Settlement Visa from India : Timeline

Thank you SPbluez

Online application for Spouse settlement visa : 25th Jan, 2016
VFS appointment at Hyderabad: 4th Feb, 2016
Application recieved at BHC CHennai: 5th Feb, 2016
Contacted UKVI on 12th Feb, 2016. They said the application has not yet been assessed by ECO.

Recent Development
18 Feb, 2016 got a mail from Chennai BHC asking for more documents. Got a deadline to post them by 27 Feb, 2016.

SumitP wrote:We have waiting period for next around 3 days not knowing what the result is and that is just killing me. Has anyone had visa processing done in a single day earlier?

Same here. Applied Friday 12th February and decision was made Wednesday 17th February which is 3 working days in total. Won't be able to pick up the decision until next week unfortunately.

Did you get your visa? Anyone know if this is the new gold standard in response times or is it just more likely there's a massive error in our application?

prejay wrote:

SumitP wrote:We have waiting period for next around 3 days not knowing what the result is and that is just killing me. Has anyone had visa processing done in a single day earlier?

Same here. Applied Friday 12th February and decision was made Wednesday 17th February which is 3 working days in total. Won't be able to pick up the decision until next week unfortunately.

Did you get your visa? Anyone know if this is the new gold standard in response times or is it just more likely there's a massive error in our application?

Quick update:

Online application for Spouse settlement visa: 9th Feb, 2016
VFS appointment at Mumbai (North): 12th Feb, 2016
Decision made: 17th Feb, 2016

Total: 3 working days(!)
Outcome: visa granted (30 day vignette stamped in passport).

Thanks to this forum - the advice and checklists were invaluable. If I can help anyone in return, please do let me know.

Hi everyone,

My visa was granted in less than a month and mine is hardly a regular case. I hope this will encourage others in similar situations,

2009 - Overstayer came back on my own accord
2009 - Applied for unmarried partner visa from Sri Lanka & was granted the visa under the old rules
sadly circumstances at home meant we couldn't go and settle, so visa expired in 2012.
2015 - applied for a short visit visa to go with wife (BC) on holiday to UK, but visa was refused and passport stamped with refusal
2016 - Jan 25th applied for spouse visa and biometrics taken on 1st Feb
2016 - 2nd feb email received from Chennai Bhc saying that application and passport was received
2016 - 17th Feb email saying that processed application was sent to VFS Colombo
2016 - 18th Feb application pack and passport collected - visa Granted!

Only hitch is that although i requested the proposed travel date as 25th April, they stamped the vignette from 17th Feb to 18th March, so have to travel early to collect the BRP and come back and go again.

Happy to help anyone who needs to know what documentation i submitted etc.

Hi Sweety,

Apologies for only responding to your question now. Yes, if you specified your intended date of travel as 15 March, then your vignette will be valid for 30 days only from 15 March. This was the case for us.

In this regard I would also advise those who are still to apply, to be very careful with the date of intended travel to the UK, especially if you want to travel asap! My partner stated 10 March, which was 90 days from the date that we submitted the application. The visa was then granted less than 3 weeks later (Early Jan) and so he still is waiting to travel this thurs (i.e. 10 March)!

Considering the vignette is valid for 30 months, you could put your suggested date of travel even as soon as 4 weeks from application.

Best regards,

BB

sweety.a wrote:Hi all

Following is my timeline

Online application for Spouse settlement visa : 25th Jan, 2016
VFS appointment at Hyderabad: 4th Feb, 2016
Application recieved at BHC CHennai: 5th Feb, 2016
Contacted UKVI on 12th Feb, 2016. They said the application has not yet been assessed by ECO.
Waiting....

I however have a doubt about my application. I have filled the date of my intended travel as 15 March, 2016 in the application. Does that mean that BHC will grant me visa that is valid from 15th March, 2016?

People who have recently got their visas... can you please confirm this?

Thanks

Vignette is valid for 30 days only.. typo!

With great help from the amazing people on this forum i've applied for the spouse visa (married) application in New Delhi. However, I've not received any acknowledgement from the VFS regarding receipt of application. Is this normal?


Here are my timelines :

Category : Husband
Type : Salaried Employee
Online Application : 11/04/2016
Biometrics (VFS) : 18/04/2016
Acknowledgement : Not Received Any

Thanks,
Itachi

Have applied for my wife's settlement visa from VFS Chandigarh on 14th April 2016. Received a text message saying the file reached delhi on 15th April. Heard nothing more...

Gagan1986 wrote:Have applied for my wife's settlement visa from VFS Chandigarh on 14th April 2016. Received a text message saying the file reached delhi on 15th April. Heard nothing more...

Thanks for replying Gagan. I applied on the 18th but no text message received till now. Normally i used to get a text message the next day. Very weird.

Thanks,

Itachi

itachi wrote:

Gagan1986 wrote:Have applied for my wife's settlement visa from VFS Chandigarh on 14th April 2016. Received a text message saying the file reached delhi on 15th April. Heard nothing more...

Thanks for replying Gagan. I applied on the 18th but no text message received till now. Normally i used to get a text message the next day. Very weird.

Thanks,

Itachi

Apparently they ask at the time of submissions at VFS, how you would like us to inform you, phone or email?

Also, how long is it taking these days for them to decide the case?

Gagan1986 wrote:

itachi wrote:

Gagan1986 wrote:Have applied for my wife's settlement visa from VFS Chandigarh on 14th April 2016. Received a text message saying the file reached delhi on 15th April. Heard nothing more...

