May timeline

I suppose I'll put my timeline here, as it is probably considered to be a May application (dang end of the month applications!)


Priority Spousal Visa
Applied online: 21st April
Biometrics Appointment:  25th April
Package sent: 25th April
Arrived in Sheffield: 27th April
Email from Sheffield: 1st May

It would be excellent to be able to travel June 18th. I'm pretty confident that that's not asking too much, as even if it takes 6 weeks for a decision that'd only be May 13th (I think- trying to account for holidays and such) and I'd hopefully (??) get my paperwork back in 2 days, as that's how long it took to get there wth UKVI. It's actually be kind of preferable in a way for me if it took a bit longer, as I'm not going to be home and will have to arrange for the package to be rerouted if I'm still at my family reunion.

This whole thing has been so frustrating, but this forum (I've been creeping for over a year haha) has been a lifesaver. Back when I was jobless, living in Minehead on a tourist visa for 5 months with nothing to do, it saved me a little. Helped me realize spousal/fiancée is the way to go, and stopped me from having too many pipe dreams about getting a fantasy work visa.


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I suppose I'll put my timeline here, as it is probably considered to be a May application (dang end of the month applications!)


Priority Spousal Visa
Applied online: 21st April
Biometrics Appointment:  25th April
Package sent: 25th April
Arrived in Sheffield: 27th April
Email from Sheffield: 1st May

It would be excellent to be able to travel June 18th. I'm pretty confident that that's not asking too much, as even if it takes 6 weeks for a decision that'd only be May 13th (I think- trying to account for holidays and such) and I'd hopefully (??) get my paperwork back in 2 days, as that's how long it took to get there wth UKVI. It's actually be kind of preferable in a way for me if it took a bit longer, as I'm not going to be home and will have to arrange for the package to be rerouted if I'm still at my family reunion.

This whole thing has been so frustrating, but this forum (I've been creeping for over a year haha) has been a lifesaver. Back when I was jobless, living in Minehead on a tourist visa for 5 months with nothing to do, it saved me a little. Helped me realize spousal/fiancée is the way to go, and stopped me from having too many pipe dreams about getting a fantasy work visa.


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Me, too. I had hopes for about 5 minutes that I could get a work visa.

I'm one week ahead of you, and I certainly hope I hear by the beginning of June, so here's hoping.

Fingers crossed for you both that it won't be too much longer before you have your visas. 

Hi!  I'm a new member but have been pretty much reading all the timeline/updates for the past 2 weeks now.   Here's my application information:


Visa: Fiancé
P/NP: Priority
Application date: April 13
Biometrics: May 5
Application mailed: May 11
Received in Sheffield: May 12 (per delivery confirmation provided by solicitor)
Email received: no (kind of worried but trying not to be)
Anticipated wait time: 30 days (per solicitor)
Decision email:__________
Visa received:___________

I'm hoping for a mid/end of June decision. My apartment lease runs out end of July. But like most, we've got backup plans to our backup plans.  Just so frustrating being stuck with no passport!  Could really use a Caribbean vacation to make the time pass a little quicker!!

you are just one day behind me! My documents got there on May 11th.  However, I didn't pay for priority! Kinda of regretting that now! Good luck to you! I'll keep up with how your application is going!

Greetings all, very recent member to this forum which I wish I had found prior to my recent wife and I sending out our spouse application!

I will inform everyone that, although I was born, raised, educated, and work in the UK, due to my parents being Indian and never applying for citizenship, I reside in Scotland with Indefinite Leave to Enter and Remain with Indian nationality and passport. I do however have a national security number, job, mortgage etc. etc., so am effectively a permanent resident in anyone's eyes.

My now wife, Sarah, and I met while she was visiting her friend in Edinburgh, and we went from strength to strength very quickly indeed, visiting each other between Edinburgh and New York several times before deciding we wanted to be married to one another. The ceremony took place just under a month ago in New York, we're just waiting on the result of the visa so we can start our life together in Scotland.

