OLD FLR(M) waiting times Thread

[fury_161]

congrats fury_161!!! was it a straightforward app from a fiance visa?

it gives some hope!

Yes from fiancé visa for a Guatemalan national.

John

[2222]

22 weeks waiting!!!! I can't sleep these days......

My time line:

From - Tier 4 (Valid till 30th Sep 2012)
FLR M applied on 27th February
Payment out of the bank: 29th February
Acknowledgement letter: I didn't get one!!
Biometric letter received on 16th March
Biometric completed in Glasgow office on 28th March
Document return: still waiting!!!
Biometric card: still waiting !!!

I am just wondering, may be the delay due to my current Tier 4 Visa still valid till 30th Sep 2012??? Any advise guys??
I am hoping to hear something soon, as I really need to go home and see my family for Eid Ramadan!!!!!!!

Why they are too slow?? 22 weeks more than enough......

[hredderson]

Hello everyone -

Tomorrow marks the 5 month point in waiting for my spousal visa. (I have my timeline outlined below).

I am seeking some advice... my husband and I, when we originally filed our application, were living with my father-in-law (indefinitely) and my husband was making less money than he is now. Since we filed our application in March, my husband has been promoted at work, we transferred to a new location for his job promotion, he received an increase in salary, AND we are now living on our own with bills that we previously did not have (and therefore did not declare) when we submitted our original application. We meet all of the financial requirements (just barely, but we do) for our application even with all of these changes. (Note: we meet all of the requirements prior to the changes made on July 9th, 2012).

My question is if we need to notify the HO of these changes? I have been given varying opinions on this, but given that we are approaching the 6 month waiting time frame, I am not sure how we should approach this.

Any advice or similar experiences would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you!

Our timeline:
Application received in Durham: 13/3/12
Application acknowledgement letter received: 16/3/12
Payment taken from bank: 15/3/12
Received biometrics letter in mail: 26/3/12
Completed biometrics: 29/3/12
Now we are waiting.... nothing since I submitted my biometrics.

(I am US applicant moving from Fiance to spouse)

[kuzey50]

22 weeks waiting!!!! I can't sleep these days......

My time line:

From - Tier 4 (Valid till 30th Sep 2012)
FLR M applied on 27th February
Payment out of the bank: 29th February
Acknowledgement letter: I didn't get one!!
Biometric letter received on 16th March
Biometric completed in Glasgow office on 28th March
Document return: still waiting!!!
Biometric card: still waiting !!!

I am just wondering, may be the delay due to my current Tier 4 Visa still valid till 30th Sep 2012??? Any advise guys??
I am hoping to hear something soon, as I really need to go home and see my family for Eid Ramadan!!!!!!!

Why they are too slow?? 22 weeks more than enough......

I dont think it has anythink to do wit that, we applied a day before my wife's visa expired. It has been 21 weeks and still waiting! They just dont have enough people to process applications in time.

[Dsin]

Hi all,

Finally got my biometrics letter today, mailed the day after we called to request my husband's passport back - funny that!

I'm wondering about my surname though. Because we got married in May and had little time to get the application in before the 9 July law change date, I didn't have time to change my surname to my new married name on my passport.

So the passport they have of me has my maiden name, therefore they sent the biometrics letters in my maiden name.... but not Miss. They put "Mrs" with my maiden name.

I just called up and spoke to a chap who said that was fine, that they put the visa in whatever name is on your passport, and that when I travel I just have to book travel in my maiden name, until I change my passport - and then apply for a new bio card.

Has anyone else had this situation? He said it was nothing to worry about, that's just how they do it. Just wanted to check!

Payment taken: 22/06/12
App rec'd: 25/06/12
Ack. letter dated: 28/06/12
Biometrics letter dated: 7/8/12
Biometrics letter rec'd: 10/8/12
Date biometrics enrolled:
Date docs received:
Date BRP received:
Visa Type : FLR(M) for spouse
Visa From: PSW

Great to hear you got your biometrics letter. Looks like quite a few June applications have received their letters recently so hopefully things are moving along a bit at the UKBA!

Hope you managed to get your biometrics done and your passport back..... We managed to do my husband's biometrics last Tuesday (7th) in Oxford. Just got to try and be patient now......

[nholler]

So today is the 6 month mark since we applied for the visa and it still feels no closer to reality.

We've written to our MP who has provided us with a generic letter response from the UKBA so really there isn't much else we can do.

We've faxed and written for an update today as calling only seems to get a top level response as per earlier postings.

I could request my passport back but this probably won't have any bearing on whether we get our visa next week or next month.

