# Successful appeal: passport return



## chicgeek (Jan 4, 2013)

Hi folks,

We recently had a successful appeal and I have been approved for an unmarried partner visa. I was asked to send in my passport with a money order as soon as possible - the envelope arrived to the NY office and was signed for early May 13 (last Monday).

*Does anyone know how long it takes to process passports after a successful appeal?*

I couldn't find any official or personal timelines for this. Of course this wait is far less painful after the past few months considering we know that the visa is on it's way, but I'd like to have some indication of when I can plan my move, if at all possible.

Cheers,
_*chicgeek*_


----------



## Dogwall (May 14, 2013)

chicgeek said:


> Hi folks,
> 
> We recently had a successful appeal and I have been approved for an unmarried partner visa. I was asked to send in my passport with a money order as soon as possible - the envelope arrived to the NY office and was signed for early May 13 (last Monday).
> 
> ...


My spouse got a similar passport request last week from the BHC in Pretoria - it didn't say that our appeal was successful, just that she should send her passport in as the ECM decided that our application should be 'considered further'. I don't know if that's what they say to everyone just in case they find something else wrong (but the language was more friendly than you would expect from the UKBA - it even started off "We are pleased...").

Anyway, whilst the passport request letter did state that it would take 15-30 days for settlement visa to be issued. I also looked around and found other people saying (relatively recently - i.e. in the last year) that they received their passport back within a couple of weeks of sending it in. Our advisor told us to expect to wait 3-4 weeks.


----------



## skinnie58 (Apr 3, 2013)

I would say that sounds positive. How did they contact your spouse was it, email, or a letter?

Thanks


----------



## Dogwall (May 14, 2013)

skinnie58 said:


> I would say that sounds positive. How did they contact your spouse was it, email, or a letter?
> 
> Thanks


My spouse got an email directing her towards a PDF letter as an attachment.


----------



## chicgeek (Jan 4, 2013)

In my email it indicated specifically that "your visa will now be issued", so they just needed to affix the visa in my passport.


----------



## skinnie58 (Apr 3, 2013)

Thanks, Dogwall and Chickgeek very useful information, I will keep looking out for emails from the UKB.


----------



## chicgeek (Jan 4, 2013)

skinnie58 said:


> Thanks, Dogwall and Chickgeek very useful information, I will keep looking out for emails from the UKB.


Good luck! Please keep us posted.


----------



## Dogwall (May 14, 2013)

If it's any help in my case the UKBA were given a deadline of 24th June to respond to the Appeal, and the letter requesting the passport be submitted back to the UKBA came in on May 16th, so just over a month before that deadline.

As for the distinction in my case where it says the application will be receive 'further consideration' rather than out and out 'your visa will now be issued', I don't know - and it's this line that's preventing me from getting carried away with thinking my wife will be able to join me soon. But that said, the advisors I spoke to (both the paid-for advisor I instructed in the appeal and the council-funded advisor I double-checked things with) are quite confident that the visa should now be issued, and the UKBA's own guidance seems to state that if an appeal has had its points addressed then the passport should be requested and the visa should be issued.

Fingers crossed.


----------



## chicgeek (Jan 4, 2013)

Still no sign of my passport with the issued visa. I wrongly assumed that since they asked for me to send it to them asap, and they requested a money order to overnight it back to me, that it wouldn't be sitting there waiting for processing that long...

Any luck on your end?


----------



## Dogwall (May 14, 2013)

Nothing with me yet - the letter did quote 15-30 days for a settlement visa to be issued, so am not panicking just yet as they only received the passport on Monday morning. It would be great if it's all sorted in time for our anniversary in the middle of next month. Fingers are crossed. 

And the fact that the letter stated 'further consideration' for the application is giving me a headache. Have we won the appeal or not!?


----------



## mark_T (Nov 28, 2012)

Chicgeek and dogwall,
congrats on getting a positive outcome from the appeal and thank you so much for posting about this.
we have appealed for my wife's settlement visa and our UKBA have been given until 25/26th june to respond as well. its good to know that UKBA may contact my wife via email rather than post.

hopefully, you will get the visa dogwall, so good luck.


