kaysus:
Greetings all,
Been a silent follower for the last 4/5 months and I have to say the information I gathered on here was immense. Thanks to @lexusgs430, justwise and co. God bless U all. Here's my time line for anyone interested..
Application submitted: 14th May, 2019 @tls Ikeja
Priority/non-priority: Priority
Biometrics: 6th June, 2019
Email stating " application transferred to UKVI: 6th June, 2019
Email stating "application currently being prepared for consideration": 19th June, 2019
Email stating "application assessed": 16th July, 2019
Email stating "passport ready for collection": 16th July, 2019
Passport collected with visa: 17th July, 2019
(Vignette: 18 July - 17 August)

Altogether 29 working days from biometrics despite my initial fears about few minor errors. What a journey it's been!

Goodluck to everyone still expecting good news.

Congratulations............

profemebee:
i was going to type this......

Please get ur certificate covered with ur IELTS or UK Naric certificate/letter..

Also make sure you use the right test for IELTS as this thread has shown the wrong test can lead to refusal too...

Any stories from applications done February - May 2019?
I heard summer is a busy period for them ECOs... lets stay positive ..

Yes ooo, bcs that money too big to do trial by error put

[quote [quote author=Lexusgs430 post=80363685]

kaysus:
Greetings all,
Been a silent follower for the last 4/5 months and I have to say the information I gathered on here was immense. Thanks to @lexusgs430, justwise and co. God bless U all. Here's my time line for anyone interested..
Application submitted: 14th May, 2019 @tls Ikeja
Priority/non-priority: Priority
Biometrics: 6th June, 2019
Email stating " application transferred to UKVI: 6th June, 2019
Email stating "application currently being prepared for consideration": 19th June, 2019
Email stating "application assessed": 16th July, 2019
Email stating "passport ready for collection": 16th July, 2019
Passport collected with visa: 17th July, 2019
(Vignette: 18 July - 17 August)

Altogether 29 working days from biometrics despite my initial fears about few minor errors. What a journey it's been!

Goodluck to everyone still expecting good news.

Congratulations!!!

kaysus:
Greetings all,
Been a silent follower for the last 4/5 months and I have to say the information I gathered on here was immense. Thanks to @lexusgs430, justwise and co. God bless U all. Here's my time line for anyone interested..
Application submitted: 14th May, 2019 @tls Ikeja
Priority/non-priority: Priority
Biometrics: 6th June, 2019
Email stating " application transferred to UKVI: 6th June, 2019
Email stating "application currently being prepared for consideration": 19th June, 2019
Email stating "application assessed": 16th July, 2019
Email stating "passport ready for collection": 16th July, 2019
Passport collected with visa: 17th July, 2019
(Vignette: 18 July - 17 August)

Altogether 29 working days from biometrics despite my initial fears about few minor errors. What a journey it's been!

Goodluck to everyone still expecting good news.

Congratulations �

Is there any reason why it took a bit longer to get biometrics done?

Congratsssssssssss.. happy to see a successful application

Great question about why the biometrics was done later..

Also, please can you share the checklist/docs you used for the application? and the Sheffield address Used to post ur docs..

S3 8WA or S3 8NU?

Congrats once again... priority service is sweeeet ooo..

Univas01:


Congratulations �

Is there any reason why it took a bit longer to get biometrics done?

my dear!!!

the period of payment and processing will forever remain in my heart lol

MamaEEE:



Yes ooo, bcs that money too big to do trial by error put

profemebee:
my dear!!!

the period of payment and processing will forever remain in my heart lol

Yes ooo, but I can sense small small, u r a little bit scared or too anxious from ur different write ups, I might b wrong dou ... Even from ur last congratulatory post. If u keep asking to know what pipo submited den u find out u did not have dat in urs , the thing go give you headache oooo ...
U don do ur part let God favour u and us all

i'm sorry ooooo

u got it right ... just waiting and praying.. cos i don tire..

oya make we wait..

lol

MamaEEE:



Yes ooo, but I can sense small small, u r a little bit scared or too anxious from ur different write ups, I might b wrong dou ... Even from ur last congratulatory post. If u keep asking to know what pipo submited den u find out u did not have dat in urs , the thing go give you headache oooo ...
U don do ur part let God favour u and us all

Hello guys, i honestly must thank everyone here for sharing there experience and helping the newbies to overcome the challenges ahead...

