LONDON VISA OFFICE - TRUE OR NOT TRUE - PROCESSING TIME LIMIT

[SadGirl:(]

I've heard this rumor and I just wanted to know if it is true or not . . .

I've heard that for those whose applications are being processed at the London Visa office, is it true that if the applicant attends an interview that London will wait until 8 months elapses after the interview date before they send out the request for the passport?

I'm skeptic about this, but at the same time I'm praying that it is true.

 

[SadGirl:(]

Anyone know if this is true or not???

 

[whoopi83]

Hi sadgirl,

There is nothing available on the web that leads me to believe that this is true. I would imagine that each case and each interview is judged on its own merit. It may be that one or two people through London have waited 8 months to hear, some may have waited 8 months to have the interview, but in either case, there is no evidence to suggest that London operates by this rule.

It does appear that many non British citizens get called for interview via London and then get stuck on background checks. There is nothing CHC can do about this unfortunately.

Be positive, I really am sure you will get some news soon.

Do not despair. )

 

[UK2TO]

We just applied via london, and am really worried that there will be delays. we are having our wedding in july 2010 and hope everything is complete by then.... my wife is non british applying from london.

its unfair that applicants that are non british applying from london tend to be longer.

Sadgirl i hope you hear something good news. after hearing stories like this i wish i would have applied in-land, don't mind taking a year or more, but atleast ur together....i've already applied now as you can see the time line....

 

[MARLENA]

Sadgirl you are still waiting??? Why it takes them so long..... it's so unfair!!!

 

[SadGirl:(]

Sadgirl you are still waiting??? Why it takes them so long..... it's so unfair!!!

Yeah Marlena, unfortunately I'm still waiting. I don't know why they are taking so long. I'm so depressed!!!

How are things going with you and your husband?

 

[Prodigy4299]

Hey SadGirl!

Sorry to hear about your delays. We are also going through the London office, so I will let you know as soon as I hear something from them. For now, though, just know that our thoughts are with you at this difficult time. It's difficult for all of us and hopefully through this community we'll be able to support each other.

 

[Suin]

Have you tried to make a personal visit to your visa office?

 

[ariell]

Where did you hear this rumor?

I would have to agree with Whoopi. I would highly doubt that there is any set time limit before requesting your passport. It just wouldn't make any sense. Each application is unique and is processed as such. If everything is finished processing 2 months after an interview, why would they wait another 6 months to request the PP?? And if for whatever reason, they have not completed processing in 8 months after the interview, they are certainly not going to request the PP until they have processed everything.

EDIT:

Ok, I think I figured out where this 8 month figure comes from since I saw a comment to you on the trackitt forum -- that person suggested that 8 months is the MAXIMUM that London can keep your application before finalizing it which is simply not true unfortunately. I think that figure comes from the timelines posted on the CIC website which say that average processing time for the London office is 2-8 months. But those are simply averages to give you an estimate of how long you can expect to wait but they are definitely not a guarantee that your application will be finished within that timeframe. By saying that 80% of cases are processed in 8 months just means that most cases are processed within that time, but unfortunately 20% are not. I'm sorry, I wish I had something more encouraging to tell you. Is there anyway that you could go live with your husband in the UK while his application is in process?? Just an idea....

 

[rjessome]

Not true. From reading your prior posts, what I gather is that this now has nothing to do with the London visa office. They are waiting for the security clearances and that's in the hands of CSIS now. Even the courts can't compel CSIS to "hurry up" as the legislation gives them the authority to do what they deem necessary. So, the bad news is that London is waiting too. Wish there was something I could tell you as you've got to be so sick of people saying "be patient". Patience is NOT one of my virtues either.

 

[ariell]

Sadgirl: Did you ever order your CAIPS notes and if so what did they say??

 

[MARLENA]

Sadgirl I'm doing great. Just came back from my vacation with my husband. He is landing the end of November. I can't wait. I know it's hard but have patience. Have you tried contacting your MP and requesting the status on your application???

 

[SadGirl:(]

Sadgirl I'm doing great. Just came back from my vacation with my husband. He is landing the end of November. I can't wait. I know it's hard but have patience. Have you tried contacting your MP and requesting the status on your application???

Oh Marlena, congratulations!!! Just a few more weeks left and your husband is finally going to be in Canada! I'm so happy for you!!! I can only imagine how excited you must be! If it were me I would be able to sleep for the next month from how excited I would be!

As for visiting my MP, yes, on October 23rd I made a personal visit to my MPs office and spoke to the person in charge of the immigration cases. She got in contact with London and she forwarded London's response to me. London is apparently still awaiting the results of routine background checks. However, the good news, they received my husband's second medicals. She told me that if my husband or I do not hear anything within the next three months (by the end of January 2010) then it is very important for me to get in contact with her again. What more can I do . . . I went to my MP, I assume that this is the highest level, I don't know what else to do! I'm just praying that my husband hears something within this month.

When we started this entire application we assumed that everything will go smoothly and we would be finished within the average waiting periods -- we never thought that our case would be one that would take such a long time. I'm so frustrated with London!

My last personal contact with London was on September 29th. I called up the man that conducted my husband's interview and asked him for the status of my husband's case. He read me out everything that was done to date on my husband's case. He told me that my husband's background in Iraq, meaning his education, his work, his military services were all cleared. He spent 5 months in Russia, but that was when he was doing his education in Iraq so it was cleared when his education was cleared. Then he told me that your husband spent time in Syria and we have not gotten anything from that period of time yet. My husband spent 6 months in Syria and then from there he moved to Sweden where he still is now.

What upsets me the most is that way back in June, at the end of the month, when I contacted the man that conducted my husband's interview, he told me that the background checks came in and that the case is with an officer up for a decision and that by the time he gets back from his leave my husband's visa should be ready to be issued. After a few weeks past when the man that conducted my husband's interview came back, I got in contact with him to see what's going on and why haven't we heard anything (like he said we would). He told me that a decision was made to conduct further background checks. Since July 27th until today it's the same story. This is just not fair! I didn't know what else to do except get in contact with my MP's office to see if they can help.

I don't know . . . I don't know what to do . . . I'm going to pull my hair out from all this waiting!!!

 

[SadGirl:(]

I know that CSIS conducts the background checks, but when CSIS sends in the results to London, is it not London that says whether it should go for further background checks or everything is okay and we can issue the visa??? I don't think that it's entirely CSIS's fault for the delays . . . I believe that London does have a hand in it. I also think that if my husband was in Syria and our application went through Damascus, it probably would have finished sooner than the time it has taken so far. Unfortunately, I just feel that London discriminates a lot. I just pray that everything will be finished by the end of this month.