OLD FLR(M) waiting times Thread

[shhh]

Date Docs sent: 18/1/12 (lost by post office for three weeks!)
Date Application Deliver to HO: 6/2/12
Date Application fees was taken: 6/2/12
Ack. Letter received: 11/02/12 (but dated 6/2/12)
Biometrics booking letter: Dated 12/3/12, received 15/3/12
Biometrics issued 15/3/12
Date Biometric Card Received from HO: Pending
Date Passport/Docs received from HO: Pending

Switching from Tier 1 to FLR(M)

[shhh]

I RECEIVED MY BIOMETRIC RESIDENCE PERMIT THIS AFTERNOON AS WELL! I AM NOW LOOKING AT FLIGHTS! ALL IN ALL 11 WEEKS OF WAITING! IM SOOOO HAPPY AND RELIEVED! I HOPE EVERYONE GETS THEIRS TOO ASAP!

aw, have a brilliant trip!

[jay2x]

I'm still waiting for my Biometrics Booking Letter!!

Hoping it will arrived soon because it was already 5weeks since the Home Office received my application letter.

The system here in the UK is so slow compared to the processing time of British embassies outside the country.

[the laughing cow]

Hi just thought I would send some update as ours arrived today for my wife. We were waiting for it to come back for a trip we thought we'd lost all the flight money on!!

I don't have the exact dates off the top of my head but it took 4 weeks and 2 days from the giving of Biometrics to receiving our passports back. All received today.

Hopefully that may offer some comfort as I know we were pulling our hair out at the lack of updates available from UKBA.

PS: The original application went in at the start of January so I think it was about 8 weeks total start to finish.

[CLK]

Hi all,

Please find my timeline below:

Date application sent (via Special Next Day delivery): Wednesday 11 January 2012
Date application received (as confirmed by Royal Mail tracking): Thursday 12 January 2012
Date payment taken: Friday 13 January 2012
Date acknowledgement letter received: Tuesday 17 January 2012 (letter dated Friday 13 January 2012)
Date biometrics letter received: Friday 3 February 2012 (letter dated Wednesday 1 February 2012)
Date biometrics enrolled (at London Old Street Post Office branch): Saturday 4 February 2012
Date support documents returned: Monday 5 March 2012 (missed delivery so picked-up from Post Office on Tuesday 6 March 2012) (letter dated Thursday 1 March 2012)
Date Biometrics Resident Permit received: Monday 5 March 2012 (missed delivery so rearranged for Wednesday 7 March 2012) (BRP issued on Thursday 1 March 2012)

Total time: 7 weeks and 4 working days (not counting the days for re-delivery)

Visa Category: Unmarried partner
Switching from: Post-study work (Tier 1)

It looks like documents are being sent back and BRPs are being issued about a month after biometrics are enrolled.

Good luck to all you waiting!

[Papertrail]

Hello all,
Wow this forum is so good. It really helps get the info UKBA don't bother giving. I applied for the FLR(M) as well and here is my time line so far...
I must say this waiting is a real pain!(curses). The UKBA and HO should know there is nothing hilarious about being literally stuck and not being able to do a damn thing about it. You pray everyday that no family emergencies crop up because you couldn't travel if your life depended on it!Holding people's passports and other important ORIGINAL documents for 8 months is a crime by itself! And after having taken the payments!!!! I will definately apply in person next time for the ILR because i cant stand this *%^$#@@ again!

APPLICATION DATE SENT (NEXT DAY DELIVERY): 04/01/2012
PAYMENT VIA POSTAL ORDER: RECEIVED
ACKNOWLDEGEMENT LETTER (dated 06/01/2012) RECEIVED: 13/01/2012
BIOMETRICS APPOINTMENT LETTER: **WAITING**
DOCUMENTS RETURNED BY HO: **WAITING**
BRP RECEIVED: **WAITING**

I wish us all luck and may we all not wait anymore than we have to(or already have).

[anniecc]

Update on my application so far:

Date Docs sent: 31/01/12
Date payment was taken: 02/02/12
Date Ack. Letter received: 09/02/12 (dated Feb 2)
Date bio-metrics booking letter received: 14/03/12 (dated 09/03/12)
Date bio-metrics enrolled (at Camden Town post office): 15/03/12

Visa applied for: FLR(M) Unmarried parter
Switching from: Tier 1 (General)

[viking12]

Hi,

See below for waiting times for my application-

Posted on 27/02/2012
UKBA Received on 28/02/2012
Acknowledgement Letter received- 15/03/2012 (Although letter was dated 29/02/2012)

Waiting for the Bio-metric letter...

That's it folks..well for now...

