UK Spouse Visa - over 3 months without anything

[e-dan]

Hi All,

I'm wondering if you can offer advice. I met my wife in the UK this time last year and after having a very good relationship we got married in February in Malaysia.

Since her study was also coming to a close we applied for a spouse visa early March.

Since the visa application is quite complex and expensive I engaged some marriage visa solicitors to help ensure the case was strong and complete, which I believe it is.

Not long after we applied they contacted us very quickly to provide proof of her education in the UK. I can only assume this was to prove our statement that we met in the UK whilst she was studying.

We quickly supplied the proof via the application centre but since that day we have heard absolutely nothing. It's been about 70 working days now since our application and we're getting very worried as they told us applications can take up to 3 months.

What seems worse is the fact that the monthly published statistics indicate processing times much better than this - in fact the latest April statistics have 100% of settlement visa decisions complete before 30 days.

So the advice people here may be able to help with is how to escalate this further. My solicitors have contacted the consulate by email but 3 weeks later and still no response.

I've phoned the application centre but they cannot find out anything other than confirm to me that all the documents (initial and additional) were submitted ok.

Also tried to get my local MP involved but he doesn't seem to be particularly interested.

I would have thought that if there was a problem or doubts they would have called for an interview by now, or followed up with people on our affidavits, employers etc.

I have to do my job in the UK to keep our income going, and she has to stay in Malaysia because of no visa (or passport). She has already lost her part time job after having to be away months. It's absolutely terrible a newly married couple are living apart like this so if you can offer any advice I'd be very grateful.

Many Thanks in return,

[sweetmissy]

Hi,

I am in the same boat (slightly) and my husband is in Egypt .. It is incredibly difficult being apart from each other.. and it feels like the embassy really don't care that its agonising for the both of you.

My husband is week 4 of his wait (so not the same in comparrison,... i know) but you said you used Marriage Solicitors?? did they put your application together for you? and a letter representing you?

My husband used a Immigration Law Firm here in the UK. They said to me, that they also must sit and wait. My husband was told at the date of submission 10 days - 6 weeks. Our solicitor said they are only allowed to contact the embassy on our behalf after the 6 weeks.

What time frame were you given?

http://www.ukvisas.gov.uk/en/howtoapply/processingtimes

This is a good help... well guidance..

Maybe contact the Solicitors you used and see if they can contact the embassy..

Trust me.. i feel like i am simply exsisting in the UK till my husband is here...

Hope that helps?!

[e-dan]

Hi there,

Thanks for you post. Yes our solicitors are chasing the consulate but they say it could take up to 20 days to reply.

Well we were told by the solicitor that they have had past experience of applications in Malaysia and they are usually resolved between 10-15 days. I did suspect that being a little optimistic but given our case in my opinion was quite simple a month would be more my expectation. However 3 months later still nothing.

I do wonder sometimes - if it takes them 4 weeks to reply to an email, then perhaps it takes much longer to process an application. Yet other people get priority treatment and those studying or working get visa's within days whereas those who love each other are forced to spend months apart. I'm also merely existing but it's even worse for my wife who doesn't at least have a job to pass the time.

That link is the one I looked at and it does say 100% of decisions are made within 30 days for Malaysia. The only thing we can be positive about is it hasn't been declined.

I wish you the best of luck for your decision. Hopefully it will come soon and things are faster in Egypt then Malaysia...

[sweetmissy]

And I wish you and your wife the best of luck too

I am glad we are using a legal representative though... lots of stories of people acting on their own behalf, and have no support at all.

God willing you get an answer soon

On the processing times for Cairo is says 93% completed in 120 days so hopefully they will speed things up!

Do let me know how you get on!

[e-dan]

Hi again,

We have finally had a decision on our outcome and it was refused.

However it is not our fault. It relates back to the extra documents they asked for back in March which we submitted at the application centre - and we have had confirmation from the application centre that those documents were received.

However the reason for refusal was that the documents they asked for were not submitted.

This also explains why we were waiting so long for our decision - because they were sitting there, passively, waiting for documents (which we submitted) to arrive!

This is quite a scandal and we're feeling that we are now going to end up suffering being apart for the many months it takes to appeal or re-apply because the high commission and the application centre are not fit for purpose!

Has anybody got an advice on how to resolve this without an appeal (apparently taking up to a year!!) or applying again (another 3 months and another huge fee!)??

Many Thanks,

[sweetmissy]

Oh e-dan...

I am so sorry to hear that... There are so many stories like this, its just not fair at all.

I will PM you details of some people who may be able to advise you

My thoughts are with you both...

We are still waiting for our outcome too