VFS Global uk visa application

[docspinoff]

did you notice the calendar to choose a date and time ? think there are blue times and black times ... the black ones are free and the blue ones are 3500b Not many black , but got caught out last time  but not this time yes ,,,

[Jip99]

3 hours ago, sandyf said:

Quite, I used to be a Sage software consultant and that VFS website is reminiscent of 20 year old software, quite atrocious for this day and age.

We are also going on Monday at 10.45, I cannot believe how clear the calendar was, I made last application at almost the same time last year and had to wait nearly 3 weeks for an appointment. Either there has been a dramatic reduction in applications or a huge number of walk-ins.

 

 

A mistake that I made last time was printing the appointment letter BEFORE uploading all the documents........ print the appointment letter AFTER uploading all the documents because they are printed on the appointment letter. 

[GarryP]

47 minutes ago, docspinoff said:

did you notice the calendar to choose a date and time ? think there are blue times and black times ... the black ones are free and the blue ones are 3500b Not many black , but got caught out last time  but not this time yes ,,,

Purple, orangey, and black. When I submitted today, there were many available interview slots for tomorrow, but most if not all were purple, ie. 3,400. A few black (free) were available on Friday, but I decided to go with Monday and I think all available slots were black. 

 

Perhaps, with Corvid-19 the number of applications has dropped off. 

[sandyf]

On 2/19/2020 at 7:13 PM, docspinoff said:

did you notice the calendar to choose a date and time ? think there are blue times and black times ... the black ones are free and the blue ones are 3500b Not many black , but got caught out last time  but not this time yes ,,,

Yes, I noticed the different colours.

There were some black available for the following day but the day after that, the whole day was available in black.

[GuyFawkes]

For what it is worth I would like to give my opinion of the process of obtaining a Standard Visitors Visa for the UK having just guided my wife - with the advice from the 'theoldgit', which was invaluable.

 

The application process was commenced on 23 January and completing the actual application and making payment was, as they say, a breeze,   Then came the absolute nightmare of the VFS Global IT system, which I think must have come out of the ark.      I had so many attempts to complete their bio,scanning and appointment pages, all without success.   On 27 January I admitted defeat and we decided to go to Bangkok to 'eyeball' the VFS Staff.    Living in Nahkon Nowhere in Khon Kaen Province meant getting up at 0400 hrs if we were to take the first plane  from the KK airport to Suvarnbhumi.     

 

Arriiving at the Trendy Office block we evaded the ground floor security and took a lift which unfortunately only went to the 27th Floor and consequently had to walk up the fire stairs to the 28th,   Note only lift number 10 goes to the 28th floor.  Once there we were directed to the UK reception desk and then over to far window to speak with an VFS employee, who was extremely helpful and acknowledged by a wry smile, that the problem with the VFS IT system was well known.

 

from this point on it has been plain sailing.   Interview was conducted on 12th February and the processed application received back in Bangkok on 20th February, subsequently posted same day at 1510 hrs in Nana and delivered to us by EMS at 0920 hrs the following day,   The staff st Trendy kept my wife informed all the time, so well done them!   Perhaps buying the Gold Package helped!

 

What I thought was going to be a nightmare process because of the initial problems with the VFS IT system, was in fact extremely straight forward and easy after our initial visit to Bangkok, which should not have been necessary.   

 

Please don't blame the front line staff, it's the senior management of VFS and to some extent the UKVI staff who oversee VFS who are not ensuring that the IT system is, or was 'not fit for purpose;  I doubt however they are in any way concerned as long as the cash rolls in!

 

Oh! was it all worth it?   Suffice to say my wife is smiling as I type this!