Hi I have been following this website for a few years now as I have had a few visa issues in bringing my wife to the UK on a spouse visa (from Pakistan), and this website did offer good advice. So I thought I will offer some advice - coming from my experience..Do Not Appeal - just apply for the visa again as this is much quicker. I took the wrong option in appealing the case and it has taken over a year for just the appeal alone, whereas a new application would have just taken a few months. Even though it would have been costly, but it would have saved a lot more time and headache.
We got married in 2011 December, and I am still fighting for her visa until now. I am a British citizen so it shouldn't have been too much of an issue, but it was.
I dont know if anyone has waited as long as I have or been through the same thing, (probably have) but it is quite a difficult time and I hope noone has to go through the same thing we did. I thoroughly believe we need to do something in order to change the whole appeal system and cut processing times, as it is a very serious matter. Who's with me?!
I have given my wifes timeline below
My wife applied @ LAHORE: 6 September 2012
Refused: 21 Nov 12
(as I supplied 4 bank statements instead of 6 - even though many people I know supplied 3 and got their visa)
Appealed: 11 December 2012
Deadline for embassy to reply: 10 July 2013 - obviously they didn't reply so had to go court.
Court Date: 22 October 2013
Got a call from Home Office 14 September 2013: they are willing to review the case which was good news, so sent all documents again to Home Office.
Home Office didnt reply so went to court on 22 October. Alhumdulillah appeal was successful (judge was nice) - case sent to BHC a month later on 22 November 2013. Chased them up until they called my wife on 31 January 2014.
Emailed call in letter on 3 Feb 2014
Submitted passport 6 Feb 2014.
Waiting for their reply...'Phew!'
InshAllah all goes well, and I wish everyone the best
P.S. I would also advise if your case is simple you can save a lot money by going to court yourself, without a solicitor as the judge is usually on your side. However, this does depend on your case so if its complicated you will probably need one, but my case was the fact that a bank statement was missing in my initial application which is not too trivial, so I went alone and the judge made his decision very quickly.