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

[JamesH]

Public Holidays and Closures

Holidays	Date	Day
New Year's Day	01-Jan	Monday
Good Friday	30-Mar	Friday
Easter Monday	02-Apr	Monday
Songkran Festival	13-Apr	Friday
Songkran Festival (in lieu of Saturday 14 & Sunday 15 April)	16-Apr	Monday
Visakha Bucha Day	29-May	Tuesday
Asarnha Bucha Day	27-Jul	Friday
HM King's Birthday (in lieu of Saturday 28 July)	30-Jul	Monday
HM Queen Sirikit’s Birthday (in lieu of Sunday 12 August)	13-Aug	Monday
Chulalongkorn Day	23-Oct	Tuesday
King Bhumibol’s Birthday, National Day & Father’s Day	05-Dec	Wednesday
Christmas Eve	24-Dec	Monday
Christmas Day	25-Dec	Tuesday
Boxing Day	26-Dec	Wednesday

[wgdanson]

On 6/5/2018 at 4:41 PM, hansnl said:

Pay UK Visa's in US Dollars?

 

Someone ought to call up the Queen to complain. UK Visa = GBPs.

[wgdanson]

On 7/24/2018 at 2:08 PM, mnop said:

And a 2.5-hour window frame to collect your passport?

They will courier it back to you.

 

[Waterloo]

MIL applied for the priority 5 day service and attended Trendy on the 19th July, today day 5 received the following.

A little disingenuous as this is day 5 they clearly won't be meeting the target and having read the other posts just think we are getting the brush off because they can't meet their targets. 

 

 

 

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

Premium Visas (PV) within 5 working days
Non-settlement within 15 working days

Unfortunately, the processing of your application has not been straightforward and we may not be able to make a decision on your application within our PV customer service targets of 5 working days.  We will continue to progress your application and aim to make a decision within the normal customer service targets of 15 days.

We will notify you via e-mail once your application has been decided and despatched.

Please do not attend the visa application centre until you have been asked to do so.


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

[simoh1490]

It's the same story on all fronts, everyone is being delayed it seems, it makes a mockery of the VFS premium charges for faster service.

[Mattd]

9 hours ago, Waterloo said:

A little disingenuous as this is day 5 they clearly won't be meeting the target and having read the other posts just think we are getting the brush off because they can't meet their targets. 

Yes, the content of the letter changes, but it is the same message, we are not meeting our own SOP!

I wonder if those that submitted via the priority service are entitled to a refund of any sort if it takes longer than advertised and was paid for?

Edited July 26, 2018 by Mattd

[Mattd]

14 hours ago, JamesH said:

Public Holidays and Closures

Holidays	Date	Day
New Year's Day	01-Jan	Monday
Good Friday	30-Mar	Friday
Easter Monday	02-Apr	Monday
Songkran Festival	13-Apr	Friday
Songkran Festival (in lieu of Saturday 14 & Sunday 15 April)	16-Apr	Monday
Visakha Bucha Day	29-May	Tuesday
Asarnha Bucha Day	27-Jul	Friday
HM King's Birthday (in lieu of Saturday 28 July)	30-Jul	Monday
HM Queen Sirikit’s Birthday (in lieu of Sunday 12 August)	13-Aug	Monday
Chulalongkorn Day	23-Oct	Tuesday
King Bhumibol’s Birthday, National Day & Father’s Day	05-Dec	Wednesday
Christmas Eve	24-Dec	Monday
Christmas Day	25-Dec	Tuesday
Boxing Day	26-Dec	Wednesday

Actually, this raises a very good point, when they quote working days for visa processing, then which location do they refer to, India or Thailand, or both!

[Jip99]

15 hours ago, mnop said:

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. 

 

 

VfS Bangkok will be closed on Friday.

 

https://www.vfsglobal.com/italy/thailand/public_holidays.html

[Jip99]

40 minutes ago, Mattd said:

Actually, this raises a very good point, when they quote working days for visa processing, then which location do they refer to, India or Thailand, or both!

 

 

It will affect all sites...e.g.  27/30th India is not affected, but Thailand is......... so VfS and embassy staff (handling the visa sticker insertion) will not be working so the collection/dispatch part of the process will be delayed.

[Pat in Pattaya]

Delays all round after the big move West.

[Jip99]

4 minutes ago, Pat in Pattaya said:

Delays all round after the big move West.

 

 

Right across the board... a friend's situation:-

 

Visa approved 20/7, advised that the passport would be sent Monday 23/7...... sms received 25/7 to say the passport was at VfS for dispatch.

 

As at this morning still nothing showing on the EMS tracking system !!

[Pat in Pattaya]

3 minutes ago, Jip99 said:

 

 

Right across the board... a friend's situation:-

 

Visa approved 20/7, advised that the passport would be sent Monday 23/7...... sms received 25/7 to say the passport was at VfS for dispatch.

 

As at this morning still nothing showing on the EMS tracking system !!

Mmmm, not good...although it was only yesterday!

