April Applicants

[dhavaluk]

HI friends,

May i know the status of April Applicants? how much time is taken these days to decide a case? it was almost a week to ten days in the begining of April (for March applicants) i wanted to confirm whether its still the same or increased?

I have just sent my documents yesterday, expecting them to reach HO this friday. So, want to know the time taken for decision.

does anybody know whether there will be holiday on 5th May as its an election day? it is the case in my country. And i have enclosed a Demand Draft for the fees, how much time does it take for HO to get it credited it in their account? if anybody has any idea.

[marfbr]

Hi there,

I sent an application in on the 26th of April, and my credit card was debited on the 29th. I expect it will be another couple of weeks before I get a reference number, and just hope that my application fits within the 50% of applications being processed in 4 weeks.

I'm not sure if the UK has a holiday for Election Day, but I don't think so.

If anyone has received outcomes from recent applications it would be good to hear from you.

Regards.

[John]

I'm not sure if the UK has a holiday for Election Day, but I don't think so.

Just to confirm, election day in the UK is not a public holiday.

However a number of schools around the country are used as Polling Stations and that tends to mean that the school is closed for the day.

Also the people actually manning the Polling Stations are obviously not doing their normal work that day. Not exclusively but many of them work in local government and therefore the work they would ordinarily do will not be done that day.

[dhavaluk]

thanx john,

And will these people manning polling will include HO staff? or can HO staff be among them? anyways, that was just out of curiocity.

[John]

Not sure exactly who you mean by HO staff. In theory anyone could apply to work on election day, either at a Polling Station or counting the votes. Given that both of those functions are organised by the local Elections Office in each area, it just happens to be the case that many, but certainly not all, Polling Station staff work for local authorities ... and also, and again not exclusively so, many people doing the counting work as Bank Tellers ... so used to counting banknotes ... so counting votes comes easy.

[dhavaluk]

Hi John,

You seem to be really very knowledgeable about UK Politics and hance i assume that u are equally knowledgeable for other UK working styles.

I have sent a Demand Draft drawn on bank in London towards my HSMP Application fee. I wanted to know how much time will it take to credit it in the HSMP's account? as i'll be alloted a reference number on that day only. Can u please let me know this?

[Rog]

A demand draft will take 5 working days to clear. The HO will start processing once they receive clear funds

[dhavaluk]

hi Rog,

thanks a lot, ur reply has given me a relief, as Vijay (Another member form Pakistan) todl em that it would take 15 days. Thanx a lot once again.

[kr]

- package shipped from New York 25-Apr
- CC charged 27-Apr
- received case #0417XX in the mail on 30-Apr
- pacing the halls and climbing the walls thru 5-May...

best of luck to all applicants in-process at the moment!

[chivdog]

application received by HO - 12 April 2005
returned due to cc payment problems - 20 April 2005
original application resent with International Bank Draft - 21 April 2005
received by HO - 25 April 2005
payment processed/funds cleared at HO - 29 April 2005 (confirmed by the charging team today)
application will be sent by the charging team to the assessment team later today or tommorrow - 10 May 2005.

Fingers crossed.

[dhavaluk]

hi dear Chivdog,

Two things i want to ask u,
1. How you got this information from Charging team? ddi u email them or they informed you from their side? If u sent an email, plz. tell me what all information u sent in that mail and whats the email address of the charging team.

2. U said charging team confirmed that the payment was recieved on 29th (DD was cleared on 29th April) what they were waiting for to send the application to HO? Do we need to remind them to send our application?

Your post has really helped me a lot in judging time taken in clearing the DD. Is there any other way we can know whether our DD is credited to HO Account? i mean the drawee bank can let us know this?

[lbfrancois]

The e-mail address for the charging team is:

charging.workpermits@ind.homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk

(As posted at Home Office Web Site).

Best regards,
Lu.

[chivdog]

hi dear Chivdog,

Two things i want to ask u,
1. How you got this information from Charging team? ddi u email them or they informed you from their side? If u sent an email, plz. tell me what all information u sent in that mail and whats the email address of the charging team.

2. U said charging team confirmed that the payment was recieved on 29th (DD was cleared on 29th April) what they were waiting for to send the application to HO? Do we need to remind them to send our application?

Your post has really helped me a lot in judging time taken in clearing the DD. Is there any other way we can know whether our DD is credited to HO Account? i mean the drawee bank can let us know this?

1. I called the Charging Team after receiving an email from the HSMP team with their number (0114 207 4322). In terms of sending the HSMP Team emails - I find that if you are short, to the point and clearly explain why you are writing you will get a prompt response within 24- 48 hours. Also don't send them superfluous emails. For instance, don't reply to their emails with "Thanks" or the like.

2. I have absolutely no idea why the charging team took so long to forward the application - they're busy I guess. I don't think they would take it too kindly if you "remind" them to send your application - I'm sure they are well aware of what their job entails. Despite people bagging them in this forum - they do seem to be doing a pretty efficient job.

In relation to your last query, I've since been contacted by Travelex (the issuer of the draft) who confirmed that the draft was deposited on 29 April and payment subsequently cleared on 5 May. This would indicate that the charging team tend to regard the payment being "processed" as the payment being "deposited". In any event, they won't send the application on until payment has cleared.

Also for the sake of a couple of other posts in this forum - when my application was returned the first time it was date stamped as "received" by the home office.

