how long for visa to clear?

[turispace]

Hey guys, need some help.

My American wife is about to apply for her UK visa. She has all the documentation and then some - I sent everything required to show financial and employment state, etc.

But what we need to know is, how long does it generally take for the visa to be granted, once it has been applied for? We need to know this, as from what I can tell, they require a flight to have been booked before the visa is applied for so they know when she will be coming here.

Does anyone have any experiences or knowledge that may shed some light on this?

Thanks!

TS

[John]

... they require a flight to have been booked before the visa is applied for so they know when she will be coming here

No, not at all. They simply want to know if there is going to be a noticeable delay between the processing of the visa and the first journey to the UK using that visa. The reason is that it is likely to cause problems two years down the road, when the 2-year spouse visa needs to be converted into ILR, if the journey to the UK is more than 28 days after the start date on the spouse visa.

But no need to book a flight before the issue of the spouse visa. If there is going to be a noticeable delay in travelling to the UK, then ask for a deferred start date on the spouse visa.

how long does it generally take for the visa to be granted, once it has been applied for?

In the States the loose answer is ... in a week or two. If you wife going to apply online? That is recommended, and then she should follow the instructions on screen about where to send the supporting evidence.