April Timeline

To people who had requests for more documents (or anyone who has read those threads), what's the timeline like for this?  I mean, around what time did they ask you for more docs?  After 6 weeks?  Earlier? Later?  Around the same time you would have been expecting to receive decision?

Thanks guys!

Depends on what they are asking for.  Typically a missing appendix or shipping account is asked for when they receive the application in.

Other items are asked for once a case worker is reviewing the application.

Missing IHS payments for dependents (a bug in the system) are asked for after approval.

It used to be that once the missing item was submitted, a decision email followed shortly afterwards.  But there have been a few applications in 2017 that the missing information was provided but the decision not received for another two months!

Hi All,

I'm an American that married a British citizen just this month!

Today I received this email (perhaps it is helpful to those now applying!):

Your online application has been received in Sheffield, UK.  Your application is currently being prepared for consideration by an Entry Clearance Officer.

If you have made a Settlement application (except for applications lodged in USA and Canada): you must ensure that your UK sponsor has sent all relevant supporting documentation to the visa section in Sheffield.  The documents should be arranged in this order: application form and relevant Appendix* (See below); English language evidence; relationship documents; maintenance documents; accommodation documents.   If documents are not received a decision will be taken on the basis on the information that has been provided.

If you have already had your supporting documents scanned in at the Visa Application Centre, or if you have already sent them in to us, please ignore the request for documents.

Please note that UKVI aims to complete all Visit Visa applications within 15 working days and all Settlement Visa applications within 12 weeks of the application date.  If it is not possible to complete your application within this timeframe a member of our team will contact you to explain why.

If you have paid for Priority Service, your application will be placed in front of the queue and assessed ahead of other non-priority visa applications.  As indicated in the terms of service, the amount paid for the priority service, as well as the visa fees, is not refundable if the visa application is refused or if the decision is delayed.

We regret that we are unable to respond to enquiries asking about the status of any application.  Any status enquiry should be made to the international enquiry service, details of which are on the GOV.UK website.  Staff at Embassies, visa processing centres and visa application centres cannot assist with visa enquiries.  You may also wish to view the current processing times for applications made in your country.

A further email will be sent to you to confirm when your application has been assessed and dispatched.  If your application was made in a Visa Application Centre, the staff there will contact you when your documents are ready – please do not attend the Centre until you are requested to do so.

Please note that you are advised not to purchase flight tickets until you have secured a visa for travel to the UK.

*List of Appendices:
Appendix 1 - Children / Other Dependants
Appendix 2 - Spouse / Partner
Appendix 4 - Pre-flight family members of Refugees
Appendix 5 - Access Rights to Child

Further information is also available on the UK visas and immigration website.

Kind regards,

Sheffield Visa Section[/size]

This was the first time I've ever seen them list the order the documents should be in - maybe helpful for those of you that have not yet submitted! (application form and relevant Appendix; English language evidence; relationship documents; maintenance documents; accommodation documents)

I am a bit worried about our application because it took them so long to send this email... The package arrived in Sheffield April 10. We had issues (as I read others have) with the VFS website. When we applied online on April 4, the priority fee was still $572 and our payment for the roundtrip courier ($227) was processed but the priority service was not, and we couldn't do anything about it on the site. I think the glitch was caused by their fee increase.

We spent days going back and forth with the VFS people only to get responses that did not acknowledge our screenshot evidence and were completely off-base, seemingly automated. But they reset something on our account so that on April 11 we were able to purchase the priority service at the increased fee of $700. We tried to explain that, due to the problems on their site, we should be refunded the difference... But that is a battle for later, we've decided.

Here's our timeline thus far:

Online application submitted: Tuesday, April 4
Biometrics: Friday, April 7 (1st available appointment)
Package (less than 5 lbs.) sent priority via UPS: Friday, April 7
UPS Confirmed delivery to Sheffield: Monday, April 10
Easter holiday: Fri-Mon. April 14-17
Confirmation Email: Thursday, April 20
Decision email: ...awaiting...

 

non priority in February was running 1-2 weeks(mine was an abnormally fast one arrived the Monday, decision email the friday) and priority I believe a matter of days.

Give you an example of how much its changed the day I received my visa someone on here sent theirs in non priority(February 27th) and they are still waiting. So don't trust those dates!

Random question...
How many business days do I have to turn in my paperwork to Sheffield after I apply online and pay?
I applied online 19 April and I plan on shipping the documents on the 25th.

There's no specific deadline between submitting online and mailing the documents, but there IS a deadline between biometrics and mailing.

Once you have attended the biometrics appointment you have 5 DAYS (calendar days, not business days) to MAIL the documents to Sheffield.

What date is/was your biometrics appointment? You have 5 days from that date to put it in the mail.


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Ah, I see from your other posts that your biometrics is on the 25th. So you have until April 30th to mail the package.


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 But they reset something on our account so that on April 11 we were able to purchase the priority service at the increased fee of $700. We tried to explain that, due to the problems on their site, we should be refunded the difference... But that is a battle for later, we've decided.

Here's our timeline thus far:

Online application submitted: Tuesday, April 4
Biometrics: Friday, April 7 (1st available appointment)
Package (less than 5 lbs.) sent priority via UPS: Friday, April 7
UPS Confirmed delivery to Sheffield: Monday, April 10
Easter holiday: Fri-Mon. April 14-17
Confirmation Email: Thursday, April 20
Decision email: ...awaiting...

 

Hi j4j, welcome! 

Just checking that once you were able to buy the priority service, you emailed UKVI with your priority service receipt and asked them to link it up with your application?
It won't happen automatically.

Hi all

My Wife applied online for her visa so we are starting our timeline :

Priority Spousal Visa 
Applied online: 21st April 2017
Bio-metrics Appointment:  25th April 2017

Timeline update!!!

Applied online April 17
Biometrics April 19
Mailed through VFS/UPS April 19 - priority processing
Delivered to Sheffield April 21
Received/put in system by Sheffield April 21

Amazingly, I got my e-mail about 8 hours after my application was received! Fingers crossed we have a decision in 4-5 weeks.

Our package's tracking says it was received at Sheffield at 7:30 this morning. How long does it usually take to get an email confirmation?

Our package's tracking says it was received at Sheffield at 7:30 this morning. How long does it usually take to get an email confirmation?

From what I understand it's variable. My friend applied for example in January, and it took one week for him to get the e-mail (which he told me is unusual). However, his application was still processed in the same time frame as other applicants, taking only 20 days to be accepted. So I don't think it matters -- though it's added more excitement/nervousness to my day!

It varies greatly depending on how busy they are.  As little as same day, and when they're really busy (like last summer) it was several weeks to over a month.

Thanks so much, Larrabee! 

Yes, we included the original receipt on the top of our supplemental documents (it listed both priority and roundtrip courier services) and we emailed UKVI with the 2nd receipt as well (on April 11). They confirmed that they linked that with our application... That's why I thought it was especially odd that we didn't get the Sheffield receipt confirmation email until yesterday!

Who knows!?

Hi j4j, welcome! 

Just checking that once you were able to buy the priority service, you emailed UKVI with your priority service receipt and asked them to link it up with your application?
It won't happen automatically.

Thanks so much, Larrabee! 

Yes, we included the original receipt on the top of our supplemental documents (it listed both priority and roundtrip courier services) and we emailed UKVI with the 2nd receipt as well (on April 11). They confirmed that they linked that with our application... That's why I thought it was especially odd that we didn't get the Sheffield receipt confirmation email until yesterday!

Who knows!?

Excellent! 

The emails can be fairly random, it's not unheard of to not get one at all.