# UKBA releases August Processing times



## liam85 (May 24, 2012)

Well I've just checked the UKBA site for the country my fiancee is applying from and they have released the August stats.

Wow they have shot up! 

In July 67% were done in 15 days, with 95% in 40 for settlement visas. (86 decisions)
In August 0% were done in 15 days, 65% were done in 40 days!, with 100% taking 60 days! (50 decisions)

Thats gone from 2 thirds of ppl getting their visa in 3 weeks to the same amount of people getting it in 2 months with fewer decisions taking longer!

*Does anyone why this is?* Also my fianceee got told expect a decision before 25th September(5 weeks from submit date), how reliable do you think this is?

Anyone else waiting for a visa seen their processing times shoot up?


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## drosera1 (Aug 22, 2012)

For me, applying for my UK Spouse Visa from Durban, South Africa, the processing times have gone up also. But, the percentage done by the 60 day mark has increased from a previous 87% to 94%, which bodes well for me as i enter my 55th working day of waiting. I would imagine the times have increased due to the rush of applications to get in before the 9th July rule changes.


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## mehemlynn (Nov 16, 2011)

liam85 said:


> Well I've just checked the UKBA site for the country my fiancee is applying from and they have released the August stats.
> 
> Wow they have shot up!
> 
> ...


I would imagine that the majority of July applications were "rushed" to get into before the rules change. 

August would have been all under the new rules, don't forget that the immigration officials also have to learn the new rules, and are probably going a little slower to make sure the new rules are met.

I imagine that the "new" applications are going to become quicker as everyone settles into these rules.

My guess is that the date given is mostly if everything is there, in order and doesn't have any flagged content. So basically it will depend on the application.

M


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## liam85 (May 24, 2012)

drosera1 said:


> For me, applying for my UK Spouse Visa from Durban, South Africa, the processing times have gone up also. But, the percentage done by the 60 day mark has increased from a previous 87% to 94%, which bodes well for me as i enter my 55th working day of waiting. I would imagine the times have increased due to the rush of applications to get in before the 9th July rule changes.


Why has yours taken so long? Did they ask you for more documents/info or an interview or do you have previous with the UKBA?

I assumed that the applications at the far end of the scale were for people who had forgot documents, had exceptional cases etc...


You're probably right M, I was hoping to have a result this week going off Julys stats, now I will be lucky to get a result this month or even next!


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## drosera1 (Aug 22, 2012)

liam85 said:


> Why has yours taken so long? Did they ask you for more documents/info or an interview or do you have previous with the UKBA?
> 
> I assumed that the applications at the far end of the scale were for people who had forgot documents, had exceptional cases etc...


No, not for any reasons you list. The percentage of Visas done at the 40th day mark for Durban is only 5% for August. So 89% are processed between 40 and 60 working days for everyone here, it's bloody ridiculous.


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## liam85 (May 24, 2012)

drosera1 said:


> No, not for any reasons you list. The percentage of Visas done at the 40th day mark for Durban is only 5% for August. So 89% are processed between 40 and 60 working days for everyone here, it's bloody ridiculous.


Yes it really annoys me, you look at every other visa type and majority are done in 10-15 days, with over 50% done in 5 days, you look at settlements and they don't even look at the apps for like 1 month after you hand them in.


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## mehemlynn (Nov 16, 2011)

liam85 said:


> Yes it really annoys me, you look at every other visa type and majority are done in 10-15 days, with over 50% done in 5 days, you look at settlements and they don't even look at the apps for like 1 month after you hand them in.


Hi Liam,

The wait really is dependent on which processing center you have to go through. Each one has very different anticipated waits.

Good luck.

M


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## rose.spectre (Jun 12, 2012)

liam85 said:


> Well I've just checked the UKBA site for the country my fiancee is applying from and they have released the August stats.
> 
> Wow they have shot up!
> 
> ...


When my application was received by the NY consulate (July 25th), the wait was 19 days. The most recent revision of that is 41 days. So yeah, I've seen it go up. I'm on day 39 currently so... Fingers crossed, but I'm not holding my breath.


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## liam85 (May 24, 2012)

I just hope the UKBA have gotten through the majority of rushed in apps (july rule change) by now and the figures will hopefully start to go back down. 

When my fiancee handed in her app to VFS they said the current wait is around 25 days (5 weeks) we are on day 21 tomorrow. Can anyone share their stories on what their projected timeline was and when they actually got the decision? I need hope lol


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## benthomas010 (Jun 5, 2012)

have seen an increase in time for indonesia too.. July results were all completed between 40 and 60 days.. (only 10 applicants!)... now only 17% completed by day 40, 94% completed by day 60 and 6 percent taking up to 90 days. The number of applicants increased to 17. 

Now those that have taken 90 days would have been submitted in June some time, the majority being between 40 and 60 days will have been those post rule change I imagine. We are a few days away from submission....so I am not expecting a result until early November now. This is going to be painful...