Also i am so glad to be here and following this page!

My Question; i will by God's grace be marrying my fiancé sometime in October this year, we intend to use an immigration lawyer from the UK to help guide us through the visa application.

What can we be doing now before marriage as regard to the visa applications? Should we start the processing before wedding date or wait til after the wedding?
Also can we do the application ourselves and succeed without using the immigration lawyers?

@justwise @lexusgs430 pls help out

Thanks

Johnath:
Hello guys, i honestly must thank everyone here for sharing there experience and helping the newbies to overcome the challenges ahead...

Also i am so glad to be here and following this page!

My Question; i will by God's grace be marrying my fiancé sometime in October this year, we intend to use an immigration lawyer from the UK to help guide us through the visa application.

What can we be doing now before marriage as regard to the visa applications? Should we start the processing before wedding date or wait til after the wedding?
Also can we do the application ourselves and succeed without using the immigration lawyers?

@justwise @lexusgs430 pls help out

Thanks

If you have money to waste...... Use a lawyer....... If not, do the legwork yourselves...........

For staters, read this thread thoroughly.........

99% of successful applicants on this thread.... Never used lawyers.......

Hmmm... Thanks for that...

Lexusgs430:



If you have money to waste...... Use a lawyer....... If not, do the legwork yourselves...........

For staters, read this thread thoroughly.........

99% of successful applicants on this thread.... Never used lawyers.......

Johnath:
Hello guys, i honestly must thank everyone here for sharing there experience and helping the newbies to overcome the challenges ahead...

Also i am so glad to be here and following this page!

My Question; i will by God's grace be marrying my fiancé sometime in October this year, we intend to use an immigration lawyer from the UK to help guide us through the visa application.

What can we be doing now before marriage as regard to the visa applications? Should we start the processing before wedding date or wait til after the wedding?
Also can we do the application ourselves and succeed without using the immigration lawyers?

@justwise @lexusgs430 pls help out

Thanks

Kenttoday:
Happy Friday all.

We are about to submit the application and I wanted you to check the details to be sure we have put all necessary supporting documents for assuming we submit application on the 15th Feb

Applicant's
IEITS A1
TB test
Nigeria passport page
Two sized passport photo
Cover letter from applicant




Sponsor
Tenancy agreement for studio apartment (To start on the 12th Feb..I hope its ok?)

Letter from estate agent that husband can move in provided he has completed an immigration check

Letter from estate agent that I have just moved to property and contract is 6 months

Cover letter from me explaining that I have now moved from parent home

Council tax

7 month pay slip (most recent 25 Jan, I hope its okay and within 28 days)

Employment contract

Letter from employer

7 months current bank statements

Letter from bank to say this is my bank statements (bank said they cant stamp, is that okay please?)

Cover letter from sponsor



Proof of relationship
Whatzapp call chat history
Whatzapp call history
Marriage certificate
Pictures
World remit receipts
Support letter from friends and families
Hotel receipts
Other receipts
Wedding IV
Wedding program
Wedding website


To add
IHS
Priority receipt for application(if we do)
Completed application form
VAF...
Sponsorship undertaking


Please is anything missing ??

@Johnath,

I don't know how useful you may find this but we found it useful when we were putting our documents together.
@Kenttoday dropped it on 08/Feb/2019.
If you and your fiancee can get all or most of the documents, and they are within the 28 days rule, the only thing you can do is to believe God and get busy while you wait after biometric.

