Normally, the standard UK spouse visa processing time is from 3-6 months (on average) if you are making the application from outside the UK and 6-8 weeks (on average) if you are making the application from inside the UK. But recently, the Home Office changed this to 24 weeks, or 6 months!

See below their message we have received from UK Visas and Immigration recently:

” Thank you for applying for a UK visa. Your visa application has been received and is under consideration. We are writing to inform you that due to the humanitarian crisis caused by the invasion of Ukraine, UKVI is prioritising Ukraine Visa Scheme applications. This means that customers applying for other routes will experience some delays in the processing of their application. We have therefore made the decision to temporarily amend our Marriage and Family service standard to 24 weeks, from our usual service standard for this route of 12 weeks. This means you should get a decision within 24 weeks (120 working days) from the date you attended the Visa Application Centre to give your biometrics, rather than 12 weeks.

We are working to reduce the current processing time as quickly as possible and we apologise for any inconvenience caused. Where there are extremely compassionate or compelling circumstances (for example, a medical emergency), we may consider expediting specific cases. However, the bar for this is high and will be assessed on a case-by-case basis. If your request is exceptionally urgent you can contact https://www.gov.uk/contact-ukvi-inside-outside-uk for help.

Please note that this is a chargeable service for overseas customers. For all other customers you will be contacted when a decision has been made and your passport is ready for collection at the Visa Application Centre.“

This means it will take many applicants longer than expected. If you have a complaints to the Home Office, you can try to call their Customer Contact Centre on 0300 790 6268 or email complaints@homeoffice.gov.uk. In your email, please include your full name, date of birth and nationality and Home Office reference number. Alternatively, contact your MP by typing your postcode in this link https://members.parliament.uk/FindYourMP. Tell your MP why you’re complaining. Good luck.

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