Some advice/opinion would be most helpful :)

[bruce]

SPOUSE VISA APPLICATION

Hi everybody ..

On the 14th November 2011 my wife submitted two applications one for her (spouse visa application) and the other for her son to join me here in England.

We actually thought we would hear back before Christmas ..sadly that never happened

She did have the usual email messages advising her that the applications had been dispatched to the British Embassy on the 14th Nov 2012

However they also did advice that it may take longer than normal due to the time of year (xmas) ..apparently they do say it could take as long as 3 months ..although to be honest we never thought it would take anything like this amount of time.

Today we have still heard nothing, we was given a reference number..when we track this number via the online page we just get the message "ur application is under British high commission"

3 months is up next Tuesday (14th Feb)..

The advice i would like to ask you all is do you think i should ring and makesome enquires about the applications? ..my wife really does want me to ring ..i am slightly worried about ringing as i do not want to upset anybody, but in saying that it has now almost been 3 months ?

Thanks in advance .

[stevie c]

Bruce im sorry to hear that your application has taken so long

I can only imagine it is due to a backlog of applications. My advice to you would be to give them a call as it certainly cannot harm the decision of your visa application & will certainly not upsrt anyone

The visa application is very expensive so the very least you are entitled to is to make make enquiries why there is a long wait.

Other members here have phoned the embassy to check on their visa progress so please do not worry & give them a call asap.

[Terpe]

Hi Bruce,

I think you should make contact with UKBA and ask the status.
Three months is quite a long time actually, although there is a bit of a backlog.

If you want to check on the latest info take a look at their page Guide to visa processing times

In terms of general service standards here's what they say:-

Our standards say that we will process:-

95 per cent of settlement applications within 12 weeks of the application date and
100 per cent within 24 weeks of the application date.

Following the link above it seems that at December 2011 they had achieved 100% of settlement application within 90 days

Would be great if you could post some feedback here.

[aronbabev]

Hi Bruce!!!You can email the British Embassy through Info on UK Visa in Philippines <info.ukph@vfshelpline.com> or <ManilaVisaEnquiries@fco.gov.uk> or You may call them to their telephone number 02-8582398 it's so difficult to contact them but try and try.Follow-up your application,anyway they are nice and approachable. Deferred might be the cause of further Inquiries.

[bigmarco]

Hi Bruce
So sorry to hear about your situation and it does seem along time.
We submitted our application on the 18th January and are nervously waiting to hear.
I honestly think that if our wait extends to anything near yours we will definitely be contacting them.
I agree with the others that you should make contact and wish you all the best
Mark

[bruce]

Many thanks for all your replies ...

Yes we are all very sad ...although it used a lot of our savings i did fly back to the Philippines on the 23rd December 2011 ..due to work commitments i could only stay there a few days..we could not bear to be apart for Christmas - New year - and it was our first wedding anniversary

Gosh the flights where so expensive!! i managed to book a flight on the 20th December !! ..i never booked early because we had all hoped my wife and son would be flying to me

although it was a very expensive few days in the Philippines i would not have changed it for the world ..we were so happy to be together again on dates that are so important to us.

We have been together for 3 years and married for 1 year ..i have visited the Philippines on 10 occasions, but we both always knew the day would come that we needed to part again // ..we just want the time to come that we never have to be apart again ...the wait is killing us.

I have just tried to phone, the advice i was given was to email ..UNLESS it was an emergency ..so i decided to email ...i will let you all know when i receive a reply ..

It was my birthday yesterday ..this has been my first Birthday in 3 years without being at my wifes and sons side ..kawawa

Again many thanks ..God be with you all ..

[lastlid]

Good luck. If it was me I would at least try to email.

[joebloggs]

after 3 months is up they should tell you whats happening.

[sars_notd_virus]

02-8582398

yes i remember calling this number everyday to check the status of my visa..after i recieved 2 texts and email from them saying that my visa is still on process

[GraceAdam]

Hi Bruce,

We have same problem, I lodged my application 15th of November 2011. December, January and February I got loads of email from the British Embassy and phone calls because I lack 1 document which is my English certificate (it's a long story)

The British Embassy kept giving me a lot of extensions. The staff there called at our house on the 16th of Feb and said that They need to make the decision because they can only hold the application for 3 months (i got lucky because I borrowed my passport at the british embassy so that I can take another exam) and I said to her on the phone, Miss, I borrowed my passport for a while because I need it to take the exam (as my ID). She let me waited for a min so she can talk to the case manager that holds my app. and when she went back to me she said that "okay, The case manager will not decide today, just return your passport in the embassy together with your english result, just make sure to return it before this month (February) will end."

Me and my fiancee are very happy because they've given us a lot of time to give the 1 lacking document.

I submitted my passport and english result already and it arrived at the embassy 23rd of Feb. I got an email from them today (28th of Feb) saying that my passport and english result will be forwarded to the ECO. We are still crossing our fingers for the good outcome.

BTW, my fiancee emailed the embassy before and wrote to them about my english cert (using my Manila reference number) but they called me and said that "your fiancee emailed to us and asked us regarding to your english cert, sorry but we can't share anything to your fiancee about this matter because it is between you and us" and I even said, oh okay even if he is my sponsor? they said yes, you can talk to him about it but with us, it is between the applicant and us. We can't disclose information to other people.

but with your case, did the embassy try to contact your wife? or ask anything lacking for you to comply it?

[lastlid]

The British Embassy kept giving me a lot of extensions. The staff their called at our house on the 16th of Feb and said that They need to make the decision because they can only hold the application for 3 months (i got lucky because I borrowed my passport with me so that I can take the exam) and I said to her, Miss, I borrowed my passport for a while because I need it to take the exam (as my ID). She let me waited for a min so she can talk to the case manager that holds my app. and when she went back to me she said that "okay, The case manager will not decide today, just return your passport in the embassy together with your english result, just make sure to return it before this month (February) will end."

Nice to see the embassy being co operative with you!

[GraceAdam]

Nice to see the embassy being co operative with you!

Yes Lastlid, I'm so thankful. I just hope that they will not ask us anything like updated statements of Adam or anything that can make the app more delay.

I was so worried before because we never hit their expected date for me to pass the english cert. (this is the 3rd extension that they gave us) that is why I posted here before about "what is better reconsideration or appeal." I was thinking in advance because I know my app will be denied but I'm very happy because they've waited my cert for this long

[lastlid]

Hehe. Perhaps those ECO's have a heart, after all......

[GraceAdam]

lol yeah but not all of them. I knew 2 people who were approved with no English certificate with them when they lodged their application. (Their ECO's got a big heart I think lol) I just find it so unfair but it's okay it's life and we need to deal with it