Priority Spouse Visa FALL Timeline (Oct-Dec)

First off - happy Friday   I thought this was a bit odd-

I received a text yesterday at 10:20 am saying that the VFS processing hub in NY has received my application package.  UKVI will now consider your UK visa application.  Then this morning I received the exact same text at 7:30 am from a completely different number.

Did anyone else get this? I'm sure it's fine and just a glitch in their system, but I thought it was odd it came from two different numbers..

Application location: Los Angeles, USA
Visa type: Spouse Settlement
Priority or non-priority: Priority
Date online application made: November 27 2019
Pay IHS Fees: November 27 2019
Date biometrics taken at ASC: December 3 2019
Date of email confirming Entry Clearance Officer was assigned: December 4 2019
Date package dropped off at UPS store: December 4 2019
Date UPS confirmed package delivered: December 5 2019
Date VFS confirmed application/bundle receipt: December 10 2019
Date of any non-straightforward notices/requests for further document request: N/A
Date when email received stating decision was made: January 16 2020
Date when passport delivered: January 17 2020

Visa approved.

Approximately 29 working days from Biometric Appointment to Decision Made Email.

Visa approved.

Congratulations and welcome to the forum! 

I received a text yesterday at 10:20 am saying that the VFS processing hub in NY has received my application package.  UKVI will now consider your UK visa application.  Then this morning I received the exact same text at 7:30 am from a completely different number.

Did anyone else get this? I'm sure it's fine and just a glitch in their system, but I thought it was odd it came from two different numbers..

I also received this text after my biometrics/sending my docs to New York. A week later I received an email stating that my application was being prepared for consideration. The time in between freaked me out but it's comforting to know that someone else is experiencing the same thing!!

I also received this text after my biometrics/sending my docs to New York. A week later I received an email stating that my application was being prepared for consideration. The time in between freaked me out but it's comforting to know that someone else is experiencing the same thing!!

The text thing seems to be very new. Up until a couple of months ago, it was email communication only.

We just got our decision email for Priority spouse visa.

They emailed this morning on working day 18.

Obviously we don't have a visa in our hands yet and this is probably a little premature but we are very excited.

UPS shows our passport already in transit. So hopefully we will find out tomorrow. 

We just got our decision email for Priority spouse visa.

They emailed this morning on working day 18.

Obviously we don't have a visa in our hands yet and this is probably a little premature but we are very excited.

UPS shows our passport already in transit. So hopefully we will find out tomorrow. 

Good luck! 

We haven't had an email from Sheffield yet to confirm receipt of our documents so my wife sent a chaser email.

We got the following response:

"Dear ,
 
Thank you for contacting UK Visas and Immigration International Contact Centre.
 
With regards to your enquiry, we are unable to confirm the receipt of your application and supporting documents as we have limited visibility. Alternatively, you may consider tracking the Supporting Documents via the courier service you have used.
 
However, I have checked the status for GWF....... and can confirm that your application is being considered and is currently awaiting a decision.
 
Please note the Priority Service allows the application to be considered ahead of standard applications. Although the service aims to complete Priority Non-Settlement applications within 7 working days and Priority Settlement applications within 20 working days, it is not guaranteed, as for some cases the process may take longer.
 
We strongly recommend that you do not buy a non-refundable, non-flexible ticket to the UK, until your visa application has been approved and you have received your documents.
 
Please note that we cannot provide case specific advice or pre-assess an application but we can provide information and support you through sign posting and website navigation. If you require more specific advice then please speak to a qualified immigration advisor.
 
 
Regards,
 

UK Visas and Immigration"

Firstly, I am taking this as a confirmation that everything is in order.  Even though they don't confirm receipt of the documents, they do confirm that the application is awaiting a decision.  My wife is going to write to VFS just in case.

The more interesting part is that they now seem to be quoting 20 days (not 30) for priority applications - this is new, surely?  I wonder why?

We haven't had an email from Sheffield yet to confirm receipt of our documents so my wife sent a chaser email.

We got the following response:

"Dear ,
 
Thank you for contacting UK Visas and Immigration International Contact Centre.
 
