Entry Clearance (EC) approval process and feedback

[Mini]

Thanks Cosmopol.

Useful link for people on the move to UK

http://www.1stcontact.co.uk/live/

[Vladimir Putin]

Have you been through EC in Moscow, Russia?

If yes, could you please share your experience?
- How long did EC take?
- What did they ask you in the interview?
- Did they ask for any additional documents?

I have submitted my documents about 4 weeks ago. On the day of the application they told me to come back in the afternoon to pick up my passport with a visa. However, when I came back they told me they had to refer my application to London. They said they always refer such applications to London and I should hear from them in 2-3 weeks. It's been over 4 weeks and they still haven't received the response from London.

Does it mean there is a problem with my application?

Thank you,

[Cosmopol]

Hi All,

I have completed my EC in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia today. Thanks for your assistance and help.
Here are the details abt my application:

Nationality: Indian
Profession: IT
Experience: 7+Yrs
HSMP Applied from: Singapore (at that time I was working in Singapore)
Application sent on: 19-Jan-2004
HSMP fee deducted from Credit Card on: 23-Jan-2004
Funds proof for: S$32,000.00 (Approx BP 10,000) Statment of Account letter from the bank
HSMP Approved on: 07-Apr-2004
Applied for EC on: 24-Jun-2004 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (as I changed my job in the month of March, I had to attend EC either in the country of origin or in country of residence)

Some queries related to VAF1 Application form(for EC):
Date of journy: I have mentioned date of journy as 17-Sep-2004.
Funds Proof: I have submitted the Statement of Account letter which was taken in Singapore.
I have also submitted a Accommodation Proof document sent by my friend who is staying in London with all his contact details.
In the last section(Additional info.), I have requested the Immigration Officer NOT TO contact my current employer unless it is a must.

The receipt issued by British Consulate says IF THE OFFICER NOT WISHES TO ISSUES VISA, THEN BRIT. CONSULATE PEOPLE WILL CALL WITHIN 5 DAYS. IF WE DONT RECEIVE ANY CALL, WE CAN GO AND COLLECT OUR PASSPORT ON 5TH(01-Jul-2004) DAY. So, I went on 6th day for collection. But the officer said that Visa is not ready and Brit. Consulate will call me once the Visa is ready.

Atlast I recieved a call on yesterday (05-Jul-2004) from Brit. Consulat. The lady asked me to come and collect my visa.
Today I have collected my Passport stamped with UK Visa.

Visa validity: 17-Sep-2004 to 16-Sep-2005 (This is the date I mentioned in date of journy coulmn in VAF1 form).

I am planning to look for a job before I move in to UK. Please advise me about some good IT related josites.

Any Queries?? contact me.

Best Regards,
Sagar

[Kayalami]

EC Clearance in India - contents transfered from locked post in main HSMP forum - original poster is KV.

Has anyone got his/her EC done from India (its better if its Mumbai)? Can anyone tell me how much and what type of proof of funds is required?

Someone told me that they dont accept co-operative bank accounts as proof...is that correct? Do they accept Stocks / Jewellery etc as proof of funds?

Do they consider Spouse's income and funds (if spouse is also travelling along) while calculating total funds?

KV,
I got it from Bangalore, Mumbai will be same..
You can show 3000 GBP per person. say around 3-4-5 Laks per person. Better show the max.

Why they dont' accept co-operative bank statement? i'm not aware of functioning of such bank but is it too different from ordinary bank ?

Stocks i doubt about that and Jewellery certainly not.

You can show our PF.

Yes you must show spouse's fund also.

Ajay

KV,
I believe you also have to show the transferability of funds to UK bank and you would not be able to do so for jewellery & stocks. So all funds have to be liquid.
_________________
Mini

Thanks Ajay. Just a few more related questions....

1) Do they expect to see transaction history or just the bank balance would do? What if i ask someone (say my parents) to deposit sum of 2 lakh Rs. (as a gift) and show that in the statement?

2) Would they count Fixed Deposits towards funds?

3) How do you show PF as funds? i mean i never get any statement from PF office about how much balance i have etc...is there any other way? If we can show PF, we can probably show bonds, PPF, National savings certificate etc... is that correct? did you show any of these or you only showed liquid cash?

