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

[Tony M]

2 hours ago, mnop said:

I can confirm that you can no longer make amendments in pen on your printed application form, as they don't scan that form. The people who deal with it in India take those details from online. 

 

I'd been there yesterday, having added some missing information in pen (with a note on the front page) as I had misread a question (anyone else notice the questions when filling out the form and the final confirmation form are worded differently?). Waited around (with much frustration as no one was clear on the procedure) and when called 2.5 hours after my appointment was scheduled for,  I immediately got told that the notes in pen would not be taken into account. I was welcome to submit the application anyway, but the risk of being accused for false information is far too daunting. 

 

They suggested I apply for a refund and re-start the application. Now the issue is, the submit button on the Apply for a Refund form doesn't seem to work. I found similar complaints online from over the past year. They charge you money to email or call them up for help. Can anyone advise how to go about this? 

 

The refund button can sometimes be made to work by using a different browser. It doesn't seem to like Chrome.

[Denim]

3 hours ago, mnop said:

I can confirm that you can no longer make amendments in pen on your printed application form, as they don't scan that form. The people who deal with it in India take those details from online. 

 

I'd been there yesterday, having added some missing information in pen (with a note on the front page) as I had misread a question (anyone else notice the questions when filling out the form and the final confirmation form are worded differently?). Waited around (with much frustration as no one was clear on the procedure) and when called 2.5 hours after my appointment was scheduled for,  I immediately got told that the notes in pen would not be taken into account. I was welcome to submit the application anyway, but the risk of being accused for false information is far too daunting. 

 

They suggested I apply for a refund and re-start the application. Now the issue is, the submit button on the Apply for a Refund form doesn't seem to work. I found similar complaints online from over the past year. They charge you money to email or call them up for help. Can anyone advise how to go about this? 

 

So....you had your appointment time ,  but had to wait for 2.5 hours while they decided  whether or not to allow you to make an

alteration ?

 

Or , you turned up for your appointment but had to wait 2.5 hours to be seen because of delays ?

 

 

[simoh1490]

A few notes on making the application for a tourist visa from Chiang Mai:

 

We finished the online part of the application today and were offered an appointment at VFS for tomorrow hence there is no wait currently.

 

It's not necessary to copy blank pages in old passports since the checklist at the end of the online application lists them by number and you are required to take the original passports with you to VFS.

 

 

[Denim]

Have to say that VFS have just redone their website and it is a big improvement of the one they had in early June which was absolutely terrible and somewhat confusing.

 

The new website has a much sharper look and is a lot less ambiguous.

[Maradona 10]

4 hours ago, simoh1490 said:

A few notes on making the application for a tourist visa from Chiang Mai:

 

We finished the online part of the application today and were offered an appointment at VFS for tomorrow hence there is no wait currently.

 

It's not necessary to copy blank pages in old passports since the checklist at the end of the online application lists them by number and you are required to take the original passports with you to VFS.

 

 

Why would you be taking copies of pages of old passports anyway? 

[simoh1490]

13 minutes ago, Maradona 10 said:

Why would you be taking copies of pages of old passports anyway? 

See the earlier discussion starting around post 57. There is a need to prove there is no adverse travel history, when we applied for a UK Settlement Visa in 2012 we were required to submit copies of every page of all old passports to ensure this was the case.

[simoh1490]

Others mentioned earlier that they found the application process confusing but I don't think it is, you have ample opportunity to complete parts of the application online and at your leisure and suspend work on it for days and weeks until you're ready to return and complete it. At the end there is a declaration page and then there is a web page that tells you to do specific tasks, one is to download the application and it STATES clearly that you don't need to bring it with you to the VFS appointment. The second thing you are told is to download a checklist which is different to the one posted earlier, this is a multi-page checklist rather than the single page list mentioned earlier.

 

The final step is to register with VFS and this is where things get a little bit confusing since VFS combines that registration with attempts to sell you various extra packages. But complete the registration and bypass all the sales stuff and eventually, you'll get a VFS "confirmation of appointment" page that must be downloaded and printed, you must take that with you to the VF appointment since that's your means of getting into the building.

[Maradona 10]

1 hour ago, simoh1490 said:

See the earlier discussion starting around post 57. There is a need to prove there is no adverse travel history, when we applied for a UK Settlement Visa in 2012 we were required to submit copies of every page of all old passports to ensure this was the case.

But you was talking about a tourist visa in your post that I quoted? This is not required when applying for a tourist visa, right?

[CeeGee]

VFS Thailand  Register page as of now

[CeeGee]

t's not necessary to copy blank pages in old passports since the checklist at the end of the online application lists them by number and you are required to take the original passports with you to VFS.