NB: All I have done here is a suggestion and will never replace what the UKVI will ask of you, please.

MamaEEE:



Yes ooo, but I can sense small small, u r a little bit scared or too anxious from ur different write ups, I might b wrong dou ... Even from ur last congratulatory post. If u keep asking to know what pipo submited den u find out u did not have dat in urs , the thing go give you headache oooo ...
U don do ur part let God favour u and us all

Actually, by providing those information might be very helpful for those who are planning to put in an application

@kaysus
If you don’t mind, can you please answer those questions?

In addition, what are the major stumble blocks you came across prior to submitting the application? If any, how do you overcome them please?

Wow... God bless you! We are going to take this steps and give feed backs when we start the processe

chrysbees:


@Johnath,

I don't know how useful you may find this but we found it useful when we were putting our documents together.
@Kenttoday dropped it on 08/Feb/2019.
If you and your fiancee can get all or most of the documents, and they are within the 28 days rule, the only thing you can do is to believe God and get busy while you wait after biometric.

Kenttoday:
Timeline

Priority -Settlement husband (applied on 16th Feb)

Biometrics 26th Feb

Supporting documents sent by myself from the UK on the 28th Feb via royal mail
Signed for 1March

We have recvd your application, awaiting ECO email - 6 March

Decision made email from UKVI - 4 April

Pick up passport email from TLS - 5 April

Visa granted


To God be the glory!

I so much appreciate this forum, I discovered this group when we were getting ready to submit and was considering a lawyer but then discovered we were not ready so we waited till we got everything sorted. Hubby had to do the right English test and TB test and I had to move house to meet the accommodation requirements

@Johnath,

You can also see @kenttoday's timeline.
Is it not beautiful?
I admired the work she and the husband put into getting it at one touch.
You too can add to the great number of people that have replicated such successful timeline.

NB: All I have done here is a suggestion and will never replace what the UKVI will ask of you, please.

Lexusgs430:



If you have money to waste...... Use a lawyer....... If not, do the legwork yourselves...........

For staters, read this thread thoroughly.........

99% of successful applicants on this thread.... Never used lawyers.......

I didn’t quite agree with this, cases are treated by the home office differently based on individual circumstances.

I’m not denying the fact that applicants should try their best possible to submit an application by themselves but if you know your case is so much complicated, then there’s nothing wrong engaging a lawyer.

One thing you have to remember again is that, forum member don’t usually disclose all the material facts concerning their application, so therefore they put their case forward here on this platform with the happy path of their story and they get response from members based on that. I reckon it’s always a different ball game if they were to approach a lawyer.

PS: I’m not a lawyer.

Univas01:


I didn’t quite agree with this, cases are treated by the home office differently based on individual circumstances.

I’m not denying the fact that applicants should try their best possible to submit an application by themselves but if you know your case is so much complicated, then there’s nothing wrong engaging a lawyer.

One thing you have to remember again is that, forum member don’t usually disclose all the material facts concerning their application, so therefore they put their case forward here on this platform with the happy path of their story and they get response from members based on that. I reckon it’s always a different ball game if they were to approach a lawyer.

PS: I’m not a lawyer.

If you read this thread thoroughly, I have stated that if your case is straightforward, you never ever require to use a lawyer........

Going by OP's post, it looks like an uncomplicated application.....

If applicants are economical with the truth on this forum, the response they receive, would be based on the case they put forward.....

But stupidity would kick in, if you are not honest with questions, but apply honest responses........

I have known about 2/4 applicants that engaged the services of lawyers and spousal visa was still not granted..........

Univas01:


Congratulations �

Is there any reason why it took a bit longer to get biometrics done?

Was looking for a way to pay for priority all that time as tls did not register my account from where you'd usually access extra services. I later learnt from them at the vac that it was because I applied through the old visa4uk website. They gave me their UK bank account details and I had to cancel that appointment and choose to walk-in at a later date as i wanted to pay for the priority. Not just me, there are others here that had the same issue.

profemebee:
Congratsssssssssss.. happy to see a successful application

Great question about why the biometrics was done later..

