Approved in principle?

[Pineapplelumps]

My husband is applying for a Partnership resident visa from the UK.

We heard from the CO that the visa was approved in principle - but was subject to them recieving a certified copy of his birth certificate.

What does it mean to be approved in principle?

After she has reviewed the birth certificate, can anyone give an idea on what the next step is after a visa is approved in principle?

Does it still need to be checked by another member of staff....or is this it?

Will we get instructions on where to send the passport via post or email?

Has anyone recently sent their passport from the UK? Roughly how long does it take to send the passport off and get it back? Is it still processed in London?

So many questions!

[diallta]

I understand that it means it is approved (congratulations!), they just need to verify your husband's birth certificate.

I believe that you will receive instructions to have the passport stamped somewhere more local (perhaps in London) and it does not need to be sent all the way to New Zealand.

Can I ask, how long ago did you submit your residency application?

[JandM]

Approved in principle means that everything about the application is good enough for the person to be granted the visa. It isn't described as approved till the person has gone through the final formality of submitting the passport so the visa label can be stuck in.

For the CO to have described your husband's case as "approved in principle", I would think the second-person check must already have been done. COs aren't supposed to tell an applicant their recommendation for the outcome of the application until after the 2pc has been done, for the obvious reason that if the the 2pc official finds any mistake, what the CO thinks about the outcome could be wrong.

Your husband will get an email or letter with instructions - it can be either.