Decision

Thanks everyone!
Booked my ticket already and got it cheaply (£380). Yay!!!

Where did you buy your ticket and which airline was that, dane?

Skyscanner,
airline is QATAR AIRWAYS (from Clarke Angeles Pampanga - Doha - London Heathrow). If you book it directly with Qatar airways, it's almost the same price.
I've seen a direct flight from manila with Philippine Airlines under £400. Wanted that one but it's a hassle travelling to manila (traffic etc).
Flight date is 1st of February.

That's an excellent deal, well done

That's a great price for a return ticket.
Less than 4 weeks to go. You must be getting very excited?

I think it's a single ticket, Mike

To be honest, not that much, perhaps it's because my partner is still here with me (she's flying back on the 16th, couldn't get the same flight with her). Though, dreading to see what our apartment looks like after 4 months that I've been gone.

Yup! It's just a single ticket, but its cheaper than my last flight (London-Clarke/ £577).

Ouch

It's so expensive now

I applied last month Dec12. I sent them an email to ask if VFS had deposited my application and the reply was they don't have any update yet. I sent another email after Christmas but I didn't get any response from them. I sent another email yesterday, still no response from them.

I think that the Manila Visa Centre was closed between 19th December and 5th January to allow staff to return to their families in the UK for Christmas. It's possible that normal service won't be resumed until next week when all the staff will be back.

Thank you for the info Markham. I will try to email them again next week if I don't get any response from them after a couple of days.

Hi.. I got an email from UKVI regarding the status of my visa. It says that the visa application has not yet been assessed
by an Entry Clearance Officer (ECO). I've tracked my visa three times. The last two emails says the same thing and it's been a month now. Should I make a complaint through email or maybe call them? I'm so worried now

Remember that the visa process can take up to three months although most people here at BF have got the decision much earlier.

Sit tight, everything will be fine

Thanks Timmers. I was hoping they will say that they have received my docs from VFS and that they're going through all of it.

Most of us here at BF know exactly what you're going through and the frustration you feel. For me personally I didn't bother trying to contact the VFS as I knew it would just frustrate me even more.

It amazes me that such a country like Great Britain provides such a lousy visa service, I can only think they do it on purpose to put off prospective visa applicants.

But when you're in love and want to bring your loved one to the UK, a few little hurdles to jump over is a small price to pay

VFS and CFO Manila

Success

Spouse application submitted 21st Nov - Collected 19th Jan

E-mail that was received:-

From: MANILVisaInfo@fco.gov.uk
To:
Subject: OFFICIAL: UK Visa Application: UKVI-Manila Visa Hub (Ref: )
Sent: Tue, Jan 13, 2015

Your decision will be despatched shortly.
Passports can normally be collected from the Visa Application Centre after 3 working days
unless you have been advised it will be returned by courier or have paid an additional courier fee.

Well done should not be too far behind now with the spouse visa too