Also, please can you share the checklist/docs you used for the application? and the Sheffield address Used to post ur docs..

S3 8WA or S3 8NU?

Congrats once again... priority service is sweeeet ooo..

[/b]
[b]Documents submitted:

Application form and appendix 2
Applicant's cover letter/Sponsor's cover letter
Application/IHS/priority receipts
Photocopy of applicants/sponsor's passport data pages

UK Degree certificate & TB test

UK marriage certificate
Daughter's birth certificate
Marriage/casual photos
Child dedication photos
Proof of money remittances up till 2017( I stopped using the bank in favour of a friend who lives in the UK and I explained in cover letter)
Whatsapp chat download/Screenshots of calls
Photocopies of applicants/sponsor's travel stamps to UK/Nigeria (no boarding passes or etickets)

6 months payslips (authenticated)
6 months original bank statements
Letter from employer

Tenancy agreement
Rent statement/ utility bills
??hope I'm not forgetting anything ?!??

One thing to note is my wife lives in a council house. The housing officer refused to issue any letter regarding permission to add another occupant. They directed her to one department instead and we were told to pay almost 200pounds and wait 10 extra days for inspection report we dont need. In the end we just decided to chance it and not waste any more time or money

UK Visas and Immigration, international
P O box 3468
Sheffield, United Kingdom
S3 8WA

And yes, priority is well worth it if possible.

kaysus:
Greetings all,
Been a silent follower for the last 4/5 months and I have to say the information I gathered on here was immense. Thanks to @lexusgs430, justwise and co. God bless U all. Here's my time line for anyone interested..
Application submitted: 14th May, 2019 @tls Ikeja
Priority/non-priority: Priority
Biometrics: 6th June, 2019
Email stating " application transferred to UKVI: 6th June, 2019
Email stating "application currently being prepared for consideration": 19th June, 2019
Email stating "application assessed": 16th July, 2019
Email stating "passport ready for collection": 16th July, 2019
Passport collected with visa: 17th July, 2019
(Vignette: 18 July - 17 August)

Altogether 29 working days from biometrics despite my initial fears about few minor errors. What a journey it's been!

Goodluck to everyone still expecting good news.

Congrats to you and have an awesome trip.

kaysus:



Was looking for a way to pay for priority all that time as tls did not register my account from where you'd usually access extra services. I later learnt from them at the vac that it was because I applied through the old visa4uk website. They gave me their UK bank account details and I had to cancel that appointment and choose to walk-in at a later date as i wanted to pay for the priority. Not just me, there are others here that had the same issue.

@kaysus,
Thanks for bringing up the discussion about payment for Priority Service.
We had the same challenge of paying for the priority service as we also used visa4uk to apply.

We got the TLScontact HSBC UK account after sending an email to them requesting for how to make the payment for Priority Service and they also told us via the email that it will take 3 working days for the payment to clear.

But here was what we faced and how we got through it.
After submitting the form online, we realised that we can't register or pay for AVS through TLScontact so we started exploring other alternatives.

1. Making the payment at VAC Ikeja, but they told us that they don't receive the priority service payment there.
2. Transferring from my Barclays Account to the TLS HSBC UK account but was getting error on the mobile banking app.
3. Transferring from my Halifax Account to the TLS HSBC UK account and was informed that the HSBC account cannot receive FAST PAYMENT.
4. Sent someone to walk into the HSBC BANK and make the payment but the transaction wasn't successful. The HSBC BANK staff told the person that the transaction cannot go through.

Then I started my mini research. Googled "FAST PAYMENT" and learnt so much. I
started searching for BANKS that offer FAST PAYMENT and saw so many, HSBC UK inclusive.
Upon continuous reading, I stumbled upon www.fasterpayments.org.uk/consumers/sort-code-checker .
Through the site I entered the HSBC BANK sort code for the account I was suppose to pay the money into and there I learnt that truly, I can't send FAST PAYMENT into such BUSINESS ACCOUNT.

