# Confusion about order of UKBA emails



## Lnl13 (Feb 11, 2013)

I have recently sent in my UK fiancé visa application. Tuesday I received the "Your application has been assigned to an Entry Clearance Officer at the visa processing centre in Sheffield for assessment and consideration against the United Kingdom Immigration Rules." email from the Sheffield office. It also stated that the next email I received would be a decision, along with tracking info of my documents. I was excited and thought the process was rolling and would hear something soon. So yesterday I received another email and my heart was racing!!! But this was the "Your UK visa application has arrived safely at the UK Border Agency, Sheffield and is currently being processed." email and it noted that my application was priority. 
Has this happened to anyone else? I feel like I'm at square one again.


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## Leanna (Oct 22, 2012)

Lnl13 said:


> I have recently sent in my UK fiancé visa application. Tuesday I received the "Your application has been assigned to an Entry Clearance Officer at the visa processing centre in Sheffield for assessment and consideration against the United Kingdom Immigration Rules." email from the Sheffield office. It also stated that the next email I received would be a decision, along with tracking info of my documents. I was excited and thought the process was rolling and would hear something soon. So yesterday I received another email and my heart was racing!!! But this was the "Your UK visa application has arrived safely at the UK Border Agency, Sheffield and is currently being processed." email and it noted that my application was priority.
> Has this happened to anyone else? I feel like I'm at square one again.


Sounds to me like the first e-mail was from the NY Hub letting you know that they were forwarding your application to Sheffield, and the second one was from Sheffield itself, letting you know that they had received it. Can you tell me the timeline of the e-mails? The date you sent you application, date of the e-mails, etc. That might help.


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## Lnl13 (Feb 11, 2013)

Country applied from: USA
Type of visa applied for: Fiancee visa priority
Date application submitted (online or in person): Online 5th Feb 2013
Date biometrics taken: 8th Feb 2013
Date documentation was received by UK Border Agency office: 12th Feb 2013 (per fedex email)
Visa application assigned to ECO email: 19 Feb 2013

Email from visa Sheffield 08:30:
Your application has been assigned to an Entry Clearance Officer at the visa processing centre in Sheffield for assessment and consideration against the United Kingdom Immigration Rules.
 You will receive a further e-mail advising when application has been assessed. This e-mail will also provide you with details of your return mail package. 

Office location processing your visa: Sheffield

20 Feb 2013- Email stating from visa Sheffield 0430:
Your UK visa application has arrived safely at the UK Border Agency, Sheffield and is currently being processed.
 Priority Service:
 Your application will be placed in the front of the queue and assessed ahead of other non-priority visa applications.
Please note, as indicated in the terms of service, the amount paid for the priority service, as well as visa fees, is not refundable if the visa application is refused or due to delays in processing times.
 You will receive further e-mails advising you of –
 
 1. When your application reaches the next stage of the process; review by an Entry Clearance Officer, and,
 2. The outcome of your application. This e-mail will also provide you with details of your return package.



Projected timeline given: ????
Date your visa was received: waiting


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## Leanna (Oct 22, 2012)

Lnl13 said:


> Country applied from: USA
> Type of visa applied for: Fiancee visa priority
> Date application submitted (online or in person): Online 5th Feb 2013
> Date biometrics taken: 8th Feb 2013
> ...


Yep, looks to me like the first e-mail was from the New York office (usually takes them up to a week to open & process a package), who then sent it off to Sheffield for processing. I would imagine that they've now (as of the second e-mail) put it ahead of the queue and someone will be looking at it shortly. We are still hearing mixed things regarding e-mails from Sheffield, it seems they are still working through a few kinks in their system. Wait and see if some members who have recently submitted an application via Sheffield can chime in with the e-mails they got.


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## WestCoastCanadianGirl (Mar 17, 2012)

You'll be very lucky if you receive any further correspondence from them before a decision is rendered.

This is nothing personal against you... they're an equal opportunity offender in that they're very bad in correspondence between the "your application has been opened and organised blah blah blah" email and the "a decision has been made and you should receive your documentation back within x number of days blah blah blah" email. 

Some people claim to have received interim correspondence while (most) others have not... I, for one, received nothing for 12 days between the "opening" email and the "your visa has been issued" email (this was July 2012, just prior to the deluge of applications at rule change.

At least you know that the application is being looked at as priority, so the best you can do now is just hold tight and wait.

Good luck to you.


