Spouse Visa Settlement Priority Service Brazil

Matey · Post by **Matey** » Wed May 09, 2012 8:07 am

Hi

My wife has her appointment on the 14th May 2012 to submit her Biometric information and submit her visa application with the supporting documents at the visa processing centre in Rio De Janeiro.

We intend using the Settlement Priority Service. Does anyone have any idea how long it will take for them to process the application and issue the visa. The application should be straight forward as we used the services of an immigration lawyer.

Thank you

Post by **Lucapooka** » Wed May 09, 2012 10:54 am

It will be emitted within 24 - 48 hours. Rio is notoriously fast at turning around settlement applications so it would normally be emitted within a few days in any case but this service confirms that if the application meets the requirements for this treatment and is perfectly straightforward. At R$600, it's useful if you are on tight schedule to return to the UK or perhaps paying for hotel accommodation during the wait period.

I hope you used a UK-based lawyer as I am not impressed with the knowledge base of Brazilian immigration avogados when applied to UK visa applications. Obviously that's speaking generally so don't assume this applies to everyone. The bigger firms with UK affiliates can be okay.

Matey · Post by **Matey** » Wed May 09, 2012 11:35 am

Thank you for your reply Lucapooka.
The guy who put the application together was an ex UKBA who used to process visa applications.
He told me 10-15 days even using the priority service.

Thanks again for your reply.

Post by **Lucapooka** » Wed May 09, 2012 12:32 pm

If you are already physically prepared to wait up to 15 days then don't pay for the premium service. You should still get your decision much sooner than that (assuming it's as straightforward as you suggest).

Matey · Post by **Matey** » Thu May 10, 2012 7:15 am

I am just going to pay for the premium service, we don't want to take the chance and have to wait maybe another 3 weeks for the visa.

Matey · Post by **Matey** » Wed May 23, 2012 12:52 pm

Hi Lucapooka

I was just wanting some advice, we still have not heard anything from the Visa processing center in Rio. When we check on the World bridge web site it just says 'Arrived at Vvisa section'.
I contacted World Bridge services and they replied and said 'Our records indicate that your visa application is still under review consular.'
The immigration lawyer said this is a straight forward application and the fact my wife is pregnant should make the application go through quicker.
Do you have any idea what could be wrong? I have looked at the figure on the ukba web site the figures say for April 2012 they made a total of 3 decisions on EEA family permits.

Thanks

Post by **Greenie** » Wed May 23, 2012 12:54 pm

are you applying for a spouse visa or an EEA family permit?

Matey · Post by **Matey** » Wed May 23, 2012 12:58 pm

Hi It is a spouse visa, but the guy (ex ukba) who put our documents together said it is a EEA family permit. The immigration lawyer uses this guy to put the application pack together. Up to the point of this guy getting involved it was called a spouse visa.

Post by **Greenie** » Wed May 23, 2012 1:00 pm

Matey wrote:Hi It is a spouse visa, but the guy (ex ukba) who put our documents together said it is a EEA family permit. The immigration lawyer uses this guy to put the application pack together. Up to the point of this gut getting involved it was called a spouse visa.

well the two things are different - so which is it? An EEA family permit is not a 'settlement visa'. You also don't pay for it. What is your nationality?

Post by **Lucapooka** » Wed May 23, 2012 1:01 pm

Did you use the settlement priority service? Does you wife have a previous immigration history wrt the UK? Your lawyer saying yours is a straightforward case is only a matter of his opinion. Saying that her pregnancy will make it quicker is simply not a statement that one would expect from anyone who knows and understands the process.

I agree with Greenie; you have to say what type of application was made and what is your nationality.

Matey · Post by **Matey** » Wed May 23, 2012 1:02 pm

It is a spouse visa, as i had to pay for it.

Post by **Greenie** » Wed May 23, 2012 1:05 pm

Matey wrote:It is a spouse visa, as i had to pay for it.

.

If you applied for a spouse visa, there is no point looking at the stats for an EEA family permit.

Assuming you are British, and have not been working in another EU country, you would not be applying for an EEA family permit. I would be seriously concerned that someone who you have paid to advise you is using the terms 'EEA family permit' and 'spouse visa' interchangably.

Matey · Post by **Matey** » Wed May 23, 2012 1:05 pm

Yes we paid for the settlement priority service. No my wife does not have any previous immigration history wrt the UK. She has been over here on vacation and left when the vacation was over.