5. I started discussing the option of using BACS credit/ debit payments or CHAPS payment with my spouse and we went the CHAPS payment route.

OUR REASON FOR CHOOSING CHAPS PAYMENT.
BACS payment will take 3 days to clear and we really don't want to waste much time before the biometrics having submitted the online application.

CHAPS payment will require an extra £15-£30 for it to clear same day the payment was made through Barclays Online platform so we went with it. We only paid extra £25 for the CHAPS payment, printed the transaction details and used Flexi appointment to do the biometrics the next day.

I hope this will help someone.

Hello Everyone! I am planning to apply very soon and I have started my application online. However, I saw a post indicating that visa4uk.com is old and that there’s a new website. How true is this please?

Hello good people of nairaland . I am new to this forum, it is through search to my problem I got this forum. I and my wife is confused and in big dilemma right now. We need advice and suggestions what we can do to solve the problem we are in right now. We never knew that this problem will come up like this and never knew that my wife will get idenfite leave this soonest. We lost hope on it. lawyers are charging us alot to solve the problem. (£1400)My wife is based in the UK. In 2013 she came to Nigeria we got married in court and did small traditional marriage .Then my wife spent three weeks bf she left UK and promise to fille spouse visa for me but my wife was refused indenfite leave two times in 2015&2017. I got frustrated staying alone ,so my family was contemplating calling off the marriage bc they need grand kids and me too need to settle down. I was also refused visiting visa twice bf I got married. So I re-applied again for visiting visa this May 2019 through an agent and the agent advice that I put single in the application instead of married. The reason the agent put single is that he said that home office will denied my visa application if I write that my wife stays in the UK and homeoffice will refuse it bc they might think I will not like to come bk again. So I agree to what the agent said, we put single. I got the visiting visa and travel around June. And also I and my wife deceided that I will not come bk bc my wife av been trying to conceive. My wife put in for her papers again, To the glory of God my wife was given Indenfite leave just yesterday .But the problem now is that i wrote I was single in my visiting visa application. Please house can my wife still apply for spouse visa for me using our previous court marriage certificate? Will the visa be denied bc of saying I was single in my visiting visa application? If my wife explain to ECO in cover letter will they give me spouse visa? Should I come back to Nigeria and apply for marriage visa, so that we can remarry again in the UK and then I go bk to Nigeria and the spouse visa will be filled? We spoke to my wife lawyer she said we can apply for spouse visa but need to explain all in cover letter to ECO why I decided to put single in my visiting visa application. Please I need suggestions and advise from the house. I and my wife are in serious dilemma. Please I will appreciate advice to this situation or suggestions on what can be done. Or is there any body that have lied in visa application and apologize and got visa? I really need to be with my wife so that we can start making babes. Thanks you.

Dee282:
Hello Everyone! I am planning to apply very soon and I have started my application online. However, I saw a post indicating that visa4uk.com is old and that there’s a new website. How true is this please?

Yes, there is a new website however, visa4uk still exist too. You can access the new online form via the link below;

https://www.gov.uk/uk-family-visa/partner-spouse

Read through, there is a link within the page that redirects you to start your application.

kaysus:



Was looking for a way to pay for priority all that time as tls did not register my account from where you'd usually access extra services. I later learnt from them at the vac that it was because I applied through the old visa4uk website. They gave me their UK bank account details and I had to cancel that appointment and choose to walk-in at a later date as i wanted to pay for the priority. Not just me, there are others here that had the same issue.

Thanks with the above information, will definitely be helpful for others. Could it have been different if it was just a standard application?

Could it be the case that standard or priority application actually determines the earliest biometric appointment date one could get, can you tell from your experience?

