FLR(M) Documentation & Questions

Starting to see other FLR(M) applications trickle through where people have both applied after us and had their biometrics after us, but we are still waiting. Is this typical and is it really still just pot luck as to how long it takes to receive a decision? Also (and apologies if this has been covered several times already!), when does the 8 week period start - is it the application date, or the biometrics date?

Starting to see other FLR(M) applications trickle through where people have both applied after us and had their biometrics after us, but we are still waiting. Is this typical and is it really still just pot luck as to how long it takes to receive a decision? Also (and apologies if this has been covered several times already!), when does the 8 week period start - is it the application date, or the biometrics date?

There is always someone who's left waiting when everyone else is getting their results.. we were in that boat for FLR, (15 weeks). It's just how it is unfortunately.
Try not to worry and don't take it personally.
It's from the biometrics date.

There is always someone who's left waiting when everyone else is getting their results.. we were in that boat for FLR, (15 weeks). It's just how it is unfortunately.
Try not to worry and don't take it personally.
It's from the biometrics date.

Thanks very much, larrabee.
Wow, 15 weeks is a long time to wait for FLR - can only imagine how that must have felt waiting for a decision!

Thanks very much, larrabee.
Wow, 15 weeks is a long time to wait for FLR - can only imagine how that must have felt waiting for a decision!

Hopefully it won’t be too long for you.


Back in 2012 there were massive backlogs at UKVI, due to them letting go a ton of staff right and the immigration rules changing… so there were tons of people applying at the same time (to get in before the rules changed) but hardly any staff to process them.

FLR(M) processing times went from 4 weeks to 10 months… and back then you had to mail your passport off with the application documents so a lot of people were without their passport for close to a year!

Thankfully it settled down in 2013 and got back to normal and it hasn’t been anywhere near that bad since. I think the longest for FLR(M) has been about 4 months or so in recent years.


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Thanks very much, larrabee.
Wow, 15 weeks is a long time to wait for FLR - can only imagine how that must have felt waiting for a decision!

Actually, if any of the applications are going to take a long time, FLR is the best one. You're not stuck waiting to get into the country as with the initial spouse visa and it can't hold up a citizenship application for example as a long ILR would.

So it was frustrating but didn't make a difference in any practical way!   

Hopefully it won’t be too long for you.


Back in 2012 there were massive backlogs at UKVI, due to them letting go a ton of staff right and the immigration rules changing… so there were tons of people applying at the same time (to get in before the rules changed) but hardly any staff to process them.

FLR(M) processing times went from 4 weeks to 10 months… and back then you had to mail your passport off with the application documents so a lot of people were without their passport for close to a year!

Thankfully it settled down in 2013 and got back to normal and it hasn’t been anywhere near that bad since. I think the longest for FLR(M) has been about 4 months or so in recent years.


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Actually, if any of the applications are going to take a long time, FLR is the best one. You're not stuck waiting to get into the country as with the initial spouse visa and it can't hold up a citizenship application for example as a long ILR would.

So it was frustrating but didn't make a difference in any practical way!   

Thanks both, appreciate your responses. You're completely right, larrabee - and we definitely want to pay for super priority (if available) when it comes to ILR, so fingers crossed this will be our last significant wait (before citizenship, anyway). For now, the wait goes on, but I really hope we hear soon!

Thanks both, appreciate your responses. You're completely right, larrabee - and we definitely want to pay for super priority (if available) when it comes to ILR, so fingers crossed this will be our last significant wait (before citizenship, anyway). For now, the wait goes on, but I really hope we hear soon!

That's what we did!! Couldn't justify it for FLR for the same reasons but for ILR,  it was some of the best money we've ever spent!
Hope your result comes soon! 

Hi guys, a little update - we just received an email from the Home Office confirming that our application has been successful! 
However, in the email, it says "You have been granted permission to stay in the UK until 20 Dec 2021", which clearly isn't quite what we expected. Have you heard of anything like this before? Considering our application date, I would have expected the visa to run until April 2024? For reference, our timeline is in my signature.

Hi guys, a little update - we just received an email from the Home Office confirming that our application has been successful! 

Congratulations !

However, in the email, it says "You have been granted permission to stay in the UK until 20 Dec 2021", which clearly isn't quite what we expected. Have you heard of anything like this before? Considering our application date, I would have expected the visa to run until April 2024? For reference, our timeline is in my signature.

I would assume for now that it’s just a typo… given that would mean your visa would only be valid for 16 days! Unless maybe they mean that it will START on 20th December 2021.

It should be valid from December 2021 to June 2024 (2 years and 6 months).

Best thing to do is wait until the BRP arrives and check the valid from and to dates on it. If they are incorrect, you can contact them to have it corrected.


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Congratulations !


I would assume for now that it’s just a typo… given that would mean your visa would only be valid for 16 days! Unless maybe they mean that it will START on 20th December 2021.

It should be valid from December 2021 to June 2024 (2 years and 6 months).

Best thing to do is wait until the BRP arrives and check the valid from and to dates on it. If they are incorrect, you can contact them to have it corrected.


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Thanks ksand24 - we were also thinking that it was a typo, but just wanted to check. Her original spouse visa expired on 1st Dec, so not too sure why the FLR(M) would start on the 20th Dec, but I suppose there's not an awful lot we can do until the BRP arrives - and here we were hoping that the stress would disappear once we received the approval email...!

Thanks ksand24 - we were also thinking that it was a typo, but just wanted to check. Her original spouse visa expired on 1st Dec, so not too sure why the FLR(M) would start on the 20th Dec, but I suppose there's not an awful lot we can do until the BRP arrives - and here we were hoping that the stress would disappear once we received the approval email...!

Oh boy. You're really just not getting a break! I do hope the BRP dates are ok but if not, as ksand mentioned, it's a simple enough fix if not.

Congratulations! 

Oh boy. You're really just not getting a break! I do hope the BRP dates are ok but if not, as ksand mentioned, it's a simple enough fix if not.

Congratulations! 

Thanks larrabee. Yeah, just very annoying that the approval email we waited a month for hasn't really settled our nerves. If the BRP arrives and the length of the visa is incorrect, do you know if we would be able to report it online, or would we have to submit an administrative review?

Thanks larrabee. Yeah, just very annoying that the approval email we waited a month for hasn't really settled our nerves. If the BRP arrives and the length of the visa is incorrect, do you know if we would be able to report it online, or would we have to submit an administrative review?

You should just be able to report it online within 10 days of receiving it:
https://www.gov.uk/biometric-residence-permits/report-problem

I think an administrative review would only be needed if they issued the visa with the wrong conditions (i.e. no work when you are allowed to work) or if the visa length was incorrect because they issued the wrong type of visa... rather than them just making a mistake in the visa validity dates.

I think an administrative review would only be needed if they issued the visa with the wrong conditions (i.e. no work when you are allowed to work) or if the visa length was incorrect because they issued the wrong type of visa... rather than them just making a mistake in the visa validity dates.

Awesome, thank you - your advice really is invaluable 
In terms of the FLR(M) start date, what should it be? Is it the visa application date (18/10/21), the expiry date of the original spouse visa (01/12/21), or the date a decision is made (04/12/21)? Presumably the FLR(M) end date is then just 30 months from that date?