Quote Originally Posted by jackson.alan46 View Post
Many thanks again for the welcoming messages. I have read many postings already.
It seems to me that it's entirely possible to apply for a fiance visa without enlisting a specialised agency / solicitor, bearing in mind that it costs £585, provided one takes the advice given on this site, the UK Border Agency site, and VFS. Hopefully I will visit my girlfriend next April with a view to applying for the visa, and her receiving it by August at the latest. I'm single (divorced), retired with an NHS Pension and clearly settled in England.
Does this seem reasonable and not unduly optimistic ?
Things can change quickly with regard to processing times at the British Embassy in Manila, but as things stand at the moment, the schedule you have outlined would certainly not appear to be unduly optimistic.

But who knows really, they may have drafted in more staff on a temporary basis just to clear the backlog caused by the British Embassy Manila's move to new offices and the changeover to Manila becoming the Asian visa hub. If that is the case then we could be back to 3 months processing time when the temps go home.

Iain.