1 September 2014
Effective 2 September 2014, UK fiancee, partner and spouse visa applications made from Jamaica and other Caribbean locations must be submitted to the UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) office in Sheffield. Applicants are responsible for sending the documents and should choose an appropriate method of posting as the UK Visa Application Centre in Kingston is no longer involved in forwarding completed applications to the UKVI for processing. Original passports will continue to be held by the British High Commission in Kingston while the application is being processed by the UKVI team in Sheffield. The UKVI Kingston office remains responsible for printing visa labels and advising the applicants of the outcome.
The UKVI have announced that the timescales for processing once all correct documentation is received will remain at their customer service threshold of no more than 15 working days for non-settlement applications, and 60 working days for settlement applications. Priority applications will continue to take 3 – 5 working days (10 – 15 for settlement applications). Once the application is approved, the visa will be printed in Kingston and will be posted to the applicant or it can be collected in person. Nothing else has changed in the application process and all applicants are urged to make sure that their documentation is correct before submitting the final package to the UKVI in Sheffield.