Thanks for replying Gagan. I applied on the 18th but no text message received till now. Normally i used to get a text message the next day. Very weird.

Thanks,

Itachi

Apparently they ask at the time of submissions at VFS, how you would like us to inform you, phone or email?

Also, how long is it taking these days for them to decide the case?

Hi Gagan,

They are deciding upon cases within 10 working days. Mine came in 7 working days and was processed in Delhi.

I was trying to find the latest processing times on the VFS website, but it seems they changed the link. Here's the new link :

1) Open https://www.vfsglobal.co.uk/India/impor ... ation.html

2) Scroll to How we are performing against our quality and timeline standards

3) Click the Read More button.

The average processing time for New Delhi is 10 Days. https://www.vfsglobal.co.uk/India/pdf/P ... 160416.pdf

Hi,

I applied settlement visa for my son at new Delhi centre on 1st April 2016 11:15. Which is 16 working days ago. I have not received even a ACK email for my application. On 19th April, visa application status was "it is yet to be assessed by ECO".

Anybody has any experience with timeline for application applied in April, 2016? Report posted in previous message says it is 15 days.

category : Child or family member of settled person
Visa appointment date and Time: 1st April 2016 11:15 AM
So far 16 working days and No single sms/email from them yet. Even no ack mail.

Any thing I can do except mailing them and get same status ("not assessed by ECO") again and again? its giving me worries as my application is lost or something.

Even I have received no SMS although i paid for the SMS service. Seems to be some issue with the VFS. Does anyone here have more information about this?

sharmaalok000 wrote:Hi,

I applied settlement visa for my son at new Delhi centre on 1st April 2016 11:15. Which is 16 working days ago. I have not received even a ACK email for my application. On 19th April, visa application status was "it is yet to be assessed by ECO".

Anybody has any experience with timeline for application applied in April, 2016? Report posted in previous message says it is 15 days.

category : Child or family member of settled person
Visa appointment date and Time: 1st April 2016 11:15 AM
So far 16 working days and No single sms/email from them yet. Even no ack mail.

Any thing I can do except mailing them and get same status ("not assessed by ECO") again and again? its giving me worries as my application is lost or something.

Hi itachi,

did you check your visa application status through mail service - https://ukvi-international.faq-help.com/?

Just wondering if your case is same as mine - no sms/mail and no progress as well.

For me no sms/mail and visa application status is "not assessed by ECO officer" still after 16 days.

thanks

Alok,

I emailed them and they replied with the same message. It's frustrating to have no information as everyone i know gets a sms regarding their application.

Thanks,
Itachi

sharmaalok000 wrote:Hi itachi,

did you check your visa application status through mail service - https://ukvi-international.faq-help.com/?

Just wondering if your case is same as mine - no sms/mail and no progress as well.

For me no sms/mail and visa application status is "not assessed by ECO officer" still after 16 days.

thanks

My wifes UK settlement visa was also submitted on 1st April 2016 at New Delhi.
I have enquired about the status 3 times this week and each time have been advised that it is still awaiting to be seen by an ECO officer.
I have today checked the latest service status on the VFS website which currently advises that to 22nd April 2016 current UK settlement visas are being processed 16-21 days in New Delhi.
Hence I hope to have an outcome by this coming Friday 29th April 2016.
Also on the application we put down 1st July 2016 as the anticipated arrival date to UK.
With the new 30 day vignette visas being issued if my application is processed by the end of April (this month) which entry dates period am I likely to be given?
Either 1st May - 30th May 2016 Or 1st June -30th June 2016 Or 1st July - 30th July 2016? Or any other format?
I have heard some ECO are issuing 30 day visa commencing the day the visa is issued which would make it very difficult to plan travel ahead as we dont even know when/if visa is issued.
I believe the fess are approx 122GBP to re-apply to have these dates changed to suit your requirement as well as the added hassle of submitting an application to carry this out however no documents as provided for settlement visa would be required in this case.
Any idea or experience on this by anyone?

Hi Kingston,

Did you choose SMS notification service and got any acknowledgedment SMS/email for your application from Vfs.

For my application no SMS/email so far. ppl seems receiving SMS for application to reach embassy and all.

Thanks

Hi,

I just received first email from UK Visa and immigration that decision has been made on my application.

Waiting for to know outcome.

Thanks.

Thats good to know Alok. Wishing you all the best. Hopefully my application will be sorted soon too.
Thanks,

V

sharmaalok000 wrote:Hi,

I just received first email from UK Visa and immigration that decision has been made on my application.

Waiting for to know outcome.

Thanks.

Thanks Itachi.

Best of luck for yours!

Yes we did receive a sms day following submission of application on 1st April.
However I am also aware that on the 1st April VFS New Delhi was also having planned power outages (from VFS website).
Alok, when did you receive email advising your application has been processed?
Was it on Saturday morning? I thought they are only working Mon-Fri.
Good luck. Keep us posted on the outcome and if you get the visa which dates are stamped for the 30 days
entry. Which date did you request for entry on application?

Yes I received on Saturday morning.

Sure I would let you know the dates if application has gone successful.

I requested 10th April assuming it would be processed within a week . Was a wrong assumption.

Hoping it to be from date of approval to +30 days.

Any updates anyone?

Hi All,

My wife would be applying for spouse visa from Delhi next week.

Seems after increasing the visa fee by massive 25%, at least they have reduced the time line form 3-6 weeks to 2 days-2 weeks.

Am I correct? Sounds good!

Cheers!