17 replies to this topic

[blondie08]

Hi we recently won appeal for my husbands visa. does anyone know how long it takes fro him to actually get his visa. We are waiting for istanbul to ask for his passport which he will take in person to cut out post time etc. once they have this how long does it normally take on average to get it back? We have been together 3 years, married since november last year and fighting for this for a year now!!

[Lucid]

hi , if you tell us what type of visa it is maybe others can try and add some views....

this is the 1st time i think we may have had a new member in this situation but we have a member who will know more im sure she will be along soon....

Edited by Lucid, 25 July 2010 - 12:44 PM.

[blondie08]

Hi again sorry forgot to mention it is a settlement visa. letter from judge recieved Friday 23rd July. Hubby now waiting to be asked for his pasport from Istanbul. I have previously had regular contact with the registrar in istanbul. would it be a good idea to keep emailing her about this? as i have a feeling if i dont email them daily! then this may take longer? The thing i really want to know is are there timescales for the visa to be issued? as there are with responses to visa applications and appeals etc?

[Fen]

Hi Blondie,

I think you're from UK, aren't you? Therefore I cannot help you much, since I'm from Finland and also things were a bit different but I can tell you how things worked for us so maybe it gives you some ideas as well. My boyfriend applied student visa for Finland and they said right away it takes at least 45 days to get answer. He got it about in 45 days but it might have taken longer as well depending on how busy they are. Anyway when he got answer that he'll get visa, he just went to embassy with passport and they gave visa immediately. They never took his passport and he was able to travel right after getting visa.

Anyway we found all time scales for visas in website of Finnish immigration services and website of Finnish Embassy in Turkey. Maybe you should also check embassy's website to find out something more.

ps. I'm not sure if understood your posts correctly since more and more I read them less and less I was sure what I read. So forgive me if I replied something completely weird.

[blondie08]

Hi Fen. Thanks for your information. Yes i am from Uk. We won appeal for settlement visa for my husband. I am just wondering what the timescale is to get the visa. I will try the uk embassy in istanbul website to see if it gives any info in this. Thanks again.

[Sirin]

Unfortunately, it can take up to 2 months. 1 month of that is that the period that the Home Office have to lodge an appeal against the appeal court's decision.

Then after that, the court write to Istanbul to ask advise them to issue the visa, and they contact your husband to ask for his passport to be sent in. The VAC's are not well known for their speedy procedures!

It's really frustrating after all it takes to get that far, that they continue to keep you waiting - but the end is in sight!

Congratulations on winning your appeal, and lots of happiness for the future.

[blondie08]

Hi Sirin , Thank you so so much for your reply. Most helpful information. Just not to happy of course at having to wait another 2months as we miss each other sooooo much. Is that the longest we will wait or is it possible to get it quicker? IE: can the home office state that they are not going to appeal before the first month is up? and is it possible for the visa to be issued quicker as we have been told in the past and on other forums that it is possible to go to Istanbul in person with passport and have it stamped the same day while you wait? Thanks again x

[Abi]

Hi Blondie 08 and welcome to our forum, glad to hear you won your case. Would it be rude to ask on what grounds he was refused a settlement visa in the first instance. The reason I ask is that we do get people who are refused so it would be helpful if you could tell why he and how you manage to resolve the situation it would be helpful for others and improve our knowledge bank on that subject at the same time.

[Sirin]

Hi again blondie

I've heard of 7 weeks, I've heard of 9. I doubt that the 28 days would be reduced, but when they contact you to send the passport in, you may be able to arrange an appointment to go in and collect it. I don't know of anyone who has, but I'll ask around!

[blondie08]

Thanks for that Sirin would be much appreciated. I know Fen said earlier that her boyfriend just went to the Finnish embassy in Turkey and they stamped it there and then but whether that would apply to the Uk embassy is another matter.xx

Hi Abi. We were firstly refused because even though we sent an extremely large folder in with everything they asked for and more besides the ECo at the time stated he did not believe it was a subsisting marriage!!! and my husband had been married for 2 short months with another English lady and the ECo said this was not mentioned in our History letter. Also only 1 xmas and valetine card. I argued that the extensive socuments of emails . documents of 9 visits there in one year . 250 msn pages of contact, phone records etc proved beyond doubt that it was subsisting. Also argued that the history letter was to be about us so why would anyone mention a previous relationship especially as he had never applied for any visa previoulsy and why not ask why i didnt mention any previous relationshipo of mine? Aslo if you have only been together a year and a half before the application goes in of course there is only going ot be one xmas and valetines card as it is only once a year!!All of which the Judge agreed . I believe the whole refusal was an utter farce. the theory is they will attempt to refuse in all instances as they believe that if people are genuine they will keep fighting. this of course does not help with the emotional pressure and the anger and stress that we innocent people who love each other have to go through. My husband has been really ill for over a week now worrying about all this. But we always knew we would get through this as we both believe God is big and if your heart is pure and you are genuine you will win eventually. If anyone wants a thorough list of things they need to submit i will be happy to supply. Even the tiniest little things count like boarding card stubs etc. Also at Appeal stage i supplied a letter from the Doctor who has treated us both in turkey when we have been ill and the owner of the place my husband works. these can be very influencial and worth more to a judge than 500 letters from friends and family as they are from rofessional people. Hope this helps . If you need any more info ask away .

Hi again blondie

I've heard of 7 weeks, I've heard of 9. I doubt that the 28 days would be reduced, but when they contact you to send the passport in, you may be able to arrange an appointment to go in and collect it. I don't know of anyone who has, but I'll ask around!

