**** COVID19 and UKVCAS Appointments **** (ONLY discuss here)

[vijayswami]

sorry to post this again...

Hi Team

Have read through the previous posts with regards to re-use of biometric & new feature in UKVCAS to submit the docs.

Tried reaching to UKVCAS, but no luck. (The calls get disconnected within a minute, tried multiple times)

Did anyone had a chance please to speak with UKVCAS, whether whoever has received the email for "Re-use the biometric" and also received email from W&S to provide the documents, to also click the submission button available in "document upload" section?

(or) we need to wait for the official communication / email from UKVCAS pls?

If we submit it, then how can we upload once photo app is ready?

Thanks

[CR001]

sorry to post this again...

Hi Team

Have read through the previous posts with regards to re-use of biometric & new feature in UKVCAS to submit the docs.

Tried reaching to UKVCAS, but no luck. (The calls get disconnected within a minute, tried multiple times)

Did anyone had a chance please to speak with UKVCAS, whether whoever has received the email for "Re-use the biometric" and also received email from W&S to provide the documents, to also click the submission button available in "document upload" section?

(or) we need to wait for the official communication / email from UKVCAS pls?

If we submit it, then how can we upload once photo app is ready?

Thanks

You need to wait to receive an email. Nothing you can do to speed it up. They are dealing with applications in the date order they were submitted since lockdown.

[vijayswami]

Sorry CR001, then i should have briefed out in the previous email..

I have submitted the ILR by end of May and have received the email from W&S team as well in June.. Also early July, received the email with regards to "Re-use" of Biometric and last friday, as you are aware, "submit" button came up in "upload document" section of UKVCAS...

Hence not sure, whether we need to wait for the official communication / email from UKVCAS pls? (or) we should go ahead and click the submit button in "Document upload" page..

I tried calling UKVCAS, but the call is getting disconnected...

Thanks

[tbp]

Somebody shared a response to their email to CIH on twitter, regarding biometric reuse and here is their answer:

"To support this profess of verifying the identity of a customer, as well as reusing fingerprint biometrics, we will also be asking for an up to date facial image which, if leave is granted, will be used to produce a new biometric residence permit (BRP).

Unfortunately we cannot reuse biometrics in every case including; those biometrics taken before July 2015 or those of children under the age of 18 who have not enrolled their biometrics in the last two years. In family groups where any of the group's fingerprints cannot be reused the family group will all need to attend a biometric enrolment appointment."

[debrancherenzym]

Somebody shared a response to their email to CIH on twitter, regarding biometric reuse and here is their answer:

"To support this profess of verifying the identity of a customer, as well as reusing fingerprint biometrics, we will also be asking for an up to date facial image which, if leave is granted, will be used to produce a new biometric residence permit (BRP).

Unfortunately we cannot reuse biometrics in every case including; those biometrics taken before July 2015 or those of children under the age of 18 who have not enrolled their biometrics in the last two years. In family groups where any of the group's fingerprints cannot be reused the family group will all need to attend a biometric enrolment appointment."

Thanks for sharing this, very useful, at least we now know what the criteria is for reuse of biometrics. I also think maybe not many people are getting biometrics email but they are being still considered for it because of the option of submitting documents on UKVCAS, just a thought.

[Gbvs2020]

When I called them they said to keep checking emails. I’m going to call them again. Please keep us updated and I will do the same. Thanks

Sure...will try to call them too

I tried calling them and didn’t get much information. Still waiting for email. Did you get anything?

No ..i called them yday n they said they are still working on april applications as well..even though they moved on to applications from may 1 to 31

Any update on your application?

[srirav]

Sure...will try to call them too

I tried calling them and didn’t get much information. Still waiting for email. Did you get anything?

No ..i called them yday n they said they are still working on april applications as well..even though they moved on to applications from may 1 to 31

Any update on your application?

No... ...how about you? If you dont mind can you tell when your application was submitted?

[Gbvs2020]

I tried calling them and didn’t get much information. Still waiting for email. Did you get anything?

No ..i called them yday n they said they are still working on april applications as well..even though they moved on to applications from may 1 to 31

Any update on your application?

No... ...how about you? If you dont mind can you tell when your application was submitted?

I submitted mine on 6 April.

[srirav]

No ..i called them yday n they said they are still working on april applications as well..even though they moved on to applications from may 1 to 31

Any update on your application?

No... ...how about you? If you dont mind can you tell when your application was submitted?

I submitted mine on 6 April.

Ok mine wad submitted 28th april
Is your visa expired or still valid?

[jafersadeq]

I submitted mine on 6 April.

Ok mine wad submitted 28th april
Is your visa expired or still valid?

We applied for ILR on 30/04/2020 and we did not receive any email so far.

Guys, we are in the same boat, please update here.

[Gbvs2020]

I submitted mine on 6 April.

Ok mine wad submitted 28th april
Is your visa expired or still valid?

We applied for ILR on 30/04/2020 and we did not receive any email so far.

Guys, we are in the same boat, please update here.

Mine has expired.

[abhardwaj1390]

I submitted mine on 6 April.

Ok mine wad submitted 28th april
Is your visa expired or still valid?

We applied for ILR on 30/04/2020 and we did not receive any email so far.

Guys, we are in the same boat, please update here.

Mine has expired.

13.04.2020 - Lets keep updating each other. I called both UKVCAS and UKVI, there is no help they are no giving further information. Telling just to wait for email

[jafersadeq]

I submitted mine on 6 April.

Ok mine wad submitted 28th april
Is your visa expired or still valid?

We applied for ILR on 30/04/2020 and we did not receive any email so far.

Guys, we are in the same boat, please update here.

Mine has expired.

