UK 10 Year Tourist Visa (unusual scenario) - Seeking Advice

[AM27]

Hello Admins and Fellow Visa Seekers,

I have been a silent follower of this wonderful forum for many years. It is an amazing source of information and the advice provided is invaluable.

Today I am seeking advice on what could be the reason for the decision which I will explain below and what options I have available to appeal.

I applied for 10 years Standard Visitor UK visa for my in laws who are based in India. They have visited us 3 times before on 6 months standard visitor visa and each visa was around 6 weeks long and the latest was in 2019. I had taken the Gold Premium package at VFS and their appointment was on 10th Feb 2022. My in laws informed that everything was smooth at the appointment. Only thing to note was they couldn’t take my Father in Laws biometric as his fingerprints were not getting registered. So VFS took an undertaking and mentioned that it is very common and there won’t be any problem. On 22nd Feb they got their stamped passport back. My mother in law was granted visitor visa for 10 years but my father in law was granted visa only for 6 months. There was no letter or reason provided for this decision. There was a small note in the envelope only for my Father in law which has heading “Biometric acknowledgement and receipt”. It states his name, date and time of receipt, application number and type of application. The strange thing is the application number, date and time mentioned on this note is from 2019 when they had applied their previous visa which was for 6 months.

So now the questions that I have is
1) how can I find the exact reason why my father in law was granted only a 6 months Visa?
2) Could this be an clerical error as the biometric date on the note is from his previous 2019 application?
3) how can I challenge this decision as a lot of money has been spent on the 10 year application?
4) if latest biometric is the reason then shouldn’t VFS have guided them properly?

Looking forward to your advice on next steps please.

[ywlgy]

general-uk-immigration-forum/applied-fo ... l#p2056338

[AM27]

Thanks a lot ywlgy for the lead. I am following up on which option to choose to contact UKVI.

[AmazonianX]

Thanks a lot ywlgy for the lead. I am following up on which option to choose to contact UKVI.

Even if a shorter period is approved, there is need to explain to applicant why it is so. You lodge complaints and take it from there.

[AM27]

Thanks AmazonianX. I have lodged a complaint. Has there been a known positive case where UKVI have realised a mistake and corrected the duration of the visa granted please?

[AmazonianX]

Thanks AmazonianX. I have lodged a complaint. Has there been a known positive case where UKVI have realised a mistake and corrected the duration of the visa granted please?

Not that I am aware of however it will only be right to correct the wrong that is not justified.
Watch out for response to your complaint, they do respond quickly, keep updating forum on this thread.

[AM27]

Just keeping the forum updated. There has been no response yet to either the compliant or the paid enquiry email I have sent. SLA for response on the compliant is 20 days and for the enquiry service is 15 days!!

[josekumar]

I have received response from British High Commission to resubmit the passport for rectification.

[AM27]

I have received response from British High Commission to resubmit the passport for rectification.

That is amazing news Josekumar. What was your scenario? How did you reach out to High Commission? In how many days did you get the response back?
What instructions have they asked to follow to resubmit the passport please?

[josekumar]

I have contacted them through paid email service requesting explanation to know why it was given only 6 months. Got a call from British High commission to resubmit the passport to rectify the error.

[AM27]

Thanks josekumar. My father in law also got a call but from VFS office and they asked him to submit the passport again for rectification. He has submitted it today and was told that it should be returned in 7 days. I will update once everything is sorted but thanks a lot to all members for guidance on how to contact UKVI. It really helped move things in the right direction and I am hopeful the visa will issued with the right duration.

[arjain15]

Hi AM27,

I am also applying for Tourist Visa for my parents who are currently in India. They have never visited the UK before and would be visiting the UK for first time. Could you please advise on few queries:

1. Is it advisable to apply only for 6 months visa as this would be their first visit or can they apply for longer term as well such as 2/5/10 years?
2. As the visa application form asks for entry and leaving dates of UK, what is recommended to fill out tentatively (as travel dates are not yet planned)? Will it also impact the duration of visa they will get? Also, could you please let me know (through your recent experience) if appointments at VFS Delhi are available promptly or if there is a long wait?
3. What all documents did you upload as part of application - evidence such as parents property, savings, what all evidence and letter from my end?

Any other points if you could share which may help the application would be highly appreciated.