Hi again Sirin just a thought: If the home office do decide to appeal how do we stand ? does this mean we have to go back to court and wait longer ???

[Abi]

Thank you very much Blondie, sorry it must have been hard to write that. It will though I am sure be good for people to know how horrible it can be to go throught but still win in the end.

I just want to wish you both good luck and hope the Home Office don't appeal and that you and your husband will soon be together again

[blondie08]

Hi Abi. Yes it was a little difficult. Feeling quite emotional. Just hope it helps people to know what could be in store and the pitfalls. Pretty sure the home ofice wont appeal as the judges really know thier stuff. well mine id anyway and he was fab. He even highlighted flaws and obvious faults in the ECO report where they had not given correct info and got names and dates wrong!!! Having said that we were sure as were all our friends and relatives that we would get his visa no problem due to extensive folder and it being clear we are totally in love and committed but we still ended up in appeal court so you just never know. Im trying to prepare for the worst as i have lost all faith in the system. It is certainly flawed and needs re evaluating.but until then the fight goes on x

[Sirin]

Blondie

Your story is so common - and yes, that is a theory that I have long held, that in cases where they doubt or they just want to make things a little more difficult, they refuse and wait to see if there will be an appeal. I have only ever heard of one unsuccessful appeal (but lots of successful ones) and the unsuccessful one was related to the couple being under 21.

Sorry if I've inadvertently worried you - I highly doubt that the Home Office will contest this - it wouldn't be a good use of their resources. A lot of the time they don't even send a representative to the appeal hearings.

Not long now, and you'll be together.

[blondie08]

Nice to know someone is on the same wavelength as me. they really need to consider innocent people who have led a decent law abiding life. even when you give proof of that as we did they still judge you as guilty of a crime as being not genuine!! This cant be right for so many people suffer through this system. I have personally learned a lot since this started and feel for people in the future as i know what they are going to have to face. The home office did send a representative to my appeal and believe me he was so horrible , had me in tears several times as i represented my husband myself, but the judge was very understanding and helpful. The judge will intervene if they think you are being intimidated in any way as in my case. My daughter came with me for moral support and could not believe the things the home office guy said to me. the judge called a break and when he went out i was about to leave the room but the HO rep made me sit back down and verbally attacked me saying he would do everything possible to stop the visa as that was his job! how rude!Felt like telling the judge this when he came back but did not as i didnt want to get on the wrong side of the HO Rep for fear of them appealing against the decision. Hence my loss of faith in the system. Having said that the judges are extremely impartial and very understanding of what people are going through and the pressure they are under. Hope this does not scare people off as the HO are there to do a job at the end of the day BUT some are over zealous with this. Anyway cant wait to get hubby by my side we have been through so much and are so much stronger for it and more in love than ever.xx

[Sirin]

Blondie, that's an awful experience. When all this is over, maybe you might want to complain about that guy - I wonder how many times he's done that to someone who was too scared and upset to stand up to him? I've heard of applicants being asked about their sex life, which is definitely not allowed.

To intimidate you like that is totally unacceptable - It's one thing to do your job, but even a job like that can be done with a little compassion.

If you're at all interested in helping other people who are going through what you have, I know a site that would really benefit from your help! (clue, see my signature).

But as you can see, a lot of people come here asking for help, so it will give hope to people who have been refused to hear from you.


Chin up - he'll be here soon.

[blondie08]

Hi Sirin, think i understood what you meant about the site. Have emailed you about it. I would like to think that not all the Ho reps are like that but sadly think a few may well be. And yes once this is all over i will be pursuing my issues with this particular HO rep. It is obvious they want to say no to every visa applicant but then why do fakes get through so easily. Read so much case law on this it is sickening when innocent people are suffering. Even had many conversations with the UK Tribunal employees who have made shocking verbal statements re this.
Anyway I will keep my chin up and hope hubby gets his visa soooooon. On a good note if you have to fight so long and hard for something like this and your relationship just gets better and better that just shows its worth fighting for. Its certainly made our love and commitment stronger than ever. For those of you going through a difficult time right now, stay strong, the truth will out and you will succeed with the right help and support.

[Lucid]

hiy guys...very interesting read....we reside in Turkey FT and dont intend to settle in the UK BUT i wonder if this same theory applies to those Turk males who were refused visitors visas initially for a holiday then apply again a couple of yrs later ( with same person as sponsor/partner or at least different family member but same partner)...

''the theory is they will attempt to refuse in all instances as they believe that if people are genuine they will keep fighting. this of course does not help with the emotional pressure and the anger and stress that we innocent people who love each other have to go through''......well said!

i do hope this theory works for those who apply a second time around for a mere visitor visa...especially if its in very different circumstances now (married / FT job /savings...) ...we can only hope....
anyone else been refused a visitor visa previously then granted one for a holiday?....
good luck blondie

[blondie08]

Hi Lucid, with regard to the holiday visa. I spoke to the uk tribunal people and the embassy in turkey re applying for a family visit visa while we were waiting. I was told that we can apply for any type of visa at any time regardless of already having an application in. HOWEVER i was advised not to apply for the Family visit visa as they said becasue we already had the settlement application in they would not view the family visit visa favoourably in that they would ask themselves is he likely to return to Turkey when the family visit visa runs out. I stated of course he would as we would not want to jeopardise our settlement application. They said the HO dont look at it like that they would think well he does not want to return to Turkey as he wants to say here so chances of him going back they would see as slim. DOUBLE STANDARDS spring to mind dont yu think? why say you can appy for it and then in the next breath state your chances of getting it are slim to none!!!!????? Hence we never bothered applying for the family visit visa.