[Papertrail]

Update on my application so far:

Date Docs sent: 31/01/12
Date payment was taken: 02/02/12
Date Ack. Letter received: 09/02/12 (dated Feb 2)
Date bio-metrics booking letter received: 14/03/12 (dated 09/03/12)
Date bio-metrics enrolled (at Camden Town post office): 15/03/12

Visa applied for: FLR(M) Unmarried parter
Switching from: Tier 1 (General)

wow yours came together so fast...hope you get your BRP card soon too.

[anniecc]

wow yours came together so fast...hope you get your BRP card soon too.

Thanks - it took a little over 6 weeks, which I don't think is particularly fast, but I'm hoping the next stage won't take quite so long. Good luck to all those who are still waiting.

[viking12]

Looks like the bio-metrics booking letter is delayed to be sent out..is this usually the case for anyone applying during this time period...?

[Papertrail]

wow yours came together so fast...hope you get your BRP card soon too.

Thanks - it took a little over 6 weeks, which I don't think is particularly fast, but I'm hoping the next stage won't take quite so long. Good luck to all those who are still waiting.

Well yes.. i aint that fast..I am still waiting for my biometrics appointment letter.

[Papertrail]

Looks like the bio-metrics booking letter is delayed to be sent out..is this usually the case for anyone applying during this time period...?

well i personally applied at the beginning of January. Anniecc applied i think at the end of January. The visa categories are different, but she has already received the biometrics appointment letter. I am still waiting. So its hard to say if all letters are delayed. Some seem to come relatively faster than others.

[tcbrasil]

Looks like the bio-metrics booking letter is delayed to be sent out..is this usually the case for anyone applying during this time period...?

well i personally applied at the beginning of January. Anniecc applied i think at the end of January. The visa categories are different, but she has already received the biometrics appointment letter. I am still waiting. So its hard to say if all letters are delayed. Some seem to come relatively faster than others.

Usually, the biometric letter should be sent out within 1-2 weeks after they have sent the acknowledgement letter. But this not always happens, isn't it?
In my case, I didn't receive my acknowledgement letter because it seems that got lost by the royal mail. However, I received the biometric letter with over 4 weeks after I had sent my documents.
I'm really hoping all of us get our applications sorted as soon as possible so we can get on with our lives.

Here is my timeline so far:

Date Applied/Docs sent: 18/01/2012
Date Docs arrived to HO: 19/01/2012
Date Received Ack. Letter: Probably got lost somewhere
Date Biometrics booking letter arrived: 20/02/2012
Date Biometrics taken - Sheffield PEO: 28/02/2012

Date Aproval Letter issued: Waiting...
Date Passport/Docs arrived: Waiting...
Date Biometric Card Arrived: Waiting...

Visa Type : FLR(M) for spouse
Visa From: Tier 4 Student

Good Luck Everyone!

[stephanielqy]

Date Docs sent: 16/02/12
Date payment was taken: 20/02/12
Date Ack. Letter received: 23/02/12 (dated Feb 21)
Date bio-metrics booking letter received: Waiting

Visa applied for: FLR(M) Spouse
Switching from: Fiancee

[viking12]

Date Docs sent: 16/02/12
Date payment was taken: 20/02/12
Date Ack. Letter received: 23/02/12 (dated Feb 21)
Date bio-metrics booking letter received: Waiting

Visa applied for: FLR(M) Spouse
Switching from: Fiancee

Hi stephanielqy,

Could you please let us know when you get your bio-metrics booking letter, my ack letter is dated 29/02/2012..which means I can expect mine soon after yours..well..hopefully..

I will update as soon as I receive mine...

Thankyou

[stephanielqy]

Sure, viking12! Just checked my mail box, saw a letter... and it was a water bill *facepalm*

We'll get that letter soon! It had better come. Grrrr.

[viking12]

Sure, viking12! Just checked my mail box, saw a letter... and it was a water bill *facepalm*

We'll get that letter soon! It had better come. Grrrr.

Thanks. You always get it when you least expect it to..lol

[mattp]

Here's an update on our situation. After 6 months of waiting, we phoned UKBA but they wouldn't tell us anything. We wrote to UKBA and they did not reply.

So, I wrote to my MP. He was quick to send an enquiry on our behalf to UKBA, and we received a message from UKBA that they would now assign our application to a caseworker. After more than 6 months, they had not even got that far!

Our passports and documents were returned after a week or two and the permit finally arrived today, almost 8 months after we applied and with no word of explanation for the delay.

Good luck to those still waiting; we now have 2 years to relax until we try for ILR.

Date Applied/Docs sent: 25/07/11
Date Received Acknowledgement Letter: 02/08/11
Date payment taken from bank: 01/08/11
Date Biometrics completed: 10/08/2011

Date Passport/Docs returned from UKBA: 03/03/12
Date Biometric card received: 15/03/12

Visa Type : FLR(M) for spouse
Visa From: Fiancée

[Papertrail]

Here's an update on our situation. After 6 months of waiting, we phoned UKBA but they wouldn't tell us anything. We wrote to UKBA and they did not reply.

