USA>UK~ When to select for priority visa for application?!?

[Sb1993]

Hi all

Wondering if anyone can shed some light on this for me and my wife, can't quite find a clear answer and don't want to make the wrong move and miss out on our chance to apply for priority.

Scenario is my wife is currently in the states, myself in the U.K. And we are ready to start our visa application and have her move by July. We want to use the priority service for a standard settlement spouse visa.

We have filled out the initial application part on visa4uk and completed all the stages but not the final submit application at the end as I'm unsure on where to select priority service?? I have looked up and had different answers - apply on VFS before submitting (but apparently they don't apply to standard settlement visa??) and the other option being submit application and then you get the choice to select priority at your ASC interview?

If anyone could let me know which is correct so we can get the ball rolling please, apologies if this has already been posted I am new to the forum scene!

Thanks
Sean

[fathands]

I would really like to know this too Sean

[Sb1993]

hi fathands, didnt get an answer in time on here - but what we did work out though was you purchase priority service on VFS global website before submitting your application. You can't choose the premium access centre priority service (silver, gold onwards) which is what I was getting confused with so only gives you option for "settlement priority service" which was $700.

We have just submitted our application, have ACS meeting next week

[fathands]

What does the priority Settlement service actually give you for the 700 dollars Sean? i'm finding it hard to work out if it helps

Since all of the evidence is sent on to Sheffield from the USA i'm not sure it actually gives you anything but I'd love to know if it helps.

Best

Ed

[Sb1993]

Hi Ed

A lot of money for the service its worth but in our case we just want the process to be as quick as poss! This is copy and pasted from VFS themselves for the exact Settlement Visa Priority Service we paid for -

"This service allows settlement visa applicants to pay to have their visa application placed at the front of the queue once received by the UK Visas and Immigration Decision Making Centre (DMC) in Sheffield, to commence processing ahead of other visa applications. "

So although you dont get access to the VFS premium application centres, you get the top of the pile priority service for a quicker processing time once it gets to Sheffield.

[SimonS]

Hi Sean,

I've just been through this process myself on 19th April and it is extremely confusing. I got it wrong and had to spend several hours sorting it all out and was very stressed! We applied online in Russia as my wife is Russian but I'm pretty sure it is the same in the US. There is a video diary in 3 parts of a US lady on Youtube who recently went through the process. It is very informative. This is the process

You must submit the online application, you will then be given a list of new options which you need to go through in order. First you will pay for the application. Then you will pay the health surcharge. Then you select your biometric centre and can make an appointment and you can print the form. Then you will be invited to the Partner website to open an account - VFS Global for US is it? Once you have set up your account with the partner, there will be an option for you to pay for priority services. Simply add priority, pay and they automatically attach priority handling to your GWF number.

Where we went wrong was we had the same issue as you, where is the priority check box?? We first went to the partner - Teleperformance - before we had completed and submitted the form, set up the account but in the wrong jurisdiction - Moscow instead of St Petersburg - depends which Biometric Centre you wish to visit. We then had to go to the Visa centre the day before and spend hours getting them to delete the original wrong account and set up the new one. If you go through the steps in order in the online application portal it automatically selects the correct jurisdiction for you based on your Biometric Centre choice.

I think after you visit the Biometric Centre you have 10 working days to get the documents to Sheffield. I did this from the UK.

I'll let you know on my thread here how I got on in about 15 days. You may also find it helpful to read as I list all of the documents I sent as supporting evidence. It's Spouse Visa for my Russian wife - Please Help.

Hope that cleared it up for you.
Simon

[fathands]

Hi Simon,

Thanks for posting.

Once thing that really intrigues me is that you can send the supporting documents from the UK.

My fiance is about to return to the USA on Monday and we've got as many documents as we can together for her to take over with her to eventually send back to Sheffield after her US biometrics appointment.

Is that unnecessary? Should I just keep all the documents here in London and then send them over to Sheffield myself from London?

[Sb1993]

Hi Simon

Thats great thanks for the info, we have submitted application and paid for our priority service in the end with VFS just like you said. My wife has her ASC meeting today and like you mentioned has so many days for the supporting documents to be sent to Sheffield. Hope all goes well for you, be sure to let us know how it goes!

Ref Ed - This was also the case for us with the evidence, what we are doing is my wife is sending all the evidence and documents she has in California straight to me and I will be adding my own what I have to the folder and then sending on to Sheffield on next day delivery, I wouldn't send separately for evidence though - best to keep it all together just incase!

[Sb1993]

UPDATE - my wife just had her ASC meeting for her biometrics etc, they handed her a piece of paper saying we now have just 5 days to send our documents to Sheffield? I thought it was 10 days, can anyone clarify this?

Thanks
Sean