Emailing The Vfs (Uk) Helpline

[bifftastic]

Hi,

I emailed the VFS about something using their 'contact us' section of their website.

The first email worked, they sent a very helpful reply.

I replied to it with a further question but it, and all the emails I've tried to send since, have been returned with the 'failed delivery' notification.

Has anyone else had a problem like this? Is there something (temporary, hopefully) wrong with their email system?

Cheers,

Biff

[Frogster]

Hi Biff,

The link works for me.... but the responses are farsical.

For example....

E-Mail Subject "VISA APPLICATIONS"

Q. Please can you confirm that you are removing pages from document folders before sending Visa Applications on to the UKBA?

A. Thank you for contacting the VFS VisaInformation Service.Please be informed that the applicants, whowill apply visas at UKVAC in Bangkok,will not be able to submit their application via the online system as ourlocation does not support the online payment yet. However, we do need theapplicants to fill out an online visa application forms and once you havecompleted it you should then print it out and hand it in person along with therequired document to UKVAC on your confirmed appointment date. As for an onlineapplication system here, this is just an option regards to the type of form tobe used.

So I tried again.....

Q. If we submit a Visasettlement application with supporting documents in a A4 Ring Binder, will you remove everything from the Ring Binder before forwarding to the UKBA?

A. Thank you for contacting the VFS VisaInformation Service.Did the ECO inform you to send furtherdocuments via email?Grateful if you could provide moreinformation about applicant such as passport number, the application referencenumber on the receipt (found on line 9) in the format APET/xxxxxx/xxxxxx/x andthe date of birth. We may be able to investigate accordingly.

So I contacted the UKBA..... suprise no answer at all !

Gave up!

[bifftastic]

Thanks mate,

I'm going to get my friend in Bangkok to call them on Monday, probably easier

Oh and I just checked the progress of the application, submitted Wednesday, ready for collection now!

The Mrs is convinced that means a refusal, we'll have to see. Fingers crossed!

[jubby]

Thanks mate,

I'm going to get my friend in Bangkok to call them on Monday, probably easier

Oh and I just checked the progress of the application, submitted Wednesday, ready for collection now!

The Mrs is convinced that means a refusal, we'll have to see. Fingers crossed!

Biff, it could be that you need to raise a new Email rather than replying to response Email, if I'm making any sense.

I've noticed a lot of places do this , keep's the system tidy and keeps the communication down to a minimum for there Benefit .

So effectively you get one question and one answer and that's that.

As for it being ready for collection, maybe your application was spot on and needed no further investigation. How do you collect it ? Trip to Bangkok ?

[bifftastic]

Cheers Jubbs, yeah I though of that and raised a new email, to the same address, and another one they show on the site, both came back 'failed delivery'

Hopefully it was spot on! How do we collect? Well that was the subject of the email

There'll be a few phone calls made on Monday that will, hopefully, sort it all out

In their first reply, they said they can courier it to our third party in Bangkok for 180 baht, the exact details of how to do that were what I requested in the email that didn't get through!

Still, as with all these things, a little perseverance and plenty of digging around on t'internet should bring results!

[7by7]

In their first reply, they said they can courier it to our third party in Bangkok for 180 baht, the exact details of how to do that were what I requested in the email that didn't get through!

Courier service.

As you can see from the above, requests to use the courier service, and payment of the fee, should be made when submitting the application.

So, if she didn't do this it looks like she'll have to collect it from the UKVAC office.

She can have a nominated person collect it for her. From How to Apply

Step 9 - Collect the decision on your visa application

The online tracking and SMS text service will tell you when the decision on your visa application and documents are ready for collection. You can then collect the decision on your visa application along with your original documents from the visa application centre. You will need the original visa submission receipt to collect your documents. A nominated person can also collect your documents on your behalf. Your nominated person will need to provide an authorised letter signed by you and proper proof of their identity.

Edited August 20, 2011 by 7by7
Addendum

[jubby]

Sounds like your almost there Biff.

wouldn't put it pass them dropping the system at the weekend, so they don't have Emails to catch up on monday

[bifftastic]

Yes, that's what we thought. We've arranged for a third party (our friend in Bangkok) to make the collection, she has all the necessary paperwork; the receipt from BFS, a letter from my wife, and a copy of her ID card, (and her own ID of course!).

The problem is, that the VFS opening times for collection clash with our friend's work times.

Hence my email, and their initial response was quite helpful.

They said that a Cashiers Cheque for the courier service could be supplied after the application had been submitted, which slightly goes against what the website said, but I was encouraged by their helpfulness, and swift response.

Now all we need to do is tie down the exact details of how this is done, which now looks as though we'll do by phone

[bifftastic]

Sounds like your almost there Biff.

wouldn't put it pass them dropping the system at the weekend, so they don't have Emails to catch up on monday

Ahh! good point! Hadn't thought of that