payment rejected, visa expiring in 10 days, please help!

[mei00]

Hi,

I applied for a tier 1 extension on the 22 Feb. HO attempted to take funds out of my bank account on 23rd Feb. This was rejected by my bank due as they had put a block on my account due to suspected fraudulent activity.

I found out about this on Friday 26th through my bank, and assume that my application will now be made 'invalid' due to non-payment.

I haven't had any confirmation of this by the HO - the only thing I've received from them is a letter with my reference number. They still have my application and all supporting documents (including passport)

My current visa is expiring on 10th March, so I don't have much time to rectify the situation. As far as I can see, I have three options:

1) Send a letter to HO explaining why my bank rejected initial payment and request them to try again (I have sent this letter, it should reach them on Monday but I have no idea if this is likely to work??)

2) Send in a new application with as much supporting evidence as possible and explain that they have my passport and to please take it from my first application and attach to the new one.

3) Withdraw my initial application and hope it comes back to me by the 9th of March so that I can go up to Durham and drop the application off to them in person on the 10th before my current visa expires. Does anyone know how long it takes for them to send back a withdrawn application?

Any help, especially from senior people would be very much appreciated!!!!

Thanks

[Oasis4u]

Hi Mei,

I am sorry I am not in a position to advice you anything but if I were you i would have contacted the HO or a lawyer.

Please let me know what you have done..

Thanks

[arsenal49]

OK keep calling them until you get through.

1) ask them to send your app via special delivery as visa is expiring very soon

OR

2) ask them to take out the payment from new card, over the telephone. Payment is handled by different company so they might just transfer to one of those representatives and you may still clear up the payments.

As a back up plan, make another set of documents etc etc. and hope that you receive your application before the expiry date so that you can submit new application ASAP and this time around pay with postal order.

Withdrawing application is same as requesting your passport back and according to guideline its less than 10 days, so not really an option for you.

regards

[mei00]

thanks guys. update is that i got a lawyer who i was hoping would convince them reprocess the fee, but sadly she confirmed today that the application has already been sent back (gave me tracking number) - still trying to get confirmation on what date it was sent.

Now it's just a waiting game i'm afraid - hoping the documents will be returned to me before visa expires so i can resubmit.

Does anyone know how long it takes for packages to be returned? i know it's sent registered mail, but is it first or second class? just trying to get an indication of when to expect it.

In case I receive my documents after visa expires, do I have any options? From reading the forum, i should either have the right to appeal or i can submit an out-of-time application? i also read something about the 28 day concession in the following link:

http://www.immigrationboards.com/viewtopic.php?t=47469

I mentioned this to my lawyer, who said this was an 'administrative review'. is it the same thing, or something different?

if i do any of the above options, am i allowed to continue working?

[vks]

Hi,

I applied for a tier 1 extension on the 22 Feb. HO attempted to take funds out of my bank account on 23rd Feb. This was rejected by my bank due as they had put a block on my account due to suspected fraudulent activity.

I found out about this on Friday 26th through my bank, and assume that my application will now be made 'invalid' due to non-payment.

I haven't had any confirmation of this by the HO - the only thing I've received from them is a letter with my reference number. They still have my application and all supporting documents (including passport)

My current visa is expiring on 10th March, so I don't have much time to rectify the situation. As far as I can see, I have three options:

1) Send a letter to HO explaining why my bank rejected initial payment and request them to try again (I have sent this letter, it should reach them on Monday but I have no idea if this is likely to work??)

2) Send in a new application with as much supporting evidence as possible and explain that they have my passport and to please take it from my first application and attach to the new one.

3) Withdraw my initial application and hope it comes back to me by the 9th of March so that I can go up to Durham and drop the application off to them in person on the 10th before my current visa expires. Does anyone know how long it takes for them to send back a withdrawn application?

Any help, especially from senior people would be very much appreciated!!!!

Thanks

Hey there was a lesson from one of the forumite, I could not find the link, but check the below quote which I copied to a text file. This may help you!

Summary for those who are interested

Oct 19th
Posted Tier-1 extension application + dependent application by special delivery

Oct 20th
Call from HSBC saying they had blocked the Home Office transaction for main applicant fee (Visa debit).
Commence furious anger.
Told HSBC to put a note on my account to let payment through.
Tried calling to resolve payment directly with Home Office. Not possible they said.
Wrote letter explaining situation and asking Home Office to put through the payment again. Sent this to the Durham Home Office address (same address as original application).
Spouses's dependent payment actually processed ok (same card details)

Oct 24th
Received acknowledgement letter from home office. Nothing about failed payment.

Oct 27th
Payment Operations Team (Sheffield) calls me directly in response to my letter (miracle) and advises me to send to them another payment form and my reference number from the acknowledgement letter.
Sent new payment request form (Mastercard credit card this time). Told HSBC to let this payment go through or bad things would happen to them

Oct 29th
Payment Operations team confirms they have received new form and forwarded it to the payment processing squad

Nov 1st
HSMP Visa expires.

Nov 6th
Payment still not deducted yet from card. Getting nervous/highly irritated.
Called Payment Ops team (thank goodness I now had their direct number). Finally talked to somebody extra helpful.
Faxed new payment form to them as requested, they ensured payment processing squad (Durham) completed the transaction that afternoon, and advised that caseworker said my application would be looked at on Monday 9th.

