Visa granted - next steps?

[viseasypeasy]

Hi there,

Apologies if this has been asked before. My fiance applied for her visa last month. I've heard some people suggest that documents are sometimes scanned at Sheffield and then returned. We haven't had our documents back yet. Does that suggest anything about the status of our application? And is it common for documents to be sent back after a decision has been made? I have heard some people suggest this.

[seagul]

Hi there,

Apologies if this has been asked before. My fiance applied for her visa last month. I've heard some people suggest that documents are sometimes scanned at Sheffield and then returned. We haven't had our documents back yet. Does that suggest anything about the status of our application? And is it common for documents to be sent back after a decision has been made? I have heard some people suggest this.

Return of documents does not indicate anything about the status of application. A lot people even got their BRP first and documents later. Just keep calm and patient.

[viseasypeasy]

Ok, thanks. We submitted the documents on February 5, so I'm just going to work on the assumption that we won't get them back until after a decision has been made. It's just frustrating how they don't give you any indication that they have received the documents - but the fact they haven't contacted me asking for information is hopefully a good sign.

[Alam-]

Chances are you'll get documents back within next few weeks. Have you sent them a return envelope with documents? In any case, you keep calm and hope for best.

[viseasypeasy]

Thanks. Yes, I sent them a return envelope. Will they give me some sort of tracking number or notice when they post the documents back - or will they literally just arrive one day?

[seagul]

Thanks. Yes, I sent them a return envelope. Will they give me some sort of tracking number or notice when they post the documents back - or will they literally just arrive one day?

If you have got the receipt of that envelope then you can track them yourself.

[viseasypeasy]

I'm not sure that I do. But I'm happy to just be surprised whenever it does arrive. I don't think it's too big an issue?

[Alam-]

You need that receipt with tracking details just in case documents go missing in transit. If you find the receipt, check the tracking details online, it will show some activity if home office has dispatched them to you.

[viseasypeasy]

Unfortunately I really don't think I have the receipt. I'll have a look again and see if I can find it. It was just a Royal Mail pre-paid self-addressed envelope that I attached with the documents. Is there any other way to get some sort of tracking number?

[seagul]

Is there any other way to get some sort of tracking number?

No

[viseasypeasy]

I'm sponsoring my fiance's visa application, which was submitted last month. I've had a missed call from a number that I don't recognise, and am wondering if anyone knows that number the Home Office would call me from if they needed to check any details of the application? The area code for the number that called me is Leeds.

[seagul]

Usually from private/withheld number.

[viseasypeasy]

Hi all,

My fiancee applied for her spouse visa in January, and did the biometrics on February 4. It was a non-priority application. We were told that the 60 working days would take us to April 29, so we've both tried to forget about it until then. But my fiancee just received a message saying that her passport is ready to collect tomorrow. Is the fact that we've got a response so quickly likely to be a bad sign?

[viseasypeasy]

Sorry, I obviously meant fiancee visa, rather than spouse (I'm not as good on the wording as she is).

Anyone able to advise? We're concerned that the speed of the response isn't the best sign, but equally they had not flagged up any issues and we were extremely thorough in sending off the documents.

[seagul]

NO one can predict the outcome and the text message may mean anything. If you have attached all the relevant documents correctly then the decision should be positive.

[viseasypeasy]

NO one can predict the outcome and the text message may mean anything. If you have attached all the relevant documents correctly then the decision should be positive.

Thanks. I know you're on this forum a lot - in your experience is it common for people to get a response this early? I thought we'd be waiting right up until the end of the 60 working days. My other concern is that the documents still haven't been sent back - but perhaps I'm reading too much into it.

[viseasypeasy]

Hi there,

We woke up to the fantastic news this morning that my fiancee has been granted a UK Marriage Settlement Visa. I just wanted to quickly check a couple of things (I've phoned the UKVI about these, but I wasn't convinced by the woman that picked up the phone and don't want to re-ring and pay the £1.50 per minute again).

1) The visa is 'valid from' April 8. Does this mean that she has 30 days from that date to travel (therefore meaning the latest that she can arrive in the UK is May 7)?

