# Priority Visa Service - Worth it? / Guaranteed



## redred (Oct 21, 2016)

Dear expat members,

Just a little query...

I am thinking of paying for priority, but I have seen that some members who have paid for priority have been delayed over the period they paid for their decision to be made in...

That's quite worrying, is the priority service guaranteed, or can the embassy just do a 'special circumstances/apologies but you'll have to wait' thing and ignore the service that's paid for?

So if I pay for priority service will I get it, especially in some unstable country?

Also is it 15 working days, i.e 3 weeks guaranteed decision?

Thank you very much for your help, in advance


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## ctyler (Feb 21, 2016)

There's no guarantee on this process. They will put your process on the top of the non-priority, but there's no guarantee regarding how long it will take.


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## Toby1988 (Jul 6, 2016)

I guess it depends on where you're applying from. I got my decision for entry clearance in 1 day even though it was peak season and for me it was worth spending that extra £450. However I've seen people waiting for 15-45 days even after paying for priority and if you think it's a straightforward application without any previous immigration issues then go for it. Btw there is no service level agreement measured by number of days but settlement priority will just put your application ahead of non priority application so it depends 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## Dex103 (Sep 8, 2016)

It's a toss of the dice really. I paid priority and will be 50 days tomorrow since biometrics 49 days since confirmation they received our info. Still waiting and check every week. Still no update. Yet see others do priority and get them processed under 30 days. In my case it wasn't worth it.


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## ctyler (Feb 21, 2016)

I had my priority visa processed in 10 days since my biometrics. My visa is processed in Bogota.


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## kellythecat (Jun 26, 2015)

It seems a bit of a toss up. If you can easily afford it and if your application is very straightforward (easily verified income/income, frequent contact etc) like what requires the least amount of research to see if application is legit, it may be worth the gamble. 

We went non-priority and got an answer in 50 days, quicker than I expected and quicker than some priority. My husband has also worked in a government service/public sector for 20 years which is really easy to verify and might be why ours came fast. I think maybe if your application is really strong/easy to verify priority *might* pay off. 

I wonder if its slower for people that have their own business or employment that isn't so straight forward or easy to verify. I think maybe if there are any complications or unusual circumstances/immigration history with your application priority may not be worth it 

It also seems to depend on the country. there are some pretty high traffic countries which might make priority more worth while to get ahead of the queue. Others, not so much. 

anyho, all speculation on my part. We couldnt afford priority, thats like the cost of a flight to see each other one more time


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## AnOceanApart (Jul 19, 2014)

There's no guarantee that'll it will be processed faster than a non-priority application, just that it makes it to the top of the pile.

I agree that it's probably worth it if you have no prior marriages or immigration history. I have both, and I'm on day 39 since biometrics, day 38 since they received the application. I really wish we hadn't bothered with priority, since its expense could have gone to other important things. But if you think your case is pretty straight forward and you can afford it, I say go for it!


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## johannalouise (Mar 3, 2016)

We paid for priority from Indonesia and the visa was processed within 4 working days.
We only paid for priority because when the July figures were released only 40% of applications were processed within 30 days (vs. 100% for the previous set of figures.)
2 days after we applied they released the September figures showing that 70% of visas were processed within 10 days anyway!
So overall, it probably wasn't worth the extra money for us, especially as the fiance - spouse route is expensive anyway. 
But it did save me a lot of the stress of waiting!
It really seems to depend on the country you're applying from though. Visas going through the Manila processing hub seem to be much quicker than those from North America.


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## WestCoastCanadianGirl (Mar 17, 2012)

kellythecat said:


> It seems a bit of a toss up. If you can easily afford it and if your application is very straightforward (easily verified income/income, frequent contact etc) like what requires the least amount of research to see if application is legit, it may be worth the gamble.
> 
> We went non-priority and got an answer in 50 days, quicker than I expected and quicker than some priority. * My husband has also worked in a government service/public sector for 20 years which is really easy to verify and might be why ours came fast.* I think maybe if your application is really strong/easy to verify priority *might* pay off.
> 
> ...


There may be some truth to that... my husband is a long time Civil Servant here in London. When we applied for my Fiancee Visa (back in July '12), the posted "non-priority" turn-around time was 15 working days (priority was even less)... we received a "your visa has been issued" email in 12 working days (application was done in 11 days in reality, as the decision was rendered the day before the email was sent)... needless to say we were shocked and pleased at both the decision and the speed in which it was made (Husband was in Vancouver visiting when the decision came in). We figure that it was his government job and the fact that I'm coming from a relatively low-risk country that sped things along (and I'd assume the same would apply for you - no more Alberta winters for you!  ). 

We didn't bother with priority either, as we really couldn't justify the cost - we wanted to apply before the rules changed on July 9, 2012 but couldn't be more than 90 days out and work commitments kept me in Vancouver until October of that year, so there was no need to rush on our part (I couldn't go anywhere anyway if an approval came sooner rather than later).

Congratulations to you and have a safe trip over!


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## shannoncannon (Aug 29, 2016)

I applied from the US, with a lot of the people here was processed in Sheffield,
I have had a 15 working day, 3 wk turn around.

I think many many people would agree if you have the funds, pay for it. 
And plaster it on every piece of paper in that package lol 
I put it on the outside of the UPS envelope, front and back, then the two brown paper packages inside, also front and back of them, and on all my documents that weren't originals we couldn't get again. I believe I also put it on all my copies. 
I think most people end up having good luck w it especially since the height of wedding season is over and it's nearing the end of the year. 
If you can't afford it, make sure you are ready to wait the 3 mos it could take to be safe.
I would never tell anyone to do anything less than priority if they could help it. If I could have gone to the Embassy and paid for the super priority I would have lol


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## shannoncannon (Aug 29, 2016)

A lovely member also made charts that you can compare the timelines that are current from other members if that helps at all!


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## redred (Oct 21, 2016)

shannoncannon said:


> I applied from the US, with a lot of the people here was processed in Sheffield,
> I have had a 15 working day, 3 wk turn around.
> 
> I think many many people would agree if you have the funds, pay for it.
> ...


Hi Shannon, thanks for the reply. (And thanks to everyone else). I just wanted to ask what you meant by 'plaster it on every piece of paper in that package'. Do you mean I should label that my visa application is priority on all documentation that I submit? Thanks for the help


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## redred (Oct 21, 2016)

shannoncannon said:


> A lovely member also made charts that you can compare the timelines that are current from other members if that helps at all!


Oh cool where can I find that please?

Also what is 'super priority' at the embassy, that you mentioned?

Thanks


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## nyclon (Apr 3, 2011)

redred said:


> Oh cool where can I find that please?
> 
> Also what is 'super priority' at the embassy, that you mentioned?
> 
> Thanks


r

See the Visa Processing Complain thread.

Super priority is only available for visit visas, student visas and points based visas. It is not available for settlement visas.


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