Case Processing times for applications in the Philippines page 11 - Norway forum

pheebz0501 · 2015-08-23T15:16:01+02:00

Since the case processing times for us Filipinos are slightly different than most applications from other countries, i decided to start a thread dedicated for this topic. this will be a really long post, so please bear with me :) we all know that the Norwegian Embassy in the Philippines have the power to make decisions on family immigration cases provided that certain conditions are met. This means that we can get decision at a faster waiting time, unlike when an application is forwarded to UDI which can take up to 9 months (or more) which is what normally happens to applications submitted in other countries. Most norwegian embassies in other countries dont have authority to make decisions, so applications are automatically forwarded to UDI.. a change had also happened when starting Feb 2015, the embassy had outsourced screening/accepting of documents for visa applications to VFS global.. that means that applicants no longer meet the case officer for submission of documents, which in my opinion, makes the decision making part more objective since there will no longer be an "interview" of sort and they will just be looking at our papers (which basically what happens at UDI).. this also gives a day or two delay for the embassy to receive the documents from VFS.. i had started a thread about getting married in Norway while on a Visitor's visa... feel free to browse thru it if u need some info about that topic.. moving forward, previous posts had proved that some residence permit application (under family immigration) received a decision after 2-3 weeks of submission.. some took more than a month.. some cases had received an email from the embassy within the first week of submission, that their case will be forwarded to UDI.. I had read someone received the UDI email after 2 months... these are all Filipinas who submitted applications in the Philippines.. for my case, i had applied with my daughter (from previous relationship) and it had been 2 months now since i had submitted our documents.. after 6 weeks of waiting, i decided to call the embassy for a follow-up.. they said that they received my application 2 business days after i submitted to VFS, and its still under processing coz they are still waiting for information from the police. what it is, they cant tell me coz its an internal process.. on the 8th week of waiting, my husband decided to call UDI to know if we had already been forwarded to UDI.. they said that a month ago, the embassy needed information from UDI, and UDI already returned the case back to the embassy... and it is up to the embassy now if they will make a decision or forward it back to UDI if it turns out to be a more complicated case.. a friend here on expat-blog had an observation that it seems like those who had been to norway dont get a decision in under a month, she too had been told about the pending info from the politi... so i decided to do some research in the webiste of Norwegian Directorate of Immigration - UDI which is the website for updates coming from UDI.. i did some further digging about the "info from the police", and here's what i found: Section 17-7f The police At the request of a Norwegian foreign service mission, the Directorate of Immigration, the Immigration Appeals Board or the Ministry, the police shall provide information on the conduct, of a foreign national ..... .... Information on conduct in accordance with the first paragraph includes information about whether the foreign national has been sentenced to a penalty or other criminal sanction or other measures as a result of committing an offence, or is the subject of a criminal prosecution; see also section 36, first paragraph (1), of the Police Register Act. In cases under the first paragraph (m), information may also be collected about identity. At the request of the Directorate of Immigration or the Immigration Appeals Board, the police shall provide information about whether the applicant is being investigated for a criminal offence that may have a bearing on the application, in cases concerning suspension under section 62, second paragraph, of the Act and cases concerning expulsion under section 122 of the Act. The duty of the police to provide information under this paragraph only applies where the interests of the investigation do not argue against providing the information.source: Immigration Regulations - pdf file my assumption is that for those who had been to norway for a longer period of time or given number of times, part of their requirements is a "Certificate of Conduct" (vandelsattest/politiattest) of the applicant from the police.. the certificate can take up to 4 weeks to get from the politi/police.. so i suppose those who submitted their application in the Philippines, can take more than a month for a decision because of this particular requirement.. i had been to Norway for a total of 5 months divided into 4 vacations.. my theory is that those who had been to Norway for more than 3 months OR been going there more than once will need a certificate of conduct from the police.. this is just my assumption tho, based on what the embassy told me what part of the process my case is still "pending" and after reading the immigration regulations.. so i believe that those who get decisions in under a month, did not need a politi certificate of conduct (those who had never been to norway, or been there in under 3 months)... but for us who need them, need to add another month of waiting, or maybe less depending on how busy the politi is.. so until now, we are still waiting... :( its been 2 months.. please feel free to discuss your waiting times after u submitted ur application in th Philippines... :) i maybe wrong for my assumptions so feel free to discuss your experiences on this matter... thank you and i wish us all the best :thanks: :)

Case Processing times for applications in the Philippines

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Dianey07 Active member

Member since 22 May 2017

Dianey07Active member02 September 2019 09:35:40

#401

Hei,

Just want to ask, has anyone of you applied for the fianc茅 visa after August 1st? I am just curious how fast the approval is, now that all applications will be forwarded to the embassy in Bangkok.

