applying for FLR, passport out of date

[hotwinter]

wifes current visa ends jan 2016.

passport ran out in may 2015.

obviously we need to apply for FLR but in the mean time we need to get a new passport, made the most recent appointment we could at the thai embassy and get a new passport. which isnt till november 10th.

embassy website says it takes 6-8 weeks to get a new passport. over the phone they said it might just take 4 weeks. MIGHT. we are goign to be cutting it fine to get an appointment (for the same day service)

what i would like to know, is can i apply with her out of date passport till the other arrives? how far ahead do i need to book an appointment to get on the same day visa?

[Trevor1809]

Can't help with the passport but I take it you are applying for the Premium Visa service. Be very careful. UKVI took £1000 off me and didn't even give me an appointment.

I am currently going through the Parliamentary Ombudsman to get my money back.

I don't think even UKVI know the answer to how far a head you can book. I was applying on 12 July for a September appointment and they said that there were non available.

Now it has been suggested to me that they don't issue appointments until 28 days before the visa expires. If that is the case why didn't they say when I was trying to make an appointment. but still sting me for 2 NHS surcharge payments.

UKVI are complete crooks. God knows if anybody who gets a visa turned down ever sees their money again if my experience is anything to go by.

[bobrussell]

UKVI/Home Office are not crooks but are completely useless! The incompetence astounds me, made worse by the lack of interest in customer service.

I accept it is really the system that is failing but it must be totally demoralising for those working for UKVI. They contacted my sister in law to tell her they were unable to process her application because she had not paid. They took her daughters money months ago and could have taken her money at any stage!

We had to send a form back giving exactly the same bank account details that they already had and should have used when the application was dealt with by the Nationality Checking Service! In between they managed to ignore emails and recorded delivery letters asking why payment had not been taken!

One option would be to send in an application by post with a photocopy of the original passport plus an explanation then send in the new passport when it arrives. They are unlikely to process anything in a hurry! I would be a little concerned that the passport might end up behind the radiator in the gents loo on the fifth floor of a room in Croydon when it should have been on top of the fourth cupboard on the left in the sixth office on the right in Liverpool!

You cannot book that far in advance and it is particularly silly that you get the message that appointments are not available on that day. They will be but not just yet!

Edited October 6, 2015 by bobrussell

[wooloomooloo]

With all due respect Trevor1809 and bobrussell, both of you have gone wildly off topic with your personal grievances which wouldn't appear to assist the OP one little bit. Come on.

[Trevor1809]

The op asked about the same day visa. I gave my experience. I was not able to make a same day appointment and it cost me £1000. How would you like me to answer the question.

Yes its dead easy. just go on line, I did mine 3 months in advance and it was dead easy?

If somebody has a better experience then I would love to hear about it also.

I am afraid I tried and it was a very expensive disaster.

[wooloomooloo]

That's not my reading of the OP, Trevor.

[Trevor1809]

"how far ahead do i need to book an appointment to get on the same day visa?"

ok you are saying to book an appointment for the passport renewal not the visa. We need the op to clarify.

[hotwinter]

chill out lads, yes i asked how far in advance i need to book for an appointment with premium service. is the answer 28 days? also how late can i do it? if the passport arrives just before the visa expires.

anyone had positive experience with premium service?

but mainly i wanted to know if i could apply now with the old passport and then get the new one after i have used the premium service?

i already have the appointment booked to make a new passport

[7by7]

She needs to have a valid passport or other travel ID when she submits her FLR application. See 5. Documents you must provide.

If it's any help, when my wife last renewed her Thai passport at the RTE in Kensington, her new passport arrived within two weeks. That was in March 2014.

Sorry, I don't know how far ahead you can book an appointment at a PSC; all I can suggest is that you try to book an appointment and see what dates are available and how far forward.

Her current visa/LTR should still be valid when she submits her FLR application, so the latest she can do so is the day that her current visa/LTR expires. I'm afraid I can't say whether there is a grace period after this expiry date and if so how long it may be.

