Family Visitors Visa To Uk-How Long To Collect?

[leprechaun]

Hello.

My sister in law has just ben granted a family visitors visa to visit the UK however she has a graduation ceremony that she wishes to attend in February.

Her intention was to visit the uk for six months and then return in February but because she has to go through the appeals process it has taken months longer than expexted.

The question I would like to ask is:

1) What date does her visa start from? The date she gets the visa from the British embassy or the date that she enters the UK

2) How long can she delay picking it up before the visa is cancelled.

Basically because of the delay in the appeals process she has now found employment andhes to wait until after her graduation ceremony in Febuary but she is concernrd that if she waits too long her visa will be cancelled or the time in the uk reduced.

Thanks very much....slippery

[NanLaew]

The duration of the visa will be stamped on the visa. Assuming that she has been given a 6-month visa, then the expiration or 'use by' would be in March or April 2011 (assuming this visa has been issued within the past month). She would have to leave the UK on or before the visa expiration date stamped on the visa. Of she's leaving for the UK after February, she will not be able to legally spend 6 months in the UK. If she has a 1-year visa (or greater) then no problems should be encountered.

I am not sure there's any cancellation policy for delayed passport/visa collection but VFS will start calling the applicant about 2 weeks after being notified that the passport/visa is ready for collection. They have recently tightened the policy of third-party collection by adding the need for a signed affidavit from the applicant that allows a third party to collect the passport/visa as well as having the official receipt and notarised scan of passport that is given to the applicant after filing the application.

Not sure what the OP's reference to appeals process is about. Was this in regard to an earlier denial of the UK visit visa that has since been revoked or something irrelevant?

Edited October 21, 2010 by NanLaew

[7by7]

Unless a specific start date was requested, the visa will start from the date it is issued and be valid for 6 months from that date, regardless of when she collects her passport from the VAC or first enters the UK with it.

For example; if the visa was issued on 1st October 2010 that is it's start date and it will expire 6 months later on 30th March 2011.

I'm not sure what to suggest, other than she change her plans so she can visit now and be back in time for her graduation; or apply for another visa explaining why she has changed her travel dates and can't use this one.

[leprechaun]

Basically we had to go through the appeals process which was held in Leicester UK-this took months longer meaning that originally her intention was to visit the uk first but because of the delay as she wishes to attend her graduation ceremony she was hoping that she could visit after feb but was not sure of waiting until after feb as the visa has just been granted but not collected as she has to take her passport to the embassy. Thanks

[bangkockney]

She needs to collect her passport and only then will you know what course of action to take.

[VisasPlus]

I think what the OP is saying is that she has her passport as it was returned to her at the time of refusal. It would not have gone back to the Embassy while the appeal process was taking place in the UK. If this is the situation, then the visa does not yet have an issue date as it is not issued. I'm not sure how the Embassy here deals with these situations. Do VFS contact the applicant and invite them to bring their passport in for a visa to be issued ? If so, then it might be possible to contact the Embassy, via VFS, to ask if the issue of the visa can be delayed for a while. That said, the applicant may then get into the area of a possible interview by the Embassy in order that the Embassy can establish if there has been change of circumstances due to the long period of time since refusal and the appeal being allowed. This may seem unfair, and it would have to be a major change of circumstances to make the Embassy refuse to issue the visa after being directed by the Appeals Tribunal to do so, but it is something to bear in mind.

[bangkockney]

Interesting question, is the start date of the visa the date the decision was overturned or the date the applicant re-submits their passport?

Honestly, don't know.

Edited October 22, 2010 by bangkockney

[VisasPlus]

Interesting question, is the start date of the visa the date the decision was overturned or the date the applicant re-submits their passport?

Honestly, don't know.

The visa will be valid from the date it is issued, ie. put into the passport. This is why I suggest that the applicant contacts the Embassy to see how long the issue date can be postponed, bearing in mind that the Embassy may wish to consider any change of circumstances.