Hello, everyone. I am new to the forums, having married my Filipino wife on 12 May, and having applied for her UK settlement visa in Manila on 18 June. I am British, by the way.

I hoped to return to the UK with her, thinking the visa application would take only a couple of weeks to process, but then realised it could take much longer - so I had to return to the UK first.

I'm finding it quite difficult not only to be separated right at the start of our marriage, but also having no idea how long the visa decision might take. I saw the UKBA website, which says that settlement visa applications from the Philippines can take anywhere between 5 days and 90 days to process! My question is - does anybody have any idea which applications might be quicker to process, and which might take a longer time? For example, would more complex cases take longer? Our case is relatively simple in that we have no children, etc. Would visas granted be quicker than visas denied? I know I am clutching at straws, but any information on the likely time of processing for my wife's visa would be very much appreciated. If you already received your settlement visa, how long did it take you, and why do you think that was?