UK spouse visa
 

Hello there,

Hope you are all doing well.

I am a new member to BE, and want to thank the admin and community members for the guidance and support that are given to each other on this forum. I have visited this site quite frequently since the beginning of the year (when we decided we were going to head back to the UK) and the breadth of information is comforting at times when the answers are so hard to come by through other channels. Hoping to receive some guidance with regards to my own situation...TIA!

Long post alert - Apologies!!

A bit of background about myself...
I am an American, and first moved out to the UK in 2006 on a fiancee visa; my husband and I married in the UK and thereafter applied for (and was granted) Limited Leave to Remain. Six months before applying for ILM, my husband received a job offer in Dubai, UAE. So in June 2008, we packed up and headed to the Sand Pit. Twelve years and two children later (aged 10 and 5), we planned to head back after this school year. Both my husband and children are UK passport holders.

On 15 April, we submitted the online application for my spouse visa, uploading supporting documents ourselves, however with VFS shut due to COVID, was unable to provide biometrics till 28 June (the first day they re-opened in Dubai). I received an email from Sheffield on the 16 July requesting some additional information, which I managed to gather and send across within a few hours. No word since.

I find myself in a situation now, however, where I am very torn and confused. Our Dubai residency visas are expiring while in limbo waiting to hear back from VFS. I need to get the kids registered for school in the UK, and am very aware of the 14 day quarantine upon arrival. The rules are changing daily (sometimes hourly!) in terms of travel to and from here. We opted for the passport pass back option so I do have mine in hand. Does anyone know if it is possible for us to travel to the UK, and send my passport back for a friend to submit into VFS after decision and have it couriered back to me? What happens if my Dubai visa is cancelled while waiting for an answer from UKVI? Apologies in advance for sounding daft, I understand many of us are in situations made more desperate due to the events of 2020.

Thank you for your time,
YankeeMum

Re: UK spouse visa
 

You can’t be granted Leave to Enter the UK whilst you are in the UK so that’s not an option. When do your current visas expire?

Re: UK spouse visa
 

Thank you for your reply. That's an important point that I hadn't quite thought of.

Husband's visa has expired and the company needs him to cancel our visas because their "visa portal" is blocked until we do so. Canceling our visas gives us 28 days to leave without penalty.

Is it possible to travel to the UK as a visitor and then come back to Dubai to submit my passport once a decision has been made?

Re: UK spouse visa
 

Hello there,

So I emailed the paid UKVI service on 30 July and received a response the same day confirming that a decision has been made on my application. I still haven't heard anything further from UKVI or VFS. Does anyone have any insight into how long it usually takes from the UK decision to the final step/ passport to be resubmitted (we chose the 'Keep my Passport' service)?

Thanks in advance!

Re: UK spouse visa
 

Just a quick update -

I received an email from VFS yesterday to bring in my passport! I gave it in around 11am and was told to collect later that afternoon....APPROVED!

Thank you to all those who have been on this journey with us and good luck to those still waiting....positive vibes your way!

I will post my timeline under the appropriate thread.

Thanks again!