Has anyone received their letter since the rules changed

[confuseddesi123]

Hey tier1researcher,

What are your years of experience? and did you apply as Exceptional Promise or Exceptional Talent?

Do you know anyone who has got a rejection and have applied for review and received a success response?

Would appreciate your help!

Cheers...

[alokagarwal000]

Hi Confuseddesi123,

Thank you very much. Yes there's a priority service for stage 2 (https://www.gov.uk/faster-decision-visa-settlement). They also talk about it in the guidance for the Tier 1 exceptional talent visa

Hello there....How easy is the stage 2 process? Do we need an immigration firm or we can do it online all by ourselves?

[cybercybercyber]

Yes. I did not qualify for a fast track decision for stage 1. I retained an immigration law firm to guide me through the entire process. They felt my application was strong (I have patents, academic publications, news coverage, and multiple presentations at well known conferences), for whatever that's worth.

Applied for endorsement from Tech Nation: 27th September
Received acknowledgement from Tech Nation: 30th September
Received endorsement from Tech Nation: 22nd October
Submitted stage 2 application through Visa4UK: 28th October

VFS Global says they are no longer able to do premium appointments for biometric collection from tier 1 applicants. They were no longer able to offer priority visa processing to Visa4UK users outside of China at the time I submitted my application through Visa4UK (which is no longer accepting applications from the US).

Biometric collection from USCIS: 5th November
Passport, application, and endorsement letter sent to VFS scan facility in NYC: 5th November
Application receipt acknowledged by Sheffield: 6th November
Passport, application, and endorsement letter delivered to VFS scan facility in NYC: 6th November

Now awaiting further news.

[cybercybercyber]

Was notified of a decision on 7th Nov and received my visa 8th Nov.

[tier1researcher]

Hi adventure-capitalist, Did you have to submit the letter the home letter gave you when you completed your stage 2 application?

Hello again, I don't think so. I do remember uploading the letter as part of the required documents for the biometrics appointment with Sopra Steria. In theory, they should already have it on file, but then again, in theory they should already have my fingerprints and photograph on file too...

The Sopra Steria interface stated that I was required to bring the letter to the biometrics appointment, but they didn't seem too interested in the hard copy. They were too busy scanning in every page of my passport.

However, also be warned that the site seems to indicate that if you don't upload your required documents correctly when you make the biometrics appointment, that they will charge you an additional fee of GBP 45 for a "document scanning" service.

Hi, adventure-capitalist I just wanted to ask if you added a bank statement to your application?

[adventure-capitalist]

Hi, adventure-capitalist I just wanted to ask if you added a bank statement to your application?

Hi tier1researcher,

No. I was not required to submit any bank statement information and did not submit an extra one. If you've received your endorsement letter on October 28th like you said, you should be free to check out the requirements and explore the application portal yourself.

The link I followed is here:

https://visas-immigration.service.gov.u ... 1570527678

Best of luck!

[tier1researcher]

Ahh thank you. I only asked because someone was pushing me to take it and I needed to show that others didn't.

[alokagarwal000]

Hello there....How easy is the stage 2 process? Do we need an immigration firm or we can do it online all by ourselves?

[adventure-capitalist]

I received an e-mail with notification that my stage 2 Tier-1 visa application was successful yesterday on Nov. 25th. I should receive the BRP in the post in ten or fewer days.

This could be useful in future for others. Best of luck to everyone else!

[ktown]

I applied on November 7th for exceptional talent (not accelerated process), received notice on November 11th that Tech Nation was considering my application. Received my endorsement (exceptional promise ) on November 22nd. Took a total of 10 working days to get the result.

For the second stage, I decided to apply for next day decision as I was looking to travel and received my results 5hrs after my immigration appointment

Was a very tailored and efficient process. Best of luck to everyone!!!

Oh and worth mentioning, I applied in the UK and was switching from a Tier 2 General