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Offshore Spouse Visa Processing Times at the London Embassy

389K views 2K replies 289 participants last post by  kev747 
#1 ·
Hi All,

I was just wondering if anyone could share their experiences, I have noticed on here people are saying the visa processing times at the London embassy is 9-12 months. I was looking for a migration agent in London and their website says 4-6 months.

I just don't want to get my hopes up if it will be 9-12 months.

Thanks in advance!
 
#2 ·
Hi Xomox,

In my opinion, I would first check out what the services standard advises for application processing time.

Client Service Charter

Next, I would check out the thread on how long Family Visa processing times to see what people are experiencing.

Honeslty though, it comes down to your specific case, the documentation you provide and the results of your medical and police checks.

Let us know how it goes!

Moah
 
#10 ·
In the email from our case officer it said 6-8 months.. from what I have read on a different forum that is specifically about spouse visas applied for in London its usually the lower end of what they say...

8-9 months is a huuuge wait!! I hope its not that long for you. My partner had his medical this week and our migration agent said we will know in a few weeks an approximate grant date, so as soon as I know I will write it here!

Good luck with your application!! (sorry for the delayed reply)
 
#5 ·
Hi, I lodged our Pmv visa in may at Llondon .We have a migration offficer looking after ours. They were told from the embassy in may that the current processing times are 5-6 mnths.
Best to ring them i would say. Ours is a very straight foward case and should be easily approved. We are 3 months into it and heard nothing except from our agent, who says they will chase it up for us if they go over the 6mnth timeframe they were given.
 
#6 ·
Hi all. We applied offshore in London in August. We were assigned a CO this week who said processing time is 8-9 months. He explained this is because they are given a quota for how many visa's they can approve, and so effectively there is no way to speed up the processing its a matter of waiting for a space to become available.

Does anyone know if this estimation is accurate? I imagine they would under promise and over deliver but at the same time they would want to be giving people realistic timescales considering the relocation often involved when the visa is granted.

I would also say that I have been calling immigration for the past year and every time was told processing times were 5 months, but we were only eligible to submit at the earliest this August, and it appears processing times have now increased for whatever reason.
 
#8 ·
Yes, will post any updates here. We are awaiting our Australian police check because of the delays, its in the post, we have submitted the UK one, and we are sending some more bank statements as our CO wanted more evidence for some things. Otherwise we have, as far as we're concerned, very clear evidence and no complicated factors in our case. I naively assumed this would mean our application was processed swiftly but it appears the quota is the boss. Good luck!
 
#9 ·
Hi guys,

this was the kind of information I was.....or rather not....waiting for.

I applied in May and had a phone interview on 27th of July (I applied in Berlin). My CO told me after we were finished, that they just got the information in, that processing times have been extended. Instead of the 5 months on the website, it would be rather 6-8 months. She said this is because they are receiving so many applications.
If I got her right, she also explained, that they could e.g. give me a yes quite soon, but that there would be a certain date, when the visa would be valid. E.g. she sends me an eMail now saying that my application will be approved but valid in two more month.

Has someone experience with that???

Because we had now this delayed told, I replanned my departure for the his end of the year....but does it take now even longer??? (8-9 months?)

At the interview date, I have been asked for more evidence. We got it all together and it has been sent this saturday. So I am so much hoping for an answer by next week, since our CO is usually responding very quick.

Best,

sasa
 
#11 ·
Hi Sasa,

Sorry to hear that its going to take longer than you originally thought. I don't think anyone writing in this thread will know about the berlin embassy as from what I can tell we are all applying in London. From what I can tell the processing times are different at different embassies. All I can suggest is try and look on the bright side knowing that you are definitely getting it eventually!!

Best of Luck!
 
#12 ·
Hey xomox,

I know, but was kind of thinking that it cannot be that different. Unfortunately, I received the confirmation today. My Co confirmed to me, that the further documents have been received and in the same mail informed me, that it has been changed again and that now it takes AT LEAST 7-9 months.

Well.....that's llife I gues, still :( but.

Good luck to you all!!
 
#13 ·
Ive just read these posts to see that the processing time is now upto 8 months :( This is horrible for everyone! My heart sunk.
We are just about to submit our application to the London office, and was hoping my fiance can come to Aus at X-mas time on tourist visa while application in process then granted in End of Feb/ March (being 5 months processing time).....Looks like change of plans.
Please keep us posted on process. Good Luck
 
#14 ·
Hi all.

We are in the same position, Shell&Tony, we had hoped to be home by Xmas and wait it out on a visitor visa, but now we will just have to work separately in UK/AU until its approved, as its just too long to have one partner out of work.

