Non-priority Spousal Visa Timeline

Update: Received the dreaded "NOT STRAIGHTFORWARD" email today (Business Day 49.) Not sure what next step should be - sit and wait (again)?

They are probably just giving themselves more time because they've backed up on November and December applicants, but depending how long you've been waiting someone else may tell you to have your Sponsor's MP contacted?

They are probably just giving themselves more time because they've backed up on November and December applicants, but depending how long you've been waiting someone else may tell you to have your Sponsor's MP contacted?

Thanks dramahuman ... I'll just wait 'til BD60 (Monday) and will then contact them. Am also planning on having my wife meet with our MP as well.

Update: Received the dreaded "NOT STRAIGHTFORWARD" email today (Business Day 49.) Not sure what next step should be - sit and wait (again)?

I got the same yesterday. A little background, but our MP's office had actually just gotten us a status update on Thursday of last week where they said that my case had no flags indicating it would take longer than 12 weeks to process and that this week was my 12th week. Then I got the email yesterday (business day 58 from app submission).

My partner contacted the woman we've been working with in our MP's office to try to understand what would have changed within 2 workings day to take us from no flags to our case being suddenly too complicated to process as usual, and she didn't seem too concerned about it.

She said that the email is computer-generated if the end of the standard processing time is approaching, but that it doesn't mean much. (Other than yes, they're buying time.) She seemed to think we wouldn't be too far off the usual processing time. She's going to call to find out more, but last time it took her 2 weeks to get in touch with them, so who knows? I'm hoping she'll let me know if there are newly-identified problems that we can address.

On the other hand I know some other people here have gotten the email sooner within their standard processing period and have been waiting awhile since then to hear anything further. Seems like the rules are there are no rules.

I know this isn't much help, but I wanted to share the info I have.

I'm a bit confused as to how they would be this backed up, if they actually are. If you look at their processing times online, for applications decided in December, it says that 79% of them were processed in 30 days (I assume that this is business days) which is pretty good processing time. I know that there is probably a rush of applications closer to Christmas, but both of you who got the not straightforward emails applied long before Christmas... at least 2 months for RichC and I can't see tiff's timeline while I write this, but I'm pretty sure it's very similar to RichC's timeline. I feel like I need to buckle up and prepare for one of these emails too.

I'm a bit confused as to how they would be this backed up, if they actually are. If you look at their processing times online, for applications decided in December, it says that 79% of them were processed in 30 days (I assume that this is business days)

It's been my understanding that anything that's considered 'not straight forward' doesn't count against their processing time % so, the numbers aren't exactly accurate.

I'm a bit confused as to how they would be this backed up, if they actually are. If you look at their processing times online, for applications decided in December, it says that 79% of them were processed in 30 days (I assume that this is business days) which is pretty good processing time. I know that there is probably a rush of applications closer to Christmas, but both of you who got the not straightforward emails applied long before Christmas... at least 2 months for RichC and I can't see tiff's timeline while I write this, but I'm pretty sure it's very similar to RichC's timeline. I feel like I need to buckle up and prepare for one of these emails too.

The statistics are really misleading.  Priority and non-priority are lumped together.

Also they often pick a few "unicorns" each month and process those in 1 or 2 days to skew the statistics in their favor.  There is nothing to be gained from their statistics that are posted.

So in ’reality’ there is no difference between priority and non - priority processing? If so all of those paying a not inconsiderable sum of money for priority processing are basically being robbed!

The statistics are really misleading.  Priority and non-priority are lumped together.

Also they often pick a few "unicorns" each month and process those in 1 or 2 days to skew the statistics in their favor.  There is nothing to be gained from their statistics that are posted.

I don't know why I would have thought any differently at this point.

So in ’reality’ there is no difference between priority and non - priority processing? If so all of those paying a not inconsiderable sum of money for priority processing are basically being robbed!

The actual looking at the application doesn't go any faster, what priority gets you is a spot at the front of the line, so it is different.

So in ’reality’ there is no difference between priority and non - priority processing? If so all of those paying a not inconsiderable sum of money for priority processing are basically being robbed!

No, priority is almost always processed faster than non priority (eta because, as said it gets put to the front of the queue.). Kfdancer is pointing out that the processing time statistics are meaningless because they don't separate them out.

Understood...just very sceptical of it all. This being Rip Off Britain and all!

So in ’reality’ there is no difference between priority and non - priority processing? If so all of those paying a not inconsiderable sum of money for priority processing are basically being robbed!

No, it's just that you can't see how fast priority are processed compared to non-priority.

For example, the stats say:
5 days   16%
10 days   37%
15 days   43%
30 days   79%
60 days   96%
90 days   97%
120 days   97%

So we would assume, based on recent processing times here on the forum, that the 79% processed in 30 working days are likely to be mainly priority applications (since most priority applications have been processed in 15-30 working days), while the applications processed between 30 and 120 working days are likely to be the non-priority applications.

But because they just lump all the statistics in together and provide an overall percentage without breaking down priority and non-priority, we don't really know for sure.

Some non-priority this time in 2016 and 2017 were only taking 5 weeks. But now we are seeing a few October just now getting their visas, so maybe this year is abnormally long?

Several variables as each case is unique.

1) Priority vs Non-Priority
2) Season Q3 (summer) has nearly twice the incoming apps as Q1
3) How fast your app is to process and if you submitted everything correctly. If nothing adverse in your history, you obviously make enough money, and are married 10 years, nothing for them to research.
4) How good the person is on the other side reviewing your app.
5) How many people with clear visa apps will post here to boast vs those who come here worrying after a delay of 2 months and not hearing anything.

Some non-priority this time in 2016 and 2017 were only taking 5 weeks. But now we are seeing a few October just now getting their visas, so maybe this year is abnormally long?

Several variables as each case is unique.

1) Priority vs Non-Priority
2) Season Q3 (summer) has nearly twice the incoming apps as Q1
3) How easy your app is to process and if you submitted everything correctly. If nothing adverse in your history, nothing for them to research and obviously are married.
4) How good the person is on the other side reviewing your app.
5) How many people with clear visa apps will post here to boast vs those who come here worrying after a delay of 2 months and not hearing anything.

In April, Sheffield starting processing for MANY more countries.  So everything until April this year is comparing apples to oranges.  This year has been a learning year!  We have lost our trends.

Well, that is not fun to hear. I wonder what % increase in applications are needed to be processed in Sheffield?