Disappointed with New UKVI Serivce

[sunshineusa]

Why are they charging so much just to see if your application is ok. There are people who could hardly afford 20 pounds. The link should work for ALL applicants regardless of their status of their visa.

What is the best way of checking all your documents are ok? the new UKVI are being really useless and not giving any information.


My time line:

Sent June 2 priority sheffield.
arrived june 5th
opened June 5th and said i was missing a doc and if i could email.

Havent heard if its ok?

[pixelrage09]

What e-mail did you receive? And just curious who your ECO was? cos they don't give out the name of the ECO and only identify them by initials. Ours was LK..

And you're quite lucky cos your file has been looked at EXTREMELY quickly. There are other people on the forums here who applied priority and haven't had their case looked at for over 2 months. So, hopefully you might get a response within this month.

[Casa]

The UKVI aren't new. They came into existence in April 2013 after the UKBA was disbanded due to being 'unfit for purpose',

[sunshineusa]

Hi pix,


It was like visa.sheffiled

Very general.. and the automated reply was like this is an internal email so y seemed like it was very direct. But the name is vague :/ what country are you from pix? I'm from usa




CASA,

Sorry I meant SITEL!

[SimonS]

Under T. May stewardship - Prior to beocmming PM - The HO set out a vision of "The Hostile Environment"

Vinny already shared a link which is equally disturbing as it is interesting. You can find it in his original post here last month.

general-uk-immigration-forum/the-hostil ... t#p1490318

You could either believe that they are extremely busy, or that facets of this policy vision are in play.

As to all the charges and increased costof Visas etc Part of the policy is that the Immigration Service application processing should be fully funded by the applicants themselves and not reliant on "Tax Payer" funds. Sound familiar?

I personally believe the truth is probably somewhere in the middle of overloaded and hostile.

[AES90]

Hi

My status check didn't work until decision was made. It will work when a decision has been made.

[pixelrage09]

Hi pix,


It was like visa.sheffiled

Very general.. and the automated reply was like this is an internal email so y seemed like it was very direct. But the name is vague :/ what country are you from pix? I'm from usa

We applied from New Delhi, India in the first week of February 2017. It's closing in on 20 weeks so far for us.

[sunshineusa]

Hi pix,


It was like visa.sheffiled

Very general.. and the automated reply was like this is an internal email so y seemed like it was very direct. But the name is vague :/ what country are you from pix? I'm from usa

We applied from New Delhi, India in the first week of February 2017. It's closing in on 20 weeks so far for us.

Hi Pix,


God that is so dissapointing. the best thing for you to do now is email them with the paid 5 pound service, and to be as detailed as you can. you can choose to escalate the file. I escalated a payment for priority and they did it in 24 hours. Only because they hadnt refunded it in my account for 2 weeks and i asked them what happened. customer service did it right away. I would get on that as soon as you can!

[pixelrage09]

Hi Pix,


God that is so dissapointing. the best thing for you to do now is email them with the paid 5 pound service, and to be as detailed as you can. you can choose to escalate the file. I escalated a payment for priority and they did it in 24 hours. Only because they hadnt refunded it in my account for 2 weeks and i asked them what happened. customer service did it right away. I would get on that as soon as you can!

Hi Sunshineusa,

Thank you for your input. I think I will take your advice and email them right away. What I'd like to know is that, what option do I have to choose when trying to escalate the file?

Or do you just write on the subject line asking for an escalation?

I haven't yet sent any e-mails on the new system so not entirely sure how it works.

Thank you for your advice!

[sunshineusa]

Hi Pix,


God that is so dissapointing. the best thing for you to do now is email them with the paid 5 pound service, and to be as detailed as you can. you can choose to escalate the file. I escalated a payment for priority and they did it in 24 hours. Only because they hadnt refunded it in my account for 2 weeks and i asked them what happened. customer service did it right away. I would get on that as soon as you can!

Hi Sunshineusa,

Thank you for your input. I think I will take your advice and email them right away. What I'd like to know is that, what option do I have to choose when trying to escalate the file?

Or do you just write on the subject line asking for an escalation?

I haven't yet sent any e-mails on the new system so not entirely sure how it works.

Thank you for your advice!

Ive heard that this works! https://contact-ukvi.homeoffice.gov.uk/ ... visastatus

For me it didnt work not sure why? you might as well give it a go.

ALSO.

go to Contact uk visas and immigrations outside the UK, and then choose your country, and it will give oyu the best option to call for £20 OR email for £5.48. you can really personalize the email. and try to add your GWF in the email.

