Appeal Process Timings - Belgrade

[Dim]

Hi all,

My wife (Nigerian nationality currently living in Greece with work permit) applied for a spouse visa early Feb 2013 and the visa was refused on grounds of financial requirements (Date of Refusal 21/05/2013). We had only supplied payslips for myself to prove I earn more than £18,600. We should have read all the available information I guess.
Anyway, we appealled on the 3rd of June 2013 via the First Tier Tribunal and sent all the additional required documents (my payslips stamped by the employee,my bank statements and letter from my employer).
We received the letter for Notice of Pending Appeal from the tribunal, date on letter in 20 June 2013.
The letter gives the UKBA until the 31 October 2013 to reply/prepare (?). Exact wording is
"A Notice of Appeal was lodged on 3 June, 2013 against the decision of the Respondent (UKBA). A copy of the notice of appeal is enclosed.
The Tribunal directs the Respondent (UKBA) to file by 31 October, 2013 a copy of the notice of decision to which the notice of appeal relates, and any other document giving reasons for that decision, together with any application form, record of interview or any other unpublished documents on which you rely. You must serve, on the Appelant, a copy of all the documents, except for documents which you have already sent to the Appelant."
My questions are?
a) Does anyone have any experience with the Belgrade UKBA and knows if they will take all the available time before they reply?
b) If they decide to uphold the initial decision to refuse, how soon after this does the hearing take place?
c) Obviously we are hoping that the UKBA ECM will grant the visa in which case does anyone have any idea how long does that take?

Thanks for your help

[Dim]

I have one more question.

Is there any way of contacting the UKBA to request an update?

[Sally3134]

Hi Dim

I filed an EEA Family Permit application in Greece in September which was then sent to Belgrade for processing. The application was refused and we are now going through the appeal process.

Just wondering how your experience has been with the Belgrade UKBA.

Thanks

[Dim]

Hi Sally,
We applied early March and the visa was refused in June. The Tribunal gave the UKBA 13 weeks to decide whether they would reverse the decision (based on the additional paperwork we sent) or stick with the refusal. The deadline was for today. Last week the embassy at Athens contacted my wife and asked her to hand in her passport but they didn't know why Belgrade wanted it for. We are hoping it is because they changed their decision and they want to stamp it.
I am hoping they will contact us tomorrow to let us know what is happening! I will give you updated.
In general the Belgrade office used the whole allowable time to decide. 3 months before they told us it was rejected and 13 weeks to decide whether they will accept the appeal. I think they were (are) very slow to decide!