UK settlement priority visa application service will speed up processing in Australia and New Zealand
Australian and New Zealand residents who are applying for a UK fiancee, spouse or partner visa are now able to get their settlement application fast tracked by the regional British High Commission in Manila. It is important that applicants understand that this priority service is not a guarantee of approval. What it does is put the applicant to the front of the processing queue. It also does not make any difference to the high standards required for granting a UK marriage visa, so anyone who has a previous failed application or have a criminal record or any other problem that is likely to result in the application being turned down is urged not to go to the extra expense of AUS$390 per applicant. This fee will not be refunded under any circumstances and must be paid online in advance. Proof of payment must be sent with the application and it is not possible to pay the fee later once the UK marriage visa application has been made.
The premium settlement application refers to timescale only and all applicants are still required to include the correct paperwork when submitting an application to the UK Border Agency (UKBA). As long as there is no problem with the paperwork or the application in general, payment of the fee generally means that the application can be completed within ten working days of the arrival of the paperwork in the UKBA Manila office. Anyone applying must include the receipt for the payment and it helps to write ‘Priority’ on the envelope. The ten day estimate does not include time spent in the postal system, in either direction.
The premium settlement application may take longer than the estimated ten days if there has been an earlier refusal by the UKBA to grant a UK visa or if the applicant has been denied entry into the UK. In cases in which the applicant has overstayed a period of leave in the UK or has been refused entry or has been deported, they may encounter delays despite paying the priority service fee and the application could be denied. If there are any underlying problems, checks will need to be made and this could cause considerable delay. This will apply to all those who have been refused a visa for Australia, Canada, New Zealand, United States of America or the Schengen countries in the past or has been convicted of a criminal offence anywhere in the world. It is always vital to thoroughly check all paperwork before sending off any UK marriage, partner or fiancee visa application because if anything is missing, out of date or incorrect in any way, there will be extra delays, payment of the premium fee notwithstanding.
