Visa is finally on it's way...

[Eljohno]

Hi guys,
it is so good to know that after Rhea & myself have been gathering information since last May we are finally saying goodbye to the visa application as it is now even as we speak on its way to Manila.

Although the waiting is far from over it is still a relief to know that the process has started. Now we will see if the online tracking that ukvacs has, actually works.





John

[andypaul]

Originally posted by Eljohno@Feb 20 2006, 08:54 PM
Hi guys,
it is so good to know that after Rhea & myself have been gathering information since last May we are finally saying goodbye to the visa application as it is now even as we speak on its way to Manila.

Although the waiting is far from over it is still a relief to know that the process has started. Now we will see if the online tracking that ukvacs has, actually works.


John

Quoted post

Good luck Rhea and John.


I hope the online tracking works and most importantly the Embassy see that you are what you are a couple in love.

[ginapeterb]

Originally posted by Eljohno@Feb 20 2006, 07:54 PM
Hi guys,
it is so good to know that after Rhea & myself have been gathering information since last May we are finally saying goodbye to the visa application as it is now even as we speak on its way to Manila.

Although the waiting is far from over it is still a relief to know that the process has started. Now we will see if the online tracking that ukvacs has, actually works.


John

Quoted post

Yes John, its great news that your application is finally one the way, I will join Andypaul and wish you all the best, aaaaaaah dont worry, the visa is in the bag, she has no probs, get her briefed up, like Ivor is doing with Mel, and get her reading, get used to the questions, and by the way John

Thanks for the pizza !!!

And just to think it came all the way from across the water.


Pete

[equaliser]

Good luck John (even if you are a Liverpool supporter) :(

Ashley and I hope to send our fiance visa application in a couple of weeks time. Hopefully you and I will have our Filipinas here in Northern Ireland soon.

Brian

[Eljohno]

Typical start to the visa process as Rhea phoned up the courier and asked them if the visa had been sent and they said yes it had been delivered on thursday 23rd Feb, when she phoned the ukvac office they said "we have no record of receiving your visa"

oh:

[ginapeterb]

Originally posted by Eljohno@Feb 24 2006, 12:13 PM
Typical start to the visa process as Rhea phoned up the courier and asked them if the visa had been sent and they said yes it had been delivered on thursday 23rd Feb, when she phoned the ukvac office they said "we have no record of receiving your visa"

oh:

Quoted post

They are probably being serious John since, you asked them if they have received your visa ??? I am assuming you meant to say "Completed visa application".

Under the premise of your previous post, and quoting what UKVacs had said, they confirmed they had not received your visa back from Embassy I presume.

Pete

hahaha

[Eljohno]

Originally posted by ginapeterb@Feb 24 2006, 03:18 PM
They are probably being serious John since, you asked them if they have received your visa ??? I am assuming you meant to say "Completed visa application".

Under the premise of your previous post, and quoting what UKVacs had said, they confirmed they had not received your visa back from Embassy I presume.

Pete

hahaha

Quoted post

Hi Pete,

i did word that wrong, Rhea phoned them and explained that the courier had already delivered the "Completed visa application" and she just wanted it confirmed that they had received it ok but they said no and that was one day after it had been dropped of...

[Eljohno]

Originally posted by Eljohno@Feb 24 2006, 12:13 PM
Typical start to the visa process as Rhea phoned up the courier and asked them if the visa had been sent and they said yes it had been delivered on thursday 23rd Feb, when she phoned the ukvac office they said "we have no record of receiving your visa"

oh:

Quoted post

The completed visa application has now turned up and is with the Embassy. They gave Rhea a tracking number and along with her passport no. we can track it on the ukvac website. It is good that they have it but not sure if it will ever say anymore than " it is at the embassy"

[walesrob]

Originally posted by Eljohno@Feb 27 2006, 03:16 PM
The completed visa application has now turned up and is with the Embassy. They gave Rhea a tracking number and along with her passport no. we can track it on the ukvac website. It is good that they have it but not sure if it will ever say anymore than " it is at the embassy"

Quoted post

Good luck John, and yeah I will agree its nice to have the on-line tracking, not like the olden days when we had to wait weeks for a letter or email.. :blink:

Keep the forum updated on progress, it will be interesting to see how this new UKVAC procedure turns out!

[Eljohno]

Hi everyone was just going to share some good news that a couple of friends of Rhea & myself got.
Adrain is from Carrickfergus here in N.Ireland and got married to a friend of Rheas in December and only last tuesday 21st Feb did they hand deliver their completed visa application to the ukvacs office. This should be an encouragement to all who are about to go through the settlement visa process but they got the visa through the post today which is one week from when they applied. Now that is fast!!