 

I think that might be an issue with the scanning, as I think I read that you have to copy old passports onto A4 paper to be scanned as only A4 sheets will be accepted.There does not seem to be any facility to actually submit the passports apart from copies on A4.

I may be totally wrong but that is my understanding from reading the application guidance

[CeeGee]

Having applied (My GF) for a number of visitor visas, I think the preceding 9 pages of discussion sums up the entire mess that the visa application procedure is.You have websites with conflicting information,scan or no scan, appointment letter or not ,no clear indication of the process.I notice that the original page that the OP listed is no longer available.You have no one you can ask unless you pay stupid amounts of money and then the feedback seems to say they are not very helpful.It seems that the UK Gov have borrowed the Thai phrase "up to you" when it comes to their guidelines.

If I were going on holiday somewhere and had to go through this to get I visa, I just would not bother.If you take the application process to get a visa for the USA,its a pain in the A** but it is straight forward and clear what you have to do.

After 10 years of applying on behalf my GF,I would have thought that by now I would find it a simple process but to have nine pages of do you or dont you just leaves me speechless.

Rant over, I feel a lot better now

ps for those interested, I had a thread where I mentioned that we put the wrong DOB on the application form.

I ending up sending an e mail(£5.48)to the help line who said they would pass the information on.I dont know if they did or not but the visa was granted with the correct DOB

[Maradona 10]

12 minutes ago, CeeGee said:

Having applied (My GF) for a number of visitor visas, I think the preceding 9 pages of discussion sums up the entire mess that the visa application procedure is.You have websites with conflicting information,scan or no scan, appointment letter or not ,no clear indication of the process.I notice that the original page that the OP listed is no longer available.You have no one you can ask unless you pay stupid amounts of money and then the feedback seems to say they are not very helpful.It seems that the UK Gov have borrowed the Thai phrase "up to you" when it comes to their guidelines.

If I were going on holiday somewhere and had to go through this to get I visa, I just would not bother.If you take the application process to get a visa for the USA,its a pain in the A** but it is straight forward and clear what you have to do.

After 10 years of applying on behalf my GF,I would have thought that by now I would find it a simple process but to have nine pages of do you or dont you just leaves me speechless.

Rant over, I feel a lot better now

ps for those interested, I had a thread where I mentioned that we put the wrong DOB on the application form.

I ending up sending an e mail(£5.48)to the help line who said they would pass the information on.I dont know if they did or not but the visa was granted with the correct DOB

Yep, totally agree, yet there will still be some that will tell you it's straightforward.

[simoh1490]

1 hour ago, Maradona 10 said:

But you was talking about a tourist visa in your post that I quoted? This is not required when applying for a tourist visa, right?

That is correct. Earlier it was unclear whether those blank pages were required to be copied or not, now we know they are not.

[CeeGee]

Just to clear up one thing, the actual application form is fairly straight forward but it is all the associated actions are a mess.

[Denim]

14 minutes ago, CeeGee said:

Just to clear up one thing, the actual application form is fairly straight forward but it is all the associated actions are a mess.

True.

 

It's VFS that is the problem.

[simoh1490]

11 hours ago, CeeGee said:

Just to clear up one thing, the actual application form is fairly straight forward but it is all the associated actions are a mess.

FWIW I think the online application is very flexible and straight forward, I can't imagine ways to make the process or the form better. The problems do start though when you enter the VFS phase which is cluttered and not the easiest thing to follow, an example is their reference to your application number which is not referred to as such in the application form and instead is known as the GWF number.

[puchooay]

On 6/5/2018 at 8:46 PM, Denim said:

document-checklist-info for uk visa.pdf

Is this the check list for settlement visa only?

 

My wife has an appointment for a visitor visa on 11th July. Application submitted and paid for. The supporting documents list on her application is a lot shorter than this. Also no mention of bar code forms.

 

 

Edited June 29, 2018 by puchooay

[puchooay]

Just now, puchooay said:

 

 

 

Sorry. Double post

Edited June 29, 2018 by puchooay

[Denim]

10 minutes ago, puchooay said:

Is this the check list for settlement visa only?

 

My wife has an appointment fr 11th July. Application submitted and paid for. The supporting documents list on her application is a lot shorter than this. Also no mention of bar code forms.

 

 

When we competed our application for a standard visit visa it was early June and the VFS website was completely different from the new one that came in after 20th of June.

 

On the old site things were a bit confusing because there were two supporting document checklists to be down loaded.

 

There was a simple single sheet A4 size one which was the VFS one but there was also another one of 9 pages at the end of the official GOV.UK application form. 

 

Not knowing which was current we completed both and let them decide which one was current and wanted.

 

The bar code separators appear on the  GOV.UK site and are available as a download. When we went to submit our documents on the 20th these were required and were used. However, although only 9 days have passed things might be different now as I have not looked at the new VFS website.