Me and my boyfriend will apply the fianc茅 visa soon around first week of December. In the UDI site it says 5 months for the waiting time.

I hope you can share your experiences.

Thanks!

Kea Johnsen Active member

Member since 10 August 2014

Kea JohnsenActive member10 September 2019 22:02:44

#402

Hi Diane

It might take some time but generally, 4-5 moths is a normal waiting time regardless of it being processed in Bangkok or in Ph.

But cross your fingers that聽 will get a respond sooner than that. It can be possible.

Dianey07 Active member

Member since 22 May 2017

Dianey07Active member10 September 2019 22:11:31

#403

Thank you. Let鈥檚 just hope that it will be approved sooner than the usual waiting time.

Mariawes Member

Member since 23 March 2019

MariawesMember12 September 2019 05:03:29

#404

Hi my friend applied last july and she got approved just this september. The processing is okay its just the delivery of papers will add 4-5 days.

Ninzky9 Member

Member since 02 November 2018

Ninzky9Member12 September 2019 05:32:42

#405

Wow.. That was really so lucky of ur friend.. May i know what type of visa did she applied for.. And what date did she applied for..聽 Coz mine i applied last july also for family immigration.. And am really hoping also that i can be approved within this month.. At least before am. Allowed to travel.

casseyissay Active member

Member since 15 February 2016

casseyissayActive member17 September 2019 15:38:59

#406

Hello, I am also curious how long will it take now since hey moved the processing in Bangkok. Before the process is quicker (depends on the type of application). The longest is fiance visa, but I am curious about family reunification because mine took only 2 weeks to approved all of us 3 all at once. My sister now handed her application and so we will see how long will it take this time for a family reunifcation. I hope if anyone here gets approved will update us here so we can see how long we should pray for.

norbfwithfilipinagf Member

Member since 21 November 2019

norbfwithfilipinagfMember21 November 2019 22:19:37

#407

im a norwegian man dating a filipina

we wanted her to apply for a tourist visa to come here and meet me

this account is a throwaway, meant to give some peace to those who were in our situation only a few days ago, waiting in anticipation

applying for a tourist visa (no sponsor or meeting a friend etc.), philippines to norway:

get hotel bookings as well as flight ticket booking from a travel agency called Gazelle in philippines (so you dont need to pay for an actual expensive ticket to norway)
the visa insurance is valid in all schengen areas for the required amount set by UDI

make sure your itinerary is on point, dont give them an excuse to reject your visa applitcation

- she went to VFS manila 8. nov
- she went to pick up her passport (and approved visa) at VFS manila, 20. nov
total amount of days: 12

the application was sent from ph to the norwegian embassy in bangkok, and back again to ph

it took a total of 12 days (from the day she delivered her pass/application at VFS manila and getting it back, as well as the result)

hope this gives some solace to anyone whos currently applying for a tourist visa from ph, trying to come to norway, or in the future

casseyissay Active member

Member since 15 February 2016

casseyissayActive member22 November 2019 03:25:21

#408

Update about my sister's application. She sent her application for spouse visa (family reunification) last september 20 this year and she got approved november 13. It was a big surprise since it says on the UDI site that it will take 5months and up for the waiting time. Meaning everyone can still have a hope on fast approval even though it's the UDI are now processing the applications from the Philippines. 鈽猴笍

Supernintendo Member

Member since 05 March 2020

SupernintendoMember09 March 2020 10:55:29

#409

Hi everyone,

I hope this thread is still alive?

I just lodged my application for spouse visa March 5, 2020 in VFS Manila. My husband is Norwegian and we鈥檝e been together for 4 years. Married 2 years now. We got married in Norway but I live here. I called UDI, and it seems that all applications are now sent straight to UDI. The embassies in Bangkok and Manila do not handle any visa applications anymore.

casseyissay Active member

Member since 15 February 2016

casseyissayActive member09 March 2020 11:04:18

#410

Hi, yes now that's the new rules. Bangkok will immediately forward all visa applications to UDI aside from tourist visa. But yes, my sister waited for 7 weeks so hope you have less or atleast the same waitinhg time.

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