UK Visa - how to collect it now?

[JimShortz]

My wife has a visa application appointment next week, but we are unsure how she will collect back her passport (hopefully with visa and documents) - unsurprisingly, the vfsglobal website is unclear...

On the FAQ page (http://www.vfsglobal.co.uk/Thailand/frequently_asked_questions.html) it states: "How do I collect my documents and passport back? To collect your documents and passport, you need to visit the VFS Global visa application centre, where you have submitted your documents and passport."

That seems clear enough - go and collect them, BUT....

on their User Pay Services page (http://www.vfsglobal.co.uk/Thailand/user_pay_services.html) it has: "Courier service: Applicants can choose to have their processed visa application, documents and passport couriered to their house or office by paying a nominal additional charge.

Visit / Visit EEA 250 Baht

Point based system (Tier 1,2,4,5,Dependent) 350 Baht

Settlement / Settlement EEA 450 Baht

Laos /Cambodia 1,080 Baht

Note: All charges must be paid at the time of submission"

I hope this second option is currently correct. 250 Baht is a lot better than another trip to Bangkok from Chiang Mai... Any ideas?

Also, it states there that "Note: All charges must be paid at the time of submission". Would that mean on the day when you physically go to submit your documents, or when you do the online submission?

Thank you for any help - much appreciated!

[theoldgit]

You can have the pack delivered and you pay the fee to VFS when the documents are submitted as they are the ones providing the added service.

[Upnotover]

Yep, my wife did the same last month. Documents and passport returned by EMS. She also paid a small amount for getting some progress SMS's.

Whilst on the subject, try not to make your schedule too tight after the appointment, a friend of ours went last week with a 13:00 appointment, got out at 16:30.

[JimShortz]

Great advice, both of you. Thank you kind people!

[SantiSuk]

You will receive an e-mail telling you when a decision has been reached on your application. Copying it from the one I received last week:

UK Visas and Immigration have made a decision on your visa application‏

ALL APPLICANTS: if you paid an additional courier or postage fee documents will be sent to you THAILAND APPLICANTS: documents can be collected from VFS after 2 working days, collection times: Mon-Fri  1000 to 1600, Sat 0830 to 1200.  This is an automated message - please do not respond as we will not reply.Please visit our website for information about how to contact us: https://www.gov.uk/contact-ukvi-outside-uk

If you want the documents returned by post (EMS) and have paid the 250 baht at the submission appointment, please note that they may take 3 working days after decision before they put it in the post. It will get to your local sorting office next working day after that if you are mainland. You can go and collect it from your local receiving post office (if you track the timing of receipt using the EMS code you that will be given at your submission appointment) - that's if you don't trust the local delivery or just want it a day earlier.

It is no longer possible to monitor the timing of the British Embassy's actual decision (as used to be the case when VFS operated a free web-site). Best you can do is wait for the e-mail - or if it is taking longer than promised at the submission appointment you can pay 4 quid for a web chat (or £1.37 a minute for a phone call) to find out if the decision has been taken. The free e-mail response service also offered was totally ignored by the UK contact centre despite reminders in our case. They seriously want to earn more money from you!

[CMMCB]

Thanks to OP and all contributors to this thread. Very useful for my wife's application too.

It's a shame the VFS website is missing the answers to so many questions, isn't it? And there's even some contradiction between requiring one photo or two. And no way to phone or email a question.

Anybody had any problems gaining entry to the centre with umbrella, wallet, mobile phone (switched off)? It's difficult to fly to Bangkok from Chiangmai to apply and not even be allowed a handbag, it seems.

Thanks again.