Issuing CAS for visa

Hi all,
I am supposed to start DPhil this October. Unfortunately, I need the full academic conditions met before they give me a CAS, which I need for the visa. My MA thesis is being delayed due to circumstances out of my control and I need to have a final grade in order to meet all conditions. So I'm really stuck. I can't book a flight, I can rent a flat, my husband can't find a job, and I'm worried that I won't have the visa in time to be there in time.
The department told me there is no way to issue the CAS without meeting all conditions, even if my current head of department emails them and assures them that my thesis is in good shape and will get a good grade. I do have a friend in St. Andrews where they were willing to look past this, so I assume it's related to the university and not the UK regulations. In many countries the academic schedule is very different than the UK, many people only submit their thesis in December the year after graduating, so the whole system here is not aligned with this need to have it ASAP.
Did anyone encounter this problem, or does anyone have a tip on what I can do?
Thank you!