ukfrombrazil

Hello, fellow migrants!

I'm Gabriel, from Brazil. Let me get straight to the issue:

I married my husband back in September. The ceremony was held in Brazil so that we could apply for the spouse visa instead of going the fiancé-->spouse visa route, as that would be more costly.

I had my appointment at VFS in Sao Paulo towards the end of October. I chose to keep my passport during the application process so that I could come to the UK and meet my husband's friends and family.

While at my biometrics appointment at VFS, the guy handling my case said I'd have to mail them my passport once my visa was approved. There was no use going back to VFS in person as the stamping was done by a secure department. He also specifically mentioned that I could mail them my passport FROM THE UK. They would then send it to another address in Brazil, where someone else (a friend, relative, someone I could trust) would then send it back to me in the UK.

The UK government sent me yesterday an email regarding a limited priority visa service, which I have to opt into within five days (four now). The email also mentions they are currently processing applications made on the week of September 12. My application was made on the first week of October.

With this option, my husband and I are wondering whether that'd be viable, instead of having to wait who knows how long for my application to be processed normally. I have to go back to Brazil in the first week of May as I'm currently in the UK on a tourist visa, but ideally, we'd prefer if I didn't have to for financial reasons, especially if we don't hear back about the visa by then.

So, here's the problem: I'm wondering if I can, in fact, mail my passport to Brazil and have it delivered back by post. If so, I imagine I'd have to get the new visa stamped at immigration, so could I just travel somewhere else in Europe and come back to the UK? Would that be a problem, could immigration deport me for getting a visa stamped while I'm still on a tourist visa? Or is it better if I just go back to Brazil, mail VFS my passport while there, get it mailed back, and come back to the UK? Whether we'll pay for the priority service depends on whether I can remain in the UK (within the time I'm allowed to) while my passport is shipped back and forth.

Thanks in advance!

User 2023

Hello,

Considering when you communicated with them 4 weeks they told you they were processing applications commencing the 12th September.. it’s been four weeks since they provided you this information, your submission of your application was also near enough four weeks from the 12th of September does that mean you’ve heard from them now?

hope it makes sense, and also hope you’ve received some good news xxxx

ukfrombrazil

Hey there!

Yeah, I heard from them two days after paying for the priority service, give or take. I had to go with remaining in the UK while my passport went back to Brazil. VFS already did their thing and are now ready to ship it back. My husband and I will make a short trip abroad so I can come back under the right visa.

idk whether my visa was approved or not, though. The UK government sent me an email explaining that they'd contact me (I imagine through VFS) with details regarding the decision, but that never happened. All I got was VFS requesting me to send them my passport.

SanDiegogirl

The UK government sent me yesterday an email regarding a limited priority visa service, which I have to opt into within five days (four now)

Never heard of this before ....

ukfrombrazil

Well, it's all done. Now I just need to get my passport back. This is what the email they sent out said:

"Dear Customer – in reference to [redacted]

This email is intended for information only. Customers are not required to take any further action at this stage.

Following the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the setting up of the Ukraine visa schemes to support Ukrainians wishing to come to the UK, visa status and information staff were diverted from normal work to support the UK Government response. This resulted in temporary service impacts across a range of visa routes.

For Marriage and Family Entry Clearance applications, the service standard of 60 days was increased to 120 days and Priority Visa services were suspended. We are operating within this revised service standard and are hopeful that we will soon be able to reinstate our normal service standard and resume Priority visa services for new customers.

As part of our operational recovery, Visa, Status and Information Services are pleased to announce that we will be offering a Priority Visa service for customers with an existing undecided application, ahead of this service resuming for new applications.

There will be an additional fee of £573 payable for this service which will enable your existing application to be considered within 15 days, rather than the standard 30-day Priority Visa service.

You will shortly receive a further email offering you this option with further details on how you can apply. We will be contacting applicants in date order, with the oldest outstanding applications contacted first. At that point, we will also advise you on current processing times, so you are able to make an informed choice as to whether you wish to proceed with the Priority Visa service.

Should you wish to proceed at that stage you must confirm using the details in the email after which you will be sent a link that will enable you to make the payment.

Once we have confirmed that your payment has been received, your application will be assessed within 15 full working days after the date we confirm we received your payment. For example, if we confirm your payment is received on 16 January 2023, the 15 working day processing time commences on 17 January 2023.

For customers who do not wish to use the Priority Visa service, we will continue to process standard applications in date order.

Please note the additional fee does not guarantee a visa will be issued, only that the application will be considered earlier. Should the case be determined complex or require additional information, we may not be able to conclude the application within the 15 days, and no refund will be made."

User 2023

Wow this is amazing information!

I did not know they are offering a operational recovery service... for undecided existing applications! So this means we can apply for the priority visa service now ?

how do we go about applying.

and I’m pleased to hear you got it within two days of applying , fingers crossed you got it As they are requesting you to send your passport x

ukfrombrazil

You have to wait for them to email you with the details. There's no other way to get the priority service at this time.

Thank you! We'll know soon enough, I hope.