Refusal Update

[Duality]

I have sent 8 emails this week to the general visa enquiries and 2 of the senior staff at the embassy and so far have had no reply from them unlike mark who got a reply in 2 days ( didn't change anything but now you know where you stand, mate) I read on the goverment website that the ECM will review a complaint within 24 hours, well thats a load of old tosh because the ECM in Bangkok i have it on good authority is a lazy sod and he has a certain glorified ECO to do his dirty work for him...

I will give it untill next tuesday and then i'm going to book a ticket to bangkok, <deleted> it ! <deleted> em all!

cheers

[markr]

Sorry to hear that chap, I believe the ECM reviews every application(sure i'll be corrected if i'm wrong) regardless of wether a complaint is made or not. the complaints email adress is completey useless as all i got was a poxy automated response, but as you know mate i did get a reply from the ECM's tea boy! Did you get through on the phone??

Mark

[Duality]

I will call on monday morning, this should have given them enough time to give me some kind of reply. they will probably tell me the same <deleted> as last time about it taking 20 days for the ECM to review a complaint.

I might as well start packing my suitcase now...

[atlastaname]

Well this behaviour is typical of the Embassy staff i'm afraid. Something you will never quite learn to accept because its such an affront to the good manners we are all brought up to expect from others. But you do eventually get used to it and it comes as less of a shock after a while. I can only suggest that , where possible , everything should be done by telephone where it is much harder for them to avoid speaking to you , then back it up with an e-mail which you keep a copy of , detailing the phone call you have just had. If you still feel you are being rudely treated send all the copy e-mails and a covering letter to UK Visas and a furthur copy to your MP.

As with many things in life, you do get furthur if you complain , you certainly will get nothing if you don't. Deciding on how far you go in complaining should be balanced with the view that if you go too far it just may prejudice the Embassy staff against you . Officially it won't , unofficially who knows?

Mark , re your comment about the ECM review, in theory the ECM does review every refusal that doesn't attract the right of appeal , eg visit visa. But i don't thinbk you have to be that bright to realise in reality i doubt they do more than sign on the dotted line. With all the jobs they are supposed to do , its common sense that no time at all is spent reviewing refusals.A couple of minutes on each and then rubber stamp it . Very occasionally you hear of cases where the ECM has overturned it on review, unfortunately i am not aware of any figures that show what percentage of refusals reviewed by the ECM are overturned. Again logical thinking suggests a tiny fraction.