Wife Settlement Visa Update & details of application

Old May 1st 2014, 6:54 pm
  #31  
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Default Re: Wife Settlement Visa Update & details of application

Originally Posted by wombatboy
Oh dear. Not looking good for me. Day 42. Lol.

Considering getting in touch with a lawyer about it, because I need to get over there to look for jobs. But I am not sure if they can help the process, or if I can fastrack it after I have applied.
Its crazy......why wont they let us apply earlier if it takes so long for them to issue a stamp. I could do it in about a minute.

You could perhaps try to contact the immigration company in NYC that is used for the $510 priority service and ask them if you can fasttrack after the application. Trouble is when I did it we had to print out the receipt and put it on the top of the application docs and also had to mark priority service on the outside of the envelope. You cant do all that after the fact. Might be worth contacting them.

Good luck
Cheers
Nigel
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Old May 2nd 2014, 11:45 am
  #32  
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Default Re: Wife Settlement Visa Update & details of application

Update:
2nd April - Completed online form and payed fees.
3rd April - Payed extra $510 for priority service.
3rd April - created online fedex account
7th April - wife went to US immigration for Biometrics
7th April - fedex all supporting docs + online form + appendix 2 to Sheffield.
9th April - fedex report package arrived at destination
11th April - auto email from visa UK saying they have my docs
29th April - auto email from visa UK saying decision is made (doesn't say what decision!!)(see below)
2nd May - Visa arrived successfully total time 31 days.

The visa is valid from 28th April 14 to 28th Jan 17

BIG THANK YOU TO ALL WHO HELPED ME THROUGH THIS PROCESS ON THIS FORUM

Cheers
Nigel
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Old May 2nd 2014, 11:50 am
  #33  
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Default Re: Wife Settlement Visa Update & details of application

YEAHHHH! Nigel! I know you are relieved. Now we can relax until January 2014 when it all starts again though in the meantime, don't forget to keep letters, etc addressed to both of you along with bank statements so that when you make your application for FLR(M) you have all your documentation ready.
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Old May 2nd 2014, 12:50 pm
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Default Re: Wife Settlement Visa Update & details of application

HOORAY!

(and belated congrats to michali too.)

Thank you so much for keeping us in the loop. Especially interesting is the fact that you paid for priority processing and got the visa in 31 days.

Looks as if the extra 500 plus () was worth it.

I wonder if the average times for getting the visa with priority payment, and without, show that it does indeed speed up the process considerably??

I think we will be inclined to pay for the priority when we come to do it later this year, but golly it's a steep price!
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Old May 2nd 2014, 12:54 pm
  #35  
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Default Re: Wife Settlement Visa Update & details of application

It really depends on how many applications they are processing at any given time. We applied to Jamaica and it was much quicker than we were expecting. But had we had the opportunity to pay for priority, we would have done. It will definitely be processed more quickly than non-priority.
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Old May 2nd 2014, 1:33 pm
  #36  
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Default Re: Wife Settlement Visa Update & details of application

The whole thing is a big rip off if you ask me. This visa has already cost me $2240 for a 3" x 4" piece of paper!!!! And the priority thing seems rather suspect to me too....you don't pay the extra $510 to the UK gov....it goes to a private immigration lawyers company in NYC....why?....where does the money go??

And I was surprised to see all the photocopies that I had made for the Visa office were all returned to me. They tell you to a make a copy of everything and include it in the doc package. I did. They did not even open the bag of copies. Just returned them to me. What is that all about?

I know I shouldn't grumble and moan about it. I am one of the lucky ones who could afford to get the visa. So many can't. I hope the thresholds and the rules are relaxes so that folk can be with the ones they love. It should never be up to the government to decide who we fall in love with.

Cheers
Nigel
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Old May 2nd 2014, 2:39 pm
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Default Re: Wife Settlement Visa Update & details of application

Congrats Nigel. All the very best for your journey home.
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Old May 2nd 2014, 3:04 pm
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Default Re: Wife Settlement Visa Update & details of application

Originally Posted by ncoomber
Update:
2nd April - Completed online form and payed fees.
3rd April - Payed extra $510 for priority service.
3rd April - created online fedex account
7th April - wife went to US immigration for Biometrics
7th April - fedex all supporting docs + online form + appendix 2 to Sheffield.
9th April - fedex report package arrived at destination
11th April - auto email from visa UK saying they have my docs
29th April - auto email from visa UK saying decision is made (doesn't say what decision!!)(see below)
2nd May - Visa arrived successfully total time 31 days.

The visa is valid from 28th April 14 to 28th Jan 17

BIG THANK YOU TO ALL WHO HELPED ME THROUGH THIS PROCESS ON THIS FORUM

Cheers
Nigel

Thank you Nigel for also detailing what you sent in as it is a help for those of us to follow! Wishing you many years of happiness on your return!
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Old May 2nd 2014, 8:32 pm
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Default Re: Wife Settlement Visa Update & details of application

Originally Posted by ncoomber

And I was surprised to see all the photocopies that I had made for the Visa office were all returned to me. They tell you to a make a copy of everything and include it in the doc package. I did. They did not even open the bag of copies. Just returned them to me. What is that all about?

