Uk Visas Outsourcing Centre

[GU22]

From the Embassy website.

Important Visa Notice

Temporary Close of Visa Service

The visa section will be closed in preparation for the introduction of outsourcing from 19/04/06 to 21/04/06. As of 21/04/06 visa applications should be submitted through VFS as the address below.

VFS company

2nd Floor, Regent House

193 Rajdamri Road

Lumpini, Pathumwan

Bangkok 10330

New Email

All correspondence to the Visa Section should now be directed to our new email address:

[email protected]

[Roblpl]

Anyone know what implication this will have on the Visa application process. I am looking to submit a visa application on, or about the 26th April for VV for my girlfriend. I see that visa applications have to be submitted to an outsource company.

Does this mean that the BE will no longer accept them and all will have to be submitted by post?

Thanks

Roblpl

[GU22]

Full details have yet to appear, but in effect the only thing that will change is where one submits the initial application. All interviews, if required, etc. will still take place at the embassy and all decisions will still be made by embassy staff.

The fee will remain the same, but there may be a small handling charge made by the company running the outsourcing centre.

Watch this space.

[Jersey_UK]

Cheers

[Roblpl]

Thanks for that. Just some clarification on the document process for a visa application if one of you guys wouldn't mind.

When I submit my pack of evidence, i know that I should take along as many original documents as possible which means they cant keep them.

Does the Embassy then copy and keep the documents, do they read the documents and just give you them back without keeping a copy for themselves or should you take along a duplicate set copied documents for them to keep?

Thanks

Roblpl

[GU22]

I don't know if the procedure will change with the new system, but when we applied they kept the original documents and returned them with the visa.

If you take photocopies then they may check the copies against the originals and then return the originals, but I don't know for sure.

[vinny]

With the current system, I remember reading a notice saying that they require photocopies. These can be done at the hotel across the road.

[GU22]

More details have appeared on the embassy website; CHANGES TO UK VISA APPLICATIONS

There will be longer opening hours (08:30 to 15:00 for submitting applications), more room and more staff. If they live up to their promises then the whole application process should be quicker and less stressful.

However, a service charge of Baht 425 (plus 7% VAT) per passport will be levied.

One very important point to remember is that VFS, operators of the UK Visa Application Centre, will be dealing with the admin and processing side of things. All decisions will be made by ECOs at the embassy.

They say that they will try to make as many decisions as possible, on all types of application, without an interview. It is therefore even more essential to supply as much supporting evidence as possible with the application.

I await with interest the first report from someone using the new centre.

[the scouser]

There was mention, when tenders were first invited, that the successful company would have offices located in various cities in order to circumvent the need for those who live in the sticks to travel to Bangkok. However, there is now no indication when these will be set up. Likewise, the embassy statement doesn't say whether postal applications will be accepted, either at the embassy or the application centre. Additionally, is the administrative charge to be levied on family permit applications? If so, this could be construed as an indirect fee and may breach the relevant legislation as it may constitute a charge for accessing your European treaty rights, access to which should be free.

I don't buy into the embassy spiel about improved services etc. If such things result from this, then it'll be serendipitous. The embassy's principal motivations are to save money and to keep what it perceives to be the hoi polloi away from its door.

Scouse.

[Richard croucher]

Dear GU22

Could you please just clarify something for me.This fee of 425 Baht per Passport that is to be Levied,is that for every pasport that is included with an Application,I'E 425Baht for Applicant and Sponsor,or just 425Baht for the Applicant.Sorry if I seem to be a bit thick ,but Knackered and just can't get my head round how much Money they are actually going to want from me.

Thanks alot

Richard

More details have appeared on the embassy website; CHANGES TO UK VISA APPLICATIONS

There will be longer opening hours (08:30 to 15:00 for submitting applications), more room and more staff. If they live up to their promises then the whole application process should be quicker and less stressful.

However, a service charge of Baht 425 (plus 7% VAT) per passport will be levied.

One very important point to remember is that VFS, operators of the UK Visa Application Centre, will be dealing with the admin and processing side of things. All decisions will be made by ECOs at the embassy.

They say that they will try to make as many decisions as possible, on all types of application, without an interview. It is therefore even more essential to supply as much supporting evidence as possible with the application.