Nov 13th
Still no sign of visa. Stressed.

Nov 17th
Visa arrives out of nowhere, extended until 2012. It was actually processed on November 9th but took 8 days to be delivered.

I think I aged about 20 years during the month this took to resolve. Word of advice for anyone who has their payment blocked - write them a letter immediately!! Might save you having your documents sent back prematurely!

[arsenal49]

well any time between 2-8 days really. Acknowledgments are usually sent via 2nd class post. Dont have recent experience of getting documents back from HO so cant say anything for sure.

Did you not includ pre-paid special delivery envelope?

regards

[mei00]

Thanks vks. I did see that post which gave me hope, but as my documents have already been returned to me, unfortunately it won't be possible for them to re-do the payment (they have already destroyed the second payment form i sent them for 'security reasons').

arsenal - i didn't include a special delivery envelope - didn't think i would be needing anything sent back to me in a rush. my mistake. this isn't just an acknowledgement, it's my whole application including supporting documents and passport - would they also be sending that back 2nd class registered?

more importantly, if anyone knows my options if the documents are sent back to me after visa expiry, please let me know!!

[Oasis4u]

One of my friend' experience..
In feb 2007 he applied for HSMP and was waiting for approval to come as his visa was about to expire so at the end he decided to send his passport before his visa expiry.. They did accept his passport and once they approved his application .. they stamped his passport as well.

I think...
You can fill up a new application form... wait for till this weekend or monday else send application alone on monday the 8th by special delievery.. and explain everything in the cover letter.. Once you receive all the docs from HO (incase you dont receive till monday).. send them as well.. because you can see from the trend.. it is taking about 3-4 weeks for an application to be considered ..
Also as per HO guideline you can as many docs you want is relevant to your application before your case is being considered.


I am sorry if this doesn't make any sense... but I just wanted to share...

Many thanks for reading.

[aruni4470]

i also read something about the 28 day concession in the following link:
http://www.immigrationboards.com/viewtopic.php?t=47469

Has anybody got more info on this???

[Oasis4u]

MeiOO

any Update????

[mei00]

good news - documents were returned to me yesterday so i will have enough time to resubmit before my current visa runs out.

thanks to everyone for their input!

[Oasis4u]

Good Stuff..
just be super diligent this time..

All the best

good news - documents were returned to me yesterday so i will have enough time to resubmit before my current visa runs out.

thanks to everyone for their input!

[tvn_ramesh]

good news - documents were returned to me yesterday so i will have enough time to resubmit before my current visa runs out.

thanks to everyone for their input!

Mei..

when you resend you application make sure of the following:

1. Photographs should not be older than 1month
2. Maintenance funds bankstatements latest date shd not be more than 1month.. if shd fall with 1month

3. and see if you need to fill any other details in the application - go though each question..

[mei00]

Can I just ask, how do they know if a photograph is older than 1 month? The photos that I'm submitting are about a year old - but they fall within the guidelines, and other than a slight haircut change, I look exactly the same. I don't mind getting photos done again if I need to, but how do they verify the date of the photograph?

I've had to get a temporary bank statement from my bank for maintenance funds which has been signed and a bank card attached. I also got the bank to write me a letter confirming funds, again signed with a bank card attached, so hopefully that will be okay?

Also I'm paying by postal order so the bank can't cause problems for me this time!! Lesson learned!!

[aruni4470]

Can I just ask, how do they know if a photograph is older than 1 month? The photos that I'm submitting are about a year old - but they fall within the guidelines, and other than a slight haircut change, I look exactly the same. I don't mind getting photos done again if I need to, but how do they verify the date of the photograph?

Why do you want to go into 'How do they verify'? If they have asked for photographs which are less than one month old, why dont you provide them with the ones which are taken within the last month. It doesnt cost more than a fiver. Do you really think taking risk with your application is worth it? You already had a lot of stress with your last application. Avoid any thing that can create tension. Think about it...All the best.

[mei00]

Thanks aruni. I will be taking new photos again, best to avoid anything that will give them cause to reject me. Thanks again!

[arsenal49]

Can I just ask, how do they know if a photograph is older than 1 month? The photos that I'm submitting are about a year old - but they fall within the guidelines, and other than a slight haircut change, I look exactly the same. I don't mind getting photos done again if I need to, but how do they verify the date of the photograph?

I've had to get a temporary bank statement from my bank for maintenance funds which has been signed and a bank card attached. I also got the bank to write me a letter confirming funds, again signed with a bank card attached, so hopefully that will be okay?

Also I'm paying by postal order so the bank can't cause problems for me this time!! Lesson learned!!

they are assuming that you sent "recent" photo for your previous application. now that application is sent back chances are your photos will be older than a month.

this is something you dont wanna be worrying about and just make sure you send the new ones

regards

[Anio]

I just wanted to add that I’m impressed by the level of support given on this forum. I hope to send in my application in May but I check this forum regularly to read other people’s issues and input. I must say I’ve learnt a lot and will definitely not be making the same mistakes (I hope). Thanks to everyone for their time and comments, which are priceless in these uncertain times (for immigrants).

To think that I was planning to send an old photo…..

[arsenal49]

hi mei

I am wondering if you can please tell me at what time of the day you managed to connect them on phone and what number you used. its very urgent.

thank you