[AmazonianX]

Hi AM27,

I am also applying for Tourist Visa for my parents who are currently in India. They have never visited the UK before and would be visiting the UK for first time. Could you please advise on few queries:

1. Is it advisable to apply only for 6 months visa as this would be their first visit or can they apply for longer term as well such as 2/5/10 years?
2. As the visa application form asks for entry and leaving dates of UK, what is recommended to fill out tentatively (as travel dates are not yet planned)? Will it also impact the duration of visa they will get? Also, could you please let me know (through your recent experience) if appointments at VFS Delhi are available promptly or if there is a long wait?
3. What all documents did you upload as part of application - evidence such as parents property, savings, what all evidence and letter from my end?

Any other points if you could share which may help the application would be highly appreciated.

Stick to your own existing topic

[josekumar]

Complaint Reference: COMP/0200000/22

22 March 2022

Dear Mr XXXX

Thank you for your email correspondence of 6 March where you have raised a complaint on behalf of your mother, Ms XXX XXX, regarding an error with the validity dates on her visit visa.

I am upholding your complaint.

I can confirm that there was an error made concerning your mother’s visa. Our records show that relevant department sent an email to the above email address on 11 March to request that she resubmit her passport to the Visa Application Centre (VAC). Upon the VAC receiving your mother’s passport they will make the necessary correction and inform Ms XXXXX once completed.

Please accept my apologies for the error and I hope my response answers your concerns.

I believe I have addressed all the points you have raised. However, if you feel that there are specific aspects that have not been addressed you can request a review of our response within one month of the date on this letter by writing to us at:

Received response for the complaint raised.

[josekumar]

Thanks josekumar. My father in law also got a call but from VFS office and they asked him to submit the passport again for rectification. He has submitted it today and was told that it should be returned in 7 days. I will update once everything is sorted but thanks a lot to all members for guidance on how to contact UKVI. It really helped move things in the right direction and I am hopeful the visa will issued with the right duration.

Did your dad got his passport back after amendment?

[AM27]

Thanks josekumar. My father in law also got a call but from VFS office and they asked him to submit the passport again for rectification. He has submitted it today and was told that it should be returned in 7 days. I will update once everything is sorted but thanks a lot to all members for guidance on how to contact UKVI. It really helped move things in the right direction and I am hopeful the visa will issued with the right duration.

Did your dad got his passport back after amendment?

Apologies I didn’t see these earlier and I was waiting for final update. Yes finally today after 8 weeks of submitting the passport again for rectification he got his passport back with the visa validity changed to 10 years. They didn’t agree to courier back the passport so he had travel to another city just to collect the passport. I would to thank everyone on this forum for the guidance to raise the enquiry and complaint which helped with the rectification. We never got any response stating if they would rectify the validity over email.

[AmazonianX]

Thanks josekumar. My father in law also got a call but from VFS office and they asked him to submit the passport again for rectification. He has submitted it today and was told that it should be returned in 7 days. I will update once everything is sorted but thanks a lot to all members for guidance on how to contact UKVI. It really helped move things in the right direction and I am hopeful the visa will issued with the right duration.

Did your dad got his passport back after amendment?

Apologies I didn’t see these earlier and I was waiting for final update. Yes finally today after 8 weeks of submitting the passport again for rectification he got his passport back with the visa validity changed to 10 years. They didn’t agree to courier back the passport so he had travel to another city just to collect the passport. I would to thank everyone on this forum for the guidance to raise the enquiry and complaint which helped with the rectification. We never got any response stating if they would rectify the validity over email.

Congratulations for not giving up and seeking redress.

[AM27]

Thanks josekumar. My father in law also got a call but from VFS office and they asked him to submit the passport again for rectification. He has submitted it today and was told that it should be returned in 7 days. I will update once everything is sorted but thanks a lot to all members for guidance on how to contact UKVI. It really helped move things in the right direction and I am hopeful the visa will issued with the right duration.

Did your dad got his passport back after amendment?

Apologies I didn’t see these earlier and I was waiting for final update. Yes finally today after 8 weeks of submitting the passport again for rectification he got his passport back with the visa validity changed to 10 years. They didn’t agree to courier back the passport so he had travel to another city just to collect the passport. I would to thank everyone on this forum for the guidance to raise the enquiry and complaint which helped with the rectification. We never got any response stating if they would rectify the validity over email.

Congratulations for not giving up and seeking redress.

Thanks a lot. It’s a great relief. I am planning to raise another complaint for the fact that my father in law had to travel again just to collect his passport which could have been couriered very easily. So in all he had to visit VFS office personally thrice to get the visa. First time for normal appointment and then twice for rectification process to submit and then to collect his passport.