BritInTheOrient

Hi all,

Apologies if this has been covered but i couldn't see it in the threads.
My wife and I (living in China) are currently experiencing the nightmare that is the spouse visa process. We recently paid for the visa and NHS surcharge and booked our appointment in Beijing for a week later (26th Aug). We later learnt that this is too early (as we put departure as 1st Dec) and changed the BRP/ Document appointment for the 30th of September. We now understand that we shouldn't book the appointment outside of 3 months before intended departure. We've now heard that the 30th could potentially be too late (albeit from hearsay).

My questions is can anyone please tell me about timescales in relation to intended departure dates? How close to the intended departure date can the appointment date be?

Many thanks

BritInParis

Generally speaking you should apply for your visa no more than three months from your proposed date of departure. Processing times are around two to four weeks after you attend your appointment. The new BRP system means you'll be given a 30 day vignette in your wife's passport starting from your proposed departure date. You'll need to enter the UK within these 30 days and collect your wife's BRP within 10 days of arrival.

BritInTheOrient

It's a relief to know it's ok. Thanks for the info!