2) The UKVI said that she needs to get her biometric residence permit within 10 days of arrival. Is this the case, even though her visa technically runs out after 6 months (at which stage we're going for the 2.5 year extension)? I've read that the biometric resident permits are only necessary if you are staying in the UK beyond six months.

3) Did other people receive some sort of letter when they received their visas? She just got the vignette, and hasn't even heard from the HO, only from TLSContact.

4) I've still got the supporting documents back, and we need some of them to register our marriage. The UKVI said I should receive an email once they have been sent back - have other people experienced this?

[CR001]

Did you not read the forum rules (click)!!

[CR001]

1) The visa is 'valid from' April 8. Does this mean that she has 30 days from that date to travel (therefore meaning the latest that she can arrive in the UK is May 7)?

What is the expiry date?? A Fiance visa is usually issued and valid for 6 months.

2) The UKVI said that she needs to get her biometric residence permit within 10 days of arrival. Is this the case, even though her visa technically runs out after 6 months (at which stage we're going for the 2.5 year extension)? I've read that the biometric resident permits are only necessary if you are staying in the UK beyond six months.

Her visa in her passport should be valid for 6 months then there is no Biometric Residence Permit to collect. It is a generic letter.

3) Did other people receive some sort of letter when they received their visas? She just got the vignette, and hasn't even heard from the HO, only from TLSContact.

Is there no visa in the pack?? Many do not get a letter.

4) I've still got the supporting documents back, and we need some of them to register our marriage. The UKVI said I should receive an email once they have been sent back - have other people experienced this?

Presumably you mean you have NOT got them back. Suggest wait a few days as they might still arrive.

[viseasypeasy]

1) The expiry date is October 8, so bang on six months after the validity date. But the UKVI seemed to say that she has to travel within 30 days of April 8?

2) Her visa in her passport should be valid for 6 months then there is no Biometric Residence Permit to collect. It is a generic letter.

3) She didn't get a pack, as far as I'm aware, just the passport with the vignette inside. Is that normal?

4) Sorry, yes I do mean that they have not come back. It's just quite a nerveracking part of the process, but I think you're right about waiting a few more days.

Thanks for your help! I saw your message re putting multiple posts on the same thread - how can I avoid doing this?

[CR001]

1) The expiry date is October 8, so bang on six months after the validity date. But the UKVI seemed to say that she has to travel within 30 days of April 8?

This is ONLY relevant to those who have been issued a visa valid for more than 6 months, with the initial visa vignette valid for 30 days.

3) She didn't get a pack, as far as I'm aware, just the passport with the vignette inside. Is that normal?

Many seem to get the same.

Thanks for your help! I saw your message re putting multiple posts on the same thread - how can I avoid doing this?

Simply post a reply in the existing topic, ie. keep all queries on the same application in ONE topic and not a new topic for each question.

[viseasypeasy]

1) I see. So, am I right in thinking that you're effectively saying that she could come to the UK at any time between April 8 and October 8?

2) In your previous post, you said: "Her visa in her passport should be valid for 6 months then there is no Biometric Residence Permit to collect. It is a generic letter." What were you referring to when you mentioned a "generic letter"? This confused me, but might just be me being dumb.

3) So is it normal for people to not even hear from the Home Office directly after being accepted? We have only heard from TLSContact.

[CR001]

1) I see. So, am I right in thinking that you're effectively saying that she could come to the UK at any time between April 8 and October 8?

Correct, but obviously the sooner the better to get the wedding prep and marriage done and dusted so that you can switch to spouse visa before 8th October.

2) In your previous post, you said: "Her visa in her passport should be valid for 6 months then there is no Biometric Residence Permit to collect. It is a generic letter." What were you referring to when you mentioned a "generic letter"? This confused me, but might just be me being dumb.

The letter about a BRP card. if you didn't get one, ignore my comment.

3) So is it normal for people to not even hear from the Home Office directly after being accepted? We have only heard from TLSContact.

Yes.

[viseasypeasy]

Thanks. So it sounds like we'd need to get a BRP once she gets the spouse visa? Sorry for all the questions, we just want to make sure we don't mess up, especially this far down the line!

[CR001]

Once married. She applies for the 2n5 year spiuse visa, costs £1033 currently for standard service plus the £1000 IHS fee. Once approved, she will get the brp card which will be her visa for 2.5 years.