UK Visa fee

[7by7]

4 hours ago, theoldgit said:

US$128
https://visa-fees.homeoffice.gov.uk/y/thailand/usd/visit/standard-visitor-visa---for-uk-isle-of-man-jersey-and-guernsey/short-term-up-to-6-months-single-or-multiple-entry

Which at the exchange rate on 23rd May at 15:48 UTC of 1 USD = 0.789941 GBP is £101.11. (source)

 

The fee set by Parliament is £95. 

[Tony M]

For those that are still interested, I am still pursuing this (even after all this time !).  I recently submitted an application, and made an error in one of the dates. I cancelled the application, and submitted a new one. This resulted in having to pay a total of 22 GBP in exchange rate fees. basically, the 95 GBP visit visa fee cost over 100 GBP. When cancelled, I received 89 GBP in refund (due to exchange rate fee again), and then had to submit a new application, with another exchange rate fee.  I complained, and received the reply below. The complaint is now with the Parliamentary Ombudsman, my MP having forwarded it on my behalf. I'm sure the PO will receive the same waffle from UKVI, but I wait to see.

 

Dear Mr xxxxxxx

Thank you for your further email correspondence of 5 April about a partial refund of visa fees due to fluctuation of exchange rates. I have conducted an independent review of your complaint following your further submissions.

Your complaint

You have received our previous response under reference 131-210286 and request a review. You have said that you had to cancel an online application due to an error. You paid the fee in US Dollars and received the refund. However, you claim to have been underpaid and are now claiming a partial refund of £22 mainly due to exchange rate fluctuations.

My decision

I am sorry to note that you remain unsatisfied with our previous response. It may be helpful if I explain that

·The UK visa application process, including payment, is now online. This is in line with the government’s policy of “digital by default”, meaning we are moving towards online being the basic

service we offer worldwide. This provides consistency across the world and prevents any countries from being “left behind”.

· Currently the Visa4UK application and payment process can only process payments in one currency. In order to minimise banking costs to UKVI (and so the costs of issuing visas) the UKVI policy is to set payment in one of the major international currencies. Where the local currency is not one of the major international currencies then a decision is taken locally as to what currency to use for visa fee payment. For Thailand, as for the majority of countries in the region, the locally acceptable currency chosen for online payment was US Dollars.

· Visa fees are set in a locally acceptable currency using rates set under the UK Consular Rate of Exchange mechanism. The principles for conversion are set by the Consular Fee Regulations (1981) which allow for the rate of exchange to be adjusted in the interests of administrative efficiency. This is mainly to avoid frequent changes in fees, and to help in giving change in the very few locations where cash is still used for payment.

· The locally accepted currency applied to a visa application is based on the country that is selected for the biometric assessment part of the application process. In the case of applicants that choose Thailand as the country for biometric assessment the locally accepted currency for the visa payment is the US Dollar. The fee displayed on the application website (Visa4UK) will be US Dollars.

· These conditions are included in the terms and conditions on the Visa4UK website and which applicants must agree to during the application process.

· When using a credit card that is issued in a different currency to the payment currency then the credit card issuer may levy a fee for transactions that involve a foreign currency conversion. These fees will be set out in the terms and conditions that the card holder has agreed to with the credit card company.

I am afraid there is no refund due to you as claimed as no refunds are given due to fluctuation in exchange rates. This is explained in the link given below: www.gov.uk/government/publications/entry-clearance-fees-ecb06/ecb06-entry-clearance-fees.

I appreciate this is not the reply you would have hoped for and that this information clarifies our position about paying fees in US Dollars.

There are no grounds to warrant further consideration of your case and I am satisfied with the decision not to uphold your complaint.

My response now concludes our internal complaint procedure but should you remain dissatisfied with this reply, you may raise the matter with Mr Rob Behrens CBE, the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (see his website: www.ombudsman.org.uk).

Yours sincerely

 

L Rice

 

As far as I am aware, the Indian Rupee is "not one of the major international currencies"

[OJAS]

1 hour ago, Tony M said:

This is in line with the government’s policy of “digital by default”, meaning we are moving towards online being the basic service we offer worldwide.

But I, for one, have seen no evidence of this "digital by default" policy being applied by HMG in the areas, for example, of (1) routine passport renewals from Thailand, (2) the submission of tax returns to HMRC by expat non-residents generally from wherever they have chosen to settle on this great planet of ours (these can only be submitted online with the assistance of expensive commercial software providers), or (3) State Pension life certificates. So it strikes me that UKVI may only be referring to this policy as part of what is, for them, a convenient means of denying you the refund which you are seeking!

Edited May 24, 2019 by OJAS