Waiting already 2 months for a Tier-2 visa. Help.

[Phillipe_b]

I got hired by a known university in the UK as a faculty member. My Tier-2 (general) working visa application includes the certificate of sponsorship (CoS) given by the university.

However after 8 weeks now, I am still waiting for the visa (or a decision from the home office). I wonder if this is even reasonable. The visa center promises "service standards" of at most 12 weeks to process all applications. Should I believe this? Am I going to get the visa in 12 weeks?
(At first they claimed that 100% of applications are processed within 30 work-days.)
What should I do?


More details:

Type of Visa: Tier 2 (general); (a work visa). A faculty position at a recognized and well-known university in the UK.
Place of visa application submission: Tel Aviv
Nationality: Israel

19 August 2014: online visa application, Tier 2 (general)
26 August 2014: Biometric appointment, submit all required documents
29 August 2014: Got a message from the relevant Visa center (Istanbul) of acceptance of application.
9 September 2014: Status: "awaiting assessment of visa" (I asked the UK immigration help desk for this)
5 October 2014: Status: "In progress"
10 October 2014: Status: "deferred"

[manci]

In Sept 14 Visa4uk claim to have processed 96% of PBS Tier 2 applications in 15 days and 100% in 30 days in Tel Aviv.
https://visa-processingtimes.homeoffice ... pbs-tier-2

you could try making a complaint about the service (or lack of it):
http://www.ge2il.tpcontact.co.uk/feedback-complaints

the last message you received ("deferred") may mean that there was some problem with the CoS that Istanbul had to refer back to the UK. Try asking HR at the university. They can also contact the HO employer helpline in the UK on 0300 123 4699.

[Phillipe_b]

Thanks @manci, this is really helpful! I'll ask the university to call the number.

Regarding what is written on the Visa4uk site (about 30 days), I'm quite certain it is irrelevant, since when I talked to the UK immigration and visa help line they claimed a different timeline (up to 12 weeks).

As of the other link (http://www.ge2il.tpcontact.co.uk/feedback-complaints) where I can make a complaint, I believe this option doesn't really work---because the whole Teleperformance website seems not to be working yet (it's a new service). Nevertheless, I will try this.

Thanks again.

If you have any other suggestion I'll be grateful. Do you think I will get the visa in 12 weeks at least?

[Phillipe_b]

After more than 2 months of waiting I got a "case" number and the guy at the visa inquiry line said he will investigate into my case as it is too long in his opinion.

I've been all around the world, but I've never seen such a system.
This is really amazing.