FlotsomJetsom

Hello, I'm so glad I found this thread. Two other people that have recently submitted settlement applications from Japan - it's like finding two needles in a haystack.

I have also recently made an application for my wife from Tokyo. We submitted the documents on March 8th but didn't receive an email from Sheffield to confirm receipt until March 19th, which makes me a bit nervous.

We paid for the priority service, so we are hoping it won't take too long.

Have either of you heard back yet? If you could reply to this post with details of processing times etc. I would be immensely appreciative.

smashcut

Hi @FlotsomJetsom!

I'm not sure I'm supposed to duplicate post, but my processing times are here if that helps. Long story short, it took about 25 working days. The whole experience is certainly quite stressful, and would be nice if communication was a bit more forthcoming, but it sounds like you're getting close if that's anything to go by.

The email about receipt of documents came quite a long time after they'd been delivered (and received). As I was in the U.K. at the time, I got the documents back in a few days and there was a letter enclosed saying they'd received them and were sending them back, but my wife didn't get the email to the same effect until quite a while later (which also unnerved us at the time).

I suppose everyone's case is different, but looking at people who applied at a similar time, this seems to be a fairly standard priority processing time. A couple of people my wife did her IELTS test with are still waiting having applied earlier than us but with non-priority, so I'm glad we decided to stump up for that (except for the cost, of course).

Good luck with the application, and hope you have some good news soon!

FlotsomJetsom

Hi smashcut

Thanks so much for that. Your post has given me a bit more hope!

Our application was quite complex because I am self-employed in Japan and I had submit tax returns, my tax registration documents, a letter and statement from my accountant, new UK contract, etc. All of these documents required official translations too.

For this reason I was also very dubious about using the scanning service and opted to send the documents to Sheffield myself; most of the documents would be unintelligible without my (huge) cover letter and post-it notes to explain what they all are and what they show.

I'm hoping the waiting time is more down to the time that it takes to be put on an ECO's desk than the complexity of the application though.

I'm guessing that you and your wife are back in the UK now? I will be sure to pay it forward and post a full list of documents and a time scale for my application once it's all over.

Thanks

smashcut

Hi @FlotsomJetsom. I know how that goes (our application previous to this one was via the self employed route). The official translations add up on top of everything else!

I imagine you're right with regards to what causes the delay, as there was a definite gap between the documents being received at Sheffield (where they seem to scan everything to pass on to the ECO before sending everything back). After scaring ourselves reading some of the horror stories from last year (when everything first moved over to Sheffield) it wasn't as bad as it could have been, and they seem to be back on track with their target processing times. Fingers crossed for yours being finished up soon!

My wife, son, and dog joined me here in the U.K. a week or so back, which was pretty great after approaching 4 months apart

FlotsomJetsom

Hi smashcut

You have also made a self-employed application? Why is it that you have applied previously and then applied again?

You must be so relieved. My personal situation is a bit simpler because it's just my wife and I. I can only imagine the anxiety you must have felt when you flew home without your son.

My wife has a job offer from the UK branch of the company she works for in Tokyo, so our main concern is how long they are going to be willing to wait.

Thanks for the info - you have really brightened my day.

smashcut

Hi FlotsomJetsam,

Sorry for confusing things – this time around I went the employer route (category B), as I was able to switch branches of the company I work for from Japan to the UK.

This is our second time through the spouse visa process because we moved here from Japan in 2011 (when I was self employed) and lived in the UK a couple of years before returning to Japan again. Japan has a way of calling us back after a while, and we've lived there three times so far (and Europe three times) since we met. The way the visa process is getting more complicated/expensive on this side might slow us down a bit though

Fingers crossed for your visa and your wife's transfer. It will hopefully be a bit easier than starting from scratch with a new company in terms of them holding the place for a bit, but I imagine you won't be far off now anyway.

Yuu

Hi FlotsomJetsom, I have made my application(priority) in Tokyo last month and haven't heard anything from Sheffield until now.

I applied online on 10 March, bio taken on 15 March, and my father in law sent the support docs to UKVI on 22 March with secure postage. It seems he hasn't received the docs back so far. I don't think my case is complicated (saving route, married in UK, daughter got UK birth certificate), but a bit worried because other people seem to receive their documents after several days. My husband says it may be because of bank holidays there.

As you see, two others recently got their visa after 25 BD, so hopefully ours will be granted within around a month after application.... fingers crossed!

FlotsomJetsom

Hello Yuu

Your saying that you also have not received your documents back has made me feel slightly relieved, as we also haven't received ours back after almost a month despite a few people saying that they had received their back in just a few days.

As you are going on cash savings, I imagine it will be a straightforward decision. I have a friend who applied via that route last year and it took him around 6 weeks to hear back.

Good luck to you - I will let you know when we hear something.

Yuu

Hi FlotsomJetsom,

It is nice to know it took 6 weeks for saving route, as I expected it would take shorter. I will probably make inquiry if I don't hear from them after 1 month... will let you know as well if there is any progress

Yuu

Hi FlotsomJetsom,

I have eventually received the confirmation from UKVI today(30 Apr) and the documents have been returned last Friday. It seems it would take another a few weeks or so for decision making, so I have to be patient...

Yuu

Update: I received my visa yesterday! will post at timeline thread

FlotsomJetsom

Oh congratulations!

We are still waiting unfortunately. I think all my self-employment documents must have complicated the process.

When did you receive the email from VFS? What time of day was it?

Thanks!

Yuu

FlotsomJetsom

Thank you so much for replying; we were wondering about how they would contact us but it seems that they try to contact you in multiple ways to make sure that you don't miss it.

We still haven't heard anything. Our documents were returned to the agency we used a couple of days ago, so we are hoping that means a decision has been made.

Priority service and we have now been waiting 59 days. Either way I hope my wife gets her passport back soon because she cannot travel for business :-(

Yuu

Hello! Hope you have heard from UKVI by now. It's been taking so long for decision making isn't it!!

Just FYI, I actually made an inquiry before the support docs returned because I was very impatient and anxious. Their response was fairly quick but pretty useless, just saying like:

-----
Thank you for contacting UK Visas and Immigration International Contact Centre.

With regards to your enquiry about the status of your application, I can confirm that your application is being considered and is currently awaiting a decision.

If it has been over 15 working days for non- settlement applications or 60 working days for settlement applications, please provide the following details:

Full Name
Date of Birth
GWF number
IHS number
Passport number
Place of submission
Type of Visa applied for
Date of biometrics
Nationality
E-mail address used on application:

We strongly recommend that you do not buy a non-refundable, non-flexible ticket to the UK, until your visa application has been approved and you have received your documents.

Please note that we cannot provide case specific advice or pre-assess an application but we can provide information and support you through signposting and website navigation. If you require more specific advise then please speak to a qualified immigration advisor
----

So it seems they do not escalate the case until 60-business day period passes even for priority applications.
Anyway, I really hope your wife will get a visa soon and no need to send an inquiry