waiting time

[ginapeterb]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Pauldo &#064; Apr 8 2006, 09&#58;03 PM) Quoted post</div><div class='quotemain'>
The old (last month?) CAVA system specified to wait at least 21 days before making any inquiries, so I&#39;d not be in too much of a rush.

When my wife first applied four years ago there was a six month waiting list for settlement interviews, so think yourselves lucky you guys doing it all nowadays [img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin.gif[/img]
[/b][/quote]


Bofe,

Pauldo is right, you guys like Eljohno and equalizer, and Ivor, and many others, you guys are actually &#39;very lucky indeed&#39; with the system that is in place, I can remember way back in 2000 when a contact of mine, had to wait 9 months for the first available appointment, others have had to wait from 3 months to 6 months, in my own case, we telephoned the &#39;old&#39; CAVA number, and applied for an appointment in Feburary, the earliest they could give us, was June 6th, some 3 months later, so as Pauldo says, dont be unduly perturbed, there has been a mad rush of Euphoria lately, over the speed at which visa applications are being returned, and some applicants are being very leniently dealt with, some applicants and their sponsors, are passing the whole system off at the moment as &#39;a Formality&#39;, ok that may be true in their case, but most of the guys who have been on the Forum a while, no full well, that the system could be changed again in the future, if the political will changes.

For example, the Embassy may receive orders to change the goal posts, and it may not be as easy as it appears to be at the moment, we have heard recently that some are not even being requested to attend for a personal interview, if the sponsor and applicant are lucky enough, not to have to do this, they should just consider themselves fortunate not to have to go through the hassle, of flying to Manila, hanging around outside the Embassy.

For some of you, you have not had to do this.. Rob will tell you, as I would also, that this is not a tea party that you want to attend &#33;, its hot, sweaty, and downright boring, in my own case, I waited from 9am through to 4.30pm in the afternoon, in blistering heat, and to be treated like a dog, at my own embassy, so dont worry too much if it takes a bit longer, every case is different, Im sure in due course the passport and visa will be fine and be returned to you.

And best wishes with it.

Pete

[Pauldo]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(ginapeterb &#064; Apr 9 2006, 10&#58;05 AM) Quoted post</div><div class='quotemain'>
For some of you, you have not had to do this.. Rob will tell you, as I would also, that this is not a tea party that you want to attend &#33;, its hot, sweaty, and downright boring, in my own case, I waited from 9am through to 4.30pm in the afternoon, in blistering heat, and to be treated like a dog, at my own embassy, so dont worry too much if it takes a bit longer, every case is different, Im sure in due course the passport and visa will be fine and be returned to you.

And best wishes with it.

Pete
[/b][/quote]
Some of you have heard this already, but I&#39;ll drone on to put the newbies to sleep [img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/Wave.gif[/img]

For my wifes first tourist visa application we were advised by a friend to get to the embassy the night before, to ensure a place somewhere near the front of the queue&#33;&#33;&#33;&#33;&#33;&#33; This was back in 2000 I think.

We got their at 11pm, after an evening out at Hard Rock Cafe, and there were already fifteen people queueing up. After a few quiet and discreet words with the security guard we agreed on 1000 pesos for him to save us a space until morning. We went back at 7am and sure enough, there on the ground was a row of stones, each one with a piece of paper under it with a name on. A dozen or so people had done what we had.

We obviously got in right at the head of the queue, but still sat around inside for a couple of hours before we could make the application. Visa was granted after a few minutes chat with the nice English lady at the counter.

Two years later we did the same for the settlelement visa. This time we were told that no spaces could be saved, you had to physically show your face to be in the queue. So, at 3am my wife made the trek across the road from the hotel (100 yards, by hotel taxi, for safety) to blag a space in the queue. Being a gentleman I stayed in bed looking after our nine month old daughter, but we went down at 7 am to join in the fun. It was already halfway down the street, dozens and dozens of people queuing up&#33;&#33;

Then the fun started, as some clown came out and started making us all queue up in different queues, seamen, maids, tourists,etc, places were lost, people pushed in, arguments ensued, fisticuffs was discussed&#33; I made for the front door and demanded to be let in. A prat of a guard told me I had to wait in the queue with all the others, but I pointed out I was a Brit, so was my daughter, and we demand to be let into OUR embassy, NOW.

Another, friendlier, guard stepped in at that point and said my daughter and I could go in. Then he asked where my wife was. I told him she was outside queueing up in the sun. So he made the ar&#036;ehole guard go outside and get her, and then let us in together, front of the queue, first up to the embassy that day&#33;

One thing I was a bit surprised at (or maybe not surprised really) was that there were Filipinos in the embassy filling in application forms while they waited, and asking me and my wife questions on how to make the application. Talk about lack of planning and forethought&#33;&#33;&#33;???