Be encouraged!!!


John

[ginapeterb]

Originally posted by Eljohno@Feb 28 2006, 07:56 AM
Hi everyone was just going to share some good news that a couple of friends of Rhea & myself got.
Adrain is from Carrickfergus here in N.Ireland and got married to a friend of Rheas in December and only last tuesday 21st Feb did they hand deliver their completed visa application to the ukvacs office. This should be an encouragement to all who are about to go through the settlement visa process but they got the visa through the post today which is one week from when they applied. Now that is fast!!

Be encouraged!!!
John

Quoted post

That is very encouraging news John, and no interview, I think this re-inforces my belief that the Embassy have been placed under pressure to clear the backlog, and are running a different system now, (of course they will change it again at some time in the future as they always do) if only we knew what the system was ? but it appears they have been ordered to speed up certain applications, this is of course excellent news, and we hope to see the process much easier for many couples in the future, not keeping couples apart for months on end like with the majority of us here at the Forum.

[Admin]

Maybe they've been reading this forum and decided they want to give out the impression of being nice polite and helpful folk ....or maybe not! oh:

[ivor&mel]

Great news indeed - it's about time the Embassy ventured the real world! I just wish I could understand their criteria for deciding who to interview and who not... So many people seem to be getting visas sans interview now, which is making me wonder more and more why they have "chosen" Mel... I still have a feeling that maybe they are concerned about the age difference. When I brought this up in my original post, Pete said it is unlikely to be a reason to deny the visa, but in the transcript of the ECO's Interview Summary for Gina, I notice the words "the age difference is acceptable" - implying that there IS an unacceptable age difference? Hmmm... one more week and then maybe all will be clear.. But it's bloody nerve-wracking!

Ivor

[ginapeterb]

Originally posted by ivor&mel@Feb 28 2006, 01:41 PM
Great news indeed - it's about time the Embassy ventured the real world! I just wish I could understand their criteria for deciding who to interview and who not... So many people seem to be getting visas sans interview now, which is making me wonder more and more why they have "chosen" Mel... I still have a feeling that maybe they are concerned about the age difference. When I brought this up in my original post, Pete said it is unlikely to be a reason to deny the visa, but in the transcript of the ECO's Interview Summary for Gina, I notice the words "the age difference is acceptable" - implying that there IS an unacceptable age difference? Hmmm... one more week and then maybe all will be clear.. But it's bloody nerve-wracking!

Ivor

Quoted post

Well Spotted Ivor, yes it is on the interview summary, hmmmmm you have been researching very hard, remember of course Ivor, Ben Croucher was a stick in the mud, he is not at the British Embassy Manila anymore, he has been posted elsewhere, so its unlikely you will have the pleasure of him on your Fiancee's interview.

Pete

[ginapeterb]

Just to support Ivor here in his quest, I would like to re-iterate that age difference in itself, is no reason to deny a visa, Let me take this further, and ECO cannot deny a visa simply because he or she thinks the age difference is too great.

The only way this could be expressed is if the ECO thought the age difference would be likely to have a greater chance of the relationship not subsisting in the future, Gina and I were discussing this earlier, when we commented on the High Divorce rate in UK, 1 in 4 ends in Divorce, the national trend is higher than the British-Filipino trend which actually has a very low drop out rate, (if thats the right word to use).

In Gina's interview transcript, which by the way was not supposed to be given to us, it was a mistake, and got caught in the middle of our paperwork, the age difference was referred to as accetable ? although no one knows what determines whether age is acceptable, again this refers to the inbuilt personal prejudices of each individual Entry Clearance Officer, this is why the whole system stinks, as they are allowed to act arbritarily, Ive always said, the key to decisions made in the affirmative are always based on best evidence and probability of a subsisting relationship.

Whenever a refusal is made, the reasons for a refusal, starts with a preamble, like this:

"The Entry Clearance officer is not satisfied that xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx"

Again clear proof of an arbitrary decision making based on each individual officers prejudices and quirks.

But that is sadly the system, its one we all have to deal with, the song "Always Look on the Bright side of Life" springs to mind especially the lyrics that read "Lifes a peice of s.....when you look at it " would probably be sang at just about the moment a visa denial is issued.

