Supporting documents for all UK Visas to be digitally scanned from 15 June.

[Maradona 10]

17 minutes ago, simoh1490 said:

I know from our very first tourist visa application over fifteen years ago that telephone checks are NOT made on all applicants, as BB suggests if the application is straightforward it's often approved without any checks. The reason my wife was checked on this occasion is that she applied for a two-year visa and indicated multiple trips in that period.

 

Also, I don't know where the 96% figure came from but it might be out of context, I think 96% refers to the percentage of applications processed within 15 days, I'm not sure it refers to the approval ratio although 96% approval ratio seems entirely believable.

Nobody has suggested that calls are made on all applicants. Of course that doesn't happen.

[Maradona 10]

15 minutes ago, OJAS said:

I am getting the distinct impression from this thread that, not content with the all the additional bureaucratic inconvenience which HMG have chosen to inflict on us British expats living in Thailand in recent years (in particular when it comes to (1) passport renewal procedures in the case of those of us living some distance from Bangkok, and (2) the legalisation process for UK documents), they now seem determined to add to our miseries in the case of those of us seeking UK visas for our Thai spouses/partners at least. What might be next on their agenda, I wonder?

To be honest I've never quite got the 'I've got to get to BKK' as if it's some huge battle....you end up living on the other side of the world yet you can't get to BKK?

[OJAS]

10 minutes ago, Maradona 10 said:

To be honest I've never quite got the 'I've got to get to BKK' as if it's some huge battle....you end up living on the other side of the world yet you can't get to BKK?

It IS some big battle if you're not familiar with the layout of BKK and/or suffer from mobility issues like I do, thank you very much, matey!

[Maradona 10]

13 minutes ago, OJAS said:

It IS some big battle if you're not familiar with the layout of BKK and/or suffer from mobility issues like I do, thank you very much, matey!

Yet you managed to get to live half way around the world. 

[OJAS]

23 minutes ago, Maradona 10 said:

Yet you managed to get to live half way around the world. 

To achieve this end I followed a course which had become well charted to me after I had made several trips to Thailand prior to moving out here. In any event, travelling halfway round the world does not automatically convey familiarity with the layout of Bangkok on you, you know. 

[Maradona 10]

Just received this..it looks like a bit of a standard reply which I'm pinning my hopes on. As I said before despite being married with kids and a track record of a previous UK visit they will reject her on no property and no job, ie no reason to return. Looks like we will be in that 4%, funny that, and I'll be off to the UK on me tod, which does have its benefits anyhow, just a massive shame for the kids.

 

NOTIFICATION LETTER TO ADVISE THAT APPLICATION MAY NOT BE PROCESSED WITHIN SERVICE STANDARDS

Your Reference:   UKVI06 /  4783761 

 24/07/2018 

Dear  

Thank you for your UK visa application which has been received and is under consideration.  We aim to process applications:

Non-settlement within 15 working days
Priority Visas within 5 working days
Settlement within 60 working days. 

Dear Applicant, 

Thank you for your UK Visa application which is currently under consideration. We aim to process non settlement applications within 15 working days and settlement applications within 60 working days, unless you have opted for one of our priority services. 

Unfortunately, we will not be able to make a decision on your visa application within these service standards because we require further information to fully assess your application. We will contact you should we require any additional information from you.

Please be assured that we will continue to progress your application to enable a decision to be made as soon as possible. We will notify you by email once a decision has been made.

Please do not go to the visa application centre until you have been advised that your passport is ready for collection.  If you are applying in the Passport Passback category and have not already submitted your passport please do so as soon as possible as assessment of your application cannot be completed until this is received.

Replies to this email will not be answered. You will find our contact details at www.gov.uk/contact-ukvi-outside-uk.

We apologise for any inconvenience caused. 

Yours Sincerely 


Yours sincerely
UK Visas and Immigration
South and South East Asia Region

[simoh1490]

Not surprised at all, New Delphi must be swamped, it'll probably take months for it all to settle down. 

[puchooay]

18 minutes ago, Maradona 10 said:

Unfortunately, we will not be able to make a decision on your visa application within these service standards because we require further information to fully assess your application. We will contact you should we require any additional information from you.

A bit confusing.

[Mattd]

22 minutes ago, Maradona 10 said:

Unfortunately, we will not be able to make a decision on your visa application within these service standards because we require further information to fully assess your application. We will contact you should we require any additional information from you.

This is obviously a standard reply due to the fact that they cannot meet their SOP.

The quoted statement from the letter doesn't really make any sense IMO, in some ways it contradicts itself, they write that they need further info to fully assess the application and yet say that they will contact you should they require further information??!!!