Post by **Lucapooka** » Wed May 23, 2012 1:06 pm

So why are you saying it was an EEA permit? Did you pay (800ish pounds) for the actual application or just pay for the priority service?

Matey · Post by **Matey** » Wed May 23, 2012 1:20 pm

Sorry about ussing the term EEA family permit, that ex UKBA has got that into my head.
I paid the £800 and something for the visa processing fees, plus £188 for the priority service.

Post by **Greenie** » Wed May 23, 2012 1:23 pm

Matey wrote:Sorry about ussing the term EEA family permit, that ex UKBA has got that into my head.
I paid the £800 and something for the visa processing fees, plus £188 for the priority service.

well don't look at the processing times for an EEA family permit if you didn't apply for one. I would suggest speaking to the 'ex UKBA' who put together your application (why didn't the solicitor prepare the application?) and make sure he understands that you in fact applied for a spouse visa, not an EEA family permit as the documents required for the two applications are different.

No one can really comment on why you don't have a decision yet (although you haven't actually mentioned when you applied).

Post by **Lucapooka** » Wed May 23, 2012 1:24 pm

This delay is unusual for a priority service application in Brazil. I, and I suspect anyone else, have no ideas as to why or what factors may be contributing to this. We can only take your opinion that it is a straightforward case as a matter of faith. If you don`t hear anything soon you could try emailing the ECM.

E-mail: VisaComplaints.RIO@fco.gov.uk

Matey · Post by **Matey** » Wed May 23, 2012 1:32 pm

I emailed the immigration lawyer last Friday and asked if he could find out what the delay was. I told him i had been looking on these forums and he said don't beleive what you read on those sites. The process takes a lot longer, when i said the priority service supposed to be faster he said well it can take up to 15 days still.
Who is the ECM?

Post by **Casa** » Wed May 23, 2012 1:37 pm

ECM =Entry Clearance Manager. What forms did you submit for the application?

Post by **Lucapooka** » Wed May 23, 2012 1:50 pm

It can still take 15 days is pulling a number out of thin air as there is no reference for this. Going by the book, the settlement process can take up to 12 weeks and the priority service can only offer to better that time (no absolutes are cited).

However, anyone with experience of the Rio mission can tell you that a normal time frame for a settlement application can be about a week and the priority service is only a matter of days. I live in Rio and my experience is based on my regular contribution to and feedback from Brazilian immigration forums and communities where Brazilians are making settlement applications to the UKBA.

If it`s not your actual application that is the problems, there may be logistical issues with regard to the Olympics or some other issues that is retarding what is normally a very fast and efficient service.

Matey · Post by **Matey** » Wed May 23, 2012 2:47 pm

The visa application forms was the VAF4A, plus all the usual supporting documents. Bank statements, affidavits, copies of passports, my employment information, Travel itinerary for our trips, UK accommodation information, photos etc.

Lucapooka, i was thinking that it could have something to do with the Olympics and people applying for visitor visa. So if that is the case their applications will go ahead of everyone elses, as the British government will not want any embarrassing stories appearing in the newspapers about athletes not getting visa'a in time. Are you British Lucapooka?

Matey · Post by **Matey** » Wed May 23, 2012 3:10 pm

Hi Greenie

the application was submitted on the 14th May 2012, i mentioned that in my first posting.
The reason i was looking at the processing times for an EEA family permit, was i was told this is what the spouse visa is.
The immigration lawyer uses this guy to prepare the application as he is a "Expert in UK visa applications"
I knew nothing about this guy until i was ready for sending my original supporting documents to the lawyer, that is when he told me about this guy and said i had to mail everything to him.
Which at that point in the process was too late to start looking for another lawyer.

Post by **Lucapooka** » Wed May 23, 2012 4:22 pm

Brazilians don't need to apply for visit visas. How long have you known your wife? You said she was in the UK visiting but is that when you met and married?

Matey · Post by **Matey** » Sat Jun 02, 2012 11:19 pm

My wife got the visa yesterday 01/06/12, delivered by courier.

Post by **Lucapooka** » Sat Jun 02, 2012 11:50 pm

That's good for you but, nevertheless, is still quite a poor service for something that is deemed to be a priority.

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Spouse Visa Settlement Priority Service Brazil

Spouse Visa Settlement Priority Service Brazil

Spouse Visa Settlement Priority Service Brazil

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