I know that it is a stressful process, but for the sake of all applicants, we should try and let the HSMP Team do their job and not bother them too much with anxious queries and rhetorical questions. It will save us all a lot of time.

[kr]

- package shipped from New York 25-Apr
- CC charged 27-Apr
- received case #0417XX in the mail on 30-Apr
- approved 10-May
- received materials 18-May (didn't use courier)

didn't use a professional, just the great advice offered here - many thanks

[dhavaluk]

Dear Kr,

Congratualtions!

I have reapplied, the timeline is

sent courier: 3rd May
Recd by HO: 6th May
Fee paid by: DD
Alloted file No. on: 16th May (as its subject to clearing of the payment)
Ref. No. : 0216XX (as it was my old reference No.)

FIngers crossed now for the decision, as i assume it takes hardly 2 weeks for HO to decide the applications..


Has anybody else faced the same? while reapplying do u always get the same Ref. no. as the previous?

[dhavaluk]

Hi GUys,

I had sent additional documents on 29th, which were recievd on 2nd June. I mailed HSMP team on Friday (10th June) as it was almost 4 weeks of my application. I recieved a reply on 13th June saying "the Decision has been made and documents are dispatched on 7th June." I recieved my docuemnts back today with my Aproval letter.

So, here my application was possitively processed withing almost 3 weeks. It was a paid review.

THanx to all of you for providing feedbacks and support.

[majic]

dhavaluk,

Let me be the first one to congratulate you. Can you give me the point breakdown that you applied for Verses the points you recieved.

Cheers Mate

[dhavaluk]

Dar Majic,

I had claimed 70 points and must have got all those, as without that, i wouldn't have been approved. Unfortunately in aproval letter they don't state where u have gopt how many pioints against claimes. yes in rejection letters they do.

I had claimed it liek this,

Masters Degree: 25
Senior LEvel Work: 35
Partner's Achievement: 10

and have got it throgh.

[Kotiara]

Dhavaluk, congratulations! Btw, what does your nickname mean? Sounds ukrainian. Anyway, my application was recieved on the last day of May, so i'm waiting for results.

[majic]

Kotiara,

My Application was also recived by the HSMP team on 31st May, 2005. I paid through my Credit Card and therefore the payment was deducted the very next day which was the 1st of June. So probably both of us are first applicant for this current month.

As far as the progress on my application goes I can tell you that I have recieved my Reference Number by Mail from HSMP team. I think i recieved it on the 8th of June, 05. Day before yesterday(Monday) before the start of Business in UK, I emailed them to update me on the status of my application but havent heard from them since.

Lets see..I guess they are busy and i dont hold anything against them.

Cheers

[Kotiara]

Kotiara, --------Cheers

Actually I got my number on June 2 by email, but then i sent them an additional document, which they must have recieved on the 6th, according to FEDEX. They havent sent any confirmation for the additional evidence yet. Another difference between us is that i'm sending my application for the first time. I expect to get my results somewhere between the end of June and....maybe Septemer. Keeping my fingers crossed : )

[Kotiara]

BTW, do they notify by email when they make a decision?

[dhavaluk]

Hi Kotiara,

My nickname "dhavaluk" means Dhaval (thats my first name, which in India/Sanskrit means White) and uk stands for UK of course. It has no Ucrainian connection.

Now, regarding your question about whether they inform you by email regarding your decision? NO, they don't take any inititive from there side, you need to ask them if u want to know.

I asked them by mail on 10th June, as it was the end of 4th week that my application was recieved and payment was clared. SO you can even try after 4 weeks and inquire about the status.

All the best to both of you of 31st May-1st June applicants.

[majic]

Even i am sending my application for the first time.

[chivdog]

here's my timeline:

1. 8 April 05 - couriered application from Australia
2. 12 April 05 - received by HO (7 days before my 28th birthday)
3. 20 April 05 - application received back from HO with problems relating to credit card payment
4. 21 April 05 - resent entire application with a banker's draft and took a photocopy of the front page (which was date stamped as received at 12 April)
5. 25 April 05 - received by HO
6. 29 April 05 - banker's draft cleared
7. 10 May 05 - contact HO requesting ref no. advised by charging team that payment had cleared and application was being sent to charging team that day.
8. 20 May 05 - requested ref. no by email to HO, ref. no given on the same day by return email together with confirmation that application received by HO on 29 April 05.
9. 20 May 05 - telephoned and emailed HO asking them to ensure that original receipt date (12 April) was recorded on their system as the date the application was received by them. Confirmation received on the same day from the HSMP Team that my application would be treated as under 28 application.
10. 15 June 05 - contacted HSMP Team by email requesting that they return my original docs so that I could arrange my affairs before departure in mid August and potentially apply for a different visa.
11. 16 June 05 - reply by email from HSMP team saying that my application was being given urgent treatment, and another email saying that my application, cover letter and cv had been lost. Scanned and emailled copies of each of these documents. Email received confirming that my application had been sent to a caseworking team.
12. 22 June 05 - Letter of approval (dated 16 June 05) and all original documents received from HSMP team - no prior email confirmation of any decision being made.

Persistance (and not patience) is a virtue.

I claimed 90 points (15 degree, 35 experience, 5 under 28, 10 spouse, 25 salary and wages). I was borderline on salary but I claimed it anyway relying on fluctuations in the exchange rate. Also I supplied a suite of documents relating to funds available, job prospects, efforts made to obtain employment, accommodation etc.

Good luck