Surely if they really did need further info, then rather than writing this BS, why not just ask for it, otherwise it just creates further delay!

 

[Maradona 10]

Just now, Mattd said:

This is obviously a standard reply due to the fact that they cannot meet their SOP.

The quoted statement from the letter doesn't really make any sense IMO, in some ways it contradicts itself, they write that they need further info to fully assess the application and yet say that they we contact you should they require further information??!!!

Surely if they really did need further info, then rather than writing this BS, why not just ask for it, otherwise it just creates further delay!

 

They may contact someone or an entity on the application, ie her previous place of work, or my mother, or even me. 

[simoh1490]

Perhaps read the statement again a few times because it makes perfect sense. They say they need more information to make a decision and they don't have that information yet, the source of it is not necessarily the applicant but maybe HM Gov. records or as in the case of our application, confirmation of the applicant's employment etc. 

[Maradona 10]

4 minutes ago, simoh1490 said:

Not surprised at all, New Delphi must be swamped, it'll probably take months for it all to settle down. 

If that is the case why not just say the visa will be delayed due to a heavy workload, surely they wouldn't worry someone for no reason just to save some face?

[Mattd]

1 minute ago, Maradona 10 said:

They may contact someone or an entity on the application, ie her previous place of work, or my mother, or even me. 

This is true, but IMHO this letter is a standard reply due to the fact they are not meeting their SOP, seems most applicants in the same timescale are getting this letter.

[Maradona 10]

Just now, simoh1490 said:

Perhaps read the statement again a few times because it makes perfect sense. They say they need more information to make a decision and they don't have that information yet, the source of it is not necessarily the applicant but maybe HM Gov. records or as in the case of our application, confirmation of the applicant's employment etc. 

Yes.

[simoh1490]

Just now, Maradona 10 said:

If that is the case why not just say the visa will be delayed due to a heavy workload, surely they wouldn't worry someone for no reason just to save some face?

This is Asia, not the UK, face saving is important here.

[Maradona 10]

Just now, simoh1490 said:

This is Asia, not the UK, face saving is important here.

Yea, yea. Give it a rest.

[simoh1490]

2 minutes ago, Maradona 10 said:

Yea, yea. Give it a rest.

You asked the question, I gave you the answer, don't tell me to shut up for doing that!

[puchooay]

Why get into a p%#@ing competition? If the applications are agreed and sent back in time for travel, what is the problem?

[Maradona 10]

1 minute ago, simoh1490 said:

You asked the question, I gave you the answer, don't tell me to shut up for doing that!

It was rhetorical. These aint your average Thai bods processing a visa for goodness sake, if they say they require further info then what's they need. You can't 'save face' to a stranger thousands of miles away, utterly ridiculous thing to come out with.

[puchooay]

3 minutes ago, Maradona 10 said:

It was rhetorical. These aint your average Thai bods processing a visa for goodness sake, if they say they require further info then what's they need. You can't 'save face' to a stranger thousands of miles away, utterly ridiculous thing to come out with.

But a service provider can save face, in the broader sense, to it's customers by not admitting that they are not within timescale by their own fault.

[Maradona 10]

3 minutes ago, puchooay said:

But a service provider can save face, in the broader sense, to it's customers by not admitting that they are not within timescale by their own fault.

Look, all I'm saying is I cannot believe they would worry someone unduly by pretending they require further info when in fact they are just slow processing visas. Read my posts I'm one of the biggest critics of these ECO's and refuse to believe 96% of visit visa's are approved, but no way do they just make stuff up. Plus someone here has just has there's processed in 12 days which suggests they are doing some in time.

[simoh1490]

3 minutes ago, Maradona 10 said:

It was rhetorical. These aint your average Thai bods processing a visa for goodness sake, if they say they require further info then what's they need. You can't 'save face' to a stranger thousands of miles away, utterly ridiculous thing to come out with.

VFS is an Indian company, they have a substantial government contract to manage visa applications in a range of countries within Asia. VFS has just made changes to their operation by centering their activities in New Delhi and things aren't working as planned, Service Levels are suffering.  Given all those things and if you were VFS, what would you do, send out the letter that they did send or confess to the HM Gov and all of Asia that you got it wrong! That, by the way, was a rhetorical question which does not end with a question mark! OK, I'm not going to argue this or any other point with you, I'm done with your attitude in this thread hence we're done, period.

