Need Passport Back During Uk Settlement Visa Application

[somtom]

My wife is submitting her UK spouse visa application next week in Bangkok, but due to the 3 month wait this now looks guaranteed to clash with our booked honeymoon in Malaysia.

Because she is supposed to submit her passport to the UK embassy for the 3 months it looks like the honeymoon could be doomed, but... the helpline lady at VFS Bangkok says that you can request dates to have your passport returned to you during your application.

Has anyone any experience with getting passports back for a week or two during a visa application procedure?

The VFS lady said it would put our application on hold but not affect its status, not put it to the back of the line and not mean we need to pay the fee twice. Sounds too good to be true? We're a bit nervous to take her word for it considering what's at stake.

[bayjan]

My wife is submitting her UK spouse visa application next week in Bangkok, but due to the 3 month wait this now looks guaranteed to clash with our booked honeymoon in Malaysia.

Because she is supposed to submit her passport to the UK embassy for the 3 months it looks like the honeymoon could be doomed, but... the helpline lady at VFS Bangkok says that you can request dates to have your passport returned to you during your application.

Has anyone any experience with getting passports back for a week or two during a visa application procedure?

The VFS lady said it would put our application on hold but not affect its status, not put it to the back of the line and not mean we need to pay the fee twice. Sounds too good to be true? We're a bit nervous to take her word for it considering what's at stake.

Pls. Carfully

[bayjan]

My wife is submitting her UK spouse visa application next week in Bangkok, but due to the 3 month wait this now looks guaranteed to clash with our booked honeymoon in Malaysia.

Because she is supposed to submit her passport to the UK embassy for the 3 months it looks like the honeymoon could be doomed, but... the helpline lady at VFS Bangkok says that you can request dates to have your passport returned to you during your application.

Has anyone any experience with getting passports back for a week or two during a visa application procedure?

The VFS lady said it would put our application on hold but not affect its status, not put it to the back of the line and not mean we need to pay the fee twice. Sounds too good to be true? We're a bit nervous to take her word for it considering what's at stake.

[somtom]

Thanks for the random emoticons bayjan

?

[7by7]

The VFS lady said it would put our application on hold but not affect its status, not put it to the back of the line and not mean we need to pay the fee twice. Sounds too good to be true? We're a bit nervous to take her word for it considering what's at stake.

I'm not sure if I believe her.

Certainly if applying in the UK, for ILR for example, requesting the passport back means the application will be treated as withdrawn and the fee lost. I had always assumed the same would be the case when applying outside the UK.

However, I may be wrong. Unfortunately, a quick trawl through the various websites have not come up with an answer.

May I suggest that you get confirmation of the VFS lady's advice in writing?

[mjperry]

I would imagine once they got the passport back they would start the whole process again, meaning the 3 month delay while checks are done starts from the time you give the passport back. My understanding is your surrendering your passport while they check you out. So if you take your passport back they would have to do additional checks or simply start the process again. So might it not be better to just wait till after the honeymoon and then submit your application?

Martin

EDIT: Also I wouldn't trust those VFS staff as far as I could throw them, I'd go and speak to the Consular staff at the Embassy

Edited July 30, 2009 by mjperry

[somtom]

Also I wouldn't trust those VFS staff as far as I could throw them, I'd go and speak to the Consular staff at the Embassy

It's pretty hard to just ring up and get advice from the Embassy, sadly. Everything visa-wise gets referred back to VFS so I'm just at the mercy of the information they have. I've emailed them to get a written reply, but I'd much rather hear it over the phone from British Embassy staff.

[mjperry]

It's pretty hard to just ring up and get advice from the Embassy, sadly. Everything visa-wise gets referred back to VFS so I'm just at the mercy of the information they have. I've emailed them to get a written reply, but I'd much rather hear it over the phone from British Embassy staff.

Sorry assumed you were in Bangkok also, in which case you can just walk into the consular section and ask them. You could try calling the consular section on 0-2305-2505 perhaps, but they might just fluff you off to speak with VFS again.

