mprebble

So, imagine my delight when, just over 24 hours after completing my immigration visa interview, the status changes from 'administrative processing' to 'issued' (and therefore ready for dispatch back to me).

Almost 48 hours after that status update and I've not heard from the courier to confirm the tracking number and date of availability to collect (in my case from Southampton).

I (naively?) thought that passports and documentation would be passed to the courier by the next working day (which would have been yesterday) but perhaps not! Don't get me wrong, I'm thrilled that my visa was issued so quickly, but with a wife and 7-month-old in the States already (having just moved into our new home yesterday!) and flight ticket date change charges creeping up ($1990 just because it's a Saturday flight? Thanks a lot BA.) I'm more than keen to get back asap.

Does anyone know how long the issuance-to-courier collection centre takes? Or how frequently they collect from the embassy and get things to their collection centres? As with most of the stages in my 17 month visa process, it's not so much about the date itself but more about knowing what sort of date to expect...

Darra

My status online changed to Issued last Tuesday (14th) and I patiently awaited the email from the courier to tell me the visas were on route.

I got a knock at my door on Saturday (18th) morning from the postman who asked me to sign for a Special Delivery package which turned out to be the visas for myself and my family.

I finally received an email from the courier company to say that my visas had been picked up on Tuesday this week (21st). When I checked the tracking number online it said that it had been passed to a 3rd party and no further information was available.

So there's a chance you may receive your visa before you even know it is on the way.

EDIT: Sorry I just noticed that you said that you would be picking it up, so a different situation to mine.

ian-mstm

You have misinterpreted. Issued means only that the visa has been issued. It does not mean that your passport has left the facility, or is anywhere near actually being ready for delivery.


It usually takes at least a week to get to the courier hub, but can (and sometimes does) take 2 weeks.

Ian