Advice needed ...

I applied for settlement visas for both my Husband and Step-son (who he has sole custody of). They completed bio-metrics in Kingston Jamaica on 4th July 2019 and 'priority' was paid for both applications.

On 15th July we received an email saying both applications are currently being prepared for consideration by an Entry Clearance Officer.

After the 30 working days I called and escalated countless times, to which I was told
'We are continuing to work on the above applications which are currently awaiting an assessment to be completed'.

I sent an email to Complaints. On 17th September they responded and in their email confirmed that the following:-

Once mandatory checks have been completed the results of these checks may mean that further extended checks need to be carried out, this was the case with this application. It is not always appropriate to disclose the exact nature of these checks.

I can confirm the necessary checks have been completed and both applications are now awaiting assessment.

On 25th September I received the non straightforward email ....

Surely, our applications not being straightforward is something they would have picked up on whilst "all necessary checks were completed".

On 9th October, I received an email from the contact centre (in response to the many "escalations") saying
As we have previously advised, the processing of this application has not been straightforward. We are continuing to work on the application and will make a decision as soon as we are able to. We cannot give a timescale for when a decision will be made. The bottom of this email confirms it is an automated message.

On 17th Oct another email from the contact centre:-

Every application is unique, and if your application is not straightforward, it may not be possible to meet the published timescales. If this is the case, your application will still be put at the front of the queue at every stage of the decision-making process. Your application may not be straightforward if you have:
• been refused a visa for the UK,
• been refused leave to enter the UK,
• been deported, removed, or otherwise required to leave the UK,
• overstayed a period of leave in the UK,
• had leave to remain in the UK curtailed by the Home Office,
• been refused leave to remain in the UK by the Home Office,
• been refused a visa for Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United States of America, or the Schengen countries,
• been interviewed, detained, or prosecuted by the police for any offence in the UK or elsewhere,
• an unspent criminal conviction in any country,
• committed a criminal offence in any country.
Please note this list is not exhaustive and your application may be considered not straightforward even if none of the above apply.

As we are still awaiting responses to some of our enquiries, we are unable to predict when your application will be completed.

None of the above relate to my Husband or obviously 8-year old step son. He (my Husband) has never travelled, therefore no refusal or deportation, no criminal record etc etc and upon further investigations via google, I have realised again this is a copy a paste job from the VFS and .gov website.

and again, "As we are still awaiting responses to some of our enquiries, we are unable to predict when your application will be completed" is contradictary to the email received from complaints confirming that all checks had been made and the applications were awaiting an assessment.

Last week, my MP confirmed that he has sent a letter to UKVI and will contact me once he has heard something. I am due to give birth to my Son any day now and I literally feel like I am going mad with all these emails containing useless/contradicting information....

Any idea where/what I can do from here apart from the obvious (which is wait). Does anyone have a similar experience? Would it be worth getting a solicitor involved?

Working day 79!

A solicitor cannot speed it up or influence HO. Priority service is also not guaranteed.

There is nothing you can do but wait. Some members have been waiting 4 months to almost year.

I suspect a solicitor would just charge you money to do the things you have already done (escalate, email complaints, involve MP, etc.). Just because your husband and step son haven't travelled and don't have criminal records doesn't mean there isn't someone else out there with the same name and/or birth date who have overstayed or do have criminal records. Endless reasons why the checks could be taking a while.