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

[Anotherhustler4vis]

@poper: there is one case on the forum 01.09.2020

@ajitu92 @poper: yea my bad, copied the wrong link. Well, I was hoping that we have a wider stats set to look at and try to make sense of it but I was probably too optimistic.

[poper]

@poper: there is one case on the forum 01.09.2020

@ajitu92 @poper: yea my bad, copied the wrong link. Well, I was hoping that we have a wider stats set to look at and try to make sense of it but I was probably too optimistic.

Who's that? There was one such entry in the timeline thread today but decision says pending

[srsw]

New ukvcas flash message...

No new appointments released between 28 November – 1 December 2020

All UKVCAS Service Points will be closed from 12pm (midday) 24 December until 7am on 29 December due to the Christmas Bank Holiday period. As a result, no appointments will be available to book during these dates.

https://www.ukvcas.co.uk/flash-message- ... geId=56249

[azLondon2020]

Someone mentioned that they checked right to work page to see if there was an update. How did you do this?
Will your old BRP show cancelled/expired right after ILR is approved?

This is the website to check your eligibility to work: https://right-to-work.service.gov.uk/prove/id-question

When does this website change to ILR? Before or after you receive your decision email?
I keep checking this website multiple times a day, just wondering if it will change before I receive my approval email.

[ajitu92]

@ajitu92: thanks again for the stats.

So I came across an official stats published yesterday by HO here
https://www.gov.uk/government/publicati ... ember-2020

Under the Long Residence route, there is a total of 308 applications for 2020-Q2 and 47 for 2020-Q3. Whereas, August alone on our forum sees 61 cases. Not sure if I misread anything. I just try to better understand the trend but I’m no stats expert so if you or anyone here could shed some lights, it would be great!

While this is a good find, there doesn't seem to be any data for Set LR in the file you linked? Where did you get those Set LR numbers from?

So the numbers were right but the link was wrong...this is the right link: https://www.gov.uk/government/publicati ... ember-2020

The numbers for Set LR do not add up by quarter though, as Q3 according to HO stats only show 47 applicants, but I have 129 applicants for Q3 in my dataset.

Overall for Q2+Q3 2020 for Set LR I have 151 and the HO stats have 355.

So either they're counting something differently, or something is amiss here. The more and more I look into the HO published stats, the more I see discrepancies, holes and just weird anomalies....

Q3 data appears incomplete. Perhaps the person compiling stats was incompetent.
The last tab 'CDM_01A' shows cost per decision was £155. ILR applicants are paying more than 15 times

So I thought too, but according to their own "Contents" and "Notes" sheets, it doesn't seem to be. If you refer to sheet "VC_03", it clearly shows "work in progress" and "outstanding not input" applications as 0, and has been for all of 2020. I even considered other corrections/catchup errors, so went through published stats for the previous quarters but did not see any major discrepancies, around 5-15 in number, at most. So either it's a typing/admin error with the numbers for the quarter just gone, or something a lot worse.

[bex654]

Someone mentioned that they checked right to work page to see if there was an update. How did you do this?
Will your old BRP show cancelled/expired right after ILR is approved?

This is the website to check your eligibility to work: https://right-to-work.service.gov.uk/prove/id-question

When does this website change to ILR? Before or after you receive your decision email?
I keep checking this website multiple times a day, just wondering if it will change before I receive my approval email.

I dont know. I have not used this website before, so I am not sure how it works.

[mesn]

Looks like malikf got a Set O approval with Nov 12th bio. Mysteries of HO continues

[saravanakumar_84]

Someone mentioned that they checked right to work page to see if there was an update. How did you do this?
Will your old BRP show cancelled/expired right after ILR is approved?

This is the website to check your eligibility to work: https://right-to-work.service.gov.uk/prove/id-question

When does this website change to ILR? Before or after you receive your decision email?
I keep checking this website multiple times a day, just wondering if it will change before I receive my approval email.

@azlondon2020 now you got approval email, so congrats, please let me know if your right to work has updated?. I just want to check if right to work is a good indication of the approval status. Please let me know, thank you in advance.

[CULLINAN]

RTW website works for many if your BRP is still valid but not for all. It seems to have some glitches. So do not entirely rely on that. Wait for the official correspondence.

[gag285]

Looks like malikf got a Set O approval with Nov 12th bio. Mysteries of HO continues

I saw another user on FB with 1st Oct application and 21st Oct biometrics received approval on 27th Nov for Set O with three dependents. Some hope for next week!

[pomal1994]

While this is a good find, there doesn't seem to be any data for Set LR in the file you linked? Where did you get those Set LR numbers from?

So the numbers were right but the link was wrong...this is the right link: https://www.gov.uk/government/publicati ... ember-2020

The numbers for Set LR do not add up by quarter though, as Q3 according to HO stats only show 47 applicants, but I have 129 applicants for Q3 in my dataset.

Overall for Q2+Q3 2020 for Set LR I have 151 and the HO stats have 355.

So either they're counting something differently, or something is amiss here. The more and more I look into the HO published stats, the more I see discrepancies, holes and just weird anomalies....