[thekhan87]

Hi Pix,


God that is so dissapointing. the best thing for you to do now is email them with the paid 5 pound service, and to be as detailed as you can. you can choose to escalate the file. I escalated a payment for priority and they did it in 24 hours. Only because they hadnt refunded it in my account for 2 weeks and i asked them what happened. customer service did it right away. I would get on that as soon as you can!

Hi Sunshineusa,

Thank you for your input. I think I will take your advice and email them right away. What I'd like to know is that, what option do I have to choose when trying to escalate the file?

Or do you just write on the subject line asking for an escalation?

I haven't yet sent any e-mails on the new system so not entirely sure how it works.

Thank you for your advice!

Ive heard that this works! https://contact-ukvi.homeoffice.gov.uk/ ... visastatus

For me it didnt work not sure why? you might as well give it a go.

ALSO.

go to Contact uk visas and immigrations outside the UK, and then choose your country, and it will give oyu the best option to call for £20 OR email for £5.48. you can really personalize the email. and try to add your GWF in the email.

I think that service is for those who applied in UK and not out.

[sunshineusa]

When they emailed me on June5, 2017 they gave me a VAF number. I heard that is your visa number... is that true?

[pixelrage09]

When they emailed me on June5, 2017 they gave me a VAF number. I heard that is your visa number... is that true?

It's more like your file/case number. The GWF number is the application number. The VAF is an HO internal number that they use for correspondence.

[sunshineusa]

Some people have told me that VAF ends up appearing on their upper right hand visa UK xxxxxxxx

Maybe its not offical yet idk

[pixelrage09]

Some people have told me that VAF ends up appearing on their upper right hand visa UK xxxxxxxx

Maybe its not offical yet idk

Yea exactly, if its a number that appears on your visa, HO can easily access your immigration history without having to go through your entire case load.

But, I think you're trying to ask if the VAF number is an indication that the visa will possibly be granted? I don't think that's the case and its only used as a reference for your case file.

[sunshineusa]

True, I guess I wont find out until I receive it. Pix did you finally get your visa?

[pixelrage09]

True, I guess I wont find out until I receive it. Pix did you finally get your visa?

Unfortunately not.

Spent the 5.48 quid to get an email status update from UKVI and I got a reply saying that my application is, "awaiting a decision" since 15/05/2017. I'm not really sure how long it takes to go from "awaiting a decision" to "decided", but at this point, we are just 3 weeks aways from 24 week time period.

[Sweetserenitynow]

We tried using the paid email service numerous times and could not get it to send successfully.

[sunshineusa]

So terrible. I emailed them like wednesday and didnt get to me till today monday saying " awaiting decsion". No other details. Is anyone else still having massive delays?

[VeejM]

Hi,

Yes, I have also applied since the 08-05-17 and haven't had any decisions made on my wifes visa.
Payed priority service too and all docs scanned to the VISA office in Sheffield.

is it worth using the email service, from reading the thread, seems its no use.
We applied from Rome and use the TLS Online application check service. on the site it has this:

Received by UKVI: (√ with Grean circle)
Decision Made: (in red)
Ready for Collection: (in red)
Passport Returned: (in red)

It's just a case of waiting around i guess....

[Miss UK]

Yes same here i emailed them 15 june and today i got same reply decision awaiting since 1st june

So terrible. I emailed them like wednesday and didnt get to me till today monday saying " awaiting decsion". No other details. Is anyone else still having massive delays?

[sunshineusa]

So i just got an email saying my" application was received in UKVI in new york and being assembled and prepared for assessment from my package was sent from sheffield to new york. Wife Priority Settlment from USA.


Is this a bit concerning why new york has it now? and sheffield didnt do it the whole time?

[sunshineusa]

Good news! so now NY UKVI said they are handling the right one. Still not sure why they have a settlment visa...

[terimarijugo]

Hi All!

I am applying for Tier 2 Visa General. My VFS appointment was May 30 , and my application was received in Home Office on May 31. I paid Priority Service and SMS service. On June 16, I received an email that my application is not straightforward. That was the last email of my visa update. I kept on emailing UKVI about any information of my visa application, but their response is that my visa is for consideration and still waiting for approval.

I am really really disappointed in their service. I even borrowed 5.48 pounds to avail their email service but they keep on replying the same reasons. My cert of sponsorship will expire on August 11. I hope they will make immediate action. My other co workers are already in UK since June but I am still here in Philippines waiting for their decision. I am really frustrated.

[terimarijugo]

So i just got an email saying my" application was received in UKVI in new york and being assembled and prepared for assessment from my package was sent from sheffield to new york. Wife Priority Settlment from USA.


Is this a bit concerning why new york has it now? and sheffield didnt do it the whole time?

Hi did you get a decision already? Hope you do