What makes a mockery of this is that they made decisions on 359 Tier 4 (student visa?) applications in August. of which 96% were decided in less than 15 days.


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## liam85 (May 24, 2012)

benthomas010 said:


> have seen an increase in time for indonesia too.. July results were all completed between 40 and 60 days.. (only 10 applicants!)... now only 17% completed by day 40, 94% completed by day 60 and 6 percent taking up to 90 days. The number of applicants increased to 17.
> 
> Now those that have taken 90 days would have been submitted in June some time, the majority being between 40 and 60 days will have been those post rule change I imagine. We are a few days away from submission....so I am not expecting a result until early November now. This is going to be painful...
> 
> What makes a mockery of this is that they made decisions on 359 Tier 4 (student visa?) applications in August. of which 96% were decided in less than 15 days.


Yes same for Kenya also, I think though that the universities and colleges start in September so that type of application was given priority, now that the schooling year has started and the rush of pre july 9th should have been depleted some, I'm hoping they are getting back on top of things. Heres hoping! Also remember 5 days equals one week as they are working days. So 90 days is alot longer than 3months!


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## oneonefourone (Sep 5, 2012)

Times in New York have gone up in August over July and applications processed have more than halfed for settlement category.

333 decisions made in July compared to 144 in August. Was half the staff on holiday and unreplaced or something? 

I do understand needing to take time with the new rule changes, but honestly they should have been more than prepared for this.


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## sarahk_g (Aug 21, 2012)

My husband and I are in a similar situation....we just can't understand what is taking them so long?? My husband is in Ecuador and in August they processed a grand total of 4 settlement visas yet not one of them was processed under the 40 day mark...100% were processed by 60 days. The visas are physically processed in Bogota (no idea why) but even there they only processed 8 settlement visas most of which were processed alot quicker...I would imagine because columbian residents are offered priorty service. We are on day 45 so we are keeping everything crossed that we will hear something soon!! I noticed that another member of the forum in Honduras had their visa processed in 40 days...I wonder how they decide whose visa gets left at the bottom of the pile? Good luck to everyone waiting...I hope we all receive some good news soon


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## liam85 (May 24, 2012)

My thoughts on the reasons for this world wide sudden drop in service are:

1. They are processing 100% of pre 9th July apps before making a start with the apps under the new rules to save confusion (except priority paid ones).
2. They gave priority to student visas due to the school year starting in September so settlement visas took a back seat.
3. They are learning the new rules... slowly.
4. They all got given hospitality tickets to the Olympics and had two weeks off in August!

Whatever reason it seems to be affecting most UKBA outposts, and as we know VFS and Worldbridge are about as much use as a chocolate fire-guard in explaining things!


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## Joppa (Sep 7, 2009)

liam85 said:


> My thoughts on the reasons for this world wide sudden drop in service are:
> 
> 1. They are processing 100% of pre 9th July apps before making a start with the apps under the new rules to save confusion (except priority paid ones).
> 2. They gave priority to student visas due to the school year starting in September so settlement visas took a back seat.
> ...


Some may be true but other, more pressing reasons:
Staff reduction at UKBA. Budgetary cut affecting all government departments. Govt intends to cut £1.1 billion annually from Home Office budget by 2014-15. 
Those applied online before July 9th still had at least a month to send in supporting documents and in some cases longer. If they are just about looking at documents received up to 41 business days ago, which is at least 8 weeks to 2 months, it will take up to mid October to make a start on all pre-July 9th applications. 
July-August have a lot of staff vacations booked so staffing levels were low.
And all the little problems associated with major rules change.


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## Rndebidee (Jan 8, 2012)

Joppa said:


> Some may be true but other, more pressing reasons:
> Staff reduction at UKBA. Budgetary cut affecting all government departments. Govt intends to cut £1.1 billion annually from Home Office budget by 2014-15.
> Those applied online before July 9th still had at least a month to send in supporting documents and in some cases longer. If they are just about looking at documents received up to 41 business days ago, which is at least 8 weeks to 2 months, it will take up to mid October to make a start on all pre-July 9th applications.
> July-August have a lot of staff vacations booked so staffing levels were low.
> And all the little problems associated with major rules change.


Joppa, 

How do you know so much? Do you work for the UKBA or did you? This forum is really fortunate to have you here as a moderator. I know I would not be as far along as I am now in the process of moving across the pond without you pointing me in the direction I needed to go in. Thank you so very much for all your help. Like many on this forum, I am very thankful for all your wisdom and advice. :clap2::clap2:


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## Joppa (Sep 7, 2009)

Rndebidee said:


> Joppa,
> 
> How do you know so much? Do you work for the UKBA or did you? This forum is really fortunate to have you here as a moderator. I know I would not be as far along as I am now in the process of moving across the pond without you pointing me in the direction I needed to go in. Thank you so very much for all your help. Like many on this forum, I am very thankful for all your wisdom and advice.


