrophic refusal, the timeline has been a bit sluggish and frustrating for us of late, which might be some comfort to others.
Her documents confirmation email was received on the 24th Nov. We went with priority but are still waiting for the decision email. We put her date of intended travel as 19th Dec, so I'm now hoping that they're working towards that date.

It's not within 30 days of her arrival, it's within that 30 day validity period of the visa sticker.

We've had people receive their visas and have 10 days validity left on their entry vignette.  So she would have to enter from OUTSIDE Ireland during that time.

I hope you haven't booked travel yet!  You really shouldn't until you have the visa in hand.  Even if you do receive it before Christmas, you need to check the visa for errors - which does happen!

Unfortunately UKVI will not be working towards the requested December 19th date.  Until the application is picked up by a case worker, it'll simply be sitting on a desk collecting dust waiting for someone to evaluate it.   

Fingers crossed you get it in time and that the vignette is for the dates you've requested

Thanks KF.

Ok, I do remember reading on here about that validity date stuff. Hopefully the timeline won't be too tight with that.

We have booked travel but it's a flexible ticket at least.

Yes, sadly I'm not expecting any white glove treatment in terms of the processing timetable - just trying to maintain our sanity any way possible.

I knew I'd forgotten something!!! 

I booked my wife's flight to LHR via Shannon! Ok so now we have to go on a trip outside the UK within 30 days of her arrival. So they really are ok with that KF? My wife might not be too upset to hear that - she's been waiting at her mother's in Maryland for 2 weeks now. Like you, Polly, I'm trying to get her to Belfast in time for Xmas.

Barring a catastrophic refusal, the timeline has been a bit sluggish and frustrating for us of late, which might be some comfort to others.
Her documents confirmation email was received on the 24th Nov. We went with priority but are still waiting for the decision email. We put her date of intended travel as 19th Dec, so I'm now hoping that they're working towards that date.

Oh gosh, the Visa process for some of the folks earlier in month of Nov where so quick but I can definitely see the process slowing down in the run up to Christmas.  We have not yet received a mail to confirm our documents have been received :-(  So I have very little faith I will get my husband home for Christmas, but our main priority is just getting the visa approved and getting him home.  We are also priority.  All we can do is be patient and hope.  Really pleased we have the information on routing via Dublin. :-)  we are just focusing on flights directly into Belfast to ensure we get the stamp.

Hi

Hope you are well.

Sheffield received our supporting documents on Thursday 8th December.  So we are close in timelines.  Did you get a mail confirming receipt of your documents?  We have not had any correspondence.  Did you use priority service??

thanks - Good Luck!

I haven't heard anything yet and yes I used priority.

The last time we applied I swear they didn't even open my envelope until I sent their help center an email (I got the arrival email the next day even though they literally had it for 2.5 months) I'm tempted to send an email but my husband insists I have to wait. We got priority this time so hopefully in the next day or so?

Update yay!

Docs Shipped: Dec 7th
Docs arrived in Sheffield: Dec 9th
Confirmation Email: Dec 13th

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I haven't heard anything yet and yes I used priority.

The last time we applied I swear they didn't even open my envelope until I sent their help center an email (I got the arrival email the next day even though they literally had it for 2.5 months) I'm tempted to send an email but my husband insists I have to wait. We got priority this time so hopefully in the next day or so?

Keep fingers crossed!  We actually received a mail at noon today advising confirmation of receipt of our file and that same is currently being prepared for consideration by an Entry Clearance Officer.  Hopefully you will receive the same mail tomorrow!! I will keep you fully updated with any developments.

Update yay!

Docs Shipped: Dec 7th
Docs arrived in Sheffield: Dec 9th
Confirmation Email: Dec 13th

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Yepee

Great News!  Lets hope we get another mail soon advising a decision has been made :-)  Good Luck

Yepee

Great News!  Lets hope we get another mail soon advising a decision has been made :-)  Good Luck

Fingers crossed!

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They must have all got their Xmas bonuses in Sheffield today - we got our decision email a couple of hours ago!

They must have all got their Xmas bonuses in Sheffield today - we got our decision email a couple of hours ago!

That is great news!!  Look forward to hearing the confirmation news when you are in safe receipt of your decision letter.