Non-priority Spousal Visa Timeline

I doubt you'll be here till Christmas time. That's still a long way away yet.

It might still be a bit longer, but you'll be with your loved one for the winter hols.

When we first applied, I didn't realize they would email me when a decision was made, so I checked the return shipment number - once or twice a day at first, and only during UK business hours...which has gradually turned into checking it every 15 minutes the entire time I'm awake - even though now I know they'll probably email me first. If watched pots never boil, I may be stuck stateside until Christmas.

I feel your pain CharlieB! We are month ahead of you in the waiting process. Let's hope we both receive good news soon.

I'm going to contact my MP tomorrow and hope that will stir up an answer. I'll keep you posted...!

LOL - Thanks. I'm just trying to keep the expectations low so I can be pleasantly surprised. Either that or it's time to change the "teen angst" playlist on spotify...

We're planning to get married 12 August, in Glasgow. When we started the application process, that was well beyond the 30 BD average, but now that it seems Sheffield has slowed down, we're trying to be okay with the possibility of postponing.

I feel your pain CharlieB! We are month ahead of you in the waiting process. Let's hope we both receive good news soon.

I'm going to contact my MP tomorrow and hope that will stir up an answer. I'll keep you posted...!

I saw your timeline post - I feel for you! I hope your MP is able to stir something up.

So those of you who did apply priority retroactively...Can you summarize how you did it and if you would recommend doing it?

I saw your timeline post - I feel for you! I hope your MP is able to stir something up.

Thanks so much. Really hope you don't have to postpone your wedding, that would be awful.

Thanks so much. Really hope you don't have to postpone your wedding, that would be awful.

Thanks. We're trying to remember that getting married later than planned is better than not getting married at all. But we're impatient, all the same.

Like many people on here have said: once you get that visa, you'll be so happy that you'll forget about all the mess of the wait.

At least, I keep telling myself that as I watch the UPS tracking and see my package stuck in Philadelphia for eight hours....

Nooooo. I mean, yes, worth it. But come on, UPS!

So those of you who did apply priority retroactively...Can you summarize how you did it and if you would recommend doing it?

I went into vsfglobal website and clicked around and found a way to make another payment (can't remember exactly how I got to the page but it wasn't hard). I paid another $738 on top of the $227. I saved receipt as PDF and emailed it to visasheffield@homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk with subject "Contact Centre Enquiry". This was what another person was advised to do by some higher ranking UKVI person so it seemed like advice I should follow. I'm glad I did because 9 days later (yesterday) I got an email from Sheffield (a literal reply to my email) saying "We can confirm you application has been placed in the Priority qeue ahead of Non-priority applicants." This was huge for me as many people thought there was a good chance they would not honor the upgrade. To my knowledge, I'm the only one that has gotten this email. I'm at 25 BD so hoping I didn't get out to the end of Priority and that I get my visa before August.  I also mailed a physical copy to Sheffield with the words "Priority Settlement Visa" but I don't think that arrived yet. Good luck to you!

I went into vsfglobal website and clicked around and found a way to make another payment (can't remember exactly how I got to the page but it wasn't hard). I paid another $738 on top of the $227. I saved receipt as PDF and emailed it to visasheffield@homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk with subject "Contact Centre Enquiry". This was what another person was advised to do by some higher ranking UKVI person so it seemed like advice I should follow. I'm glad I did because 9 days later (yesterday) I got an email from Sheffield (a literal reply to my email) saying "We can confirm you application has been placed in the Priority qeue ahead of Non-priority applicants." This was huge for me as many people thought there was a good chance they would not honor the upgrade. To my knowledge, I'm the only one that has gotten this email. I'm at 25 BD so hoping I didn't get out to the end of Priority and that I get my visa before August.  I also mailed a physical copy to Sheffield with the words "Priority Settlement Visa" but I don't think that arrived yet. Good luck to you!

Hawk received the email.  She's not sure she actually received priority in the end, but it's hard to tell this year!

Hawk received the email.  She's not sure she actually received priority in the end, but it's hard to tell this year!

How many business days was she total? I think they did honor her upgrade because I think she was like 34 or 38BD which would still be okay for me (another two weeks). Of course a retroactive priority will probably delay you by a few days at least. I havet heard of any retroactive priority's waiting more than 38BD though, have you?

Happy to inform you all that we received the package today.

Yippee...

Planning to be in London by Aug.

A great big thank you to the forum organisers and participants for the encouragement.

It will be wonderful for the members of Mar-Apr-May to meet in London for drinks after everyone arrives.

Best of luck

Rock on ;0)

So those of you who did apply priority retroactively...Can you summarize how you did it and if you would recommend doing it?

Yeah I went on the vfs website and went to track my order it's on the bottom of the paige after you login. I paid the $738 on top of the other $227.

I attached the receipt an email to VisaSheffield@homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk and sent it away. My husband send a physical copy to Sheffield from Glasgow and wrote PRIORITY on the front of the envelope. I got an automated email immediately saying they received my email blah blah. That was this past sunday and I haven't heard anything else...I'm at business day 35 so hoping to hear something early August...good luck!!