Question about spouse visa processing time

Hi all,
I am looking to apply for a spouse visa (I'm American, my husband is British, we live in California). I'm curious if someone could give me a better sense of the timing, is this correct--
1. Apply online at the gov website
2. Choose premium services or not (I will choose to go to the Los Angeles premium application center and do the priority application)
3. Make your appointment for the premium application center.
4. Bring all your documents to the appointment and also do your biometrics then.
5. If I've applied for the "priority" (not "super priority") it should be processed and get a response within 5 business days. And I then have 30 days from that day to fly to the UK.

Is that correct?
Does anyone know how quickly you can make an appointment at these premium application centers after submitting the forms online (days? weeks?)

I am curious because my understanding is you only have 30 days to travel to the UK with this visa once it's been approved, so that's a really tight time window, so I'd like to time submitting my application with this in mind. Thank you!!

Hi all,
I am looking to apply for a spouse visa (I'm American, my husband is British, we live in California). I'm curious if someone could give me a better sense of the timing, is this correct--
1. Apply online at the gov website
2. Choose premium services or not (I will choose to go to the Los Angeles premium application center and do the priority application)
3. Make your appointment for the premium application center.
4. Bring all your documents to the appointment and also do your biometrics then.
5. If I've applied for the "priority" (not "super priority") it should be processed and get a response within 5 business days. And I then have 30 days from that day to fly to the UK.

Is that correct?
Does anyone know how quickly you can make an appointment at these premium application centers after submitting the forms online (days? weeks?)

I am curious because my understanding is you only have 30 days to travel to the UK with this visa once it's been approved, so that's a really tight time window, so I'd like to time submitting my application with this in mind. Thank you!!

Welcome!

During the online application you are given the opportunity to nominate your intended date of travel, the visa will be made valid from a little before the date you choose and you have between then and the expiration date in 30 days from the valid from date to travel.

The service we recommend is the settlement priority service $825 which puts your application at the front of the queue for processing. I think the 5 days you mention may be for one of the non-settlement services.

Thanks so much for your response! That's really helpful, it seems I didn't understand it correctly.

So if I'd like to move to the UK on November 15th, 2021 I can apply now and list that date, and even if it's "approved" early (like in September) the visa will list my intended date of travel, so I just have to fly to the UK within 30 days after that date (Nov 15)?

Do you know how long the priority service takes?

Thanks!

Welcome to the forum .

The service we recommend is the settlement priority service $825 which puts your application at the front of the question for processing. I think the 5 days you mention may be for one of the non-settlement services.

Yes, that’s correct - there’s no such thing as 5-day processing for spousal visas, because the application is transmitted to Sheffield, U.K. and professed there with all the other spousal visa applications from around the world.

The fastest processing time you can get for a spousal visa is 30 working days if you purchase settlement priority processing ($825).

Your options are:
- no priority services, give biometrics at a DHS Application Support Centre = approx 60 working day processing

- Standard Settlement Package at the Los Angeles premium centre for $1,200, no priority service included = approx 60 working day processing

- Settlement Priority Processing for $825, give biometrics at a DHS Application Support Centre = approx 30 working day processing

- Premium Settlement Package at the Los Angeles premium centre for $2,000 (which includes the settlement priority processing for $825) = approx 30 working day processing

So, really, using a Premium centre is basically a waste of money... it doesn’t get your application processed any faster than just using the priority processing for $825, so you’re essentially paying $1,200 extra just to be able to keep your passport while your visa is processing.


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So if I'd like to move to the UK on November 15th, 2021 I can apply now and list that date, and even if it's "approved" early (like in September) the visa will list my intended date of travel, so I just have to fly to the UK within 30 days after that date (Nov 15)?

Normally they make the visa vignette valid starting 7 days before the date you put, so if you put November 15th, your 30-day period to enter the UK will most likely be November 8th to December 6th.

If the visa is not processed before the date you put it will instead usually be made valid for 30 days starting 7 days after the decision has been made. For example if you put Nov 15th but it was not approved until Nov 20th, it would likely be valid from Nov 27th to Dec 25th.

Do you know how long the priority service takes?

See my post just above .


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Thanks so much! Wow I guess I really was confused about the timing. Okay so I will go for the Settlement Priority Processing. And this is something I select and pay for on the UK gov website, as part of the application online?

Is there any guidance on this site about suggested documents to submit? Here's our situation -- We have been together 10 years, married 5 years, have a 2 year old. The financial requirement we will meet with cash savings. We will stay at my husband's father's house (it is a 3 bedroom, so I believe it's big enough) until we find our own place to rent.

Thanks!

Along with the identity documents and application forms, you'll need evidence for these categories:

Financial:
- six full months (not a day less!) of bank statements to show your cash savings hasbeen held in yours/your husband's name and never dipped below the required amount (£62,500 if your child is a British citizen, a bit more if the child is not a UKC)
- the application will ask the source of the savings... you don't have to trace itback meticulously.  For example, if it's just your combined life savings from salaries, put that.  However, if it was a gift, you will need a letter from the person who gave the funds saying it was a gift, not a loan, and you don't have to repay it.

Adequate accommodation:
- a copy of the land registry document showing your FIL is the homeowner,
- a copy if his most recent mortgage stafement if it's under a mortgage,
- a letter from him stating how many rooms it has, who will be living there, and that you have permission to live there

Sincere and subsisting relationship:
- marriage certificate
- one photo of the two of you together
- evidence of you and you husband living together (or maintaining contact if you wereliving apart) over the duration of your relationship

Thank you so much!! This is very helpful.

- evidence of you and you husband living together (or maintaining contact if you wereliving apart) over the duration of your relationship

This is the bit people who have been married awhile and have kids together tend to miss off.  Easiest thing is the first page of your tax return(s) showing you both listed at the same address as each other for each year you’ve been living together.

And yes, we have had multiple people find us after having applications denied for missing this bit.  We are talking 35 years of marriage and many many kids.  And they got the “we don’t believe your relationship is genuine” denial.  It’s not logic, it’s ticking the box.

If the visa is not processed before the date you put it will instead usually be made valid for 30 days starting 7 days after the decision has been made. For example if you put Nov 15th but it was not approved until Nov 20th, it would likely be valid from Nov 27th to Dec 25th.

Just anecdotally adding to this, my wife and I applied this summer and we were able to get them to set the vignette to apply almost immediately after the decision was made.  We called the paid number for support on visa applications (I believe it was around the £5 mark to talk to them). 

This is obviously not a guarantee, but we asked them to make a note on the account to make the vignette apply immediately after approval instead of the customary 7 days and it paid off, as I flew to the UK 4 days after approval.  We were cutting it exceptionally close as flight prices were going up drastically on July 1st and I was trying to fly out June 30th, literally the day after I got my passport back in the post