Just have to sit tight and hope we all don't have to endure another month or 6!

Good luck all.

[backagain]

My question is if we need to notify the HO of these changes? I have been given varying opinions on this, but given that we are approaching the 6 month waiting time frame, I am not sure how we should approach this.

I am a US citizen applying to be with my UK spouse. She changed jobs back in May for a better paying position in a new company. When she called UKBA to update them, the person told her that they only care if you move or apply for benefits.

[badger111]

So today is the 6 month mark since we applied for the visa and it still feels no closer to reality.

We've written to our MP who has provided us with a generic letter response from the UKBA so really there isn't much else we can do.

We've faxed and written for an update today as calling only seems to get a top level response as per earlier postings.

I could request my passport back but this probably won't have any bearing on whether we get our visa next week or next month.

Just have to sit tight and hope we all don't have to endure another month or 6!

Good luck all.

Whatever you do is not going to help. UKBA is more protected then money in the Bank of England. I am in the week 23 and lost all my hope. But good lucky anyway

[bobobo]

I say its worth a shot, atleast they will get your application out of a pile and maybe when they see that its been a while, who knows they might just process the application. This is not guarenteed but its worth a shot, wont harm you in any way so might as well try.

So today is the 6 month mark since we applied for the visa and it still feels no closer to reality.

We've written to our MP who has provided us with a generic letter response from the UKBA so really there isn't much else we can do.

We've faxed and written for an update today as calling only seems to get a top level response as per earlier postings.

I could request my passport back but this probably won't have any bearing on whether we get our visa next week or next month.

Just have to sit tight and hope we all don't have to endure another month or 6!

Good luck all.

[nholler]

I agree BoBoBo, in this life if you don't ask you don't get.

Does anyone know, if you want to move from your current residency whether it affects your case at all? I understand theres a webpage where you can change your correspondance address: https://contact-ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/ ... geAddress/

However, I wondered if it would affect the application as all the correspondance in the file would be at a different address.

[bobobo]

Ideally this shouldnt impact the application. Just call HO and ask them whats the best way of letting them know. Sometimes they ask people to send a change in circumstances form and sometimes they will just do it for you over the phone. Additionally you can always have a royal mail re-direction service in place, to make sure nothing slipss through.

I agree BoBoBo, in this life if you don't ask you don't get.

Does anyone know, if you want to move from your current residency whether it affects your case at all? I understand theres a webpage where you can change your correspondance address: https://contact-ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/ ... geAddress/

However, I wondered if it would affect the application as all the correspondance in the file would be at a different address.

[badger111]

I agree BoBoBo, in this life if you don't ask you don't get.

Does anyone know, if you want to move from your current residency whether it affects your case at all? I understand theres a webpage where you can change your correspondance address: https://contact-ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/ ... geAddress/

However, I wondered if it would affect the application as all the correspondance in the file would be at a different address.

No, it shouldn't affect the application. For example, sponsors who ask for their passports back usually get it in 7-14 days from what I read, and it also doesn't affect the application.

[allymcb]

Hello
Just to update on my previous post, we received our letter of confirmation of the visa today having missed the delivery on 10 August. We seem to have a delivery from DX too which we think is the actual BRP which is due tomorrow now. So from an application on 26 April to biometrics on 10th (ish) May we got ours 3 months and a bit later.
We were interested to note that fury131 got theirs a few days before us despite applying 3 weeks later... so there is a bit of variation on the order they tackle them.
Thanks to everyone on the thread for their updates, it helped us feel less alone.
I hope you all get yours soon and that this now means that they are finally processing the backlog.
Now all we need to do is find a job in a recession.....!

[2222]

Congratulations allymcb, but how come I applied before you (27th Feb) and I am still waiting?

I am hoping to be this week....

[badger111]

Congratulations allymcb, but how come I applied before you (27th Feb) and I am still waiting?

I am hoping to be this week....

It happens all the time. They must have many offices around the country that deal with applications, and there is no communication, so lucky ones ended up having their applications dealing in an semi-efficient office.

I am happy for them though!

[nholler]

Congrats allymcb, you must be relieved.

It would be good to understand why the UKBA doesn't necessarily process earlier applications first as has been mentioned above, there are people on the forum who have applied a lot earlier.

The number of applications confirmed here -

http://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/1 ... 5.pdf.html

suggest typically 1000 apps a month with a spike in March to 3500 apps, however they processed allymcb's case who applied in April?

Doesn't make sense to me...

[ken2mj]

Update:

Biometrics enrolled yesterday in Belfast. Quick and painless, in and out in 10 minutes.

Now it's just time to hunker down and wait the long wait.

