Priority Spouse Visa FALL Timeline (Oct-Dec)

I wish. It doesn't seem to be a simple queue system. I assume that either there are multiple queues (pot luck) or applications can get held up at certain stages -- or both.

I'm seeing applications that were 3 weeks later than ours getting approved while we're still waiting.

Also, I've seen folks actually receive their visa in 24-26 working days this week, when we're at 38 bd and still counting.

I haven't seen any refusals yet. But I'm so anxious I can hardly function. It feels like something has gone wrong for our application. Others are being approved way ahead of ours now. I've escalated twice now 15 days apart and still had no answer, while others have had prompt responses to their escalations.

Evidently there is something different about my application and something gone wrong.

Try not to worry,.. easier said than done, I know. There is always someone here in that situation. The likelihood is that you are just in the wrong pile, (ie the one that's going more slowly) and your application hasn't even been picked up yet. Once they get to you, it all happens very quickly, a decision only takes a couple of hours. 

There is no rhyme or reason, and it seems they sometimes process some apps quickly to improve the published statistics. The call line escalations genuinely mean nothing, they tell you what you want to hear but have no power to do anything. I would try to be patient, as hard as it is, and possibly reach out to your MP if you hit 60 days with no decision.

Did you use the VFS shipping labels? You can sign up for tracking updates on those from the UPS website. Recently another member had theirs start moving without receiving the decision made email. The process at Sheffield is far from perfect and not transparent at all.

Yes and I refresh the tracking page several times per day.

Yes and I refresh the tracking page several times per day.

For your sanity, you may want to do that one time per day during the week, after about 5pm UK time. We have all been there, but the more you check the more you start doubting things. Most apps from the US are approved!

Sent from my Nexus 5X using Tapatalk

I wish. It doesn't seem to be a simple queue system. I assume that either there are multiple queues (pot luck) or applications can get held up at certain stages -- or both.

I'm seeing applications that were 3 weeks later than ours getting approved while we're still waiting.

Also, I've seen folks actually receive their visa in 24-26 working days this week, when we're at 38 bd and still counting.

I haven't seen any refusals yet. But I'm so anxious I can hardly function. It feels like something has gone wrong for our application. Others are being approved way ahead of ours now. I've escalated twice now 15 days apart and still had no answer, while others have had prompt responses to their escalations.

Evidently there is something different about my application and something gone wrong.

I’m in the same situation as you. Biometrics were on June 18th and ECO email was on the 27th. Those July approvals that popped up here and elsewhere really hit me hard. If it’s any consolation, we got an email on the 6th of August saying that the visa was approved and issued on the 3rd. So I’ve been assuming it’s just sitting there waiting to be grouped together with the rest of my documents and sent out for two weeks. Yours could be in the same boat.

Question: Do you count the business days starting with the day you received the email stating application being prepped by ECO as day one?

Question: Do you count the business days starting with the day you received the email stating application being prepped by ECO as day one?

Yes.

Yes.

Thank you!

Question: Do you count the business days starting with the day you received the email stating application being prepped by ECO as day one?

For applicants from the US, yes.

Other countries have different systems in place. Many for example count from the biometrics date because that is when they hand over their documents in person so they are effectively received that day also.

For applicants from the US, yes.

Other countries have different systems in place. Many for example count from the biometrics date because that is when they hand over their documents in person so they are effectively received that day also.

Ah, okay... Thanks for the info. Just want to make sure I have a good idea of where I am in the process. 

Another week gone by and no word! Today I'm at 68 BD, after being asked for payment of my sons IHS fee on the 26th of July, we thought for sure it was going to move quickly. I can't believe 3-weeks have gone by so quickly. There is no rhyme or reason in this system. I hope we get a group of decisions this week as we did last week. Next week is bank holiday, it always seems like they take the week off.

Application Received email: May 16th
Non-Straight Forward email: July 25th (after emailing UKVI)
Request for IHS payment: July 26th

During the last month I have engaged my MP, filed a complaint, and followed through with the standard communication (paid) procedure. This was supposed to be a 'Priority' application; I feel I'm due a refund...

Another week gone by and no word! Today I'm at 68 BD, after being asked for payment of my sons IHS fee on the 26th of July, we thought for sure it was going to move quickly. I can't believe 3-weeks have gone by so quickly. There is no rhyme or reason in this system. I hope we get a group of decisions this week as we did last week. Next week is bank holiday, it always seems like they take the week off.

Application Received email: May 16th
Non-Straight Forward email: July 25th (after emailing UKVI)
Request for IHS payment: July 26th

During the last month I have engaged my MP, filed a complaint, and followed through with the standard communication (paid) procedure. This was supposed to be a 'Priority' application; I feel I'm due a refund...

Hugs!  It's a horrible process.

Another week gone by and no word! Today I'm at 68 BD, after being asked for payment of my sons IHS fee on the 26th of July, we thought for sure it was going to move quickly. I can't believe 3-weeks have gone by so quickly. There is no rhyme or reason in this system. I hope we get a group of decisions this week as we did last week. Next week is bank holiday, it always seems like they take the week off.

Application Received email: May 16th
Non-Straight Forward email: July 25th (after emailing UKVI)
Request for IHS payment: July 26th

During the last month I have engaged my MP, filed a complaint, and followed through with the standard communication (paid) procedure. This was supposed to be a 'Priority' application; I feel I'm due a refund...

 Did they give you an email address to forward the IHS number to? Did you follow up via that address to make sure the payment had been linked to your application?

Ah, okay... Thanks for the info. Just want to make sure I have a good idea of where I am in the process. 

I heard ya on this. I was wondering the same thing about the confirmation email. We're both on BD4. I already want to say HURRY UP 

Another week gone by and no word! Today I'm at 68 BD, after being asked for payment of my sons IHS fee on the 26th of July, we thought for sure it was going to move quickly. I can't believe 3-weeks have gone by so quickly. There is no rhyme or reason in this system. I hope we get a group of decisions this week as we did last week. Next week is bank holiday, it always seems like they take the week off.

Application Received email: May 16th
Non-Straight Forward email: July 25th (after emailing UKVI)
Request for IHS payment: July 26th

During the last month I have engaged my MP, filed a complaint, and followed through with the standard communication (paid) procedure. This was supposed to be a 'Priority' application; I feel I'm due a refund...

I'm in a similar situation.

I escalated by email at 31 bd and received a reply saying it was escalated. I followed up by email a week later and the reply said it had been escalated. A further wo weeks later I checked again and was told it had not been escalated so I went to the back of the 15 day escalation queue. The call centre makes their money no matter how bad the service -- in fact they profit more by providing a bad service e.g. letting us down so we have to keep calling or emailing. Profiting from people at their mercy -- it's despicable.

Other applications received by Sheffield after ours were overdue have already been processed -- sometimes within 24 bd.

Other escalations were responded to within 3 days.

Your application and mine are blatantly not in any queue -- let alone the priority queue.

It is clear that after requesting something from us Sheffield has no reliable path back into the priority queue. I learned today that nobody has even looked at my application since 27 June -- the day they emailed confirming receipt (5 days after they actually received it).

There is no way to contact Sheffield. No way to inform them when their system goes wrong. It's appalling.

The package arrived. I'm approved.

(cbjoe and sbdavi, I am so sorry about what they're putting you through. I really hope visas arrive for you both soon.)