UK visa application processing time


guseliz

Member
Mar 12, 2009
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Singapore
Anybody ever apply UK visa from Singapore? Understand from the website it takes up to 15 working days. Now i'm wondering if anybody can get it faster than that or not.

Thanks
 

Anybody ever apply UK visa from Singapore? Understand from the website it takes up to 15 working days. Now i'm wondering if anybody can get it faster than that or not.

Thanks

Hmmm they need a visa nowadays? Back in 93-98 they didn't require one for Singapore passport holders. Suppose things have changed now.
 

I'm not a singapore passport holder hence need one :(
 

i just talked to my indonesian colleague, took him 2 weeks.

and no, singapore passport no need.
 

Can you be a bit more precise? So which passport do you hold?

Sorry for not being precise/detail.. am just too busy/stressful now.. I'm an indonesia passport holder.
I have a confirmed business trip to Amsterdam scheduled to fly off on 28 apr but planning to visit friends in UK after that. Submitted my UK visa on 3 apr but still have not applied my Schengen visa (visa for other countries in europe). Now wondering if i should withdraw my UK visa application or not if it takes that long.. Worse still i also heard it takes up to 20 working days to withdraw.. :'(
 

Anybody ever apply UK visa from Singapore? Understand from the website it takes up to 15 working days. Now i'm wondering if anybody can get it faster than that or not.

Thanks

still got time one ah, since you have applied what is the issue?
 

i just talked to my indonesian colleague, took him 2 weeks.

and no, singapore passport no need.

Serious?? Can u help me to check with him/her if the 2 weeks only for the approving part or inclusive the ready-for-collection?

This UK visa apparently dont have approving party here in Singapore. I heard it has to be mailed to Manila for the high commission embassy approval.
 

still got time one ah, since you have applied what is the issue?

The issue is i still need to apply for another visa for my business trip. Not sure can make it in time or not
 

I think the visa approval time for UK is very fast. They outsourced the process to a company.
Last time my ex colleague apply for one, its ready in 3-4 working days.
 

Aaaaaah ok that explains why you need a visa, TS.
 

Serious?? Can u help me to check with him/her if the 2 weeks only for the approving part or inclusive the ready-for-collection?

This UK visa apparently dont have approving party here in Singapore. I heard it has to be mailed to Manila for the high commission embassy approval.

i think 2 weeks inclusive of collection.
and yup, it's now done in manila - i think all South East Asia UK visa is processed there now.
 

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That explains why businessmen in corrupt countries simply love their corrupt officials. They just have to pay money and things are done instantly. They pass on these "admin" costs to their consumers. If they don't pay money then it takes forever or is impossible.
It is so ingrained that if you remove corruption from those countries, their entire system will collapse and cease to function.


The Whole SEA send to UK embassy in Manila to approve and then send back to various applicants in SEA countries?
Really? Wow. Someone purposely slow down the process. This in the age of Internet? Something is not right.
(edit) This is not the most efficient process, in an era of rapid Internet communication. It is difficult to justify this. (edit)

Why can't this be done in the British embassy in SG, if application is made here?
 

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That explains why businessmen in corrupt countries simply love their corrupt officials. They just have to pay money and things are done instantly. They pass on these "admin" costs to their consumers. If they don't pay money then it takes forever or is impossible.
It is so ingrained that if you remove corruption from those countries, their entire system will collapse and cease to function.


The Whole SEA send to UK embassy in Manila to approve and then send back to various applicants in SEA countries?
Really? Wow. Someone purposely slow down the process. This in the age of Internet? Something is not right.
Some one in the UK govt has engineered this so that he can take bribes.

Why can't this be done in the British embassy in SG, if application is made here?

i also can't think the rationale behind all this.

truly now am left hanging wondering with my application..

there's too much at stake.. not withdraw, i might not able to make it for my business trip event. withdraw, i have to forfeit my air ticket to London and visa fee :confused:
 

That explains why businessmen in corrupt countries simply love their corrupt officials. They just have to pay money and things are done instantly. They pass on these "admin" costs to their consumers. If they don't pay money then it takes forever or is impossible.
It is so ingrained that if you remove corruption from those countries, their entire system will collapse and cease to function.


The Whole SEA send to UK embassy in Manila to approve and then send back to various applicants in SEA countries?
Really? Wow. Someone purposely slow down the process. This in the age of Internet? Something is not right.
Some one in the UK govt has engineered this so that he can take bribes.

Why can't this be done in the British embassy in SG, if application is made here?

lol ricohflex... take a deep breath and relax... think happy thoughts...

from my understanding, because of the economic situation in the UK they've consolidated visa processing to countries with cheaper labor.
 

lol ricohflex... take a deep breath and relax... think happy thoughts...

from my understanding, because of the economic situation in the UK they've consolidated visa processing to countries with cheaper labor.

Bingo. Same with the German embassy, etc. It's cheaper to send it back and forth (many embassies have free postage on airlines too) and have it all processed from one central point.

So, ricohflex, please stop being so paranoid. There's not an evil corrupt politician behind every corner.
 

The visa application is reviewed and approved by British officers of the UK Border Agency.
It is not reviewed and approved by low wage Filipinos in Manila.
The idea of third world cheap labour does not apply.

Whichever angle you look at it, the process is nonsensical. It is bureaucracy run amok.

Do a document movement trace from the moment it leaves applicant's hands until the moment he gets the visa application result - and you will see how ridiculous the process is.

And that is only assuming there is no need to personally interview the applicant to clarify further.

Whether or not the airlines give free passage for embassy documents is not the point.

This is the official UK visa application time frame:

90 per cent of non-settlement applications within 3 weeks, 98 per cent within 6 weeks and 100 per cent within 12 weeks of the application date;
and 95 per cent of settlement applications within 12 weeks of the application date and 100 per cent within 24 weeks of the application date.

Let's take the UK 100% success rate for non-settlement time frame of 12 weeks. That is 84 days.

Surf a bit and you will discover that:
USA allows visa applications to visit US - through its various embassies. You can do so at the Singapore one. Time frame is 3 days.
Russia allows visa applications to visit US - through its various embassies. You can do so at the Singapore one. Time frame is 3 to 10 days.

The UK visa process (84 days) is extremely inefficient compared to the US (3 days) model.
 

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I think what's being said about cheaper labour may refer to the support staff
Plus it's also consolidation of effort, would it be cheaper to hire (3 x British officers in Manila) + (1 x office full of staff) OR [(3 x British officers in Manila) + (1 x office full of staff)] + [(3 x British officers in Singapore) + (1 x office full of staff)] + [(3 x British officers in Kuala Lumpur) + (1 x office full of staff)] + [(3 x British officers in another SE Asia city) + (1 x office full of staff)]...

Sorry, influenced by the theoretical world thread :D