 

Hang on though, I never thought they said if the visa is approved, you always have to wait until you receive your passport to find out?

Edited July 26, 2018 by Pat in Pattaya

[Jip99]

10 minutes ago, Pat in Pattaya said:

Mmmm, not good...although it was only yesterday!

 

Hang on though, I never thought they said if the visa is approved, you always have to wait until you receive your passport to find out?

 

 

Yesterday indeed, but previously that passport would have got to Phra Kanong post office the same day and would bed at Korat overnight...... one day would not usually make a difference but (assuming it actually does get posted today) the recipient will not be able to collect it locally until Tuesday 31st, because of the impact of the public holidays.

 

My friend phoned UKVI and I think the call centre staff advised the positive decision in error; a subsequent phone call the following day was met with the standard "a decision has been made but we can't tell you..."  Just shows what a load of crap that is and see no reason not to advise the outcome - in a premium rate call, or the standard sms.

[yardrunner]

16 hours ago, wgdanson said:

They will courier it back to you.

 

no they will charge you for a courier delivery and then use the Thai post signed for(not a courier service)

[Denim]

22 minutes ago, yardrunner said:

no they will charge you for a courier delivery and then use the Thai post signed for(not a courier service)

True. Why don't they mention that in the first place?

Just doesn't sound as impressive.

Edited July 26, 2018 by Denim

[puchooay]

6 minutes ago, yardrunner said:

just another way of charging extra for a service that they do not provide

A service that you don't need to take.

 

The passports are sent by EMS. Same service as a courier.

[Pat in Pattaya]

6 minutes ago, yardrunner said:

just another way of charging extra for a service that they do not provide

For god's sake's man it's the way of the world, everyone is at it. You must be in despair from the minute you get up to the minute you go to bed if something as trivial as this bothers you.  I honestly wouldn't have even known or gave it a second thought, but some people just have to scrutinse (sp) absolutely everything. Can't even imagine what you must be like when buying a house or a car.

[simoh1490]

I'm beginning to wonder how substantial the delay will be, we submitted our application on 4 July and have already received the statutory email......anyone with an earlier submission date?

[Jip99]

12 minutes ago, simoh1490 said:

I'm beginning to wonder how substantial the delay will be, we submitted our application on 4 July and have already received the statutory email......anyone with an earlier submission date?

 

 

My friend's wife submitted on 4th July........ decision made 20th July.

[simoh1490]

1 minute ago, Jip99 said:

 

 

My friend's wife submitted on 4th July........ decision made 20th July.

Presumably, that was for a six-month visa, ours was for a two-year visa.

[Waterloo]

Seem to remember sum years ago that they were obliged to publish performance figures for previous months, does anyone know if they are still obliged to do this and were the figures are published?

[BeibeiBKK]

OK add my result for your reference:

 

Application submitted on 6/29

 

Email for picking up passport on 7/25 (said the passport has already been received at VFS on 7/23)

One year multiple entries general visa for 6 month duration stay granted.

 

18 working days in total, and it is so wired why the VFS received the passport on 23rd, but email me on 25, two days later instead?

 

Anyway Good luck everyone!

[Jip99]

4 hours ago, simoh1490 said:

Presumably, that was for a six-month visa, ours was for a two-year visa.

 

 

Yes.

 

I guess a 2 year application would have been little different......effectively 2 x 6m, 4 x 3m etc....

Edited July 26, 2018 by Jip99

[theoldgit]

A number of off topic posts removed.

[puchooay]

Application date 11th July. Email received today stating processed application received at VFS on 26th July. Passport on it's way by EMS. This is my wife's first ever application.

[Jip99]

25 minutes ago, puchooay said:

Application date 11th July. Email received today stating processed application received at VFS on 26th July. Passport on it's way by EMS. This is my wife's first ever application.

 

 

11 working days.

 

Presumably it will not move from VfS until Tuesday 31st................ neither the embassy nor VfS were working on Friday.

[mnop]

2 hours ago, puchooay said:

Application date 11th July. Email received today stating processed application received at VFS on 26th July. Passport on it's way by EMS. This is my wife's first ever application.

 

Wow, did you opt for a fast-track service? 

 

I applied 28/06 for a visit visa. Called them, emailed them, no interviews, no word... 

[puchooay]

6 minutes ago, mnop said:

 

Wow, did you opt for a fast-track service? 

 

I applied 28/06 for a visit visa. Called them, emailed them, no interviews, no word... 

No. Ordinary application using bronze service to ensure the passport is mailed to us. This is the first we have heard from them. No phone calls and no EMS.

[Pat in Pattaya]

Some quicker than others..not rocket science.

[Maradona 10]

4 minutes ago, Denim said:

Ah well , never mind. Pat has covered for you.

Don't sweat it. You'll get your visa . Patience is a virtue.

Of course I should get it, all I want to do is take the family to the UK for a fortnight for crying out loud.  refusal would be an utter disgrace to say the least. This whole process of keeping people waiting this long is shameful.