Martin

[somtom]

You could try calling the consular section on 0-2305-2505 perhaps, but they might just fluff you off to speak with VFS again.

Martin

Passport section of the consular office is only open mornings, so I'll have to set my alarm and call them tonight from the UK. VFS sent me an official response by email, but I still don't have much confidence with them.

"If you would like to have your passport back for temporary use, you may choose to withdraw it from the Embassy. Should this be the case, please note that the visa consideration process will be delayed until your passport is returned to the Embassy. To withdraw your passport; please contact the UK Visa Application Centre on Monday to Friday from 0830 hours to 1630 hours to request an interim withdrawal and you should be able to have your passport back within 2-3 working days."

[ThaiVisaExpress]

I personally would not take any advise from anyone at UK/Vac they have no idea. As we deal with these people daily i can tell you from my experience they have not got a clue about the immigration rules.They are only a sorting office for the British Embassy visa section.

I would email the embassy direct i doubt they will let you have the passport back during the application process.

[theoldgit]

Sorry assumed you were in Bangkok also, in which case you can just walk into the consular section and ask them. You could try calling the consular section on 0-2305-2505 perhaps, but they might just fluff you off to speak with VFS again.

Just be aware that the Consular Section, downstairs, do not process the visa applications, it would be the Visa Section which is upstairs in The Embassy.

[somtom]

Just be aware that the Consular Section, downstairs, do not process the visa applications, it would be the Visa Section which is upstairs in The Embassy.

...and the visa section doesn't receive phone calls. sigh.

[arthurriding]

My wife is submitting her UK spouse visa application next week in Bangkok, but due to the 3 month wait this now looks guaranteed to clash with our booked honeymoon in Malaysia.

Because she is supposed to submit her passport to the UK embassy for the 3 months it looks like the honeymoon could be doomed, but... the helpline lady at VFS Bangkok says that you can request dates to have your passport returned to you during your application.

Has anyone any experience with getting passports back for a week or two during a visa application procedure?

The VFS lady said it would put our application on hold but not affect its status, not put it to the back of the line and not mean we need to pay the fee twice. Sounds too good to be true? We're a bit nervous to take her word for it considering what's at stake.

Pls. Carfully

One possible alternative could be to go to the Malaysian Embassy/Consulate in Thailand and see about getting a 'Document in lieu of Passport'. Assuming your fiancee has her Thai ID card, and you explain the situation to them, they could be sympathetic. Indeed, although I think it has changed now, I am pretty sure that in the past Thai citizens did not even need a passport to visit Malaysia, just their ID card. This link has some more details on the Malaysia requirements.

http://www.2malaysia.com/visa.htm

No guarantee an approach will work but I would have thought it would be worth a try.

Good luck.

[somtom]

One possible alternative could be to go to the Malaysian Embassy/Consulate in Thailand and see about getting a 'Document in lieu of Passport'. Assuming your fiancee has her Thai ID card, and you explain the situation to them, they could be sympathetic. Indeed, although I think it has changed now, I am pretty sure that in the past Thai citizens did not even need a passport to visit Malaysia, just their ID card. This link has some more details on the Malaysia requirements.

http://www.2malaysia.com/visa.htm

Wow - good find. I'll call up their embassy and ask them if it's possible. Thanks!

[ExoticMatter]

TW didnt need a passport for Laos (some time ago) if yer stuck for somewhere.

[somtom]

One possible alternative could be to go to the Malaysian Embassy/Consulate in Thailand and see about getting a 'Document in lieu of Passport'. Assuming your fiancee has her Thai ID card, and you explain the situation to them, they could be sympathetic. Indeed, although I think it has changed now, I am pretty sure that in the past Thai citizens did not even need a passport to visit Malaysia, just their ID card. This link has some more details on the Malaysia requirements.

http://www.2malaysia.com/visa.htm

I'm not sure if we'll try this, but it requires getting a 'Document in lieu of Passport' from the Thai authorities and then taking this to the Malaysian Embassy and applying for a visa using this document (even though Thais don't normally need a visa for a 1 week visit).