13.04.2020 - Lets keep updating each other. I called both UKVCAS and UKVI, there is no help they are no giving further information. Telling just to wait for email

New Update:

Home Office replied me:

My understanding is that we are working to launch a functionality that will permit previously captured biometrics to be applied to new applications. This capability will not be ready for business use until the middle of August.

It is bad news

[LZ_90]

Bad news indeed Not sure what’s taking them this long and I bet once the app/platform has been developed, it will crash a few times before it starts functioning properly - just like the Track and Trace app. And that will take another one or two weeks or so

[tbp]

It is very worrying. They should just carry on with UKVCAS appointments after all instead of waiting until the middle of August. This isn't helping. It will cause a backlog. When they decided to go ahead with biometric reuse it was literally my turn to submit biometrics as I applied in 29 March. Now I lost my chance.

From that email it feels like the submissions we made to UKVI via UKVCAS with the latest facility, doesn't really mean anything as they still can not use the biometric data they have.

I hope it is just a speculation that we need to wait until at least mid August for this.

[abhardwaj1390]

Guys, we are in the same boat, please update here.

Mine has expired.

13.04.2020 - Lets keep updating each other. I called both UKVCAS and UKVI, there is no help they are no giving further information. Telling just to wait for email

New Update:

Home Office replied me:

My understanding is that we are working to launch a functionality that will permit previously captured biometrics to be applied to new applications. This capability will not be ready for business use until the middle of August.

It is bad news

When did you contact HO?

[a_london1]

Guys, we are in the same boat, please update here.

Mine has expired.

13.04.2020 - Lets keep updating each other. I called both UKVCAS and UKVI, there is no help they are no giving further information. Telling just to wait for email

New Update:

Home Office replied me:

My understanding is that we are working to launch a functionality that will permit previously captured biometrics to be applied to new applications. This capability will not be ready for business use until the middle of August.

It is bad news

Is this something they told you over the email or over the phone? I wonder how long it will take them to make a decision on the applications after the middle of August...

[AnILRApplicant]

"My understanding" - I have come to abhor the language these respondants use. What on earth does that mean?

At least now, we have an some idea of a timeline although I'll take it with a pinch of salt. Honestly, they should have just continued the former process until the system was ready.

I rang the covid helpline to try to verify the above and the guy didnt even know about biometrics re-use.

Doesnt really feel like the people in charge respect people stuck in this process.

[youyuanannie]

Just a thought. Shall we make some public noise to exert pressure on HO? Surely they don't want negative publicity. It feels like discrimination to me as we are forced to stay in the UK for more than 6 months... No way to return to home countries to visit family...

[Barry465]

Yeah this seems absolutely ridiculous now to be honest, it's now mid July and they are still messing around trying to get through a backlog. People need to get home, people need to leave the country and can't do that until they have there application processed.

[usernameswan]

Guys, we are in the same boat, please update here.

Mine has expired.

13.04.2020 - Lets keep updating each other. I called both UKVCAS and UKVI, there is no help they are no giving further information. Telling just to wait for email

New Update:

Home Office replied me:

My understanding is that we are working to launch a functionality that will permit previously captured biometrics to be applied to new applications. This capability will not be ready for business use until the middle of August.

It is bad news

This is so unfair, we are punished by being 'helpful' to them. There should be a channel that our voice can be heard, dealt with rather than ignored!!! Can anyone let us know how we can get our voice to be heard? I think many people in this forum would be happy to stand up and support!

[AnILRApplicant]

By mid August the recovery from lock down will be just as long as lock down was. I think beyond then, they truly have no excuse.

[VikasMandal]

Mine has expired.

13.04.2020 - Lets keep updating each other. I called both UKVCAS and UKVI, there is no help they are no giving further information. Telling just to wait for email

New Update:

Home Office replied me:

My understanding is that we are working to launch a functionality that will permit previously captured biometrics to be applied to new applications. This capability will not be ready for business use until the middle of August.

It is bad news

This is so unfair, we are punished by being 'helpful' to them. There should be a channel that our voice can be heard, dealt with rather than ignored!!! Can anyone let us know how we can get our voice to be heard? I think many people in this forum would be happy to stand up and support!

Can you please post the full email here, seems to be vague to me as haven’t seen such kind of replies from UKVI OR UKVCAS. Also as per my experience they never specify defined timeline over call or emails unless its officially announced.
Also, don’t beleive that it would take till mid Aug as the whole purpose was to expedite the process, it would be beneficial for them as well and I don’t see a point of they holding applications unnecessarily.
I would rather wait for an official update

[techtoon20]

I tried to raise this to BBC as we are punished and its a discrimination. May I request everyone to raise voice to any channels your are close to.

[BloodofGod123]

13.04.2020 - Lets keep updating each other. I called both UKVCAS and UKVI, there is no help they are no giving further information. Telling just to wait for email

New Update:

Home Office replied me:

My understanding is that we are working to launch a functionality that will permit previously captured biometrics to be applied to new applications. This capability will not be ready for business use until the middle of August.

It is bad news

This is so unfair, we are punished by being 'helpful' to them. There should be a channel that our voice can be heard, dealt with rather than ignored!!! Can anyone let us know how we can get our voice to be heard? I think many people in this forum would be happy to stand up and support!

Can you please post the full email here, seems to be vague to me as haven’t seen such kind of replies from UKVI OR UKVCAS. Also as per my experience they never specify defined timeline over call or emails unless its officially announced.
Also, don’t beleive that it would take till mid Aug as the whole purpose was to expedite the process, it would be beneficial for them as well and I don’t see a point of they holding applications unnecessarily.
I would rather wait for an official update

I'd rather wait for official word from them to be honest. I'm sure they're processing applications as we speak however want to wait till the photo upload service is launched before responding to applicants with timescale. I expected them to be more consistent with updates though. It ain't that hard.