LuvlyIva:
So I agree to what the agent said, we put single. I got the visiting visa and travel around June. And also I and my wife deceided that I will not come bk bc my wife av been trying to conceive. My wife put in for her papers again, To the glory of God my wife was given Indenfite leave just yesterday.

What route did she use to obtain her Indefinite leave to remain? EU (Permanent Residence) or British (ILR)

LuvlyIva:
And also I and my wife deceided that I will not come bk bc my wife av been trying to conceive

Make sure you do not run out of your visiting visa before you apply for an appropriate visa category based on the information you gather. By the way, are you aware it impossible to apply for spouse visa whilst in the UK as a visitor? You need to apply from outside the UK as far as I can tell, make sure you're not given false information once again just as you were told to apply for visiting visa as a single person.

LuvlyIva:
Will the visa be denied bc of saying I was single in my visiting visa application?

I can definitely tell you this will amount to deception and could be up to a 10 year ban, think carefully about it if you're going that route.

LuvlyIva:
We spoke to my wife lawyer she said we can apply for spouse visa but need to explain all in cover letter to ECO why I decided to put single in my visiting visa application.

Yes, you can but it will be extremely difficult without engaging the services of a lawyer but it's doable. You will need to do a lot of research and read through the immigration guidance provided by UKBA thoroughly. I am a fan of DIY (Do It Yourself) but seems your case is slightly complicated.

The below link is a good place to start your research. It deals with how applications from families applying after 9 July 2012 under Immigration Rules, chapter 8, appendix FM, are handled by UK Visas and Immigration

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/chapter-8-appendix-fm-family-members

Univas01:


Yes, there is a new website however, visa4uk still exist too. You can access the new online form via the link below;

https://www.gov.uk/uk-family-visa/partner-spouse

Read through, there is a link within the page that redirects you to start your application.

Thank you for your response.
Does that mean I can use any of the two website for application? I can also see that the new website has all the details of VAF4A form, does this mean that I won’t need to fill the hard copy since there’s already a soft copy on the new website?

Univas01:


What route did she use to obtain her Indefinite leave to remain? EU (Permanent Residence) or British (ILR). Through British



Make sure you do not run out of your visiting visa before you apply for an appropriate visa category based on the information you gather. By the way, are you aware it impossible to apply for spouse visa whilst in the UK as a visitor?
I am very much aware[/b] .You need to apply from outside the UK as far as I can tell, make sure you're not given false information once again just as you were told to apply for visiting visa as a single person. [b]Ok. Noted



I can definitely tell you this will amount to deception and could be up to a 10 year ban, think carefully about it if you're going that route.



Yes, you can but it will be extremely difficult without engaging the services of a lawyer but it's doable. You will need to do a lot of research and read through the immigration guidance provided by UKBA thoroughly. I am a fan of DIY (Do It Yourself) but seems your case is slightly complicated.

The below link is a good place to start your research. It deals with how applications from families applying after 9 July 2012 under Immigration Rules, chapter 8, appendix FM, are handled by UK Visas and Immigration

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/chapter-8-appendix-fm-family-members

Many thanks for your respond. I appreciate. I will go through the link

Univas01:


Thanks with the above information, will definitely be helpful for others. Could it have been different if it was just a standard application?

Could it be the case that standard or priority application actually determines the earliest biometric appointment date one could get, can you tell from your experience?

No. There is no connection between type of application and the date of biometrics. This is because you choose the biometrics date while submitting your application. Priority is an added-value service which you purchase afterwards from their partner- tls -anytime before your biometrics appointment.

There are now new guidelines regarding sending/scanning of documents on https://pos.tlscontact.com/abv_en/index.php/


Please note that supporting documents sent to PO Box 3468 will not be accepted after 31 July 2019

Apparently you can now upload all supporting documents yourself.

LuvlyIva:


Many thanks for your respond. I appreciate. I will go through the link

It might have been a different case if your wife is in possession of a PR card as that will fall under EU regulations. Good luck all the same