Non-priority Spousal Visa Timeline

It's incredibly neat and tidy. I'm sure they'll be impressed with how much time we spent on preparing it for them...

I have another possibly stupid question... As we're now realising the implications of not hearing back in time for our Spanish party, is there any way you can retroactively apply for the priority stamp and somehow add it to your application? I feel like I read that someone has done that on here but have no idea if it was a dream or where to find it.

We've also just realised that my wife won't be living in the house the documents are being returned to after September. This is turning into a bit of a mess.

Unfortunately there is no way to upgrade to priority after the fact. The used to allow that but haven't for some time now.

Unfortunately there is no way to upgrade to priority after the fact. The used to allow that but haven't for some time now.

Thanks for clearing that up, I thought it was a long shot. They could have earned an easy £500 to just move our application into a different pile!

I'm trying to remain positive, our 60 BD is on Sep 18 and our celebration in Spain is on Oct 19.

We're going to get my wife a second passport just incase, so she can fly to Spain and back to the US but the cost of all the flights is just going to be crippling. I really wish they wouldn't say that you shouldn't apply until 3 months before your intended travel date. We took that as we couldn't otherwise we'd have done this whole dance back in April.

I've been stalking these pages for a while but can't tell if they're massively behind this year compared to previous?

I really wish they wouldn't say that you shouldn't apply until 3 months before your intended travel date. We took that as we couldn't otherwise

Where did you see that SamT?   They did used to clearly say that on the website but I haven't been able to find it anywhere recently. Then they changed the application so that you can set an intended travel date for up to 6 months ahead so we've been surmising that this is the new time frame although I hadn't managed to find it anywhere. I haven't looked for a few months though.

Where did you see that SamT?   They did used to clearly say that on the website but I haven't been able to find it anywhere recently. Then they changed the application so that you can set an intended travel date for up to 6 months ahead so we've been surmising that this is the new time frame although I hadn't managed to find it anywhere. I haven't looked for a few months though.

Honestly I can't remember and neither can my wife. I feel like we saw it multiple times on various forums, websites and possibly on the application too. We started researching this in December last year so it may have even been on the GOV.UK website. Perhaps if this was an old rule, we may have just been reading through old information and took it as verbatim. We thought it was a ridiculous rule at the time but at the start of this process we had planned everything around it, and now we're here. Hindsight is always great, but we should have checked with the gurus on this forum before going down this path.

Still, they say 98% of applications are processed in 60 days, so we thought we had ourselves covered that way too, but maybe not!

I've seen people mention this before, but is getting an MP involved, just for some clarity so we can make plans, worth it? I think my MP hates me as we've disagreed with each other on a few occasions but is it worth a shot?

Thanks for clearing that up, I thought it was a long shot. They could have earned an easy £500 to just move our application into a different pile!

I'm trying to remain positive, our 60 BD is on Sep 18 and our celebration in Spain is on Oct 19.

We're going to get my wife a second passport just incase, so she can fly to Spain and back to the US but the cost of all the flights is just going to be crippling. I really wish they wouldn't say that you shouldn't apply until 3 months before your intended travel date. We took that as we couldn't otherwise we'd have done this whole dance back in April.

I've been stalking these pages for a while but can't tell if they're massively behind this year compared to previous?

The second passport is the work around for that.

Honestly an extra flight will be a drop in the ocean after all is said and done. 

Honestly I can't remember and neither can my wife. I feel like we saw it multiple times on various forums, websites and possibly on the application too. We started researching this in December last year so it may have even been on the GOV.UK website. Perhaps if this was an old rule, we may have just been reading through old information and took it as verbatim. We thought it was a ridiculous rule at the time but at the start of this process we had planned everything around it, and now we're here. Hindsight is always great, but we should have checked with the gurus on this forum before going down this path.

Still, they say 98% of applications are processed in 60 days, so we thought we had ourselves covered that way too, but maybe not!

I've seen people mention this before, but is getting an MP involved, just for some clarity so we can make plans, worth it? I think my MP hates me as we've disagreed with each other on a few occasions but is it worth a shot?

No point in contacting your MP, I’m afraid.  They are well within service standards at the moment and unfortunately a wedding isn’t considered a compassionate circumstance. 

Honestly I can't remember and neither can my wife. I feel like we saw it multiple times on various forums, websites and possibly on the application too. We started researching this in December last year so it may have even been on the GOV.UK website. Perhaps if this was an old rule, we may have just been reading through old information and took it as verbatim. We thought it was a ridiculous rule at the time but at the start of this process we had planned everything around it, and now we're here. Hindsight is always great, but we should have checked with the gurus on this forum before going down this path.

 I think it's likely you've read it on the forums. I actually don't remember seeing on the website since it was the old  UKBA one, which was so much better and covered everything. A ton of information was lost when they changed to the .gov site. 

Honestly an extra flight will be a drop in the ocean after all is said and done. 

I don't doubt that! I've been told having a wife can be quite expensive. 

No point in contacting your MP, I’m afraid.  They are well within service standards at the moment and unfortunately a wedding isn’t considered a compassionate circumstance. 

He's useless anyway so I wouldn't expect much from him. Good to hear they're within service standards at the moment, seems like a glimmer of hope!

I don't doubt that! I've been told having a wife can be quite expensive. 

Ah, that depends which one you choose! 

He's useless anyway so I wouldn't expect much from him. Good to hear they're within service standards at the moment, seems like a glimmer of hope!

I mean YOUR application is within service standards.  They are slipping, which happens this time of year, I’m afraid.

I mean YOUR application is within service standards.  They are slipping, which happens this time of year, I’m afraid.

Ha, thanks for the clarification. I was getting carried away on my little cloud of hope. 

Ha, thanks for the clarification. I was getting carried away on my little cloud of hope. 

Stay on your cloud.  Truly, worst case scenario she gets a second passport and flys to and from Spain.  That really is worst case.  That’s not too bad. 

And if you think wives are expensive.... just wait until you have a kid or two.  We do well financially and we are broke as a joke with the cost of childcare!     

Oh my goodness - was this a tough day for me.

I still have tears streaming down my face as I type this, but it's good news - visa approved!

I'd like to say a big thank-you to everyone here for your support, particularly the forum gurus: larrabee, ksand24 and KFdancer.  You all have hearts of gold and thank you for doing what you do.

Now to go out and celebrate I guess! 

I'm on cloud nine!

Good luck to all of those still waiting!

Best wishes,

Tim

Oh my goodness - was this a tough day for me.

I still have tears streaming down my face as I type this, but it's good news - visa approved!

I'd like to say a big thank-you to everyone here for your support, particularly the forum gurus: larrabee, ksand24 and KFdancer.  You all have hearts of gold and thank you for doing what you do.

Now to go out and celebrate I guess! 

I'm on cloud nine!

Good luck to all of those still waiting!

Best wishes,

Tim

Fantastic news! Congratulations!