I know I shouldn't grumble and moan about it. I am one of the lucky ones who could afford to get the visa. So many can't. I hope the thresholds and the rules are relaxes so that folk can be with the ones they love. It should never be up to the government to decide who we fall in love with.

Cheers
Nigel
Good points, Nigel! We ARE the lucky ones being able to afford to go back. I did not get any copies back at all.
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Old May 2nd 2014, 9:03 pm
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Default Re: Wife Settlement Visa Update & details of application

So, SO, pleased for you and the family Nigel! Brilliant news. Especially because (as we've noted together) that we have been on such a similar track (this is my 26th year in the USA) and we're going to get back either right before the holidays this year or Feb/March of next year depending on a few things we're balancing right now.

I'm so pleased for you. Please check in with updates and let us all know how you're getting on with the process from this point on.

Take care and CONGRATULATIONS!!
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Old May 2nd 2014, 9:24 pm
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Default Re: Wife Settlement Visa Update & details of application

First of all, congrats Nigel for finally getting your visa

Secondly, I thought I'd add my update as it might be helpful to people.
It turns out that although our application is already at Sheffield you can still opt in for Priority Processing after you have sent a standard application. I confirmed this via email with processing centre, who sent me a link for paying for / adding priority processing to my wife's application.

March 17 - we sent all our documents
March 18 - they asked for Appendix 2
March 19 - we sent Appendix 2 (last document)
April 21 - we enquired whether they received everything
April 22 - they emailed back saying they had received everything BUT our application had yet to be processed.
May 01 - we emailed to enquire if we could pay for priority processing
May 02 - after their reply that we could, we followed their link and paid for priority processing, submitting the electronic receipt in another email to them.
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Old May 3rd 2014, 8:37 am
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Default Re: Wife Settlement Visa Update & details of application

Hi Nigel,

I'm quite new here and your story is very helpful, thanks.

The website is quite confusing, and the whole thing is even more complicated, as I'm a US expat living in Dubai with my two kids from a previous relationship. My fiance went back to the UK last year to get things all settled in his career.

So we are trying to decide whether it's better to apply from Dubai or from the US. . .better to apply now or wait until next year so that the girls can start school on time, etc.

So, would these be our steps to the settlement visa:

1. July 2014--All four of us return to the US for our wedding.
2. July 2014--Complete 3 online applications (one for me, one for 8 year old, one for 7 year old)
3. July 2014--Complete biometrics (just for me)
4. July 2014--Mail off application with all docs, passports, and return envelope, etc.
5. July-??? 2014 The girls and I would be staying with family in the US until the visas come through--this has implications both for education for the girls, health care for me, and taxes for me.

Any insight is appreciated!

Amy
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Old May 4th 2014, 7:28 am
  #43  
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Default Re: Wife Settlement Visa Update & details of application

Nigel, don't worry, your application is accepted for sure, just don't understand why it now takes so long? My wife's application was approved in 3 days, but that was when it was done overseas, so maybe that is why. If there was a problem there would be a much longer delay whilst they recheck things.

Best of luck with the move!!!
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Old May 4th 2014, 11:17 am
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Default Re: Wife Settlement Visa Update & details of application

Originally Posted by ncoomber
And I was surprised to see all the photocopies that I had made for the Visa office were all returned to me. They tell you to a make a copy of everything and include it in the doc package. I did. They did not even open the bag of copies. Just returned them to me. What is that all about?
That's funny! Maybe they made their own copies of your originals because they didn't notice your bag of copies. Not all applicants understand they should include copies so sometimes the staff have to make the necessary duplicates.

Originally Posted by ncoomber
I know I shouldn't grumble and moan about it. I am one of the lucky ones who could afford to get the visa. So many can't. I hope the thresholds and the rules are relaxes so that folk can be with the ones they love. It should never be up to the government to decide who we fall in love with.
Truer words were never spoken. The new rules are stupid and pointless 'punishment' for bi-cultural couples who've done nothing wrong....

Last edited by WEBlue; May 4th 2014 at 11:19 am.
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Old May 4th 2014, 1:07 pm
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Default Re: Wife Settlement Visa Update & details of application

Originally Posted by maichioniso
Hi Nigel,

I'm quite new here and your story is very helpful, thanks.

The website is quite confusing, and the whole thing is even more complicated, as I'm a US expat living in Dubai with my two kids from a previous relationship. My fiance went back to the UK last year to get things all settled in his career.

So we are trying to decide whether it's better to apply from Dubai or from the US. . .better to apply now or wait until next year so that the girls can start school on time, etc.

So, would these be our steps to the settlement visa:

1. July 2014--All four of us return to the US for our wedding.
2. July 2014--Complete 3 online applications (one for me, one for 8 year old, one for 7 year old)
3. July 2014--Complete biometrics (just for me)
4. July 2014--Mail off application with all docs, passports, and return envelope, etc.
5. July-??? 2014 The girls and I would be staying with family in the US until the visas come through--this has implications both for education for the girls, health care for me, and taxes for me.

Any insight is appreciated!

Amy
That sounds like a plan! As long as you have all your documents (originals and copies) with you when you are ready to send them off. If you pay for priority, it may not take long at all. There is no way of knowing exactly how long as it depends on the number of applicants at any given time. I am wondering if they might be busy in July as people apply so they can move for the new school year in September?
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