between two worlds

In ncoomber's thread "Wife Settlement Visa Update...." nigel so helpfully listed all the paperwork and steps he took to get his USC wife's visa. They were applying in the USA (as she was USC) and he paid $510 for priority processing. He received his visa in a month.

On the same thread wombatboy also applied in USA, heard nothing after 42 days, then paid for priority processing, and got the visa soon afterwards.

This would seem to indicate that paying the priority processing fee does make a difference and I think both Nigel and wombatboy have said they feel it was definitely worth it for them.

I wish it were clearer how it worked--Nigel says you pay it to a lawyer in NYC?? but the automated reply he got from the visa office did definitely state that a priority application would jump the queue.

BUT! it is a lot of money.

My question: has anyone recently applied in USA for a USC spouse visa to enter UK, WITHOUT paying the priority extra fee, and if so how long did it take?

formula

Ages, according to the visa forum on uk-yanke http://talk.uk-yankee.com/index.php?...f9b&board=17.0
They will be able to give you timelines at the moment.

You don't pay the fee to a US lawyer, you pay it to UKVI (use to be UBKA). It means the application goes above all those that haven't paid for priority.

formula

I've just seem the answer to your question from uk-yankees expert on partner visas. She posted today that at the moment, priority visas are processed in 3 weeks but it's up to 3 months without priority. It depends when you apply, but now is a busy time.
http://talk.uk-yankee.com/index.php?topic=83150.0

between two worlds

Thank you very much, formula, for taking the time and trouble to post this information--and to nudge me towards UK yankee, which of course I should have thought of already.

Hm. Looks as if we will spring for the priority. Ouch!

Not sure how ncoomber got the idea the money went to a legal office but if it is to a branch of the govt that makes much more sense.

BritInParis

https://www.gov.uk/visa-processing-times

ncoomber

it is paid through VFS.Global (or it was two months ago when we did it) which as far as I can tell seems to be some sort of immigration legal company in NYC. On their web site it says "official partner of UK visa and immigration"....but as far as I can tell its a private company.

Why wouldn't the priority service be paid in the same way at the normal service fee?

between two worlds

Thanks Britinparis! I knew about this processing times look-up actually....but I wonder if when they say "most are processed in 60 days" they are taking an average of priority and non-priority applications....I was interested in hearing personal experiences from people who had done it both ways.

But still, it's a reference point, thank you for reminding me of the link.

Ncoomber, yes, you are right it's strange that the priority fee seems to be paid to a different entity, even if it's a govt arm....puzzling and gives one pause.

BritInParis

VFS Global is the latest company that the Home Office have outsourced their Visa Application Centres to. They take payment and your biometrics but they have no influence over processing times or application decisions. The applications are processed at Vulcan House in Sheffield by the Home Office. Paying a priority fee to VFS in New York merely bumps your application to the front of the queue in Sheffield.

englishguygoinghome

So if they tell you that they can't accept an application for a reason which you believe is wrong or try to take paperwork out which you want sending etc. Just remind them that they are not allowed to do that and you wish them to send it in as it was
I've had to do that a few times before ...

CitizenX

Hi,

I am really interested in using the priorty option as it means less time spent apart from my family but it seems that option is not available to everyone. I am in South Africa and while they allow priorty options for visit visas (£100) there is no option available for settlement visas (apparently the long stay visas are classed as settlement). This seems a bit unfair as surely if I can get the required fee to Sheffield I should be good to go!

BritInParis

Presumably because South Africa is a high risk country so they can't offer a priority service for settlement visas as the checks required will always take a while regardless of how quickly they start the process.

between two worlds

Right, Brit, that is probably it.

Well, we have just made the initial application and booked the biometrics appointment.

I am in a panic because in the "extra information" section we mentioned our long marriage but we didn't mention that we have adequate finances and will be enclosing documentation to show that---I hope they actually look through the whole thing plus supporting documents (and we will include appendix 2) properly....

we will pay the priority fee just before posting the package and documents etc..I want to link to one page I found that's very helpful for applicants from the USA:

https://www.gov.uk/government/public...isa-in-the-usa

--just spells it all out clearly.

This whole process is so far from easy, you have to read so many different things to know what to do, and the online form is sort of generic so at moments you aren't sure if you are even filling in the right thing....

sigh.

CitizenX

That thought did cross my mind but I am seeing countries like Kuwait, Cambodia, Laos, Pakistan etc. that are able to? I'm wondering (hoping) if it is an infrastructure issue. They have recently had a hand over from VFSGlobal to Teleperformance so it might just be that they need to get up to speed. I am trying contact them, it's almost impossible to get a straight answer out of UKVI once youi have the word VISA in your query!

BritInParis

If Teleperformance don't offer it currently then they don't offer it. UKVI aren't going to talk to you. That's why they pay for a third party to act as the middleman. By the time you wait to see whether it'll be offered in future you might as well just applied as normal and saved the extra fee.

CitizenX

I have another question, on a slightly different topic. Wondered if you know. So without the priority option, I am going to assume 3mnths for the visa to arrive from start to finish. Hypothetically, let’s say I get a signed job offer on the 1st of June for example. It seems that evidence of such employment must be an original letter with letterhead etc. That means the company will have to post it to my country, say two weeks as they probably won’t send it express. I would imagine a normal company might only give you a month to start. You have to be employed at the time you start the application and you normally need to give a month’s notice. So a 1st of July start might not be possible, time is not on your side here! In any event I will probably have to be in the UK by the time my wife gets word back on the visa which might only be half way through September! I notice thought that question 7.21 of VAF4A (pretty much the same as the online version) asks “Will your sponsor be travelling with you to the UK?” which is NO as I will already have to be there in all likelihood. 7.22. Asks “Is your sponsor currently living in the UK?” Which is also NO because at the time of filling in the form I will still be in country of origin and not have left yet. Doesn’t look good! Reads as if I am not currently in the UK and I am not going there either – just sending the wife!  Has anyone else done the employment route before that could offer some advice, shed some light?

Regards