Q3 data appears incomplete. Perhaps the person compiling stats was incompetent.
The last tab 'CDM_01A' shows cost per decision was £155. ILR applicants are paying more than 15 times

So I thought too, but according to their own "Contents" and "Notes" sheets, it doesn't seem to be. If you refer to sheet "VC_03", it clearly shows "work in progress" and "outstanding not input" applications as 0, and has been for all of 2020. I even considered other corrections/catchup errors, so went through published stats for the previous quarters but did not see any major discrepancies, around 5-15 in number, at most. So either it's a typing/admin error with the numbers for the quarter just gone, or something a lot worse.

This document is very hard to read. So seems like the whoever applied in Q3 2020 for ILR Tier 2 Set O route and is still waiting for the decision can just lean back and relax.. as there is currently the highest ever number of applications "still in progress" (The figures quoted are a count of cases where the case is still in progress i.e. (the case is not yet despatched), 5.5k applications..

[octave009]

Looks like malikf got a Set O approval with Nov 12th bio. Mysteries of HO continues

I saw another user on FB with 1st Oct application and 21st Oct biometrics received approval on 27th Nov for Set O with three dependents. Some hope for next week!

Another user in fb group got Set O approval, below is the timelins

9 Oct - application submitted
31 Oct - biometrics done
28 Nov - approval email

[Timefiction]

Hi all, just checked my status on the right to work website and it got changes from Tier 2 visa requirements to "You can work in the UK" and " you have no limit on how long you can stay in the UK". I applied on the 31st of August via IDV only

[azLondon2020]

Someone mentioned that they checked right to work page to see if there was an update. How did you do this?
Will your old BRP show cancelled/expired right after ILR is approved?

This is the website to check your eligibility to work: https://right-to-work.service.gov.uk/prove/id-question

When does this website change to ILR? Before or after you receive your decision email?
I keep checking this website multiple times a day, just wondering if it will change before I receive my approval email.

@azlondon2020 now you got approval email, so congrats, please let me know if your right to work has updated?. I just want to check if right to work is a good indication of the approval status. Please let me know, thank you in advance.

I do not have approval yet, I check the website daily to check if my status for the right to work has changed.

I am asking when does this website change, before or after receiving the result application from the home office?

[azLondon2020]

Hi all, just checked my status on the right to work website and it got changes from Tier 2 visa requirements to "You can work in the UK" and " you have no limit on how long you can stay in the UK". I applied on the 31st of August via IDV only

Did your status on the right to work website change before or after your approval email from the home office?

[bext]

When applications come in, I think they allocate them to case workers. So I guess how an application progresses really depends on the case worker. If UKVI have approached each case on the basis of the date submitted and there was only one queue for each category, there should not be cases that late submitters get earlier decisions, which is common, unless there is an issue with others' application, which I don't think to be the case.
To your question, my understanding was, a case worker can review your application, but cannot make a decision until they have validated the biometrics.
However, my application was submitted in early October by a solicitor and biometrics were submitted in early Nov and I am still waiting. Others mentioned that applications submitted in Oct had quick turn around. If this was the case, I should have heard from them by now. So based on my experience, I feel like they only start reviewing your application once they have all information, including biometrics - unless my case worker is too lazy.

I am with you, I don't think Case workers are so free to start reviewing an application without all the relevant information (Biometric Fingerprints). I think the waiting clock for applicant would start ticking after the Biometric is given, that's what my solicitor informed me as well.
But I am not sure how the allocation of cases happens internally; From the timeline I can see that there are people from Oct who are still waiting for their approval E-Mail and there are some who received the decision after submitting their application in Nov. Also, there is no guarantee that everyone here is updating the timeline thread after receiving their approval E-Mail.
Hope and prayers are the only thing which will keep us going.
fyi, I submitted my appl on 26th Oct and given Biometric in person on 19th Nov. Just saw someone who gave biometric on 12th Nov has received Approval E-Mail.

I think they did bring in the provision of making documentation available to caseworkers when biometric centers were closed during the first lockdown to expedite decisions once biometrics were in. This seems to have stopped. I think the pace of your application is dependent on the speed of the caseworker, their workload and above all complexity. To me I have a straight forward case (one employer , no adverse history, own property)but I have ended up on the other end of October applicants. The only thing that adds up IMHO is that I have added my spouse on the application so it would take longer than a single applicant or my case worker is slow/swamped.

Thanks all for your input on this topic. I see people that are getting decisions quicker than when I submitted and it is a bit disheartening as my solicitor said my application is pretty straightforward with no dependants, but it seems like it is a black hole and no one knows when the countdown actually starts...

With Standard Service, I believe it only starts when you submitted your Biometrics. The rest depends on when CW starts looking at your case from their queue and it's complexity. If there is an outstanding question, case might be put in a different queue.

[bex654]

Hi all, just checked my status on the right to work website and it got changes from Tier 2 visa requirements to "You can work in the UK" and " you have no limit on how long you can stay in the UK". I applied on the 31st of August via IDV only

Did your status on the right to work website change before or after your approval email from the home office?