[badger111]

Update:

Biometrics enrolled yesterday in Belfast. Quick and painless, in and out in 10 minutes.

Now it's just time to hunker down and wait the long wait.

Good luck! I hope something will be done by this Government long before you join our "6 month wait I am going to lose my mind" elite club...

[ken2mj]

Update:

Biometrics enrolled yesterday in Belfast. Quick and painless, in and out in 10 minutes.

Now it's just time to hunker down and wait the long wait.

Good luck! I hope something will be done by this Government long before you join our "6 month wait I am going to lose my mind" elite club...

Is that what they're calling themselves now? 'A government?'

That word. I do not think it means what they think it means.

[badger111]

Update:

Biometrics enrolled yesterday in Belfast. Quick and painless, in and out in 10 minutes.

Now it's just time to hunker down and wait the long wait.

Good luck! I hope something will be done by this Government long before you join our "6 month wait I am going to lose my mind" elite club...

Is that what they're calling themselves now? 'A government?'

That word. I do not think it means what they think it means.

LOL yes, politicians should look for a definition of that word.

If only we had someone to tell us to pay extra and get everything done in matter of days, but you go by the logic and think that everything will work ok. We just thought it was unnecessary to pay 400£ extra for something they would do anyway, and we weren't in a hurry. But there you go. We have ended up being puppets for UKBA who control our lives how they want, and as long as they want.

Postman has been today, and nothing again. It will be 23 weeks tomorrow.

[fizza]

Hi, I have been posting on another immigration forum.. but this one seems a lot more active. Won't go into every little detail, but as one could imagine have been thru hell with the home office, everything from mis-spelt names to claiming intial payment couldn't be accessed. I am pretty sure they do little mind games like that just to catch ppl out. I am also convinced these massive waiting times are to boost the holiday market within the UK. Applying to stay doesn't mean we want to be trapped here. Aussie teacher sick of waiting..

Confirmation letter; 24/01/2012 (Name spelt incorrectly) Yep they only have 40 documents with my name on it
Bio's: Mid March

Called at 6 month mark got given no info apart from 'still processing'.

I am approaching the 7 month mark.

Those who have got theres much sooner your lucky but i actually hate you (sorry)...

[fizza]

Just to add a question to the rest of the frustrated out there....my visa expired in march 2012... does any body know when they actually do process our FLR will it start from the date it gets processed ie; august 2012 (being optimistic there) or will it back date to march?? If it is back dated I will actually lose the plot!

[waitwaitwait]

Just to add a question to the rest of the frustrated out there....my visa expired in march 2012... does any body know when they actually do process our FLR will it start from the date it gets processed ie; august 2012 (being optimistic there) or will it back date to march?? If it is back dated I will actually lose the plot!

They never backdate the visas so ur new one will be from the day they make a decision. Make sure you keep the acknowledgement letter safe as it can happen that if you travel and come back to UK they might ask you from march(when ur visa expired) to august(when u got a new visa)
What was your status? I know it sounds silly as they should hav it on system that they made u wait, but we all know their style of work so no point taking a chance. Also u said you will not be happy if they backdate it, well if they did that in my case then i will be extremely happy cuz that would mean i will be able to apply for indefinite leave in feb 2014 which is roughly 18 months rather than 2 years so the 6 month wait can be adjusted but unfortunately its not gonna happen.
So dont worry and relax
I am waiting since feb too -
Date Docs sent: 08/02/12 
Date Ack. Letter received: 20/02/12 
Date biometrics booking letter received: 20/03/12 (dated 16/03/12) 
Date biometrics enrolled (at Holborn post office): 22/03/12 
Date BRP received: waiting 
Date Docs received: waiting 

Visa type: FLR(M)
From - Tier 4 

[neveragain]

[quote="fizza"]Just to add a question to the rest of the frustrated out there....my visa expired in march 2012... does any body know when they actually do process our FLR will it start from the date it gets processed ie; august 2012 (being optimistic there) or will it back date to march?? If it is back dated I will actually lose the plot![/quote]


Fizza......We applied in January and eventually received our docs and BRP in late July. The decision letter was dated 25 July and the BRP showed the same date. Other earlier posts in this forum seem to show the same format. So for you (hopefully) it will be August. Your immigration status at time of application remains in force until your case is decided. Good luck!

[fizza]

This forum is great, super quick responses... good to hear about the no back date. It would make no sense to back date it, but it is the UKBA we are talking about. Why does the Bio's card and documents come back separately? So if I get my docs back first can I travel with out the bios card? As soon as we get our passports we are on a last minute holiday somewhere far far away from the UK!