 

This application was for a Visit visa , not settlement.

Edited June 29, 2018 by Denim

[puchooay]

7 minutes ago, Denim said:

When we competed our application for a standard visit visa it was early June and the VFS website was completely different from the new one that came in after 20th of June.

 

On the old site things were a bit confusing because there were two supporting document checklists to be down loaded.

 

There was a simple single sheet A4 size one which was the VFS one but there was also another one of 9 pages at the end of the official GOV.UK application form. 

 

Not knowing which was current we completed both and let them decide which one was current and wanted.

 

The bar code separators appear on the  GOV.UK site and are available as a download. When we went to submit our documents on the 20th these were required and were used. However, although only 9 days have passed things might be different now as I have not looked at the new VFS website.

 

This application was for a Visit visa , not settlement.

Which check list was accepted? Do VFS have a say? Surely it would b the Gov.Uk check list at the end of the application that is needed. I was under the impression that VFS was just a drop off point. ????

 

Do you have a link to the bar code separators? Thanks.

Edited June 29, 2018 by puchooay

[Denim]

1 hour ago, puchooay said:

Which check list was accepted? Do VFS have a say? Surely it would b the Gov.Uk check list at the end of the application that is needed. I was under the impression that VFS was just a drop off point. ????

 

Do you have a link to the bar code separators? Thanks.

 

I gave the link to the barcode separator download in post 31but  it was from the old VFS website from early June so the link no longer works. They used it for our application on the 20th of June but I had collated the documents incorrectly  so they had to do it again themselves.

 

The wording of the barcode separators was very poor since some documents could be placed in more than one place and other documents had no clearly defined separator and so I just stiffed them in the additional documents section.

 

I was not the only applicant who had collated things incorrectly and on the day we went all appointments were running late because of the confusion.

 

For all I know there may no longer be a requirement for these bar code separators or if there is it might be different to the ones we had.

 

I have not looked at the new VFS website so I don't have a current link.

 

Since our application I have put the whole thing out of my mind as I was sick of dealing with it.

 

We should know the result of our application late next week. If we have to apply again then I will have to look at things again but until then I'm not thinking about it .

 

As for the checklists they accepted both and I assume , forwarded both.

Edited June 29, 2018 by Denim

[puchooay]

26 minutes ago, Denim said:

 

I gave the link to the barcode separator download in post 31but  it was from the old VFS website from early June so the link no longer works. They used it for our application on the 20th of June but I had collated the documents incorrectly  so they had to do it again themselves.

 

The wording of the barcode separators was very poor since some documents could be placed in more than one place and other documents had no clearly defined separator and so I just stiffed them in the additional documents section.

 

I was not the only applicant who had collated things incorrectly and on the day we went all appointments were running late because of the confusion.

 

For all I know there may no longer be a requirement for these bar code separators or if there is it might be different to the ones we had.

 

I have not looked at the new VFS website so I don't have a current link.

 

Since our application I have put the whole thing out of my mind as I was sick of dealing with it.

 

We should know the result of our application late next week. If we have to apply again then I will have to look at things again but until then I'm not thinking about it .

 

As for the checklists they accepted both and I assume , forwarded both.

I understand. Thanks for your help.

 

My wife's application was done prior to 20th June so we will go with what we have done. I'm sure there are many applications going through as per the old instructions. Not everyone reads TV. Lol.

 

Probably too much to ask to have an email from them to tell us about the changes. 

[Denim]

15 minutes ago, puchooay said:

I understand. Thanks for your help.

 

My wife's application was done prior to 20th June so we will go with what we have done. I'm sure there are many applications going through as per the old instructions. Not everyone reads TV. Lol.

 

Probably too much to ask to have an email from them to tell us about the changes. 

 

I guess you'll find out when you get there like we did. We were among the first to use the ' new system ' but it seems there may well be a

' new new 'system.

 

There were 61 pages to our application , most were the official ones including the application form ,

Supporting documents list and barcode dividers plus one or two others.

They don't actually require you to copy the application form but it is part of the application and is forwarded with their photocopies of your photocopies ( which were almost all returned to us once copied.)

 

So...... a Thai tourist going to the UK has to submit all this paper whereas my relatives on a 3 week holiday to Thailand just need a plane ticket.

 

Quite a contrast.

[simoh1490]

We're just back from the VFS appointment, here's what happened.

 

Only my partner was allowed in, I was told to sod off please take a seat outside.

 

The documents my partner provided were separated by barcode pages and put into the required sequence. Ms. VF sorted through the documents several times without appearing to read any of them in great detail but instead checked for quality of the copies and condition of the pages - evidently, she did pick up some information from the application because she then asked my partner a series of questions which appeared to be casual and social but were read as being more searching than that, questions such as where exactly are you going, are you going sailing (?) and whereabouts will you stay in The Lake District Info from the application rather than volunteered verbally) . She then pulled out a couple of documents and asked my partner what their purpose was, at this stage my partner presumed she was being vetted to ensure she actually knew what documents had been provided.

