Visa issuing time-scales after interview

[bbale 0]

Hi there,

Finally having reached the final hurdle stress doesn’t seem to be dissipating.

I have a visa interview in London in a couple of weeks on a Monday. Does anyone have any guidance on how long it would take from then to get the visa (K1) in my hand assuming no problems?

I am thinking at the moment that I should be maybe booking flights for Friday of the same week although is this long enough?

Embassy, as expected, states not to make any travel plans until after you receive your visa however, as I am sure most people do, I am arranging interviews, weddings etc in advance.

We are going though London although experiences from other areas will of course give some indication also

If anyone has any recent experience we would be eternally grateful.

Thanks and good luck to everyone

B&S

[featherB 1]

If you have a look at some of the London timelines and some previous threads on the UK regional forum, you'll see that it can vary a lot... some people get their visas 2 or 3 days after the interview, but others have had to wait quite a bit longer (seems like waiting a week or so isn't all that uncommon). Maybe ask on there and see what people would advise... but it looks as though enough people end up waiting longer than expected that booking flights for the Friday might be a bit risky. It could be okay, of course... but if Thursday comes and the courier still hasn't shown up, how stressed are you going to be then?!

Much though it will pain my bank balance to do so, I'm going to resist booking my flight until I have my passport (complete with visa) in my hand. It'd really feel like tempting fate to me to book it before that - I'd rather pay a load more and book at the last minute than risk that kind of stress!

[GnG 0]

I am thinking at the moment that I should be maybe booking flights for Friday of the same week although is this long enough?

Congrats on getting to the interview - it is a great feeling, isn't it?

But think twice before booking your flight - a few days later will probably not be enough. Even assuming your visa application is approved at the interview (and this is sometimes a big assumption), there is no guarantee whatsoever the visa will reach you so quickly.

I had my visa on a Thursday and my application was approved there and then. I was then told by an embassy worker that although they couldn't guarantee it, there was a good chance that my visa would be issued that day and couriered the next. Overjoyed - and in hindsight, a bit carried away - I booked my flight for nine days later.

That was a mistake. My visa was not issued for another eight days, then there was the couriering. All told, I had to re-arrange my flight (and I had to pay to do this).

Unless you have some truly compelling reason to travel immediately and have a flight that you wouldn't have to pay to change, I suggest you either wait for your visa before making plans; or make those plans with plenty of time factored in.

Good luck!

GnG

[bbale 0]

This is all really helpful and many thanks

I have gone ahead and booked flights for the friday although have paid extra for fully flexible and added flight data onto the DS forms in the hope this helps.

I cant help but wonder though - If I have interview date does this mean everything is green now assuming i dont ####### interview which i wont as we genuinly met through work etc

Are they still doing their investigations at this point? Whats the likelihood of something going wrong at this stage. I am kind of getting the 'in sight of the finish line' nerves at the moment.

I feel total relief for getting to this stage although stress levels arent going down which is a bummer

good luck all