I await with interest the first report from someone using the new centre.

[vinny]

I would have thought that "per passport" refers only to passports that require visa endorsements. Sponsor's passports, etc., that require no endorsements, will just be supporting documentation.

[GU22]

I would have thought that "per passport" refers only to passports that require visa endorsements. Sponsor's passports, etc., that require no endorsements, will just be supporting documentation.

That's what I assume too. Presumably they don't say per application because some applications are for more than one person; parent and child for example.

But I am not responsible for setting this charge, I am merely reporting what it says on the embassy website.

[GU22]

VFS have now set up a website detailing the new service and application procedure.

Visa Services offered by British Embassy, Bangkok.

The information supplied is a lot more detailed than the UK Visas guidance notes on the embassy website. One very useful addition being a detailed checklist of supporting documents (Checklist).

Edited April 20, 2006 by GU22

[Phil_ne_uk]

Yeah! the new improved service, as THEY call it is so good the new site http://www.ukvac-th.com/index.aspx shows the contact details as,,

The UK Visa Application Centre is located at:

Regent House, 2nd Floor,

183, Rajdamri Road,

Kwaeng Lumpini,

Khet Pathumwan,

Bangkok 10330.

Location Map

Helpline phone no. : +66 (0) 2541098 / 99

For information kindly mail: [email protected]

However both the phone number & email address are WRONG!! Neither work! If you look at the info on the old website the contact info is correct I think. This is a typical example of the crap service provided by these so called professionals, who are in fact, a bunch of W*****S evidently! How can we have faith in these people when they don't know what the H*ll they are doing themselves????

[the scouser]

Phil,

You might care to edit your post and use this recently added emoticon......

Scouse.

[Phil_ne_uk]

Well Scouse, I've re-read my post and no, there's absoloutly nothing that needs to be edited! Cheers for your kind concern anyway.

[silomfan]

Well i'm sure GU22 will have a really good defense of this cock-up . It'll appear here in no time

[Phil_ne_uk]

Oh Scouse, I forgot to ask, are you perhaps suggesting what I stated in my post is incorrect??? If you think so why not try emailing or phoning the number I posted, but pleeeze don't forget to post your results when you CAN'T get through either!!! I'm certain others will agree with me if they try to make contact via these incorrect contact details! cheers! Phil

[bangkokblue]

Here's hoping this will not effect that 95.3% uk success rate !!

[Phil_ne_uk]

Yes but success for who? The embassy or us guys?? lol

[bangkokblue]

I've no reason to use the facility so it's ' you ' guy's i'm affraid, but you have my sympathy.

[the scouser]

Oh Scouse, I forgot to ask, are you perhaps suggesting what I stated in my post is incorrect??? If you think so why not try emailing or phoning the number I posted, but pleeeze don't forget to post your results when you CAN'T get through either!!! I'm certain others will agree with me if they try to make contact via these incorrect contact details! cheers! Phil

Dearie me, Phil, we have got our knickers in a twist, haven't we? I thought that anyone with the meanest intelligence could fathom out that I was suggesting using the emoticon in relation to the VFS and that it wasn't aimed at you.

Scouse.

[silomfan]

Nice to see a catfight that doesn't involve me !! Now now girls.....

[the gent]

^^^^^^^^^^^

Actually, since it involves chaps it may be more accurate to describe it as a dog fight. If it were taking place in one of two other fora, then cat fight might be the mots juste.

[slimdog]

A little update for you..

Used the new outsourcing centre on Friday. Will wait a few days to see how sucessful, but for the moment:

2/10

Where they scored points (2),

Friendly staff

Distinctly less tension in the air

The ability to pick up a ticket,leave and return later

In every other area they were a shambles, nice friendly shambles but piss-up and brewery did spring to mind frequently..

Waiting time, from picking up a number to actually being processed was a nearly 4 hours..

Electronic display showing which number was being called next broke after 30 mins resulting in staff having to shout out numbers..

Payment system was weird.. Between the new web site coming on line (Late thursday) and Friday morning they changed the name of who to make a cashiers cheque payable to.. Much to the chagrin of at least one person who was obviously there on behalf of an employer. Looks as though ALL payments have to be made by cashier Cheque, although these can be purchased (at a cost of 35 baht) at the new outsourcing centre. Once you have been processsed, you are told to go to the cashier desk where you purchase the cashier cheque, then you have to go back to the counter, (In many cases jumping in front of the next person being processed) where your cheque is taken and a receipt and instructions given on when to telephone to see if your application has been processed.

