# Your UK visa has been issued



## PhillyChic (Jan 28, 2012)

I just received this message via email, does it mean that my VISA has been approved?? Or that they have made a decision and I will find out in the mail? My heart is in my throat right now!

Your UK visa has been issued.
We encourage you to give feedback on the UK visa application process at: www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/visas-survey

Delivery times:

Within the USA: Next business day
Outside the USA: 2-5 days


Your passport will be dispatched from the New York office and will be delivered by UPS


----------



## PhillyChic (Jan 28, 2012)

Sorry for the duplicate-I found another thread where Joppa said it's 99% certain but wait until the actual VISA arrives to be sure. This will be the toughest 2-5 days ever but so worth it!


----------



## MLH (Jan 22, 2012)

PhillyChic said:


> Sorry for the duplicate-I found another thread where Joppa said it's 99% certain but wait until the actual VISA arrives to be sure. This will be the toughest 2-5 days ever but so worth it!


I am sitting in the same position. Got my email late yesterday afternoon. Mine is also coming from NY to Toronto. 

We are all afraid to dance, but moving forward with our plans.


----------



## PhillyChic (Jan 28, 2012)

Good luck MLH I think luck is on our side!


----------



## AnAmericanInScotland (Feb 8, 2012)

The key words are '...has been issued...' Although my dateline for joining say 2012, I'm a returnee member, joined in late 2009 or early '10, can't remember which) and had lurked for a while before joining the first time-I've read hundreds of threads and never seen one wherein a poster says they received the '...has been issued...' email only to post back later that they had not got the visa.

That said, though, a bird in hand is always more believable than the one larking about in the shrubbery:lol: 

Try to believe, though, and be cautiously celebratory whilst awaiting the arrival of your packets.


----------



## PhillyChic (Jan 28, 2012)

AnAmericanInScotland, thanks for the informed observations, that's encouraging to hear. I'm also hoping that I am lucky enough to receive KOL REQ too, one can only dream! : )


----------



## PhillyChic (Jan 28, 2012)

I'm so happy to say that I received my VISA on Monday! It didn't have KOL-REQ but I'm not complaining. I am, however wondering since my UK husband and I have lived together in the US for 4+ years (and have a wealth of documentation to prove it), are there any steps that we can take to get KOL-REQ or expedite ILR? Or, is it necessary to wait until we have lived together in the UK for 2 years before being able to apply.


----------



## MLH (Jan 22, 2012)

PhillyChic said:


> I'm so happy to say that I received my VISA on Monday! It didn't have KOL-REQ but I'm not complaining. I am, however wondering since my UK husband and I have lived together in the US for 4+ years (and have a wealth of documentation to prove it), are there any steps that we can take to get KOL-REQ or expedite ILR? Or, is it necessary to wait until we have lived together in the UK for 2 years before being able to apply.


This also happened with ours. Got mine yesterday with the same disappointing issue.

I have sent an email today. You should also and we will compare notes/responses 

Good luck!


----------



## nyclon (Apr 3, 2011)

PhillyChic said:


> I'm so happy to say that I received my VISA on Monday! It didn't have KOL-REQ but I'm not complaining. I am, however wondering since my UK husband and I have lived together in the US for 4+ years (and have a wealth of documentation to prove it), are there any steps that we can take to get KOL-REQ or expedite ILR? Or, is it necessary to wait until we have lived together in the UK for 2 years before being able to apply.


Being married or living together for 4+ years outside of the UK _*can*_ mean you will be granted a visa with KOL req but it doesn't _*guarantee*_ that you will be. You can always send an email to ask but again, there is no guarantee that they will do anything about it. Other than that, a spouse visa means that you will have to reside in the UK with your husband for 2 years before you become eligible and can apply for ILR. There is no way to expedite it. You can, however, take the Life in the UK test at any time after you arrive.


----------



## PhillyChic (Jan 28, 2012)

Thanks Nyclon, where would I send the email, to Worldbridge?


----------



## shellybeans (Feb 12, 2012)

Sorry to ask a silly question but I'm still new to the lingo here. What exactly does KOL-REQ mean? I know that KOL is Knowledge of Life, right? But what is the req and what would it signify to have that stamp?

Thanks for helping a newbie,
Shelly


----------



## nyclon (Apr 3, 2011)

shellybeans said:


> Sorry to ask a silly question but I'm still new to the lingo here. What exactly does KOL-REQ mean? I know that KOL is Knowledge of Life, right? But what is the req and what would it signify to have that stamp?
> 
> Thanks for helping a newbie,
> Shelly


If you have been married or living together outside of the UK for 4 or more years (and provide proof), at the discretion of the UKBA, you can be issued a visa with KOL req which means that once you land in the UK and pass the Life in the UK test you can apply for ILR rather than having to fulfill the 2 year residency period required when you are issued a spouse visa. Again, this is at the discretion of the UKBA no matter how much proof you provide and is by no means guaranteed just because you have been together 4 or more years.


----------



## Joppa (Sep 7, 2009)

shellybeans said:


> Sorry to ask a silly question but I'm still new to the lingo here. What exactly does KOL-REQ mean? I know that KOL is Knowledge of Life, right? But what is the req and what would it signify to have that stamp?
> 
> Thanks for helping a newbie,
> Shelly


If you have been married 4+ years, you normally get indefinite leave to enter. But if you haven't passed Life in the UK test, you get a 27-month visa with KOL REQ. What it means is as soon as you pass the test in UK, you can apply for settlement (ILR) straightaway without having to wait two years, though full application fees are payable.


----------



## PhillyChic (Jan 28, 2012)

Hi Joppa, I have lived with my husband for 6 years (1 of them married), but didn't receive KOL-REQ. Nyclon said I might be able to contact someone via email. Might you know anything about if I can help the process along without waiting another 2 years to apply for ILR? Thank you for all the great advice.


----------



## Joppa (Sep 7, 2009)

PhillyChic said:


> Hi Joppa, I have lived with my husband for 6 years (1 of them married), but didn't receive KOL-REQ. Nyclon said I might be able to contact someone via email. Might you know anything about if I can help the process along without waiting another 2 years to apply for ILR? Thank you for all the great advice.


If you applied in US, go to WorldBridge site and look under Contact and send email enquiry. I doubt they will reverse their decision but you have nothing to lose.


----------