----------



## chicgeek (Jan 4, 2013)

mark_T said:


> Chicgeek and dogwall,
> congrats on getting a positive outcome from the appeal and thank you so much for posting about this.
> we have appealed for my wife's settlement visa and our UKBA have been given until 25/26th june to respond as well. its good to know that UKBA may contact my wife via email rather than post.
> 
> hopefully, you will get the visa dogwall, so good luck.


Yes, I was notified by email, however my sponsor (indicated as my appeal representative in the UK) was not. About a week later we both got a letter in the mail from the tribunal indicating the end of the appeal because the original decision was overturned.

Good luck!


----------



## chicgeek (Jan 4, 2013)

FINALLY, a status report. Unfortunately, it looks like I won't get it this week, but at least I feel I can start packing my things.



> 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:
> ...


----------



## chicgeek (Jan 4, 2013)

Luck is with me! If they stick to their estimated delivery time, I will get my passport (with the newly-minted visa) TOMORROW. If this is the case, I'll be flying out next Wednesday. 

UPS: Tracking Information
I'm nearly sick with anticipation, and I might cry when I have it in my hands...


----------



## wannabe-uk (May 6, 2013)

Good luck!


----------



## chicgeek (Jan 4, 2013)

For the reference of others, as I couldn't find any info about passport return timelines after a successful appeal.

I got my passport with the visa today. From their receipt of my passport (New York) to my signing for it (Toronto), it took nine business days.

\o/


----------



## Dogwall (May 14, 2013)

That's excellent news. I hope my wife gets her visa from this passport request, and gets it as promptly as you did.


----------



## chicgeek (Jan 4, 2013)

Dogwall said:


> That's excellent news. I hope my wife gets her visa from this passport request, and gets it as promptly as you did.


I hope so, too! The things we need to go through to be with the ones we love... Good luck.


----------



## mark_T (Nov 28, 2012)

Congrats to both of you, and thanks you so much keeping us posted on the timeline, it gives us those that are still waiting an idea what to expect


----------



## Dogwall (May 14, 2013)

Anyone know if you can collect documents in person from BHC in Pretoria? My wife got notification that her passport is ready for collection and asked that she arrange with her couriers to have it collected. However, it seems that SA courier companies will only collect if supplied with credit card details for a card issued by a SA bank - and we only have credit cards issued by a UK bank, which they won't accept! We've tried phoning BHC Pretoria (impossible to physically speak to a person) and emailing them (no response).

Frustrating...


----------



## Dogwall (May 14, 2013)

Can anyone explain how you get a passport back from the British High Commission? 

The BHC asked that we include a return courier waybill with the passport on sending in (which we did). 

However when it was ready we got an email from the BHC to the effect that the passport was ready for collection and asked for us to arrange with a courier company for collection - the courier company wouldn't collect without SA credit card (UK credit card wouldn't be acceptable). Eventually we got another courier company to accept payment from a UK card (but only via their online booking - they refused at counter).

We then provided that courier company with an authorisation letter, and also emailed the BHC to advise them of the collection plans.

Problem solved? Nope - the BHC refused to allow the courier company to collect the passport. We haven't got to the bottom of why yet. But is it always this difficult?


----------



## Dogwall (May 14, 2013)

Managed to get the passport back from the BHC after a second trip there by the couriers - and it came with a Spouse Visa inside! 

Finally we can look forward to a future together in the UK!


----------



## chicgeek (Jan 4, 2013)

Congratulations! Finally!


----------



## skinnie58 (Apr 3, 2013)

Congratulations, Dogwall and Chicgeet I am really happy that your appeals worked out in your favour, I am still waiting to see if my fiancés appeal will be overturn, the 19 weeks ends 9 August.
Good luck for the future.


----------



## melbony (May 24, 2013)

I wonder if anyone has any advice for us.

We received our refusal letter today  

They said what was missing and I hope to have all missing documents ready to be sent off early next week.

My husband is due to fly to the UK August 17th from the US. 

What kind of timeline can we expect? 

Any advice would be really helpful please.


----------



## chicgeek (Jan 4, 2013)

Mel, check my posts for a full timeline. Mine took around five months, also missing documents.


----------

