new rules for attending interviews at VFS

[zoza]

well we turned up at VFS yesterday to receive the result of our visa application and as I have stated before I was not confident as over twenty pages of mainly financial documents had been omitted from the application.

it stated visa refused due to not enough proof of funds,V4.2 (e) of appendix V

before my wife had received the result I asked the VFS staff why some of the critical documents were not forwarded on to UKV1.

(I have lodged a complaint the day after we realised what they had done, and as you cannot contact VFS or UKV1)

it appeared a more senior staff member came to the desk to ask me what the problem was and I explained that VFS

had omitted vital documents, she listened to what happened and then said it was my wifes fault as she should of checked

and I replied that she had gone to get the biometrics done and so did not see them select what documents they were

going to forward and what ones they put back in the plastic folder.

I also asked if they now expect customers to count the papers and check the VFS staff have done their job

I also asked if she went to the post office did she sit and wait for the van to pick up the post arrives and make sure her letter

had been included.

she told us we could apply again but no difference no explanation no apology

so it looks like these are the new guidelines if they do something they have no authority to do its your fault.

pantomime just about with about six security standing very close we only needed my wife to shout "he's behind you"

and we would of had a show.

[rasg]

I've read about a few successful complaints on here about VFS doing this kind of thing. No point in complaining to them. Let UKVI deal with them. No doubt somebody who has been successful complaining will come along to let you know how to do it.

What a pain. Hope the new application is successful.

[zoza]

I had a weird conversation on are way home via Suvarnabhumi we were sitting having a drink and two young French tour guides

came and sat next to us we had a short conversation they asked what or where we were off to , I explained we had been for a visa

to go to England for a visit and what had happened re the omitted documents and he laughed

and remarked "oh yes they are doing the same in Vietnam" he called it VFS loosing documents, now that is scary

now I am thinking yes it is global.

and rasg thanks for your input they have told me I can accompany the wife and keep my eye on the paperwork while she gets

the bio-metrics done , but what does that say about this company when they cannot be trusted to fulfill their obligations to the

customers.

[theoldgit]

I'm glad your going to percivere with your complaint, clearly you and your wife thought they were necessary to demonstrate that she met the financial requirent, it really beggars belief that one of their managers thought it appropriate to expect your wife to check they were forwarding the papers that she was submitting, why on earth did they think she handed them over in the first place. The Contract Manager at the UKVI really need to get a grip of these people.

I can only hope that as you registered the complaint before the ECO made the decision, some action might be taken - I wouldn't hold my breakthrough.

[bobrussell]

Reapply, if you have not already. Make it clear in the covering letter that VFS removed documents from the initial application and that a formal complaint has been made.

Index and number the pages and make it clear in the covering letter that pages 1-XX are to be submitted and any missing pages indicate possible tampering. All applicants should be doing this until such time as this actually stops.

[welshboy454]

Reapply, if you have not already. Make it clear in the covering letter that VFS removed documents from the initial application and that a formal complaint has been made.

Index and number the pages and make it clear in the covering letter that pages 1-XX are to be submitted and any missing pages indicate possible tampering. All applicants should be doing this until such time as this actually stops.

We have applied 4 times.

1 VFS did not forward marriage certificate result no visa

2 An indexed checklist was prepared by myself and signed for by VFS -result visa authorised

3 I was in UK and my wife did not give VFS the checklist and VFS did not forward my letter sponsoring my wife and other details -result no visa

4 Immediately applied again with same documentation but with an indexed checklist signed for by VFS - result visa authorised

As Bob suggests everyone should have an indexed checklist signed for by VFS

[mihalis]

I feel VFS play God with each application ! A mates wife had her tourist visa approved twice then rejected.. Asked why, some sill reason. Likely a friend had contacts in the oz embassy and its was approved next day..

[sanukjim]

What is VFS ?

[wanderluster]

i have got my gf visas for canada, usa, uk and twice to shenzen. and much like retirement visas here, they only accept bank accounts that are readily available. ie savings accounts.. any kind of term deposit/fund accounts get rejected, in our experiences..

[chickenslegs]

What is VFS ?

VFS is the private company that processes visa applications (and other things) on behalf of several countries http://www.vfsglobal.co.uk/thailand/

[zoza]

i have got my gf visas for canada, usa, uk and twice to shenzen. and much like retirement visas here, they only accept bank accounts that are readily available. ie savings accounts.. any kind of term deposit/fund accounts get rejected, in our experiences..

well unfortunately it did not matter where we had our accounts because every document that was related to finance was

omitted from the application even a letter from my private pension that confirmed that my wife would inherit the pension

was taken out of the folder and not submitted to UKV1.