Slight oddity with our application in that we only submitted a physical copy of VAF4A with our package to Sheffield, rather than an online one despite Sarah being an American citizen by birth, although we have been informed this will have no bearing on the processing time or outcome.

Our details are below, adding to the list of May applications for everyone's reference on times:

[Priority Processing and Two-way Shipping]
Met in Edinburgh: 27 October 2016
Married in New York: 28 April 2017
Biometrics: 4 May 2017
Application forms and evidence sent to Sheffield: 4 May 2017
Confirmation email from Sheffield: 8 May 2017
Additional documents requested: 8 May 2017
Confirmation of submitting additional documents: 16 May 2017
Decision made email: Pending
Documents returned: Pending

Good luck to everyone, the disparity in processing times between reality at present and the .gov website is every bit as tortuous and agonising for us as I'm sure it is for all of you.

Greetings all, very recent member to this forum which I wish I had found prior to my recent wife and I sending out our spouse application!

I will inform everyone that, although I was born, raised, educated, and work in the UK, due to my parents being Indian and never applying for citizenship, I reside in this country with Indefinite Leave to Enter and Remain with Indian nationality and passport. I do however have a national security number, job, mortgage etc. etc., so am effectively a permanent resident in anyone's eyes.

My now wife, Sarah, and I met while she was visiting her friend in Edinburgh, and we went from strength to strength very quickly indeed, visiting each other between Edinburgh and New York several times before deciding we wanted to be married to one another. The ceremony took place just under a month ago in New York, we're just waiting on the result of the visa so we can start our life together in Scotland.

Slight oddity with our application in that we only submitted a physical copy of VAF4A with our package to Sheffield, rather than an online one despite Sarah being an American citizen by birth, although we have been informed this will have no bearing on the processing time or outcome.

Our details are below, adding to the list of May applications for everyone's reference on times:

[Priority Processing and Two-way Shipping]
Met in Edinburgh: 27 October 2016
Married in New York: 28 April 2017
Biometrics: 4 May 2017
Application forms and evidence sent to Sheffield: 4 May 2017
Confirmation email from Sheffield: 8 May 2017
Additional documents requested: 8 May 2017
Confirmation of submitting additional documents: 16 May 2017
Decision made email: Pending
Documents returned: Pending

Good luck to everyone, the disparity in processing times between reality at present and the .gov website is every bit as tortuous and agonising for us as I'm sure it is for all of you.

Hi Vik.    I'd recommend applying for British citizenship for yourself. 

Hi Vik.    I'd recommend applying for British citizenship for yourself.

Hi Larrabee! Yes given the circumstance we're faced with now I'm sure that would have simplified things, and sorting this out will be our prime objective if our application is successful.

Alas, in my angsty earlier years, the prospect of dishing out thousands of pounds to naturalize and receive my first British passport was too much for me; I felt wronged that I needed to go through it at all given that I was born in the UK and have always had almost all the rights and freedoms of a citizen, and so didn't go through with it.

Retrospect, eh?

Hi Larrabee! Yes given the circumstance we're faced with now I'm sure that would have simplified things, and sorting this out will be our prime objective if our application is successful.

Alas, in my angsty earlier years, the prospect of dishing out thousands of pounds to naturalize and receive my first British passport was too much for me; I felt wronged that I needed to go through it at all given that I was born in the UK and have always had almost all the rights and freedoms of a citizen, and so didn't go through with it.

Retrospect, eh?

I am curious--have you ever encountered anti-immigrant sentiments with people assuming you aren't British? Wondering how strong the prejudices are.

I am curious--have you ever encountered anti-immigrant sentiments with people assuming you aren't British? Wondering how strong the prejudices are.

In Scotland I've experience basically nothing in 25 years, even when I was a child in the mid-late 90s and the only non-white child in my school for quite some time. I live in Edinburgh currently, which as well as being a tourist hotspot is also one of the most multicultural cities in Scotland (after Glasgow in my opinion), so again have experienced basically no prejudice.