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## Lnl13 (Feb 11, 2013)

I'm just confused by the order of the emails since I received the one stating that my app has been assigned to an ECO (which I thought meant it was currently being reviewed) then a day later my receipt of acknowledgment that they received it. Oh well, no point in trying to understand, the important thing is that they have it. My thanks to the both of you.


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## 2farapart (Aug 18, 2011)

I imagine this is down to the new arrangement that US applications are now sent to Sheffield UK, and the NY hub is basically saying they've allowed your application through for decision-making (the 'ECO' in this instance being an ECO at the Sheffield UK office), and the mail from Sheffield is rather like a bit of extra tracking info confirming that they have received it safely - likely a new measure to safeguard against applications that are lost in the mail between the two destinations).


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## cciniglio (Feb 22, 2013)

Fiance Visa from USA to move to UK:
Jan 31: Date that the NY office received my completed original app, including biometrics
Feb 19: first email from VisaSheffield that my application had been assigned
Feb 20: second email from VisaSheffield that my application had been organized for review by entry clearance officer
Feb 22: third email from VisaSheffield that a decision had been made and my application and passport is being UPSed back to me.

Is it bad that the third email didn't say that a Visa had been issued? Does everyone receive that third email in those words, whether or not they were approved? Worried me that it didn't say what decision had been made. This will be a long few days until I hear back!!!!


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## WestCoastCanadianGirl (Mar 17, 2012)

Standard of practice for the Sheffield office. New York office was more forthcoming.

All you can do is wait... yes, I know the weekend is going to _kill you_, but the package is in the open as it were (sorry for that awful Mission Impossible mis-quote) and there's nothing that you can do about what is or isn't in it.

Good luck to you!


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## Leanna (Oct 22, 2012)

cciniglio said:


> Fiance Visa from USA to move to UK:
> Jan 31: Date that the NY office received my completed original app, including biometrics
> Feb 19: first email from VisaSheffield that my application had been assigned
> Feb 20: second email from VisaSheffield that my application had been organized for review by entry clearance officer
> ...


We haven't seen enough applications returned from Sheffield yet to really know how they run things. Some offices will state in the e-mail, others won't. So don't worry! Try and relax and be sure to come back and update us when you hear back. Good luck!


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## cciniglio (Feb 22, 2013)

You're awesome! Thanks. I feel better. I was worried because other people had said they'd been told whether a visa had been issued in that last email, but you're right - that was from the NY office and not the Sheffield office. Trying to put it out of my mind until it gets here!  Thanks very much.


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## sgleitz (Mar 4, 2013)

Dear cciniglio,
What was the outcome? I am in a similar situation and wondering what the ambiguous phrase from the UKBA Sheffield office means. To mimic what another user said, my UK based immigration lawyer did let me know that processing through the Sheffield office is a new thing so they are unsure what is meant by " a decision has been made".
Also did they return all of your supporting documents to you? After tracking the UPS package it said it was 0.5 kg and the original bundle of documents I sent was 4.5kg.
Thanks for your help!


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## cciniglio (Feb 22, 2013)

Hi sgleitz - Sorry - I posted this on a different thread and should have followed up here too! 

Success!

Fiance Visa from USA to move to UK - non priority (I didn't have an option for priority?):

Jan 31: Date that the NY office received my completed original app that I'd sent, including biometrics (per UPS site - I didn't receive any other notification from the Visa people that it was received)
Feb 19: first communication: first email from VisaSheffield that my application had been assigned
Feb 20: second email from VisaSheffield that my application had been organized for review by entry clearance officer
Feb 22: third email from VisaSheffield that a decision had been made and my application and passport was being UPSed back to me. I received a UPS tracking number. 
The email didn't say what decision had been made.
Feb 25: per Ups tracking, my package set to arrive Feb 27
Feb 27: received my passport with visa inside! 

All I received was my passport with the visa in it with no other papers at all in the package, because I understand you only get your originals back of the other docs if you included an extra set of copies for them to keep. Otherwise they keep what you sent in.


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## sgleitz (Mar 4, 2013)

Hi cciniglio,
Thank you for a quick reply! And CONGRATS! Getting a visa through the UKBA right now seems a real process. Fingers crossed for mine. I will know in less than 48 hours! Ah!

Mine was slightly different than yours.
This is for anyone else out there with a similar situation.
August 2009 - I entered the UK under a student visa. I had no issues with this visa and had it expedited via the Chicago office. The entire process, including online application and biometrics took 5 days! Wow! those were the days.
September 2010 - After graduating with my Masters in the UK I was fortunate enough to get the Tier One Post-Study Work Visa via an in country application. This was more hectic but after 14 weeks, a horrible winter storm and a failed delivery attempt I got the visa in December of 2010.
December 2012- With no visa in tow I left the country to the US. When I tried to get back in via Heathrow, they gave me a very hard time. Ultimately they let me in as I was only retuning as a visitor to collect final documents for my Un-Married Partner Visa. (I have been living with my British partner for 24 months).
Submitted the online application on 11 February
14 February Submitted biometric info
15 February NY Consulate received and signed for my package at 10AM Eastern Standard Time
I got NO response until my lawyer got an email on 26 Monday stating my package had arrived in Sheffield and that we would receive two more emails (1. That an agent was assessing the application and 2. that a decision was made).
4 March I received an email stating a decision had been made (but never got the second email) the email carried on to say my visa would be returned to me via my UPS tracking number. However, they never provided a tracking number so after replying via email to the address provided we had a tracking number in an hour. Don't bother with calling the UK Consulate in NY or the UKBA or even Worldbridge, you won't get through. Try the email route, they were very speedy.
My visa should be in hand 6 March 2013.
Fingers crossed and I hope this helps someone out there!


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## Americangirl1 (Jan 19, 2013)

Hi! I also applied for a priority settlement visa and received no emails until this morning... the email states a decision has been made and my passport is being sent back. Thankfully they provided a tracking number, so I can at least know when to be home as the package must be signed for on delivery.
I tracked my application shipment to them, and saw that it arrived Feb 19. But like I said, neither the NY office nor Sheffield emailed me upon receipt.
I'll let you know Monday what my result was... Fingers crossed!!!


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## Stacybe (Mar 13, 2013)

*e-mail stating that a decision has been made*



cciniglio said:


> Fiance Visa from USA to move to UK:
> Jan 31: Date that the NY office received my completed original app, including biometrics
> Feb 19: first email from VisaSheffield that my application had been assigned
> Feb 20: second email from VisaSheffield that my application had been organized for review by entry clearance officer
> ...



I applied for a settlement visa as a spouse. My timeline looks similar to yours. Only recieved two e-mails, one stating that my application arrived safely to UKBA NY and a second from the Sheffield office stating that a decision was made and my passport will be sent back to me shortly. I had the same question and concern! it doesnt say what the decision was- approval or rejection. Would you mind sharing what the outcome of your application was?


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## cciniglio (Feb 22, 2013)

Hi stacybe- success- see my full timeline above. Good luck!


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## Americangirl1 (Jan 19, 2013)

My application was approved! As mentioned in my previous reply, I never received any emails updating me on the arrival/receipt of my application, but did receive a final email stating they had reached a decision and my passport was being sent back to me. They gave me a tracking number (Thank God as then I was able to ensure I was home to sign for it!), and it arrived with no letter stating the decision, but just had all my original documents and my passport with the visa in it.
I applied as priority settlement and from the date they received my application in NYC to the date the passport (AND VISA!) arrived at my house was 2 weeks and 2 days.


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## Spirit67 (Apr 16, 2013)

Are all applications sent to the NYC hub forwarded to Sheffield for processing?

:-/


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## Leanna (Oct 22, 2012)

Spirit67 said:


> Are all applications sent to the NYC hub forwarded to Sheffield for processing?
> 
> :-/


All settlement applications sent to NYC from Canada are forwarded to Sheffield for processing. As far as I know all US non-priority settlement applications sent to NYC are also sent to Sheffield for processing, though priority applications are still processed directly through NYC.


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## nyclon (Apr 3, 2011)

Leanna said:


> All settlement applications sent to NYC from Canada are forwarded to Sheffield for processing. As far as I know all US non-priority settlement applications sent to NYC are also sent to Sheffield for processing, though priority applications are still processed directly through NYC.



I'm not positive but I think priority applications go to Sheffield as well and the only applications processed in NY are either student visas or Tier 2.


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## Leanna (Oct 22, 2012)

nyclon said:


> I'm not positive but I think priority applications go to Sheffield as well and the only applications processed in NY are either student visas or Tier 2.


You're probably right!


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## nyclon (Apr 3, 2011)

I was wrong! For some reason Canadian settlement priority gets processed in NY.


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