I will take the advice from fellow TV members and employ a checklist with every document numbered

and a signature from the VFS staff who we hand it to.

I am not sure whether taking pictures of the people who we hand the application to would be needed

as they have no authority to decide what documents should be submitted but they are doing this in some cases

[sanukjim]

What is VFS ?

VFS is the private company that processes visa applications (and other things) on behalf of several countries http://www.vfsglobal.co.uk/thailand/

Thank You chick,I think that you mean of the customer's behalf for processing to other countries..Can't people dothis themselfs just by going to the internet and finding out what the country in question requires? Why pay for something that you can do yourself and save a lot of money ?

[Boycie]

What is VFS ?

VFS is the private company that processes visa applications (and other things) on behalf of several countries http://www.vfsglobal.co.uk/thailand/

Thank You chick,I think that you mean of the customer's behalf for processing to other countries..Can't people dothis themselfs just by going to the internet and finding out what the country in question requires? Why pay for something that you can do yourself and save a lot of money ?

Sanukjim, applicants would love to bypass the VFS and deal direct with the Embassies, but no can do.

[Estrada]

i have got my gf visas for canada, usa, uk and twice to shenzen. and much like retirement visas here, they only accept bank accounts that are readily available. ie savings accounts.. any kind of term deposit/fund accounts get rejected, in our experiences..

well unfortunately it did not matter where we had our accounts because every document that was related to finance was

omitted from the application even a letter from my private pension that confirmed that my wife would inherit the pension

was taken out of the folder and not submitted to UKV1.

I will take the advice from fellow TV members and employ a checklist with every document numbered

and a signature from the VFS staff who we hand it to.

I am not sure whether taking pictures of the people who we hand the application to would be needed

as they have no authority to decide what documents should be submitted but they are doing this in some cases

When you make your payment you are sent an e-mail acknowledgement and you are asked to sign in to your application and download a check list. This 4 page check list has tick boxes for each of the documents, passports and supporting information that you are submitting and handing over to VFS staff. This check list has a bar code at the top to track your application and documents. You can list and give full details of each documents on page 3. It is not a question of you making your own check list since you need the bar code and I have to assume that you did not download the check list previously.

[chickenslegs]

What is VFS ?

VFS is the private company that processes visa applications (and other things) on behalf of several countries http://www.vfsglobal.co.uk/thailand/

Thank You chick,I think that you mean of the customer's behalf for processing to other countries..Can't people dothis themselfs just by going to the internet and finding out what the country in question requires? Why pay for something that you can do yourself and save a lot of money ?

No, VFS works for the country - not the applicant.

[Boycie]

zoza, sorry to hear about your application being refused, but this has been happening for a few years now.

I done a lot of research before helping my wife apply for her first UK tourist visa about 4 years ago.

A few things that i didn't know thou, was that the VFS are just paper pushers. When making an appointment and attending an 'interview' to submit the application paperwork, i believe that makes applicants think that whatever the VFS clerk tells them must be correct and wouldn't want to argue or question them as their visa might be denied. The VFS staff have no right to return documents/paperwork that you want to submit saying that it is not required, which happened in our case and then visa denied, by the Embassy, for lack of evidence to return.

It was too late, but read afterwards that it had happened before to others. You have all the paperwork in order, the clerk spreads it all over the table, mixes it up and then hands back documents saying not required.

We did make a compliant with the very kind help of a visa agent, but the response was basically saying you must be lying as the VFS staff wouldn't do that.

Also at the time, i never read about submitting a self-itemised checklist, which is a must to avoid any confusion on papers submitted.

Not sure if it's highlighted now or rules have changed, but at the time i thought i would be able to attend the 'interview' with my wife, but on entrance to the VFS office, the security guard said applicants only.

[zoza]

thanks Boycie unfortunately i thought this process would be quite straight forward and being here for a while i supose i should of known better ? but i can't recall hearing much about this VFS outfit but they seem a bunch of cowboys.

they have said I could attend the interview with my wife but I will see what happens

their attitude the other day was that they are thai and they can do what they want but I will see if a signed checklist has any

affect on their failure to provide a reasonable standard of service.

[sanukjim]

What is VFS ?

VFS is the private company that processes visa applications (and other things) on behalf of several countries http://www.vfsglobal.co.uk/thailand/

Thank You chick,I think that you mean of the customer's behalf for processing to other countries..Can't people dothis themselfs just by going to the internet and finding out what the country in question requires? Why pay for something that you can do yourself and save a lot of money ?

Sanukjim, applicants would love to bypass the VFS and deal direct with the Embassies, but no can do.

Once again chick,Thanks