elonii

Hi All,

Apologies, I know this has been spoken about but I've searched old threads and can't find the answer.

Hubster's initial visa is up towards the end of August next year. We'd planned a lovely holiday in Europe next summer but now we aren't sure of our timelines (and he has to be without his passport to apply).

When does one usually send in the application to renew? I have a vague memory timing is important so you don't end up with an annoying gap requiring another £800 application in between FLR and ILR.

If anyone in the know could please tell me, I'd be appreciative

SanDiegogirl

If you are here on family route (as spouse or unmarried partner), and you entered UK on 33-month visa, then the earliest you can apply to renew your leave on form FLR(M) is on the 30-month anniversary of your UK entry (not from 'valid from' date on your visa, unless you arrived here on the first day of validity), minus 28 days.

So for example, if you arrived in UK on your settlement visa on 17th June 2015, you can apply on 17th December 2017 (30-month anniversary), minus 28 days which will be 19th November 2017. So that's the first day you can book your premium service centre appointment for (for same-day service) or send off your application by post.

elonii

Ahhh, thank you! Yes, my apologies we are here on the spouse visa. We entered 16th december 2014.

So that means we could apply to renew on or after the 18th of May, and use a premium service centre if we wanted to be able to arrange travel on specific dates during the summer months?

Is the processing time for postal applications usually a few weeks? Think we would happily pay the premium so we can spend summer in Europe as planned.

Thanks for being kind enough to answer, I really appreciate it very much. Everything seemed so clear at the time of original application and I have forgotten everything in the stress of the move. Dreading wading through it all again. I'm also self employed just to add to the joy factor