VFS Global, a complete disgrace and a burn on taxpayers money.

[zoza]

i also have had blatant B**LS up by VFS my wife went in with all the documents (they would not allow me?) and an hour or two  later she

came out, and on the way home I checked the folder, they had handed her

after submitting her UK visa application. and low and behold they had left

out every single document that was there to cover the Financials, I contacted VFS who did not offer any reason why they had Bal*s it up or  any help ? I phoned the British Consul and submitted an appeal , I contacted my MP in the UK and basically was told to apply again.

before we left Bangkok we went for some food and during our meal I got

into a conversation with two French guys who were sitting at the next table

and VFS and their antics came up....VFS they said we tried to use them in

Lao they are unbelievable !!!!! worst company they have ever uncounted

money was all they were about, when we reapplied for the visa I had a chat

with a supervisor from the UK Consul staff and she agreed to me going with

the wife to make sure they did their job...they tried to give me a folder with

all the financials still inside.....that was two out of two ....that was about five years ago and maybe they were only learning but every single financial document twice.....  

 

 

[brewsterbudgen]

On 1/17/2020 at 10:01 AM, PGThompson1 said:

I do sympathize with the OP. VFS was originally and perhaps still is, an INDIAN company.

 

My gripe is that the British government farmed out the work to them to process the paperwork for visas and then submitted it to the British Embassy for a decision. What the hell are the people who work in the Embassy doing, apart from twiddling their thumbs.

The British Embassy has nothing whatsoever to do with passports or visas.  UKVI and HMPO do them (respectively).  For Visitor visas for applicants in Thailand, UKVI staff are based in Delhi; for Settlement visas UKVI staff work in Sheffield.  All UK passports are now issued by HMPO in Liverpool. 

 

The UK Embassy focuses on trade, promoting the UK and dealing with the problems of UK citizens in Thailand.

[sandyf]

2 hours ago, NanLaew said:

Correct me if I am wrong but VFS have only been doing this passport business since early 2014, no?

 

Maybe you are including a Thai partners UK visit visa application experiences over at Regent House in your claim of 10-year of VFS misery?

You made the first post without thinking about it. Yes you are right, VFS started on the passports March 2014, and it wasn't without problems at VFS.

I have done 8 UK visitor visas, 2 at Regent House, also Spain, Malta and Canada where VFS have been involved many of which have incurred problems. The Canadian visa was done directly with Canadian immigration but unfortunately you cannot avoid going to VFS to get the visa put in the passport. Took 10 days for the Canadians to approve the visa and then 3 weeks for VFS to have it put in the passport. It took so long it crossed a rate change and I got about 100 baht refund but would rather have gone without the aggravation.

Obviously some have been ok but with a history of bad experiences I am quite entitled to say so, or do you also dispute that.

[captpkapoor]

On 1/17/2020 at 2:52 PM, jimn said:

Suggest you report the topic for its extreme comments, I have done so already but no action appears to have been taken.

I did report the post, but the comment is still there.

[NanLaew]

12 hours ago, sandyf said:

You made the first post without thinking about it. Yes you are right, VFS started on the passports March 2014, and it wasn't without problems at VFS.

I have done 8 UK visitor visas, 2 at Regent House, also Spain, Malta and Canada where VFS have been involved many of which have incurred problems. The Canadian visa was done directly with Canadian immigration but unfortunately you cannot avoid going to VFS to get the visa put in the passport. Took 10 days for the Canadians to approve the visa and then 3 weeks for VFS to have it put in the passport. It took so long it crossed a rate change and I got about 100 baht refund but would rather have gone without the aggravation.

Obviously some have been ok but with a history of bad experiences I am quite entitled to say so, or do you also dispute that.

No, I had thought before posting. The OP's main complaint is about VFS's new UK passport service in Chiang Mai which may be cursed with the same initial problems seen in other, fledgling VFS services. They don't seem to do start-ups well. However, I guess sharing those cursed initials does allow those with bad experience with their other services, including an alleged poor performance for French travelers in Laos. I mean how far off topic can we go here? You know, broad brushes and all that?

 

Thanks anyway for giving more details. It does certainly highlight the poor management and service that blighted their visa operations and was common knowledge quite a while back when it was relevant. Whether that bears any relevance to the OP's current experiences is questionable. It also lends credence to my earlier claim that when it comes to dealing with VFS, it must suck to be you.

[sandyf]

On 1/18/2020 at 11:39 AM, brewsterbudgen said:

The British Embassy has nothing whatsoever to do with passports or visas. 

That is not entirely true, if you have a problem with a passport or visa application you can ask the embassy for assistance.

I know from experience that they will intervene if the situation justifies it.

[Jip99]

Just by way of balance - my missus submitted her U.K. visa application on Monday 13th January. She said VfS staff were helpful and they uploaded one document I had overlooked.

 

Today (20th January) she received a message to say that her passport was ready for collected.

 

 

That beats the previous best under embassy control of 8 working days. So well done VfS and well done UKVI staff in India.