Processing times

[Badly Drawn Girl]

I'm a bit surprised that in the British immigration system, there is no website where one can check average visa processing times. When I worked for an immigration attorney in the US we had a standard USCIS site we could log into and determine how long a visa would take to be approved depending on where the person was applying and what type of visa they were applying for. I have yet to find something similar for the UK. Anyone know if such a thing exists? (I'm wondering about the time it will take for my settlement visa to be approved through the New York embassy.)

[Bevdeforges]

Have you checked recently to see if that USCIS site still exists? Every time I've gone to the official US immigration websites, they insist that they cannot even hazard a guess these days about how long an application will take, as it depends on so many variables.

The Brits are changing over to a point-based system, so I suspect they really don't have any good data on how long the new processing will take and how much it will affect the paperwork already in the system.
Cheers,
Bev

[izzysmum04]

I had mine approved through the NY Consulate in about 7 working days, of course that was several years back though. It took almost 2 weeks for a friend of mine. Hope it doesn't take too long for you.

[jlms]

No, it doesn't. The Home Office does not have any SLAs as far as I know. Their standard answer is that they need to review each case based on individual circumstances, which is of course a cop out...

[Badly Drawn Girl]

Originally Posted by izzysmum04

I had mine approved through the NY Consulate in about 7 working days, of course that was several years back though. It took almost 2 weeks for a friend of mine. Hope it doesn't take too long for you.

I hope so too - I have given myself three weeks from the time that I go for my appointment in Philadelphia (and send off the documentation to New York) and the time that I leave the country. I was told prior to booking my tickets (by a person familiar with the immigration process) that a straightforward marriage- or partner-based case would be approved "often in the same day" if my paperwork was in order so I didn't think it would take too long.

If for whatever reason it ends up taking longer, and I need to fly out to the UK before it's approved, am I able to enter on a visitor's visa and then adjust to the new visa status once it is approved? Or would I have to actually re-enter the country?

[Fatbrit]

Originally Posted by Badly Drawn Girl

I'm a bit surprised that in the British immigration system, there is no website where one can check average visa processing times.

Perhaps because it takes days to get the visa to get to the UK as a fiancée or spouse rather than the 6 months to a year until you can be together if you've chosen to live in the US, it might not be necessary.

[Badly Drawn Girl]

Originally Posted by Fatbrit

Perhaps because it takes days to get the visa to get to the UK as a fiancée or spouse rather than the 6 months to a year until you can be together if you've chosen to live in the US, it might not be necessary.

Well, the visa processing times are for all sorts of visa classes, not just spousal visas. For other types of immigration categories I assumed the processing time in the UK could be quite long. It would just be helpful to know how long I could expect to wait to get my passport back from New York - when you search for the term "processing time" on BritanUSA (the official application site for American applicants) you get a link to a page which seems to have the information you're looking for, but the page is blank. Very helpful!

[Fatbrit]

Originally Posted by Badly Drawn Girl

Well, the visa processing times are for all sorts of visa classes, not just spousal visas. For other types of immigration categories I assumed the processing time in the UK could be quite long. It would just be helpful to know how long I could expect to wait to get my passport back from New York - when you search for the term "processing time" on BritanUSA (the official application site for American applicants) you get a link to a page which seems to have the information you're looking for, but the page is blank. Very helpful!

The site could do with some updating!

If you're doing it by mail, they say around 5 days. Presumably, you've got your biometrics out of the way? If you attend in person, it's usually same day.

[Badly Drawn Girl]

Originally Posted by Fatbrit

The site could do with some updating!

If you're doing it by mail, they say around 5 days. Presumably, you've got your biometrics out of the way? If you attend in person, it's usually same day.

I assumed I did my biometrics at the in-person appointment? In any case, I don't fly into the States until the 15th (I'm in New Zealand currently) so I wouldn't have been able to do them yet anyway. But if I'm able to do them sooner than the appointment, I certainly would.

The problem with this whole procedure is that there is no single resource you can check for information like this! It doesn't clearly state it on the application so you're left with conflicting advice from different agencies. I consider myself pretty well-organized and I STILL don't know the answers to questions like this.

[Fatbrit]

Originally Posted by Badly Drawn Girl

I assumed I did my biometrics at the in-person appointment?

Would seem not: Applying For Your UK Visa From Mainland USA