Priority Spouse Visa FALL Timeline (Oct-Dec)

Quick questions!

I’m sure this has been asked many times before, but I can’t recall what was advised at the time. I remember people here were told that if you travel into the U.K. with your U.K. sponsor, you are able to go through the EU/Home queues at the airport. At Manchester airport, I only saw kiosk machines in the EU/Home queues (perhaps I didn’t look close enough for immigration officers there). Am I able to go through the EU/Home queue where there are only kiosk stations? Or, only if there is an immigration officer stationed?


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No. You can't go through a kiosk. You have to go through a manned desk. You need to ask the person controlling the line to direct you to a desk. If your spouse goes through the kiosk, you will be sent to the back of the non EU queue.

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Update from me as well:
I was due to fly out from JFK, NYC to Manchester on Sunday evening (after traveling from Philadelphia to NYC). Got an email on Saturday (DAY BEFORE!!) from airline saying flight has been cancelled no further details provided. I was...numb! After the agonising wait from UKVI, only to be thwarted by aviation mishaps! I had to call to get any news, no follow up email sent!!! After being on hold for over and hour(!!!) I was told that they are trying to figure out what to do with us and that operations would be in touch in an hour or two. Tops! In the meantime, the woman gave me the number to operations in order to call them myself. Great - this can be sorted in no time, I thought. Wrong! I call and operations are closed?!?! I was p*ssed lol. Flash forward to Sunday 5am EST and I call operations as soon as they open in the U.K. Was told to “definitely go to jfk. The flight is just delayed, there WILL be a flight Sunday evening.”

Thank the gods my skeptical side told me to call back later because the next advisor told me NOT to go to jfk. There was to be NO flight. The flight was cancelled and no explanation as to why. Instead, we would fly from Boston (I’m in Philadelphia mind you) on Monday and get to Manchester on Tuesday.

So basically, I was given the option of either making my way to Boston on my own or going to jfk on Sunday to be put in a hotel and then shuttled to Boston on Monday morning. Thankfully they said they’d reimburse any travel and food expenses. So, while I unexpectedly lost a day with my hubby, I got to spend a bit more time with my family. The airline usually charges for drinks, but they offered a complimentary service as well as a goodwill compensation. I’ve filed my claim so I hope they follow through on their promise.

In the end, I’ve made it to the U.K.! Was picked by my husband (who’s lost a bit of weight - I’ve got catching up to do lol...too much time with family ). Picked up my BRP too! Husband has taken the week off so we’re going to go exploring around the country this week and into the weekend! I’m really excited to get my life back on track!


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Wow! Glad it ended well! Have a wonderful time now you're here! 

No. You can't go through a kiosk. You have to go through a manned desk. You need to ask the person controlling the line to direct you to a desk. If your spouse goes through the kiosk, you will be sent to the back of the non EU queue.

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Yep as we found out the hard way lol. Tried going through kiosk and was redirected to manned line. Husband had gone through ahead of me in the kiosk line so he waited behind the manned desk.

You still have to fill out landing cards even if you are going through the EU line with your spouse because you aren’t a family member. Even the officers think it’s odd a spouse isn’t considered a family member by HO. All worked out.

Everyone at Heathrow was ace. Will never fly American or British Airways again after our debacle but the staff is nice. 

You still have to fill out landing cards even if you are going through the EU line with your spouse because you aren’t a family member. Even the officers think it’s odd a spouse isn’t considered a family member by HO. All worked out.

Not sure what being a family member has to do with it. Whether you have to fill out a landing card or not depends on what citizenship you hold, not who you're married to or what passport line you go through.

- If you are a UK or EU citizen, you don't have to fill out a landing card when entering the UK.

- If you are not a UK or EU citizen, you must ALWAYS fill out a landing card when entering the UK.

From the UKVI website:

At border control
Your passport or identity card will be checked.

You must:
- have your passport or identity card ready - remove it from a holder or wallet if you use one
- remove your sunglasses if you’re wearing them
- move through passport control together if you’re in a family

You’re from an EEA country and Switzerland
You can use the EU/EEA channel to get your passport or identity card checked - this is usually faster than the other channels.

You can use automatic ePassport gates at some airports if your passport has a ‘chip’ on it and you’re over 18.

These gates use facial recognition technology to check your identity against the photo in your passport.

You’re from a non-EEA country

Your carrier will give you a landing card - fill this in before you arrive at border control.

Your passport, landing card (and visa if you have one) will be checked.

You’ll usually be asked why you’re coming to the UK.

Keep documents that show the reason for your visit in your hand luggage, so you can show them if asked, eg your travel itinerary, work permit or university letter.

https://www.gov.uk/uk-border-control/at-border-control

Not sure what being a family member has to do with it. Whether you have to fill out a landing card or not depends on what citizenship you hold, not who you're married to or what passport line you go through.

- If you are a UK or EU citizen, you don't have to fill out a landing card when entering the UK.

- If you are not a UK or EU citizen, you must ALWAYS fill out a landing card when entering the UK.

From the UKVI website:
https://www.gov.uk/uk-border-control/at-border-control

Guess I just assumed it but I know now to fill one out each time. I'm stupid a lot of the time when it comes to that stuff and being sleep deprived from too much travel in the last three weeks didn't help.

Decision made email!! 

Do you think we will get it back by Friday?

Ahhhh

Decision made email!! 

Do you think we will get it back by Friday?

Ahhhh

Oh, I do hope so!  Congratulations!!!   

Decision made email!! 

Do you think we will get it back by Friday?

Ahhhh

Congratulations! There’s always a chance 

Decision made email!! 

Do you think we will get it back by Friday?

Ahhhh

If it starts moving tonight, definitely!

No. You can't go through a kiosk. You have to go through a manned desk. You need to ask the person controlling the line to direct you to a desk. If your spouse goes through the kiosk, you will be sent to the back of the non EU queue.

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Thanks for replying! So does that mean we can go through EU/Home queue so long as there is a manned desk?


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Decision made email!! 

Do you think we will get it back by Friday?

Ahhhh

Good luck Luke

Thanks for replying! So does that mean we can go through EU/Home queue so long as there is a manned desk?


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Yes.

However, we always go through the shortest line. Lol

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Yes.

However, we always go through the shortest line. Lol

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This annoyed me so bad.  On Sunday we came through immigration for the first time since I naturalized.

NO WAIT for the non-EU line.  ZERO.  Zilch. 

Thirty f-ing minutes for the EU line.  I was so pissed.  Damn British passport!!!!

However, we always go through the shortest line. Lol
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Yes this is what border control told me when I first entered on my spouse visa. He said, next time you travel with your son or husband you can use the EU line. Then he added, but I would see which one is the shorter line and gave me a wink haha

That time the non-EU line at Gatwick was so long because multiple flights arrived at the same time. EU line was about a fourth.


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Decision made email!! 

Do you think we will get it back by Friday?

Ahhhh

Good luck!!!!!