 

At the end she was asked to pay 5 baht for a photocopy of her current passport (I didn't find where that was asked for) plus 85 baht for an SMS to tell her when then passport could be collected - my partner asked how they would notify her if she wasn't SMS'd and they replied she would have to call and ask each day!!!

 

Final point...she was fingerprinted and photographed and scrutinised (so she says) by a second VFS employee, after which the process was complete. 

[CeeGee]

Thanks Simoh, but what the he** were the VFS staff doing, asking questions about where she was sailing and staying.(If it was just making small talk thats ok but really it is nothing to do with them)It is made very clear from the UK Gov website that the VFS staff have no input into the final decision.As for pulling documents and asking what they are for, this again has nothing to do with the VFS staff.It is up to the applicant to decide what documents to submit.In the past my GF has been told, you dont need this and they have attempted to remove documents and have backed down when we insisted they remain.

I am sorry if I appear to have a down on VFS but the more I(we) deal with them, the more I get frustrated with their total lack of professional attitude and staff full of their own self importance. 

[simoh1490]

24 minutes ago, CeeGee said:

Thanks Simoh, but what the he** were the VFS staff doing, asking questions about where she was sailing and staying.(If it was just making small talk thats ok but really it is nothing to do with them)It is made very clear from the UK Gov website that the VFS staff have no input into the final decision.As for pulling documents and asking what they are for, this again has nothing to do with the VFS staff.It is up to the applicant to decide what documents to submit.In the past my GF has been told, you dont need this and they have attempted to remove documents and have backed down when we insisted they remain.

I am sorry if I appear to have a down on VFS but the more I(we) deal with them, the more I get frustrated with their total lack of professional attitude and staff full of their own self importance. 

I get the impression that VFS's role might be to try and determine their view of any link between the documents and the applicant, does the applicant understand and have knowledge of the documents being submitted or are they merely handing over a stack of papers about which they know nothing. I have no love for VFS given our experiences with them in 2012 but they do get to see the applicant whereas the ECO does not hence their opinion of whether a person is potentially suspicious or not could be useful. On the other hand, the people who work for VFS might just be bored and trying to spice up their jobs and be playing cop, my partner tells me they had only four appointments all day today so they are not exactly overstretched.

[puchooay]

1 hour ago, simoh1490 said:

We're just back from the VFS appointment, here's what happened.

 

Only my partner was allowed in, I was told to sod off please take a seat outside.

 

The documents my partner provided were separated by barcode pages and put into the required sequence. Ms. VF sorted through the documents several times without appearing to read any of them in great detail but instead checked for quality of the copies and condition of the pages - evidently, she did pick up some information from the application because she then asked my partner a series of questions which appeared to be casual and social but were read as being more searching than that, questions such as where exactly are you going, are you going sailing (?) and whereabouts will you stay in The Lake District Info from the application rather than volunteered verbally) . She then pulled out a couple of documents and asked my partner what their purpose was, at this stage my partner presumed she was being vetted to ensure she actually knew what documents had been provided.

 

At the end she was asked to pay 5 baht for a photocopy of her current passport (I didn't find where that was asked for) plus 85 baht for an SMS to tell her when then passport could be collected - my partner asked how they would notify her if she wasn't SMS'd and they replied she would have to call and ask each day!!!

 

Final point...she was fingerprinted and photographed and scrutinised (so she says) by a second VFS employee, after which the process was complete. 

I was under the impression that the 85 baht was for EMS postage????

[simoh1490]

4 minutes ago, puchooay said:

I was under the impression that the 85 baht was for EMS postage????

Knowing how well my partner excels in English you may be right, SMS, EMS, SOS take your pick, it's for one of them! I did just ask the question again and she is certain it's for SMS, take that with as many grains of salt as you wish.

Edited June 29, 2018 by simoh1490

[CeeGee]

It then begs the question, do the VFS staff make any comments or notes on the submission when forwarding the papers to the ECO.If they do, this is well outside their remit.Their job is to forward the application not make any judgements on the applicants, suspicious or not.That is the ECOs job. 

If they are just trying to be pleasant, ok, but past experience has been that they try and act in some way superior to the applicant.Maybe they are jealous.

Re the post above, EMS is paid for in addition, I think about 200/300 baht, 85 baht is for the SMS

Edited June 29, 2018 by CeeGee

[puchooay]

On 6/6/2018 at 12:02 PM, Denim said:

Yes....I read that as well. Apparently only 85 baht .

 

I'd read this post (#30) n this thread.

Edited June 29, 2018 by puchooay