Processing Times for Spousal Applications (From Abroad, USA)

Hi there!
I am attempting to re-plan our honeymoon for the third time due to the coronavirus pandemic, and was wondering if the forum has an idea of spousal visa processing times for applicants in the USA.  I have posted before in other areas since I was never planning on getting a spousal visa beforehand as I am currently on a Tier2. However, my contract with my company requires me to go to back to the US for a year, and I am leaving at the end of this month on Halloween as well (double boo).  We did get legally married in August (home office permission, etc.) as a spur of the moment plan since our licence was good until February 2021 but I have to leave before November.  That means that the earliest that I can leave my company without owing fees by the end of November 2021.

We moved our honeymoon during the pandemic to February 2021, but that is looking unlikely now (South Africa, Kenya) and would like to move it to September 2021 (as our last attempt).

My question is if I submit a spousal application after I get back from our honeymoon (probably submit at the end of September or early October), what are people's thoughts on the processing time (for me in the US) to be approved on a spousal visa (assuming approval)?  Don't get my hopes up for Christmas 2021?  Or is the pandemic just making it too hard to judge at the moment?

Another thought that I proposed was having a shorter honeymoon in America while my application is being approved, but I couldn't remember if my husband's passport would have to be sent away.  He's unfortunately on assignment in Scotland until next September, so I am not looking forward to this year of separation!

Thanks all.  I appreciate the candour that I've seen on this forum!

It's really way too early to tell what the processing times will be in Sept 2021.

Because of Covid delays, we don't even know what the current October 2020 processing times are, let alone what they will be in 11 months' time.

The UKVI official processing standards times for spousal visas (UKVI's target times) are:
- 95% processed in 12 weeks (60 working days)
- 100% processed in 24 weeks (120 working days)
If you purchase the Settlement Priority Service (about $760), it should give a decision within 30 working days.

However, the processing times are subject to how many applications they have in the processing queue at the time you apply and whatever happens with Covid in the next few months.

Right before Covid, I think priority applications were taking about 20 working days, but in 2019, they were taking a lot longer.

Best thing to do is check back in maybe 8-10 months and see what the processing times are like then.

Another thought that I proposed was having a shorter honeymoon in America while my application is being approved, but I couldn't remember if my husband's passport would have to be sent away.  He's unfortunately on assignment in Scotland until next September, so I am not looking forward to this year of separation!

If your husband is the UK citizen sponsor, then no, his passport will not need to be sent away. You just include a copy of the photo page of his passport for the application.

Thanks @ksand24! I thought that was probably going to be the case.  We may just save up for the priority service for next year on top of the all the increased fees...  I think we'll move our honeymoon to September anyways as I can't see February going ahead. Too much risk.

I'm sure that I'll be back later next year with application questions even though I've read almost all the posts in the last couple years!

Thanks!

I have posted before in other areas since I was never planning on getting a spousal visa beforehand as I am currently on a Tier2. However, my contract with my company requires me to go to back to the US for a year, and I am leaving at the end of this month on Halloween as well (double boo). 

If you are on a Tier 2 (General) visa, that's a visa that leads to settlement and it would be a shame to lose those years on your 5 year clock to ILR (settlement). The ILR clock starts at zero if you move to a spouse visa. Can you find another employer to sponsor you? So that you could switch (in the UK) and continue your time to 5 years to ILR?

If it's a Tier 2 (Intra-company Transfer) visa, where you moved to your UK office for a while and therefore did not need to pass the RMLT to show that a resident could not be found to do that job, then that visa does not lead to settlement.

If you are on a Tier 2 (General) visa, that's a visa that leads to settlement and it would be a shame to lose those years on your 5 year clock to ILR (settlement). The ILR clock starts at zero if you move to a spouse visa. Can you find another employer to sponsor you? So that you could switch (in the UK) and continue your time to 5 years to ILR?

If it's a Tier 2 (Intra-company Transfer) visa, where you moved to your UK office for a while and therefore did not need to pass the RMLT to show that a resident could not be found to do that job, then that visa does not lead to settlement.

The OP has already said in a previous thread that they will be moving back to the US for at least 1 year for work from October 2020 and so staying in the UK on Tier 2 or switching to FLR(M) is not really a feasible option in their situation as they will not be living in the UK.

See:
https://talk.uk-yankee.com/index.php?topic=98440.msg1301833#msg1301833

The OP has already said in a previous thread that they will be moving back to the US for at least 1 year for work from October 2020 and so staying in the UK on Tier 2 or switching to FLR(M) is not really a feasible option in their situation as they will not be living in the UK.

See:
https://talk.uk-yankee.com/index.php?topic=98440.msg1301833#msg1301833

Ah, right. I saw the bit below in her post and assumed that  they were both were wanting to live in the UK as a married couple.

My question is if I submit a spousal application after I get back from our honeymoon (probably submit at the end of September or early October), what are people's thoughts on the processing time (for me in the US) to be approved on a spousal visa (assuming approval)?  Don't get my hopes up for Christmas 2021? 

Ah, right. I saw the bit below in her post and assumed that  they were both were wanting to live in the UK as a married couple.

They are planning to do that eventually, but not yet, which is why this thread is asking about processing times for applying for a spousal visa in late 2021, after the OP has spent the next year living and working in the US.

Ah, right. I saw the bit below in her post and assumed that  they were both were wanting to live in the UK as a married couple.

Thanks for the input anyways!  I cannot afford to buy out of my American contract, so I will be in the US for a year while my husband stays in the UK.  I was planning on applying back in May for FLM(M) when we were originally going to get married, but COVID-19 forced many changes.  At least we are both healthy.  It'll be a spousal visa next year for me.

Thanks!