[Trevor1809]

chill out lads, yes i asked how far in advance i need to book for an appointment with premium service. is the answer 28 days? also how late can i do it? if the passport arrives just before the visa expires.

anyone had positive experience with premium service?

but mainly i wanted to know if i could apply now with the old passport and then get the new one after i have used the premium service?

i already have the appointment booked to make a new passport

Ok I was right, for once at least. So I refer you my first answer but I am afraid my experience is not positive. It seems negative responses are frowned upon here.

Well if it is right that you can't make a premium appointment until 28 days before the visa expires then I will find out in about a week and a half.

I can only reiterate the problems that I had before. To access the appointment system the UNVI web site forced me to pay the £500 NHS surcharge before even booking the appointment. The system gives you three attempts before a security protocol throws you out and then you have to start the whole saga over again.

I suggest that you put in the widest range of dates and locations as possible and hope for the best. I did, it cost me £1000 and no appointment. What can I say.

[hotwinter]

She needs to have a valid passport or other travel ID when she submits her FLR application. See 5. Documents you must provide.

If it's any help, when my wife last renewed her Thai passport at the RTE in Kensington, her new passport arrived within two weeks. That was in March 2014.

Sorry, I don't know how far ahead you can book an appointment at a PSC; all I can suggest is that you try to book an appointment and see what dates are available and how far forward.

Her current visa/LTR should still be valid when she submits her FLR application, so the latest she can do so is the day that her current visa/LTR expires. I'm afraid I can't say whether there is a grace period after this expiry date and if so how long it may be.

i called them today and was told the same thing, have to have a valid passport. they did tell me i get 28 days after the visa expires to put in for FLR.

im just hoping the passport doesnt take to long, if its two weeks ill be very happy!

oddly the immigration people couldnt tell me about appointments, said its nothing to do with them! how does that work? but they did say, what you said, try and book one and see

[hotwinter]

chill out lads, yes i asked how far in advance i need to book for an appointment with premium service. is the answer 28 days? also how late can i do it? if the passport arrives just before the visa expires.

anyone had positive experience with premium service?

but mainly i wanted to know if i could apply now with the old passport and then get the new one after i have used the premium service?

i already have the appointment booked to make a new passport

Ok I was right, for once at least. So I refer you my first answer but I am afraid my experience is not positive. It seems negative responses are frowned upon here.

Well if it is right that you can't make a premium appointment until 28 days before the visa expires then I will find out in about a week and a half.

I can only reiterate the problems that I had before. To access the appointment system the UNVI web site forced me to pay the £500 NHS surcharge before even booking the appointment. The system gives you three attempts before a security protocol throws you out and then you have to start the whole saga over again.

I suggest that you put in the widest range of dates and locations as possible and hope for the best. I did, it cost me £1000 and no appointment. What can I say.

what is the £500 for??

couldnt get an answer about appointments, all the premium service places dont have phone numbers! always helpful

[theoldgit]

Nonsense post and measured response removed.

[Trevor1809]

"what is the £500 for??"

The NHS surcharge. It was only supposed to be paid prior to attending the appointment but UKVI told my MP that as many people were turning up for appointments having not paid it that they had introduced the payment prior to making the appointment.

Bearing in mind this only came in in April you would have thought UKVI would have given some lee way until the process had settled down. If someone hadn't paid it they could have just taken a credit card payment or not let the appointment go ahead.

[7by7]

<snip>

they did tell me i get 28 days after the visa expires to put in for FLR.

That's good to know; thanks.

[hotwinter]

"what is the £500 for??"

The NHS surcharge. It was only supposed to be paid prior to attending the appointment but UKVI told my MP that as many people were turning up for appointments having not paid it that they had introduced the payment prior to making the appointment.

Bearing in mind this only came in in April you would have thought UKVI would have given some lee way until the process had settled down. If someone hadn't paid it they could have just taken a credit card payment or not let the appointment go ahead.

sorry but im a bit confused. why is there a £500 NHS surcharge? i never heard about this until now.. who, where and why do i pay it?

[theoldgit]

@hotwinter, The NHS Surcharge has been in for some time, and has been discussed at length on this forum.

Details of how and when to pay are detailed here healthcare

[hotwinter]

thank you theoldgit, i never knew about that. more money to pay!

might send her to the doctors, just to get our moneys worth!