[Eljohno]

Originally posted by Eljohno@Feb 28 2006, 07:56 AM
Hi everyone was just going to share some good news that a couple of friends of Rhea & myself got.
Adrain is from Carrickfergus here in N.Ireland and got married to a friend of Rheas in December and only last tuesday 21st Feb did they hand deliver their completed visa application to the ukvacs office. This should be an encouragement to all who are about to go through the settlement visa process but they got the visa through the post today which is one week from when they applied. Now that is fast!!

Be encouraged!!!
John

Quoted post

Just to add a little more info to this last post after speaking to Rhea i found out that the decision to give the couple the visa was actually decided after 4 days and then the letter was posted. When Faye opened the letter she did not realise straight away that it was actually the visa as she did not expect to hear anything for a while, then ukvac actually phoned her to make sure she received it ok.
Someone told her that the percentage of people to get a visa without going for an interview is around 40%

[andypaul]

Originally posted by Eljohno@Feb 28 2006, 05:12 PM
Just to add a little more info to this last post after speaking to Rhea i found out that the decision to give the couple the visa was actually decided after 4 days and then the letter was posted. When Faye opened the letter she did not realise straight away that it was actually the visa as she did not expect to hear anything for a while, then ukvac actually phoned her to make sure she received it ok.
Someone told her that the percentage of people to get a visa without going for an interview is around 40%

Quoted post

Please pass my congratulations to Faye. The time span was about the same as ours last year. In an email we recived from the embassy reading between the lines it was like Pete mentioned most like the Embassy has been instructed or knows it needs to reduce waiting times asap.

At the time of us first applying in the summer the waiting time posted on the uk visas website had increased dramtically.

Once again I would just like to wish Rhea and your good self all the best and hoefully you have good news to tell us soon.

[andypaul]

Originally posted by ivor&mel@Feb 28 2006, 02:41 PM
Great news indeed - it's about time the Embassy ventured the real world! I just wish I could understand their criteria for deciding who to interview and who not... So many people seem to be getting visas sans interview now, which is making me wonder more and more why they have "chosen" Mel... I still have a feeling that maybe they are concerned about the age difference. When I brought this up in my original post, Pete said it is unlikely to be a reason to deny the visa, but in the transcript of the ECO's Interview Summary for Gina, I notice the words "the age difference is acceptable" - implying that there IS an unacceptable age difference? Hmmm... one more week and then maybe all will be clear.. But it's bloody nerve-wracking!

Ivor

Quoted post

Like Pete has written so well age difference is no reason to deny a visa application.

But common sense says your Wife has to put over to the ECO, that she is a mature woman who is deeply in love with her Husband. Making sure the ECO knows the common intrests you both have, that Mel is aware what awaits her in the UK.

All the best with your Interview, im sure your both practising hard with the Interview. if i can help in any way just shout

[ivor&mel]

Originally posted by andypaul@Feb 28 2006, 07:21 PM
Like Pete has written so well age difference is no reason to deny a visa application.

But common sense says your Wife has to put over to the ECO, that she is a mature woman who is deeply in love with her Husband. Making sure the ECO knows the common intrests you both have, that Mel is aware what awaits her in the UK.

All the best with your Interview, im sure your both practising hard with the Interview. if i can help in any way just shout

Quoted post

Thanks for the encouraging words. And to Pete too, of course. I'm just stumped as to what the Embassy are so unsure about that they have to call Mel in for a grilling - the age difference seemed the obvious suspect. As I've said before, I wish I had found this and Pete's site earlier! We had to do the application form and supporting docs without the aid of this site, so maybe there is something they think is dodgy there? But, as far as I know, we have provided plenty of supporting evidence. So perhaps it might be that I didn't give date/location for the marriage in my supporting letter, as Pete kindly enlightened me earlier If so, Mel is genned up on that now.

Yes, we are practising hard, just trying to get her in the right frame of mind for the interview. Not easy when I'm half a world away, but I hope we've got the basic principles established. For the next few days. it will be just revision... revision.. revision... and bon voyage into the dark

Ivor

[mupsuit]

Originally posted by ivor&mel@Feb 28 2006, 11:42 PM
Thanks for the encouraging words. And to Pete too, of course. I'm just stumped as to what the Embassy are so unsure about that they have to call Mel in for a grilling - the age difference seemed the obvious suspect.
Ivor

Quoted post

Age Difference

My wife is 21 years younger than I - I have known her since 1990 - we had supporting documentation/ photos since then which she showed at interview

I believe age is a factor in the process but if you can show evidence of a lasting the relationship then you "pass" the interview

[Eljohno]

Originally posted by Eljohno@Feb 28 2006, 04:12 PM
Just to add a little more info to this last post after speaking to Rhea i found out that the decision to give the couple the visa was actually decided after 4 days and then the letter was posted. When Faye opened the letter she did not realise straight away that it was actually the visa as she did not expect to hear anything for a while, then ukvac actually phoned her to make sure she received it ok.
Someone told her that the percentage of people to get a visa without going for an interview is around 40%

Quoted post

Just to give everyone an update on how everything is going with the visa!!

When my friend got his visa after one week i remember he said that when he checked the ukvac website and checked the tracker it said early on that the visa had been despatched but he thought that meant it had been sent to the embassy but it meant it had been sent to his wife's home. I checked the tracker first thing this morning and it said "at the embassy" which it has said for the last few days. I decided about 5 mins ago to check again and it now says "despatched" so as i am sure you can tell i am very excited and hoping that the visa is on the way to Rhea's home

[ginapeterb]

Originally posted by Eljohno@Mar 2 2006, 09:11 AM
Just to give everyone an update on how everything is going with the visa!!

When my friend got his visa after one week i remember he said that when he checked the ukvac website and checked the tracker it said early on that the visa had been despatched but he thought that meant it had been sent to the embassy but it meant it had been sent to his wife's home. I checked the tracker first thing this morning and it said "at the embassy" which it has said for the last few days. I decided about 5 mins ago and it now says "despatched" so as i am sure you can tell i am very excited that the visa is on the way to Rhea's home

Quoted post

Well it looks like its off to pleasure Island for John hehehehehehe, way to go John, tell us all the good news, with a big yipppeeeeeeee when Rhea lets you know the good news, Gina and I are crossing our fingers for you John, best wishes.....stop biting those nails hehehehe

Pete

[Eljohno]

Originally posted by ginapeterb@Mar 2 2006, 10:26 AM
Well it looks like its off to pleasure Island for John hehehehehehe, way to go John, tell us all the good news, with a big yipppeeeeeeee when Rhea lets you know the good news, Gina and I are crossing our fingers for you John, best wishes.....stop biting those nails hehehehe

Pete

Quoted post

Thanks Pete,

if it is on its way then the new system so far seems to be much better and it will give hope to those who are about to start the process




john

[equaliser]

Hi John

Sounds like great news. I am sending out all my documents next week and Ashley will be applying for the fiancee visa as soon as she gets them, so I hope things go as smoothly for us.

Brian

[Eljohno]

Originally posted by equaliser@Mar 2 2006, 12:49 PM
Hi John

Sounds like great news. I am sending out all my documents next week and Ashley will be applying for the fiancee visa as soon as she gets them, so I hope things go as smoothly for us.

Brian

Quoted post

Hi Brian,

It seems like a good time to be applying at the moment as this new system so far seems to be getting things done much faster. Keep me informed how things are going with your application...




John

[andypaul]

Originally posted by Eljohno@Mar 2 2006, 03:28 PM
Hi Brian,

It seems like a good time to be applying at the moment as this new system so far seems to be getting things done much faster. Keep me informed how things are going with your application...
John

Quoted post

Great News John

The system does sound much more transparent, which is good news.
Will be keeping an eye on site to read the good news

Good luck Brian

Hopefully the system will be as speedy for you as John.

[equaliser]

Hi John

Just wanted to ask , how much did it cost for the courier to take the documents from Mindanao to UKVACS ?

Was it another cheque to go with the British Embassy cheque and the UKVACS cheque?

Brian

[Eljohno]

Originally posted by equaliser@Mar 5 2006, 11:32 PM
Hi John

Just wanted to ask , how much did it cost for the courier to take the documents from Mindanao to UKVACS ?

Was it another cheque to go with the British Embassy cheque and the UKVACS cheque?

Brian

Quoted post

Hi Brian,

I know ukvac charges 616 pesos but i cannot remember what the courier but it was not very much.

I am phoning Rhea tomorrow and i will ask her what the cost was.



John

[Eljohno]

We should get the package that the British Embassy sent last Thursday in a few hours.

Rhea phoned Ukvacs and asked them if it was the visa that was on its way and all they said was it was either the visa or they would be just returning all the documents that came with the file. Of course we are hoping it is the visa


John

[Eljohno]

Originally posted by equaliser@Mar 5 2006, 11:32 PM
Hi John

Just wanted to ask , how much did it cost for the courier to take the documents from Mindanao to UKVACS ?

Was it another cheque to go with the British Embassy cheque and the UKVACS cheque?

Brian

Quoted post

Brian,

I got my brain into gear and i am pretty sure that the 616 pesos that the ukvacs charge covers the courier also....