Also, our CO is now satisfied that we meet the relationship requirement and has emailed to request we send in police check for Au (which was three months delayed so has only just arrived). He has also requested we do our medicals but has said in the email two conflicting timescales, I imagine this is because the waiting times have gone up to 8-9 months. The email says:

"...In order to continue the processing of your visa application, please provide the following within the next 49 days:

Health and Character Requirements

As a result of the current processing times for Partner visa applications at this post we ask that you refrain from obtaining the following health and character checks for three (3) months from the date of this letter. Your medical and police checks are valid for 12 months from the date they are created and the expiry date of the earliest check will dictate what your Initial Entry Date (IED) to Australia must be. As our current processing time frames are 8-9 months we wish to give you sufficient time between the date your visa may be granted and the IED which you MUST enter Australia by in order to activate the partner visa."

We are going to clarify with our CO but it looks like realistically, no point getting our medicals until November (we applied August).
 
#16 ·
Hi
Just a quick update, although not much news: have done my medicals and sent in the "police certificates". I have then contacted my CO last week who's response was very short:

"At this stage there is no further information required from you in relation to this application. We will contact you as soon as the application process has been finalised or if there is any further information required.

The current processing time is 8-9 months from the date of lodgement of your application. Your application was lodged on 9 August 2012."


If anyone has a more "chatty" CO, it would be great to see what they say :)

Thanks
 
#19 · (Edited)
Hi we just applied for defacto offshore in London got confirmation letter today says processing time Is at least 8 to 9 months and don't bother getting medicals or police checks until the end of Jan next year. Seems like a long wait :-(. Is it true what someone said above that they can give u an indication before that time that it will be granted but not until a later date
 
#20 ·
Hi there. Well done on submitting it and best of luck. I think you might be referring to my post so ill explain further. The first thing they do is check your evidence to satisfy the 12 month requirement. It was clear our CO hasn't looked at our entire application and he said this is the 1st thing they do. Once he'd done that he sent an email saying he was satisfied wq met the 12 month relationship requirement, and requested we get our meds and police checks but not til about 3 months. So what I mean is, once they receive yr app, the CO will ask for everything they need. So you'll know you've met the requirement because they won't ask you to do£300 medicals if you've not yet passed another aspect of the criteria. So while we have to wait 9 months to get the actual grant, we can assume there's no issues bc otherwise yr CO would raise them now, not in 9 months. Hope that makes sense? Sorry for bad formatting, typing on my mobile. All the best.
 
#25 ·
Hi andyjjjj

My CO is PS, so not the same. But I spoke to him the first time today and he said I might get it by the end of March, which is just a little less than 8 months.

What's your status?

Cheers and good luck!
Hi Blubb have heard back from CO reckons it will be done by the 2nd of march ..so next week .. I hope anyway ..have you heard anything back since .. I was originally quoted 6-8 months
 
#27 ·
Hi andyjjjj

Got some amazing news. I got my visa granted! As I will be travelling to Australia on Saturday he approved it for me so I will not have to leave the country again. So very happy, as they always told me 8-9 months!

And the long waiting period is almost over for you as well! :)
 
#34 ·
Hi no problem that's why ere all here to help others going through the same process .. I received an email confirmation and a request letter for medical and police clearance ..but if you haven't ticked that you want to be contacted by email they will send a letter by post ..

hope this helps
 
#38 ·
Partner visa app filed

Hello all,
I'm new to this forum. Great info so far!
We've lodged the application for Partner Migration Visa on Friday, 3rd May 2013. Haven't heard back from Embassy in London yet, but the money has been taken from our Australian account already. No email or mail of acknowledgement yet. We are expecting to receive a message to request the medical exam and police check, as they haven't been done yet.
They told me on the phone before that we should send in what we have and as soon as payment has been received, they will assign a case officer.
We have applied for the citizenship by descent for our son (8 months) and received an email after a couple of days to request payments in Sterling, as the same credit card that we used for the partner migration visa application, was refused for his application.
Weird ...

Anyway, official processing time is 8 to 9 months according to their hotline consultant. Is there anyone in this forum thread who has recently applied and got a quicker processing time?
We were told it would probably be straightforward, since we are married (although only 1 year) and have a child. But you never know ....

Would love to hear more from others who have recently logded their application in London.

Thanks all!
:)
 
#42 ·
Hello all,
I'm new to this forum. Great info so far!

Anyway, official processing time is 8 to 9 months according to their hotline consultant. Is there anyone in this forum thread who has recently applied and got a quicker processing time?
We were told it would probably be straightforward, since we are married (although only 1 year) and have a child. But you never know ....

Would love to hear more from others who have recently logded their application in London.

Thanks all!
:)
Hi there,

We are gathering the last few bits before submitting our application.
(I'm Australian, husband is Turkish, we have been married 3 1/2 years and have two children, living in Ireland).

Did you mention in your application that you were submitting applications for your child to be granted Citizenship by descent?
Did you submit a 'Decision Ready' application with medical clearance and police checks?

I'd be interested to know if anybody who's married with children has gotten a quicker processing time than 8-9 months.
We would love to be home for Christmas
 
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