Well, I've submitted the online component of the visa application for settlement in the UK. It's been a very long time in the planning - finding out how much it would cost, when to apply, what documents we'd need as supporting evidence, and then getting everything together, making photocopies of the original docs we'd need to send off for our records (and having just done the application I realise we need ANOTHER photocopy of EVERYTHING we're sending so they can keep a copy, too).
I have an appointment in the city for them to collect my 'biometric data' on Monday, then I need to send everything off to get processed (it goes to a PO Box in Sydney, and they take it to the regional processing centre in Manila). Hopefully I will then have a visa!
(Processing times vary. this site says, "Settlement and Certificate of Entitlement to the Right of Abode are currently being dealt within 6 weeks." On the link, however, it says that, in March, 100% of the 97 applications for settlement were processed within 90 working days (plus 3-4 working days each way for postage and shipping). That's . . . FIVE MONTHS! However, 95% were processed within 10 working days, so let's hope mine goes smoothly.)
They can post-date the visa for up to 3 months from date of processing (i.e. if they approve my application on 20th June, the visa can start any time up to 20th September). I know my travel might be outside that date, but it's better to get in early in case my application takes longer (which it might, since I'm trans and who knows what they'll think of that).
I'm a bit adrenaline-y at the moment!
If you want to know more about the process, let me know and I'll type out a bit more.