[Maradona 10]

1 minute ago, simoh1490 said:

VFS is an Indian company, they have a substantial government contract to manage visa applications in a range of countries within Asia. VFS has just made changes to their operation by centering their activities in New Delhi and things aren't working as planned, Service Levels are suffering.  Given all those things and if you were VFS, what would you do, send out the letter that they did send or confess to the HM Gov and all of Asia that you got it wrong! That, by the way, was a rhetorical question which does not end with a question mark! OK, I'm not going to argue this or any other point with you, I'm done with your attitude in this thread hence we're done, period.

Oh, don't go. Miss you already.

[Maradona 10]

2 minutes ago, simoh1490 said:

VFS is an Indian company, they have a substantial government contract to manage visa applications in a range of countries within Asia. VFS has just made changes to their operation by centering their activities in New Delhi and things aren't working as planned, Service Levels are suffering.  Given all those things and if you were VFS, what would you do, send out the letter that they did send or confess to the HM Gov and all of Asia that you got it wrong! That, by the way, was a rhetorical question which does not end with a question mark! OK, I'm not going to argue this or any other point with you, I'm done with your attitude in this thread hence we're done, period.

It wasn't from VFS. You don't understand the process.

[Maradona 10]

Makes no sense. She had a visit visa issued in 2011 and since then we have got married and had another child..seven years on..so this application by all intense and purposes is surely stronger than the previous one?

[Mattd]

27 minutes ago, Maradona 10 said:

Makes no sense. She had a visit visa issued in 2011 and since then we have got married and had another child..seven years on..so this application by all intense and purposes is surely stronger than the previous one?

Yes, in theory the application should be stronger, however the guidance to ECO's for the issuance of visit visas has also probably got more stringent as well?

Couple this with the change to processing visa applications in New Delhi is almost bound to change the time frame and also the way the applications are assessed, it will be in line with the guidance I'm sure, but New Delhi UKVI will see / have seen a lot more fraudulent applications and therefore perhaps are more likely to scrutinise each application more than say Bangkok did?

[BeibeiBKK]

Thank you for all the discussions here, you all make my waiting less suffering.

 

Just want to share, I used the email service last night to contact the UK visa and immigration to check my visa status,  they responded me almost right away, and i got below messages:

 

"Thank you for contacting UK Visas and Immigration International Contact Centre.

With regards to your enquiry about the status of your application, I can confirm that we have made a decision on your application. We cannot discuss the outcome of your application on-line or by telephone. However the visa application centre will be in contact with you in regards to collection or delivery of your passport.

We strongly recommend that you do not buy a non-refundable, non-flexible ticket to the UK, until your visa application has been approved and you have received your documents."

 

My case is 6/29 application submitted, 17 working days no Emails or anything at all until I paid the email service to inquire.

 

Hopefully I will receive the email for collecting the passport in this week, and I will share the result here.

[Maradona 10]

10 minutes ago, Mattd said:

Yes, in theory the application should be stronger, however the guidance to ECO's for the issuance of visit visas has also probably got more stringent as well?

Couple this with the change to processing visa applications in New Delhi is almost bound to change the time frame and also the way the applications are assessed, it will be in line with the guidance I'm sure, but New Delhi UKVI will see / have seen a lot more fraudulent applications and therefore perhaps are more likely to scrutinise each application more than say Bangkok did?

I don't think the time frame has changed much, posters on here getting decision within 15-20 days. Fwiw, I'm 11 days in.

[mnop]

If it is any help; I will reiterate what I said in an earlier post; I have been hearing about people around my benchmark having already received their visas without that standard delay email. 

 

I did, however, receive that email last week (14 days in). It is also informed somewhere the conditions that do not make for a 'straightforward' application, in my case being denied Commonwealth visas in the past. Thus I have expected a delay and expect them to seek more information. So possible they mean what they say. 

 

That being said, it is now 18 days in (filed 28/06) and that email proves that the application is already under consideration. Nothing heard since, and no contact with my employers, sponsor or myself. 

 

I have this odd feeling there is a pile of freshly-stamped passports sitting at VFS and someone's not doing their job of sending out due texts. 

 

And a 2.5-hour window frame to collect your passport? That's just cruel. 

[mnop]

Can anyone confirm if VFS is open on Friday? 

 

Their website here of official opening days states they are open on Friday (or is this site referring only to the Delhi office?). Closed Monday. 

 

The staff in the lobby have no idea if they are open Friday. The staff behind the counters also claim to have no idea. The security guard, however, seemed to be assured they will be shut. 

 

^Speaking of, the VFS staff were happy to let me up the building with my receipt and inquire if my passport was there yet. This is following several calls to UKVI (by both myself and sponsor) where the only information they could give me was that I was sent an email saying it was under process. Inquiring about the outcome, they could only say the email said it 'was being looked at' (the one sent to me 6 business days ago). Wasn't very helpful.