PDA

View Full Version : The waiting game..it's over ..



Irelandken
25th June 2006, 20:42
hi folks, well as most of you have already experienced, or are heading down that route in the future, applying for spouse or fiancee visa can be a long drawn out process.
I guess my fiancee Josephine and myself are some of those lucky people who have the benefit of help from all those on the site that have gone through this process before us.
Although we have been in our relationship for a few years, we only applied for our fiancee visa on April 17 this year via hand delivered application to UKVACs when i was in filipines last time. Within 2 weeks of that we were given a date for interview for 7th June which is quite a long wait (when ur sitting by the phone) from processing our application. In fact we were given 2 dates 7th and 17th but that was just the usual crossed wires at UKVACs.
So as an avid reader of the site for quite some time, we had already gone down the suggested dummy run interviews, and made sure we had answers to all the questions those before us had experienced.
On the day of the interview Josephine was almost first in the que outside, and was called early for interview. In her words the ECO was polite and very nice. he told her there would not be trick questions and proceeded with the interview. Simple questions concerning when and where we met, where i lived, what my appartment was like, When and where the wedding was planned for. In fact, all the questions were actually worded as per the ones on the site, so There was no surprises. The only question asked which i think was stupid was, how long do u intend to stay in uk????? trick or what lol.
The whole interview lasted 10 mins and Josephine was told to wait outside. then was told there were local checks that needed to be completed and they would call her cell when they were done,(i thought they were all supposed to be completed before the interview?). That was 7th June. So even after the interview there's another waiting game, as if we need that. patients got the better of us after 1 week and we called only to be told that the checks were complete now but needed to be reviewed by the ECO. Another 10 days and we called again and after travelling around the telephone hell that is the british embassy phone systen we were finally told...OH YEA, UR VISA IS HERE WE'LL POST IT OUT.
Yes Yes Yes ....:xxparty-smiley-050:.... I started to celebrate right away but josephine knows filipines better and would'nt believe it till she got it in her hand, so thursday she qued up at 4.00 and waited. She was last to be called and said there were more people being refused than approved. but at last she got her Passport with the magic approval. What a relief. hopefully now we'll be together in a couple of weeks at the most. just the CFO now.

So... now we can finally plan our future, but we cant do that without one thing ....to say a huge thanks to everyone on the site, especially one guy who took the time to discuss a few concerns we had one 2 one...THANKS PETE. We both know without all you guys there we would probably have been one of the poor unfortunate couples josephine witnessed last week going home with their future plans in ruins.

I guess this adds another sucess to the site, and adds to the growing irish contingent of happy couples.
Thanks to everyone and good luck to all those still going through the process, listen to what people here tell you, they're the best chance you have. jez.....just noticed how long this post was.... i'm off to celebrate some more.....thanks folks :D :D from both of us.

baboyako
25th June 2006, 21:34
how long do u intend to stay in uk?????

I guess something along the lines of - "My husband says britain is full of rent seeking government scumbags, he tells me he can't wait to leave the place & set up life elsewhere" wasn't the answer they were looking for.:NoNo:


It's your big day today, so time to celebrate :xxparty-smiley-050::iagree:

rands
25th June 2006, 23:54
Hi Irelandken,

Congratulations to both of you!!! Happy Wedding soon! Welcome to the UK, Josephine!

Rands

equaliser
26th June 2006, 00:27
Great news Ken. It's good to see another guy from Northern Ireland get success first time round.

Hope you don't have to wait too long until you bring her over. I fly out this week to get Ashley.

Brian

Irelandken
28th June 2006, 11:53
Great news Ken. It's good to see another guy from Northern Ireland get success first time round.

Hope you don't have to wait too long until you bring her over. I fly out this week to get Ashley.

Brian

Well after all the waiting we had to do for the we just couldn't last any longer so, booked the flights yesterday and josephine will be here with me in 5 days. :D .. flying into london, spending a night there before introducing her to our lovely irish weather lol.

Eljohno
28th June 2006, 12:54
Well after all the waiting we had to do for the we just couldn't last any longer so, booked the flights yesterday and josephine will be here with me in 5 days. :D .. flying into london, spending a night there before introducing her to our lovely irish weather lol.

Hi Ken,

great news mate, i am so happy that everything has finally worked out for you. Maybe some of us Irish guys can meet up sometime in the Filipino cafe in Belfast when Josephine has settled in. Take her staright to a local mall and buy her a big heavy coat for the Irish summerB)

Irelandken
28th June 2006, 13:01
Hi Ken,

great news mate, i am so happy that everything has finally worked out for you. Maybe some of us Irish guys can meet up sometime in the Filipino cafe in Belfast when Josephine has settled in. Take her staright to a local mall and buy her a big heavy coat for the Irish summerB)

Thanks John. Have u been to the cafe since they moved premises? just opposite the telegraph. Nice place now but julie has not increased the variety of stock yet, although thats in the pipeline. I was there last friday for lunch and it's now quite a popular place with the local office workers too.
As for a get together, sure i'm all for that once josephine gets her feet here, and the weather shock wears off. How did Rhea find the change?

Eljohno
28th June 2006, 13:33
Thanks John. Have u been to the cafe since they moved premises? just opposite the telegraph. Nice place now but julie has not increased the variety of stock yet, although thats in the pipeline. I was there last friday for lunch and it's now quite a popular place with the local office workers too.
As for a get together, sure i'm all for that once josephine gets her feet here, and the weather shock wears off. How did Rhea find the change?
I think Rhea has had a mixture of good & bad days as its difficult enough getting to know your husband while living so far away from your own parents. She is working full time now which keeps her busy but under the circumstances i am very proud of how well she has done.

I have been to the new cafe a couple of times so far and Julie is very friendly. It is great that the place is much bigger but we have been unable to buy the big bags of rice since she moved so many trips to Tesco are made.

If Rhea or i can help with Josephine settling in then let us know..

Irelandken
28th June 2006, 14:48
I have been to the new cafe a couple of times so far and Julie is very friendly. It is great that the place is much bigger but we have been unable to buy the big bags of rice since she moved so many trips to Tesco are made.

If Rhea or i can help with Josephine settling in then let us know..[/quote]

Ah thanks for reminding me...better make that trip to argos for the family sized rice cooker and storage bin for the 25kilo bag of rice we're gonna need.:icon_lol: ...i hate rice already...lol

ginapeterb
28th June 2006, 15:52
Ken,

Go to http://www.british-filipino.com and see a message for you and Josephine !

Irelandken
3rd July 2006, 13:44
Ken,

Go to http://www.british-filipino.com and see a message for you and Josephine !

Thanks pete it's great to let everyone know we were successful in our application and it was a great surprise for Josephine to see your congratulations in lights on your site.
Right now she's somewhere over Iran i think on her way to Amsterdam Airport where she connects for her flight to london. I fly out tonite to meet her there then it's back to Sunny Ireland tomorrow :D .
Would u believe it cost almost as much for the flights from london to belfast as it was from Manila to London....go figure :Erm: !!!!! But it's worth it..