The hopeless British visa information service

[ranma500]

I applied for a Visa for my wife and son to visit England with me.

Yesterday I got an email saying:

'UK Visas and Immigration has made a decision on your visa application'

I opened up the email, and it said that after two working days, the documents could be collected.

I looked very carefully at the email, but nowhere did it say whether the visa application was successful.

It's a nuisance, because the application was submitted almost a month ago, and flights are getting more expensive all the time, and we can't book unless we are sure the application has been successful.

So, I called the information number.

Firstly, it is a number in the UK, so obviously it's not cheap.

But there is also a charge of £1.37 a minute to call.

It says:

We are able to provide a tracking service for submitted Visa applications. We will require the GWF number allocated to you during the application process and your date of birth to provide this service.

So I called.

I gave the GWF number and date of birth.

They said that the application was still in process, and a decision had not been made.

I pointed out that we had received an email saying that a decision had been made.

The lady replied that their computer system would not be updated with the information until the documents had been collected.

It seemed to me that this was rather a redundant service, and not really an information service.

I was told that this was their policy.

I asked to speak to a supervisor.

I was told that no supervisor was available.

I asked for the email address to complain about the information service.

They said they did not have such an email address.

I said that this seemed like the sort of information that an information service should have.

Since they were unable to provide me with any useful information, I asked for a refund.

I was told that this was not their policy.

So after nine and a half minutes, which will have cost me over £12, it seemed best to simply hang up.

I write this to advise other applicants.

Thanks.

[theoldgit]

They don't know the result of the application even when the system is updated to say that a decision is made.

The result is confidential between the ECO and the applicant and will only be known when the sealed pack containing the passport is opened.

[ranma500]

It would probably be a good idea to say that on the website contact page, and even on the recorded message. I'm sure it would save them a lot of time answering enquiries, and it would save people money.

[Torrens54]

Maybe the Britts need to send some of their staff here to Thailand to learn from the experts in efficient Visa and Information Management!

I'm sure the Thai system, would get the British Public Servants, on the right track in no time at all.

[stuartsko]

The worst part about it is you had to pay to argue your point and get nowhere... The home office probably auctioned off the tender for this service knowing it would be some sort of cash cow for the successful bidder.. No online tracking anymore, no updated online stats about previous months decisions, can't call VFS anymore and rising visa processing fee's... The home office are taking the piss out of guys like us big time... BTW, when looking for flights try deleting your browsing history or using a different computer from a different IP address.. The sites are programmed to put prices up the more you look... They do go up the later you leave it, but more if they know you've looked before.. Good luck and all the best

[theoldgit]

Not really on topic, but in response to the previous comment about airline websites quoting higher prices if you've already searched for flights, always delete cookies when you want to do a new flight search.

[ldnguy]

Yes, they are truly hopeless.

We just got that email today. Any idea what they mean by collect documents after 2 working days? Could be interpreted many ways.

2 working days after 11 am today would be 11 am on Tuesday?

Or after Mon & Tue, meaning Wed?

Why can't these people just send an email with a date. e.g. you can collect documents from Tue 25 onwards?

Another annoyance is that the site says the application costs £83, but we were charged $142 which showed up on card statement as £89. Why quote in GBP and then charge in USD. It's quite ridiculous to be charging for a BRITISH visa in US Dollars. Did UK start using the USD while I was away?

Shoddy service.

[MartinL]

It would probably be a good idea to say that on the website contact page, and even on the recorded message. I'm sure it would save them a lot of time answering enquiries, and it would save people money.

Stop being so naive, Ranma (please note ) - surely you realise the whole point of British information helplines like this - not to mention te actual visa fee - is to make LOTS OF MONEY from you!!! The absolute LAST reason for them is to help mugs like us Brit expats with our visa applications & queries.

[David48]

Yes, they are truly hopeless.

We just got that email today. Any idea what they mean by collect documents after 2 working days? Could be interpreted many ways.

2 working days after 11 am today would be 11 am on Tuesday?

Or after Mon & Tue, meaning Wed?

Why can't these people just send an email with a date. e.g. you can collect documents from Tue 25 onwards?

Another annoyance is that the site says the application costs £83, but we were charged $142 which showed up on card statement as £89. Why quote in GBP and then charge in USD. It's quite ridiculous to be charging for a BRITISH visa in US Dollars. Did UK start using the USD while I was away?

Shoddy service.

Assuming that you are using the VFS service ... would you really expect the postman to read your mail ... or just have it available for collection.

VFS is just the Mailman ... no need to dis them.

.

[7by7]

Another annoyance is that the site says the application costs £83, but we were charged $142 which showed up on card statement as £89. Why quote in GBP and then charge in USD. It's quite ridiculous to be charging for a BRITISH visa in US Dollars. Did UK start using the USD while I was away?

This was a decision by the government, not VFS nor the Bangkok embassy.

There was a lengthy thread on it at the time, click here, which contains the government's feeble excuses for it.

[ldnguy]

Yes, they are truly hopeless.

We just got that email today. Any idea what they mean by collect documents after 2 working days? Could be interpreted many ways.

2 working days after 11 am today would be 11 am on Tuesday?

Or after Mon & Tue, meaning Wed?

Why can't these people just send an email with a date. e.g. you can collect documents from Tue 25 onwards?

Another annoyance is that the site says the application costs £83, but we were charged $142 which showed up on card statement as £89. Why quote in GBP and then charge in USD. It's quite ridiculous to be charging for a BRITISH visa in US Dollars. Did UK start using the USD while I was away?

Shoddy service.

Assuming that you are using the VFS service ... would you really expect the postman to read your mail ... or just have it available for collection.

VFS is just the Mailman ... no need to dis them.

.

VFS obviously know what day the documents can be collected, so they should tell people in clear terms, not something vague like... after two days. In the UK, when the postman has a letter that needs to be signed for and you're not at home he leaves a helpful card saying something like... collect after 2 pm on day card was left. So you know exactly when you can get. VFS know but don't want to tell you.

Also, VFS website claims cost is £83 but charges $142. So yes, they deserve to be called out on their sneaky extra charges.

[theoldgit]

Nonsensical and wildly inaccurate post removed.

[theoldgit]

VFS obviously know what day the documents can be collected, so they should tell people in clear terms, not something vague like... after two days. In the UK, when the postman has a letter that needs to be signed for and you're not at home he leaves a helpful card saying something like... collect after 2 pm on day card was left. So you know exactly when you can get. VFS know but don't want to tell you.

Also, VFS website claims cost is £83 but charges $142. So yes, they deserve to be called out on their sneaky extra charges.

I'm not a great fan of VFS, but what you've posted isn't accurate.

The UKVI staff send out the email advising that a decision has been made and the pack is to be forwarded to the VFS, not the VFS themselves. They don't know that a decision has been made until the envelope is returned from the UKVI.

Likewise, as has been explained, and discussed, before, the UKVI charges for the application in US Dollars, not VFS, VFS don't collect the fee, the UKVI do.

[ldnguy]

VFS obviously know what day the documents can be collected, so they should tell people in clear terms, not something vague like... after two days. In the UK, when the postman has a letter that needs to be signed for and you're not at home he leaves a helpful card saying something like... collect after 2 pm on day card was left. So you know exactly when you can get. VFS know but don't want to tell you.

Also, VFS website claims cost is £83 but charges $142. So yes, they deserve to be called out on their sneaky extra charges.

I'm not a great fan of VFS, but what you've posted isn't accurate.

The UKVI staff send out the email advising that a decision has been made and the pack is to be forwarded to the VFS, not the VFS themselves. They don't know that a decision has been made until the envelope is returned from the UKVI.

Likewise, as has been explained, and discussed, before, the UKVI charges for the application in US Dollars, not VFS, VFS don't collect the fee, the UKVI do.

My main complaint is that the email doesn't say what day we can go. It just says... after 2 working days. After 2 day of what? Does that mean Tues or Wed. It's just not clear. It could written very clearly if someone took a few seconds to re-write it. Two days after we received the email is 11 am on Tuesday? But they might mean after the next 2 working days - meaning Mon and Tues and next 2 working days, so come on Wed. It's such a simple thing to make clear. There is no excuse at all for writing it in such a vague way.

[7by7]

Standard email, same wording for everyone and written by UKVI, not VFS.

You are complaining about the wrong people.

Personally, I would assume two full working days. So if I received the email on a Monday I would leave Tuesday and Wednesday and collect it on Thursday.

Alternatively I would opt for the courier service and so not have to worry about this point. Although it would take a bit longer to get the package, depending on the courier company, and it does have to be paid for.