Tell us about your immigration status
There are three options. Which one did you use?

[bex654]

I can see some people receive letters over the weekend and non-working hours. Is it due to system delay or UKVI actully work during these hours?
I can see many people who submitted their application and bio after me got their approval in the past a few days. I have no news whatsoever. :/

[pblankso]

I am with you, I don't think Case workers are so free to start reviewing an application without all the relevant information (Biometric Fingerprints). I think the waiting clock for applicant would start ticking after the Biometric is given, that's what my solicitor informed me as well.
But I am not sure how the allocation of cases happens internally; From the timeline I can see that there are people from Oct who are still waiting for their approval E-Mail and there are some who received the decision after submitting their application in Nov. Also, there is no guarantee that everyone here is updating the timeline thread after receiving their approval E-Mail.
Hope and prayers are the only thing which will keep us going.
fyi, I submitted my appl on 26th Oct and given Biometric in person on 19th Nov. Just saw someone who gave biometric on 12th Nov has received Approval E-Mail.

I think they did bring in the provision of making documentation available to caseworkers when biometric centers were closed during the first lockdown to expedite decisions once biometrics were in. This seems to have stopped. I think the pace of your application is dependent on the speed of the caseworker, their workload and above all complexity. To me I have a straight forward case (one employer , no adverse history, own property)but I have ended up on the other end of October applicants. The only thing that adds up IMHO is that I have added my spouse on the application so it would take longer than a single applicant or my case worker is slow/swamped.

Thanks all for your input on this topic. I see people that are getting decisions quicker than when I submitted and it is a bit disheartening as my solicitor said my application is pretty straightforward with no dependants, but it seems like it is a black hole and no one knows when the countdown actually starts...

With Standard Service, I believe it only starts when you submitted your Biometrics. The rest depends on when CW starts looking at your case from their queue and it's complexity. If there is an outstanding question, case might be put in a different queue.

Personally, I don't believe in the "SERVICE STANDARD and APPLICATION DEALT IN DATE" talk from the home office. If so, I suppose the delay in having few Aug SET M and Zero SEP SET M approvals will be judged as due to complex case. I strongly disagree, checks for SET M is as straight forward as it can be, and even the most complex should have a turn around of 3months max. I have lost 2 job offers and a hell of other opportunities due to this and yet we see SET O applicant with MAX turn around of 3.4months approval, and I don't care about being UK Ancestry, PBS dependants, Tier 1 Migrants or Tier 2 Migrants. The least home office can do is to respect and treat all applicant same irrespective of the SET. I have compiled my own data with stat from all immigration forums and will be taking the home office on this. I think SET M applicants deserve fair treatment. I have seen SET O application approved in just 2weeks, so cant a SET M be approved in 2weeks.

[azLondon2020]

Hi all, just checked my status on the right to work website and it got changes from Tier 2 visa requirements to "You can work in the UK" and " you have no limit on how long you can stay in the UK". I applied on the 31st of August via IDV only

Did your status on the right to work website change before or after your approval email from the home office?

Tell us about your immigration status
There are three options. Which one did you use?

Tier 2 (general) and currently applied for ILR Set (o)

I used the BPR option.

[Timefiction]

Hi all, just checked my status on the right to work website and it got changes from Tier 2 visa requirements to "You can work in the UK" and " you have no limit on how long you can stay in the UK". I applied on the 31st of August via IDV only

Did your status on the right to work website change before or after your approval email from the home office?

i think the status changed around the same time, the email came to solicitor at 4pm, and i checked the status around 5pm. Also when i checked right-to-work in the morning it was still old status

[octave009]

Hi all

Just received my Ilr decision
SET O + 3 dependents
Application Date - 13 Oct
Biometric - 10 Nov
Decision email - 28 Nov 10:30pm

I know there are many other members with the similar timelines
@navkant @gag -- decision is imminent

[azLondon2020]

Hi all

Just received my Ilr decision
SET O + 3 dependents
Application Date - 13 Oct
Biometric - 10 Nov
Decision email - 28 Nov 10:30pm

I know there are many other members with the similar timelines
@navkant @gag -- decision is imminent

CONGRATS
seeing so many October submissions get answers is giving me hope!!!

[stylishsam]

Got approval letter timelines below

Posting Timeline:
Applied for ILR Route: Set (O) Tier-2 General
Date application sent: 13/10/2020
Type of application: Standard
Date document submitted: 10/11/2020
Biometrics Submitted: 10/11/2020
Decision email/letter received: 28/11/2020
BRP Card Received: Waiting

BIG CONGRATS
Did the home office actually email you on the weekend? Does this mean decision are being made on weekends? I thought HO only works m-f?!?

Thanks a lot. Received the mail on Saturday at 8:25pm

[azLondon2020]

Looks like malikf got a Set O approval with Nov 12th bio. Mysteries of HO continues

Totally agree. The mystery is frustrating.

So I noticed this Set(o) approval did application in Oct. but biometrics on Nov 12th!

I did my biometrics on Nov 16th! I hope this means they are in Nov?! For approvals?