So, I wrote to my MP. He was quick to send an enquiry on our behalf to UKBA, and we received a message from UKBA that they would now assign our application to a caseworker. After more than 6 months, they had not even got that far!

Our passports and documents were returned after a week or two and the permit finally arrived today, almost 8 months after we applied and with no word of explanation for the delay.

Good luck to those still waiting; we now have 2 years to relax until we try for ILR.

Date Applied/Docs sent: 25/07/11
Date Received Acknowledgement Letter: 02/08/11
Date payment taken from bank: 01/08/11
Date Biometrics completed: 10/08/2011

Date Passport/Docs returned from UKBA: 03/03/12
Date Biometric card received: 15/03/12

Visa Type : FLR(M) for spouse
Visa From: Fiancée

Now this is totally scary! For the ILR do it in person. It costs more, but less %^%$# . I will be totally going for it.
Congratulations! 8 months is a long time.

[tcbrasil]

Here's an update on our situation. After 6 months of waiting, we phoned UKBA but they wouldn't tell us anything. We wrote to UKBA and they did not reply.

So, I wrote to my MP. He was quick to send an enquiry on our behalf to UKBA, and we received a message from UKBA that they would now assign our application to a caseworker. After more than 6 months, they had not even got that far!

Our passports and documents were returned after a week or two and the permit finally arrived today, almost 8 months after we applied and with no word of explanation for the delay.

Good luck to those still waiting; we now have 2 years to relax until we try for ILR.

Date Applied/Docs sent: 25/07/11
Date Received Acknowledgement Letter: 02/08/11
Date payment taken from bank: 01/08/11
Date Biometrics completed: 10/08/2011

Date Passport/Docs returned from UKBA: 03/03/12
Date Biometric card received: 15/03/12

Visa Type : FLR(M) for spouse
Visa From: Fiancée

Massive congratulations mattp!! You deserve it! God, they so inconsiderable! It took 6 months for them to forward to case worker?? This is totally unacceptable!!But that Goodness you got it now! Relax now and I agree with Papertrail, ILR definitely in person!

[Donking1]

Date App

[shhh]

8/03/2012 -Its over four weeks now since I submitted my application, and three weeks since I sent letter to the UKBA alerting of my acknowledgement letter being sent to the wrong address. I received no response to my letter and still waiting for Biometric booking letter. How incompetent?

With the litany of mistakes posted on this site daily, any other organisation operating in this way in the UK would have had their operations in curtailed or in serious jeopardy by now. The fact is no one really gives a #### if it’s about hapless migrants!

You're right. It's a total, undeniable, pathetic shambles.

Have you called them? I've found that if I go through to ask about my Biometrics first, I can usually get through to someone. I'd quote my UKBA reference and tell them the date you sent your letter, the date you sent a letter about the wrong address and ask what the status of your BRP letter is.

I called about my BRP letter, and the woman said "you should hear from us soon". So I called back, said I'd heard that I was supposed to have received my letter already and the woman told me the letter was in the post and the date it was sent. So it's almost like, the most information you give them or pretend to know, the more likely you'll get a person who will give you some information back. Or just call back until you get someone who can.

Good luck.

[Echo721]

Hi guys, here is my application:

Old visa expiry date: 20/4/2012
Date Docs sent: 23/2/2012
Date payment was taken: 29/2/12
Date Ack. Letter received: 2/3/12 (dated 27/2/12)
Date bio-metrics booking letter: Waiting.

Visa applied for: FLR(M) Unmarried parter
Switching from: Tier 1 (General)

[Echo721]

Your case makes me worried. I thought it would only take up to 4 weeks for me to get my passport back!

Massive congratulations to you!

Here's an update on our situation. After 6 months of waiting, we phoned UKBA but they wouldn't tell us anything. We wrote to UKBA and they did not reply.

So, I wrote to my MP. He was quick to send an enquiry on our behalf to UKBA, and we received a message from UKBA that they would now assign our application to a caseworker. After more than 6 months, they had not even got that far!

Our passports and documents were returned after a week or two and the permit finally arrived today, almost 8 months after we applied and with no word of explanation for the delay.

Good luck to those still waiting; we now have 2 years to relax until we try for ILR.

Date Applied/Docs sent: 25/07/11
Date Received Acknowledgement Letter: 02/08/11
Date payment taken from bank: 01/08/11
Date Biometrics completed: 10/08/2011

Date Passport/Docs returned from UKBA: 03/03/12
Date Biometric card received: 15/03/12

Visa Type : FLR(M) for spouse
Visa From: Fiancée