Did you know the NY Visa Hub only had 14 Entry Clearance Officers, 2 Senior ECOs and 3 EC Managers, all recruited locally, i.e. Americans and legal permanent residents in 2011? Staffing was slightly increased in 2012 to take account of closure of processing centres in LA and Ottawa, but they still run a streamlined operation. Between them they handle over 50,000 applications a year, including around 2,000 settlement apps (compared with 9,627 decisions made in August 2012 alone, so more than double the normal workload).


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## Meigan (Sep 25, 2012)

drosera1 said:


> For me, applying for my UK Spouse Visa from Durban, South Africa, the processing times have gone up also. But, the percentage done by the 60 day mark has increased from a previous 87% to 94%, which bodes well for me as i enter my 55th working day of waiting. I would imagine the times have increased due to the rush of applications to get in before the 9th July rule changes.


HI Drosera1

I am new to this forum and am so happy to see that you are also in South Africa! I am in Johannesburg. I applied for my UK spouse visa on the 1st of August - i have been checking the processing times and tracking my visa everyday - This wait is killing me!! My husband is living in the UK now and has been for the past year.
Have you heard anything about your visa yet?


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## drosera1 (Aug 22, 2012)

Meigan said:


> HI Drosera1
> 
> I am new to this forum and am so happy to see that you are also in South Africa! I am in Johannesburg. I applied for my UK spouse visa on the 1st of August - i have been checking the processing times and tracking my visa everyday - This wait is killing me!! My husband is living in the UK now and has been for the past year.
> Have you heard anything about your visa yet?


Hi, and welcome to these forums. I think you may have a bit more of your wait on your hands, i would say at least another month, unless you are very lucky. Have a look at this UKBA link that shows processing times, just select South Africa-Johannesburg.

UK Border Agency | Guide to visa processing times

For Johannesburg, it shows that in August (these are the latest figures), only 9% of settlement Visas were processed by the 40th working day, and 100% by the 60th. 

I have heard nothing yet, tomorrow is officially 60 working days for me, excluding the 2 public holidays we've had. I applied 28th June from Durban, everything was in Pretoria under process since 2 July. The waiting is an absolute soul-crushing nightmare.


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## Meigan (Sep 25, 2012)

Meigan said:


> HI Drosera1
> 
> I am new to this forum and am so happy to see that you are also in South Africa! I am in Johannesburg. I applied for my UK spouse visa on the 1st of August - i have been checking the processing times and tracking my visa everyday - This wait is killing me!! My husband is living in the UK now and has been for the past year.
> Have you heard anything about your visa yet?


Thank you for sending through this information.
I thought that it would probably be another month to go ... Oh well, ill just have to keep hanging in there. I'm looking forward to you getting your Answer so that ill at least know how much longer i have to go more or less.
Just a question - Did you need to do a medical for your visa? I didn't, but i have read that when you go to the UK after getting the visa you will require a medical? Like a chest x ray or something? :/


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## Joppa (Sep 7, 2009)

Meigan said:


> Thank you for sending through this information.
> I thought that it would probably be another month to go ... Oh well, ill just have to keep hanging in there. I'm looking forward to you getting your Answer so that ill at least know how much longer i have to go more or less.
> Just a question - Did you need to do a medical for your visa? I didn't, but i have read that when you go to the UK after getting the visa you will require a medical? Like a chest x ray or something? :/


Chest X-ray for TB screening is required for applicants in some countries, but SA isn't among them. No other medical.


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## Meigan (Sep 25, 2012)

Joppa said:


> Chest X-ray for TB screening is required for applicants in some countries, but SA isn't among them. No other medical.


That's great news! Thank you very much!


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## drosera1 (Aug 22, 2012)

Meigan said:


> That's great news! Thank you very much!


Sorry to say this, but i believe all South Africans have to go for TB screening before planning to enter the UK for more than 6 months, this ruling is recent as detailed at the UKBA website:

UK Border Agency | New screening to tackle tuberculosis in the UK

Our immigration/emigration consultants (Immigration Matters in Durban) also confirmed this, but said to only go for the X-Ray after a (hopeful) approval of the Visa, obviously.


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## Joppa (Sep 7, 2009)

drosera1 said:


> Sorry to say this, but i believe all South Africans have to go for TB screening before planning to enter the UK for more than 6 months, this ruling is recent as detailed at the UKBA website:
> 
> UK Border Agency | New screening to tackle tuberculosis in the UK
> 
> Our immigration/emigration consultants (Immigration Matters in Durban) also confirmed this, but said to only go for the X-Ray after a (hopeful) approval of the Visa, obviously.


This hasn't yet been implemented. So you are still ok for now. But keep watching http://www.ind.homeoffice.gov.uk/countries/south-africa/applying/?langname=UK for any announcement.


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## drosera1 (Aug 22, 2012)

Joppa said:


> This hasn't yet been implemented. So you are still ok for now. But keep watching UK Border Agency | Applying for a UK visa in South Africa for any announcement.


Oops, sorry, i didn't see that. Thanks, that makes it easier then.


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