I can't say for other parts of the UK, but England on the whole, especially London and areas of the south of England, are far more multicultural than Scotland, so I imagine it's also not really an issue outside of extreme cases; those types of people do exist everywhere as we hear about, I've just never personally come across them.

When coming back into the country and going through immigration, I do experience a bit delay proving I'm allowed to be there, understandable given my Indian passport. As soon as I've mentioned I was born, educated, own property and such then everything is completely fine, and I never get the sense I'm being treated unfairly.

Again, this is just my experience, I've talked to friends who have had run ins with more ignorant people in the UK, but even those have been few and far between. Hope this helps!

That's really good news.  I would have been pretty depressed to hear that someone has given you a hard time.

Hi Larrabee! Yes given the circumstance we're faced with now I'm sure that would have simplified things, and sorting this out will be our prime objective if our application is successful.

Alas, in my angsty earlier years, the prospect of dishing out thousands of pounds to naturalize and receive my first British passport was too much for me; I felt wronged that I needed to go through it at all given that I was born in the UK and have always had almost all the rights and freedoms of a citizen, and so didn't go through with it.

Retrospect, eh?

I totally understand how you feel about this.  Just make sure that you re-visit it down the line, especially if you guys consider moving back to the US as it would be such a shame if you weren't able to return to the country of your birth without a long, expensive visa battle.

Adding myself the the queue ...

I'm the yank, she's the brit. We've been married 22 years, all of it in various parts of the US.

Type of visa: Settlement - Husband Priority
Application submitted online:  19 May 2017
Biometrics taken: 23 May 2017
Application packet sent to UKVI: 23 May 2017
Application packet delivered per UPS Tracking: waiting
Email confirmation from UKVI: waiting
Decision Made email: waiting
Visa received: hoping
Requested travel date: 26 July 2017

Adding myself the the queue ...

I'm the yank, she's the brit. We've been married 22 years, all of it in various parts of the US.

Type of visa: Settlement - Husband Priority
Application submitted online:  19 May 2017
Biometrics taken: 23 May 2017
Application packet sent to UKVI: 23 May 2017
Application packet delivered per UPS Tracking: waiting
Email confirmation from UKVI: waiting
Decision Made email: waiting
Visa received: hoping
Requested travel date: 26 July 2017

Updating my dates, while hoping that those in April hear good news soon!

Type of visa: Settlement - Husband Priority
Application submitted online:  19 May 2017
Biometrics taken: 23 May 2017
Application packet sent to UKVI: 23 May 2017
Application packet delivered per UPS Tracking: 25 May 2017
Email confirmation from UKVI: 25 May 2017
Decision Made email: waiting
Visa received: hoping
Requested travel date: 26 July 2017

I suppose I'll put my timeline here, as it is probably considered to be a May application (dang end of the month applications!)


Priority Spousal Visa
Applied online: 21st April
Biometrics Appointment:  25th April
Package sent: 25th April
Arrived in Sheffield: 27th April
Email from Sheffield: 1st May

It would be excellent to be able to travel June 18th. I'm pretty confident that that's not asking too much, as even if it takes 6 weeks for a decision that'd only be May 13th (I think- trying to account for holidays and such) and I'd hopefully (??) get my paperwork back in 2 days, as that's how long it took to get there wth UKVI. It's actually be kind of preferable in a way for me if it took a bit longer, as I'm not going to be home and will have to arrange for the package to be rerouted if I'm still at my family reunion.

This whole thing has been so frustrating, but this forum (I've been creeping for over a year haha) has been a lifesaver. Back when I was jobless, living in Minehead on a tourist visa for 5 months with nothing to do, it saved me a little. Helped me realize spousal/fiancée is the way to go, and stopped me from having too many pipe dreams about getting a fantasy work visa.


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Brilliant Knew I could count on my beautiful Wife to update on this timeline

Adding myself in!

Got my FLR(M) paperwork all mailed off today. Fingers crossed it doesn't take too long! I can't wait to get a job.

FLR(M) non-priority
Package sent: 25 May
Arrived in Sheffield:
Email from Sheffield: