Spouse visa.. waiting for decision.
 

Hi all,

I’m new to this so apologies if I posted in the wrong place.

I have applied for my husband to come and join me in the uk on a spouse visa. Please find my timeline below.

Application submitted: Spouse visa settlement (Husband)
Priority / non priority: (Non priority app)
Online app : 17/10/2017
Biometrics: Islamabad Pakistan: 23/10/17
Supporting documents sent to Sheffield: same day 23/10/2017
Acknowledgement email and supporting documents received from Sheffield 31/10/2017
Projected timeline given: 12 weeks
No emails received in between, no on hold or not straight forward email, no emails requesting additional info.
Emailed UKVI for an update on: 15/01/2018 (12th week) was told a decision was made on 10/01/2018 and to wait for official email and passport collection, it’s been 6BD days from 10/01/18 but have not received a decision made email or sms to collect a passport.

Does anybody know roughly how long it takes for passport to be returned?
It’s been 60 working days exactly today, I have not been sent an email from UKVI with decision made. I know decision has been made as I emailed for an update.
Any one else with a similar timeline / issues?

Thanks

Re: Spouse visa.. waiting for decision.
 

Hello, I am in similar position, applied from Dhaka, Bangladesh and biometrics was submitted on 25th October 2017. Our one was priority application and we also heard that a decision was made on 30th November 2017 when we contacted UKVI. We are still waiting and our 60 working days is going to be on 22nd January 2018. Many people recently got theirs around the 60 working day period - so hope you get yours too!

You can escalate from tomorrow as 60 working days are up.

All the best!

Re: Spouse visa.. waiting for decision.
 

Wow 30th November decision made but still havnt heard anything? I thought I was the only one. Fingers crossed you get a reply soon. I will wait until 23rd jan as it will be 3 months exact and then I will escalate. Thanks for your reply.

Re: Spouse visa.. waiting for decision.
 

Hi guys - I'd double check with UKVI to ensure they've given you the right information. I submitted priority on 6 Dec, called UKVI on 11 Jan and they told me my decision was made on 21 Dec...

I then went through a mad panic wondering why it was taking so long for my passport to come back, escalated it through UKVI, only to find out several days later that what they told me was wrong & that my application is still awaiting decision!! So as you can imagine, very stressful & super frustrating.

Not saying that this is necessarily the case for you guys, but maybe just double check if you've not done so already.

Good luck! :-)

Re: Spouse visa.. waiting for decision.
 

I emailed UKVI again and they said they can definitely confirm my application has been decided and that it can take up to 10 working days to get an email or text message. They advised me to wait until 24/01/18 and if I have not heard anything then to email them again and they will escalate.

Re: Spouse visa.. waiting for decision.
 

This actually happened to me as well. After I called back in December after waiting for 10 working days, the information UKVI contact centre gave me over the phone did not match with what they gave before. They said that the application was still in progress. I was shocked and then I emailed them with a fresh query explaining that the decision was made on 30th November and that I did not hear back in 10 working days. The response to the email was different and they escalated the case.

All this show worryingly how poor the contact centre really is and how much information they actually have and how valid it is. I have recently also got an email direct from Sheffield advising that I should wait for the full 60 working days (but the contact centre was not informed and as far as the contact centre knew is that the escalation was still pending as the Sheffield office did not copy them in the response).

There seems to be a huge communication issue and the outsourced contact centre have limited visibility on what is going on!

60 working days of my application is coming up on Monday, so will wait and see what happens.

All the best to everyone waiting, please share when you hear about yours!

Re: Spouse visa.. waiting for decision.
 

Could you please share your timeline? Where did u apply from and when?

Thanks

Re: Spouse visa.. waiting for decision.
 

My application was for Spouse Settlement Priority (my wife is the British sponsor) submitted in Dhaka, Bangladesh. We applied online on 19th October 2017 and did my biometrics at VFS Global in Dhaka on 25th October 2017. The processing times start from biometrics submission date.

I found out in first week of December that a decision was made on 30th November 2017. I got this information both on the phone and then also in writing my email. But after 10 working days, UKVI contact centre gave me different information when I chased...

Re: Spouse visa.. waiting for decision.
 

Oh wow. Hopefully you hear something soon. It is pretty annoying having to wait so long when you know a decision has been made. Maybe email again to find out? I emailed on 15/01/18 and was told a decision was made on 10/01/18 but I had doubts so I emailed again yesterday and was told the same thing so maybe a decision has been made and just have to wait for an official email or txt. I think my husband may have received a txt because he keeps dropping hints but is not telling me because he knows I worry too much. Have to wait and find out next week. Good luck!

Re: Spouse visa.. waiting for decision.
 

UPDATE!
25/01/18- 5:53am email from Gerry’s Islamabad for passport collection. This was a very weird email from “Srisbvac” and at the end stated Gerry’s Islamabad visa centre. Waiting for husband to collect passport now
Decision email from UKVI: never received
Passport collected:
Validity of visa:

Re: Spouse visa.. waiting for decision.
 

Hope you get the good news today!

Re: Spouse visa.. waiting for decision.
 

FINAL UPDATE:

Visa granted!!! Thanks to Allah and thanks to forum members for all their useful information. Please note: I did not use a solicitor, I did all my research with forums like this. Not once did UKVI contact me, I just waited out, i emailed twice to ask for an update.
Also the “clue in the email” is nonsense. In my email I received the word concluded not even my husbands name or a reference number and the visa was still granted.
Timeline:
Online app: 17/10/17
Biometrics: 23/10/17
Priority / non priority: - non priority
Docs sent to Sheffield: 23/10/17
Docs received at Sheffield: 24/10/17
Docs received back from Sheffield: 31/10/17
Acknowledgement email received: 31/10/17
Projected time line given: 12 weeks
I Emailed on 15/01/18 for an update as this was the 12 week and was told a decision is made and to wait.
Emailed again on 19/01/18 was told to wait another 10 days.
On 25/01/18 early morning received email from Gerry’s Islamabad for passport collection.
26/01/18: husband collected passport, visa granted!!!
Dates for travel: 15/01/18 - 15/02/18

Re: Spouse visa.. waiting for decision.
 

That's wonderful news, many congratulations!

Re: Spouse visa.. waiting for decision.
 

Hi everyone -

Here is my timeline, applying from the USA.

Spouse settlement visa
Online app: 09/03/18
Biometrics: 14/04/18
Priority / non priority: - non priority
Acknowledgement email received from Sheffield: 28/03/18
Projected time line given: 12 weeks

I am in a very tough spot right now - I HAVE to have my passport back by June 20th, because of a family emergency I need to travel for. If this means withdrawing my application, that's what I have to do. I've seen cases where a decision is made, and it still takes an indefinite amount of time to get the passport in hand. My plan is to withdraw the application on June 1st, to ensure I get it back. I hate the thought of withdrawing it and would like to see it through so my fiance and I don't have to do this all over again. Kicking myself for not using the priority service.

Any help or advice or suggestions would be appreciated! I've called them, saying its an urgent trip and can I have my passport back without cancelling, they said its not possible. Also tried to upgrade to priority but thats not an option either, according to the personI spoke with.

Re: Spouse visa.. waiting for decision.
 

Where are you and where is your family emergency?