Just rang VOSA to get an update on my IVA application:

Took my cash on 18 May, just been informed that they are currently working on jobs from the 14th May!!!

So I guess it will be a week at the most before my application gets processed. Then assuming it is OK, then I am going to have to wait to hear from the test station which could be anyones guess

I've got 2 trips to India and one to Texas between now and the middle of July, so sod's law says the date will be during one of those!

Why do we bother?

Wait til you have to use the DVLA, they make VOSA look positively customer-centric

Don't worry too much, once you're stuff's passed on to the testing station you've then (in my experience) got a single human being to deal with who you can speak to on the phone to sort out a date. At our local station (Cardiff/Llantrisant) I had the tester's mobile number and he was very helpful.