Whilst the web site does state that the outsourcing centre is open from 08.30 - 15.00 the reality at least on Friday was that the ticketing machine was turned off at around 14.00 as they had no chance of completing the people waiting before the 15.00 deadline, as it happens, they were still trying to process applications at 15.15 when we were finally finished with about 40+ still waiting. Thankfully as it was the first day, I don't believe there was anyone waiting to pick up a passport..

If they were lucky they may have processed 150-160 applications on the first day,(they were only upto 120 when we left at 15.15) Exactly how many people got tickets and gave up after a few hours I have no way of knowing.

My 8 year old was less than impressed when told she would probably have to be interviewed by the embassy to get her certificate of entitlement transfered to her new passport, the 12 year old didn't seem to care, but was highly amused when Dad got a bill for 12,000 baht for something the application form clearly stated was Free of Charge. Needless to say Dad didn't pay.

I could go on, but Piss-up and brewery sums it up better than I could...

Hope you all had a better Friday than me

[the gent]

Being a pioneer obviously has its pitfalls.

The Australian experience last year was similarly ill starred at the outset but they seem to have got their act together now and most appear pleased with the process. Maybe the Brits will sort themselves out in likewise fashion.

Transferring Certificates of entitlement to new passports is administrative and, certainly in the case of minors, would not entail an interview. Admittedly, it is early days and the Thai staff have yet to get their ' eye in ' but still, such a silly statement should not have been made and reflects badly on their training. Or was it an attempt at humour?

Edited April 23, 2006 by the gent

[GU22]

As this company already run similar services for the UK in other countries, and for other countries, including Thailand, then one would expect teething problems to be kept to a minimum.

However, new staff, new equipment means that there are going to be some problems at first. Not satisfactory, for sure, but understandable.

As for the length of time waiting, well if there are 150 people ahead of you in the queue then you are going to have to wait a long time. When we went to the RTE in Kensington last year to extend the wife's passport we had to take a numbered ticket and then wait for our number before we could collect the form, then after we had completed it take another numbered ticket and wait so we could hand it in.

I expect that as it was the first day and the visa section at the embassy had been closed for some days due to Songkran and the hand over, then more people than usual arrived to make applications.

Over the next few days the system will, I trust, settle down and become more efficient. If it doesn't, then people will have valid grounds for complaint.

[slimdog]

A further up-date:

I was back at the new outsourcing centre this afternoon to pick up passports.

Looks like the 150 or so people who went to the outsourcing centre for British visa's on Friday wasn't due to the extra long break enjoyed by the visa section. When we arrived this afternoon at 16.00 they were still trying to deal with applications (By that stage 150+).

As you can imagine with 50 odd people still waiting for application processing plus another hundred or so waiting to pick up passports it got a little crowded.

Picking up passports is the same as the application process, when you enter you get a number and then sit down until the number is called. Thankfully this was accomplished relatively quickly and we only had to wait about 25 minutes.

Looks as though they got the electronic board working...

First impressions.. 2/10 still applies

[GU22]

OK, rather than negative criticism, how about constructive criticism.

You have 150 people wanting to be seen. Let's be very conservative and say, on average, that each person takes only 10 minutes to be dealt with. That's a total of 1500 minutes, 25 hours!

I don't know how many clerks there are dealing with callers (maybe someone who has been can enlighten me), but lets say there are 5. That means it is going to take at least 5 hours to see everyone! Not too bad if you're number one in the queue, but a bit of a bummer if you're number 150.

Of course, if you are just calling to pick up a passport it will take less time to deal with you than if you are submitting an application and have questions you want to ask, so many people will probably need a lot more than 10 minutes to be dealt with, and any attempts by the staff to hurry things along means they will be open to accusations of rudeness.

So, what would you do? Employ more staff? This will put the costs up, and so the fee increases.

So, if you were in charge of this office, what would you do to cut waiting times?

[Rinrada]

Least they could do is offer everyone a cuppa tea and a biscuit

I like the ones with the chocolate on the one side........