Dont be disheartened,
Although my fiancé submitted his biometrics on 1/5/2107, my MP got a similar email yesterday assuring that the documents are with an ECO and I should get a decision in September- my case is straightforward and they did not mention background checks ,
So this letter is positive , I would however keep in touch with the mp as HO are answerable to the MP.
sol2uk wrote: ↑Fri Sep 01, 2017 1:01 amHi
I have been following this thread for a while and would like to thank everyone for their wishes of support and useful information. I am a British citizen surgeon earning well above the £18600, with a 3 bedroom house and no children. my wife is from Afghanistan, we got married in July 2016 and applied from India VFS New Delhi December 2016 as there is no option of applying from within Afghanistan. She has been in India in rented flats and a hotel since Dec 2016. I have visited her 3 times from London and shipped my father in law, mother in law, my mother at great expense so that she is not alone. I estimate that the total cost with my loss of earnings due to time off, flying people in to stay with my wife as well as her expenses and usual application costs solicitor IHS etc = £20,000. This in addition to the anguish of being separated 10 months in our first year of marriage and being apart from my beloved wife and spending our 1 year anniversary 4000 miles apart staring at our phone screens. Here is our timeline so far:
Type of Visa: Spouse settlement Visa (standard)
Country applied from: VFS New Delhi India
Date of biometrics: 19th December 2016
Received by Sheffield: 2ndJanuary 2017
8th March 2017: Case not straightforward email
23rd March 2017: Case on hold due to Supreme Court ruling
14th April 2017: Contacted UKVI Enquiry Service via email: Application currently in progress
18th April 2017: Contacted local MP
Phoned UKVI Premium rate number: 20th June 2017 case escalated
28th June: Email from UKVI - case on hold
Further multiple calls and emails to UKVI: response from UKVI 31st July 2017 - Home Office has paused decision making on some cases
Email to UKVI: Case escalation 2 : 4th Aug 2017
Further 6 months wages and details of accommodation sent to UKVI Offices in Sheffield
25th Aug 2017: due no response to second escalation - further calls to UKVI were made and they promised to make an escalation about failing to respond within 15days to my escalation!
30th Aug 2017: email received from MP office saying MP has herself written to Immigration Minister Rt Hon Brandon Lewis MP
30th Aug 2017: received possibly encouraging email from UKVI below:
" Dear **********
REF: **********
Thank you for contacting UK Visas and Immigration International Enquiry Service.
In regards to your escalation, we have contacted the authority that process you visa and they will be in touch with you within a couple of days on the process of your application.
Please keep checking your e-mail inbox including your junk and spam box.
Your patience will be highly appreciated.
Please note the onus is upon individual customers to ensure that they satisfy the requirements set out in the guidance material. The guidance material accompanies each and every application form. UK Visas and Immigration is not able to give, indicate or advise upon the outcome of any such application prior to it being given full and careful consideration.
Directing you to the guidance material is the only advice we can give you. If you need any further help you should seek independent immigration advice. Immigration advisers can help you with immigration matters, including completion of forms and representing you at a tribunal. The Office of the Immigration Services Commissioner (OISC) regulates immigration advisers, which means they must meet certain standards.
Kind Regards,
UK Visas & immigration
UKVI Contact Centre"
Question: am I right to think that they may have finally come to a decision following sustained pressure/enquiries from me and my MP for several months?