SAR experience

[13436]

Pl. could users write about their SAR experience.
Mine is as follows:
application received at DPU on 31/05/07
acknowledgement letter received 05/06/07
cheque cashed 19/06/07
case completed 11/07/07
I haven't received the info yet but when called DPU today (12/07/07) was told that case was completed yesterday and will receive the letter in post by the end of this week.
I know it took more than 40 days though!
interstingly my wife (wp holder) also applied the same date, acknowledgement letter received and cheque cashed the same day as mine but when she called today to enquire about her SAR, she was informed that they r still waiting for one piece of information. when she insisted that they should have replied within 40 days the caseworker said that she would post the info collected so far today and rest will be sent to her on a later date.

[kariarxy]

which phone number did you use to call them? I have sent the letter for SAR request on 13 June, but did not receive anything until so far. Thanks.

[13436]

I used the phone no. on the Acknowledgement letter. they send u the phone no. and case no.

I received mine on 14/07/06 (after 45 days).

[SYH]

Hi there
I requested SAR and I only got back my intial application for HSMP. And I am bit surprised I didn't get copies of my subsequent extensions.

Further, the list of related records, all of them state not applicable except for HSMP. Does that mean they check all the other possible records and nothing came up?

[SYH]

Obviously no joy was coming from the forum so I had to figure it out myself. The SAR response letter did not have their phone number so I couldnt call them back to get clarification. After spending the morning being transferred about I finally go the worker on my file. Evidently they only retrieved my HSMP file and didn't do anything more. He suspected that they read the letter to mean only find info based on the HSMP dept whereas I was only identifying myself as a HSMP work permit holder to help them. In any case, I have had to request them to go back over my original request and to provide landing cards and the application to the WPUK since it appear unless you draw them a map, they seem incapable to understand that it applies to everything not what you know. That is the whole point of the request to find stuff you don't know. Sheesh,

Anyway, I have to say I am a bit dissappointed with the people on the forum, especially those who have gotten a SAR response. You could have posted/identified the different offices the DPU can access. Once you got a response there is a list on the back of the potential related documents. With this information, people making future requests can put it in their letter to get better information on themselves and understand where the DPU can get information. When I get home I will list it out for everyone but this is the kind of info, I am talking about when other people go through the experience, people fail to provide details that would be helpful for others in the future.

[jes2jes]

Obviously no joy was coming from the forum so I had to figure it out myself. The SAR response letter did not have their phone number so I couldnt call them back to get clarification. After spending the morning being transferred about I finally go the worker on my file. Evidently they only retrieved my HSMP file and didn't do anything more. He suspected that they read the letter to mean only find info based on the HSMP dept whereas I was only identifying myself as a HSMP work permit holder to help them. In any case, I have had to request them to go back over my original request and to provide landing cards and the application to the WPUK since it appear unless you draw them a map, they seem incapable to understand that it applies to everything not what you know. That is the whole point of the request to find stuff you don't know. Sheesh,

Anyway, I have to say I am a bit dissappointed with the people on the forum, especially those who have gotten a SAR response. You could have posted/identified the different offices the DPU can access. Once you got a response there is a list on the back of the potential related documents. With this information, people making future requests can put it in their letter to get better information on themselves and understand where the DPU can get information. When I get home I will list it out for everyone but this is the kind of info, I am talking about when other people go through the experience, people fail to provide details that would be helpful for others in the future.

You do not need a list for the HO to provide you with everything under your file. All you have to do is make a request for your file and they would send you everything since that is what the IDI on SAR says. The applicant merely needs to mention that they want a copy of their file and this would be provided. There is a list though if you want to tell them do that. I did mention everything I wanted though although it was not obligatory.
You can ask for:
Paper Files
Landing Cards
WP Docuements
HSMP Application documents
Case File Notes
IO Notes on your file
Copies of all inter-department correspondence concerning you
Immigration Information System Notes (i.e. case file notes)

This is not exhaustive but will suffice. See this document:
http://www.ind.homeoffice.gov.uk/docume ... iew=Binary

[SYH]

Obviously no joy was coming from the forum so I had to figure it out myself. The SAR response letter did not have their phone number so I couldnt call them back to get clarification. After spending the morning being transferred about I finally go the worker on my file. Evidently they only retrieved my HSMP file and didn't do anything more. He suspected that they read the letter to mean only find info based on the HSMP dept whereas I was only identifying myself as a HSMP work permit holder to help them. In any case, I have had to request them to go back over my original request and to provide landing cards and the application to the WPUK since it appear unless you draw them a map, they seem incapable to understand that it applies to everything not what you know. That is the whole point of the request to find stuff you don't know. Sheesh,

Anyway, I have to say I am a bit dissappointed with the people on the forum, especially those who have gotten a SAR response. You could have posted/identified the different offices the DPU can access. Once you got a response there is a list on the back of the potential related documents. With this information, people making future requests can put it in their letter to get better information on themselves and understand where the DPU can get information. When I get home I will list it out for everyone but this is the kind of info, I am talking about when other people go through the experience, people fail to provide details that would be helpful for others in the future.

You do not need a list for the HO to provide you with everything under your file. All you have to do is make a request for your file and they would send you everything since that is what the IDI on SAR says. The applicant merely needs to mention that they want a copy of their file and this would be provided. There is a list though if you want to tell them do that. I did mention everything I wanted though although it was not obligatory.
You can ask for:
Paper Files
Landing Cards
WP Docuements
HSMP Application documents
Case File Notes
IO Notes on your file
Copies of all inter-department correspondence concerning you
Immigration Information System Notes (i.e. case file notes)

This is not exhaustive but will suffice. See this document:
http://www.ind.homeoffice.gov.uk/docume ... iew=Binary

I wrote that and all I got back was my hsmp application without anything from the WP UK. I just think someone got lazy.
Like I said, I think an explicit list of the departments is helpful for future requesters and like I said previously people could have provided a list of those areas so the author of the letter could frame his letter explicitly if he wanted to do so.