With regards to your enquiry, we are unable to confirm the receipt of your application and supporting documents as we have limited visibility. Alternatively, you may consider tracking the Supporting Documents via the courier service you have used.
 
However, I have checked the status for GWF....... and can confirm that your application is being considered and is currently awaiting a decision.
 
Please note the Priority Service allows the application to be considered ahead of standard applications. Although the service aims to complete Priority Non-Settlement applications within 7 working days and Priority Settlement applications within 20 working days, it is not guaranteed, as for some cases the process may take longer.
 
We strongly recommend that you do not buy a non-refundable, non-flexible ticket to the UK, until your visa application has been approved and you have received your documents.
 
Please note that we cannot provide case specific advice or pre-assess an application but we can provide information and support you through sign posting and website navigation. If you require more specific advice then please speak to a qualified immigration advisor.
 
 
Regards,
 

UK Visas and Immigration"

Firstly, I am taking this as a confirmation that everything is in order.  Even though they don't confirm receipt of the documents, they do confirm that the application is awaiting a decision.  My wife is going to write to VFS just in case.

The more interesting part is that they now seem to be quoting 20 days (not 30) for priority applications - this is new, surely?  I wonder why?

The limited visibility part is new, but what you have there is their bog standard response.

wasn't the bog standard previously to estimate 30 working days from priority?

wasn't the bog standard previously to estimate 30 working days from priority?

It was, but the priority time has changed a lot over the years, so they update the email response every now and then. It sounds like they are able to process priority applications within 20 working days now rather than 30.

A few years ago, you could get a priority application processed in 1-2 days, then they made it a 15-working-day service because so many people used it, then they took 15 days part out and said they couldn’t guarantee it within a set timescale, then it was changed to 30 working days, and now it looks like it’s changed again to 20 days!


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ahhh 20 days is amazing! This is very exciting news

We haven't had an email from Sheffield yet to confirm receipt of our documents so my wife sent a chaser email.

I had the same freakout and emailed UKVI about not receiving an email from Sheffield five days after my biometrics and they sent me essentially the same email. I received the official email confirming everything 5 days later....all in all it was about 7 working days. Hang in there, and know you're not the only person that's happened to recently. I appreciate you sharing because I was freaked out myself and this has eased my anxiety a bit!

Fingers crossed!!!!!

I urge people NOT to pay to email or call the 'enquiry service'. It's a waste of money.

They are just a third party call centre located nowhere near Sheffield, who are notorious for not knowing what they are talking about. All they can do is type in your application number/name and read off what it says on their screen - which may or may not be accurate/up-to-date. They once told someone their application had been approved and issued, but it turned out it was still waiting in line and hadn't been looked at yet... it was about another month before it was actually processed and issued!

As long as you know your application was received by New York, it WILL be processed. But the automatic confirmation emails sometimes just don't get sent - it's nothing at all to worry about.

In my 13 years on the forum, I've never seen them lose or misplace an application, and every application has been processed, regardless of whether an email was received or not.

Aw snap!

We got our Visa! (Spouse, US to UK)
 
I just danced around doing Borat impressions for 15 minutes.

Submitted biometrics 20th Dec., received email 23rd Dec., Decision email on 20th Jan. (18 WD), received my passport 22nd Jan (I bought and included my own UPS return shipping label/envelope, Next Day Air)

I asked for 5th Feb. entry (because that was exactly 30 WD) and they set my entry window for 24th Jan. to 23rd Feb.

"Thank you thank you thank you!" to the members of this forum who helped us out. I had a very large number of detailed and fraught questions, thank you from the bottom of my heart to those of you who used your time to guide and reassure.

Now one little question -

We decided to use my wife's maiden name on the application because we didnt want to introduce any additional variables. Namely that all of her work documentation was in her maiden name. My Visa vignette explicitly states my wife's name with maiden name, though we were planning that she'd change it as soon as I got there. How would a name change affect the validity of my visa/visa vignette? And if there is an issue, is there guidance for resolution? This cant be the first time this has happened :p