Certificate of Approval - Processing Time

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retromelissaJunior MemberUser avatar
Topic author
Posts: 27
Joined: 16 Oct 2007
Location: Cornwall

Certificate of Approval - Processing Time

Post Thu Nov 01, 2007 3:49 pm

I was wondering how long it actually takes to get one? I know the site states about 70 days processing time, but someone told me they got theirs in 2 weeks and someone else got theirs in 4 weeks. Has anyone here applied for one and how quick did you get it?
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ShaeNew MemberUser avatar
Posts: 4
Joined: 7 Nov 2007
Location: Edinburgh

Post Wed Nov 07, 2007 11:39 am

Heya - I'm not sure of the time exactly but I heard about 3 weeks. Are you thinking about getting married here? I'm trying to figure out how to work all the red tape of everything. May go down the route of marriage soon.
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retromelissaJunior MemberUser avatar
Topic author
Posts: 27
Joined: 16 Oct 2007
Location: Cornwall

Post Sat Nov 10, 2007 10:22 am

Yes we're going to get married here and then I'm going to switch to a spousal visa :D We'd though about going to Canada to marry as you don't need approval there, but with the cost of plane/train tickets we figured it might be better to just take our chances here. The people I've spoken to have said it's not hard to get a COA anyway :D 3 weeks isn't too long of a wait. I'm getting ahead of myself planning my wedding and I haven't even got the COA yet haha ^_^
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bonnieNew Member
Posts: 2
Joined: 7 Sep 2004

Certificate of Approval-How long does it actually take?

Post Wed Apr 09, 2008 2:15 pm

Hoping someone can help me out. I need to get a COA and have heard that it can take anywhere b/w 20-70 working days yet the home office is currently reviewing applications that were submitted in November 2007, almost 6 months ago! Has anyone gone through this application process recently? I'd like to get married in Sept this year and can't really book a venue if it's going to take approximately 6 months :(

any advice would be appreciated!

Thanks,
Bonnie
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deepaNew Member
Posts: 1
Joined: 19 Nov 2009

Re: Certificate of Approval - Processing Time

Post Thu Nov 19, 2009 5:45 pm

Mine took about 4-5 weeks to arrive
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fleur de duneNew Member
Posts: 1
Joined: 29 Dec 2009

Re: Certificate of Approval - Processing Time

Post Tue Dec 29, 2009 2:54 pm

Hi,

Im french and live in the uk. my fiance and me are waiting for a certificate approval since june 2009. We are still waiting! we have a sollicitor who said to us that we need this certificate to get married. Actually we are really ..worried!coz it takes a long time!6months now...
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TerryXX99New Member
Posts: 1
Joined: 18 Jan 2010

Re: Certificate of Approval - Processing Time

Post Mon Jan 18, 2010 3:47 am

Hello I'm British citizen and marrying a foreign national (not a Canadian, but that's not relevant). We applied for our COA in June 2009 also and because of a recent change in the law, many cases are being delayed. It's now January and we have heard nothing.
My fiancee overstayed her visa and is now an illegal immigrant. Of course if you apply and you are within your visa period your application will be processed fairly quickly. For overstayers it takes a lot longer as they need to see you are a genuine couple - living together - and not a fake marriage.
The UK Border Agency has come under a lot of fire recently because of slip ups and high profile mistakes (eg Baroness Scotland case) so we suspect all immigration oficers are ensuring nothing escapes their attention.
We also believe that if they have any doubts they will put the case "on hold" for a specified period and re-visit it. This is done to see if the couple is still together.
We had to submit an affidavit with proof of our relationship. We submitted 7 statements from friends/relatives who state we are a genuine couple and they have known us both for a certain period.
A couple we know were visited by the Home Office before Xmas and interviewed. They arrived at their house unnanounced at 7am, just as they got up. They stayed for an hour and interviewed them in separate rooms. They still have not heard anything.
Unfortunately with the huge number of sham weddings taking place most cases submitted to the Home Office are regarded as guilty until proved innocent.
Good luck all
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jgomez224New Member
Posts: 1
Joined: 9 Feb 2010

Re: Certificate of Approval - Processing Time

Post Tue Feb 09, 2010 5:34 pm

hello, am so interested on the thing you said about your fiance, i overstayed and i dont know what can happen with my status, do you know anything about it? I applied for my COA on september and i recieve a letter on October requesting the affidavits and that things, but in october i received a letter refusing my student visa, since then i decided with my fiancee stay together and wait for it, she is german and we have 1 year living together already, do you think we can have any problem to get the COA. tnks for any information
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HankalandNew Member
Posts: 2
Joined: 11 Feb 2010

Re: Certificate of Approval - Processing Time

Post Thu Feb 11, 2010 6:11 pm

Hello I'm EEA planning to get marry with my gf (non-European) in UK. We are applying for CoA and just wondering if it is possible to apply for it with visitor visa valid for 6months which my gf is holding. She's been here for 2months already.
It is really confusing about the requirement of applying for CoA [granted 6 months enter to leave] Is there anyone get a visa more than 6 months as a visitor? Because for visitor it usually got the [ENTER TO LEAVE FOR SIX MONTHS: EMPLOYMENT AND RECOURCES TO PUBLIC PROHIBITED]
Help help!!! please!! thank you!!!
million thanks!!!
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larensonNew Member
Posts: 1
Joined: 23 Feb 2010

Re: Certificate of Approval - Processing Time

Post Tue Feb 23, 2010 9:25 am

I submitted my application on 8 January 2010 and they have had my application now for 6 weeks and still no answer. I am American living in the UK with a Tier 1 Visa, and my fiance is Irish with rights to remain in the UK. When I call the phone number all they can say is that 65% of applications are completed within 4 weeks. So where does that leave me?! They will only give you a verbal update on your application if they have had it for 14 weeks! This is rediculous, as they have our Passports and we can't make any travel plans!
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