[Jai Jawan]

EC from Mumbai- India

Submitted application on 8th July at 11 a.m with the following--
-VAF 1 forms for self & spouse
-Passports for self & spoue
-Letter from relative in UK for Accomodation
-Original HSMP Approval Letter
-Marriage Certificate
-Educational certificates
-Experience/ Reference Letters
-Various prints from the net showing that there are jobs in UK relevant to my qualification & experience
- Funds GBP 16,000 for Self & Spouse. (Bank Statement for last 6 months, Public Provident Fund bablance, Bonds)

I was asked to come next day and check the list that they put on the ground floor of the Visa facilitation Services (VFS) office. I was informed that If my name appeared on the list I had to take a date for the Interview...and in case my name is not there then the visa has been granted and I can collect the same...

The VFS people are very helpful & effecient....

Next day---9th July---Recahed VFS at 5p.m. (The list is put up at 4.30 p.m)......checked the list and was glad to know that my/ spouse name was not there....Went up on the 1st floor , waited for an hour in line and got the packets....With the VISA stamed...looks good

Our Visa is valid for a year.
I had requested the ECO in my covering letter to post date my visa from 2nd September, however that was not accepted...The Visa starts 9th July....

As what i came to know from the VFS pple there are not many applications for VISA under HSMP-EC Clearnace

Thanks to all the board members for their inputs and guidance....

[Vladimir Putin]

Got my EC in Moscow, Russia, after 34 days of waiting. No interviews, no additional documents requested. Submitted my application on June 4, the consulate referred it to London and then I wainted for 34 days.

Good luck, everyone,

[tryafrica]

Colleagues

After a struggle coupled with pannic, i got my EC under HSMP. Now the stressing job hunt will start in the next week.

Thanks to you all for the support,

Regards

Tryafrica

[Cosmopol]

Hi! All,

My HSMP was approved on 15 April, I applied EC on 13 of July, Just before the 3 months deadline. I sent a e-mail to british consulate general to check the documents I should supplied, got reply saying:

1. Completed Application form
2. HSMP approval letter
3. Bank statement
4. application fee
5. two photos and your passport

I just handed all the papers to the officer, he said my intended entry date of 15th December is not accepted as the Visa application should not be made more than 3 months earlier than your departure date. so I changed my entry date to 15 Oct. 2004. That's all, no other question. I got my Visa next day, no interview, no hassle.

[hcho]

Hi everybody,

Yesterday I have got my EC based on HSMP from Ankara, Turkey. It would not have been that easy, if this forum had not helped that much. Thanks to everybody, keep up the good work.

I want to share some details hoping that it will help someone. Home office recieved my application on 23rd March and I have got my acceptance letter on 10th of July. I backed up my application on 1st of July with a job offer.

The British Embassy in Ankara does not accept individual applications for any kind of visa. That is a safety precaution, that was employed after the bombing events in Istanbul in October 2003. I used an agency, Setur, which is listed on British Embassy web page. I supplied
*VAF1 form
*HSMP accaptance letter
*Reference from my current employer
*Pay slips of last 3 months
*Bank records of last 6 months
*Copy of job offer
*Hotel resevation fax
The processing took a week and no interviews were held.

On HSMP vignette on my passport, it says that I must register with the police witin 7 days of my arrival. Is this the case for everyone or is it for Turkish nationals only?

[yogesh]

Does entry clearance officer needs the resignation letter to approve your entry clearance application form???

[potinenir]

Nope. Just existing payslips and bank statements are the important one's.

[Cosmopol]

Hi

I want to share my EC experience with this forum members. Thank you this forum that helped me a lot to be successful in HSMP.

List of documents submitted as required by UK Embassy,Dhaka. :

1. VAF1 form
2. Valid travel documents
3. Original HSMP approval letter
4. Original Employment reference letter
5. Original education certificates
6. Original Bank statement of last 6 months
7. Photocopy of passport of relative staying in UK
8. Prove of accommodation ( I submitted the email correspondence
inviting me )
9. Original In come tax certificate

List of documents I submitted in addition :

1. A cover letter
2. A summary of assets
2. Photocopy of car registration
3. Valuation report of car ( made by reputed survey company )
4. Photocopy of Share certificates
5. Photocopy of marriage certificate
6. Photocopy of birth certificates of children
7. Photocopy of deed of land property of spouse with valuation report
8. Photocopies of some ad of job got through internet search
9. Some group photos of family

At first I submitted the above documents at the Visa Facilitation Service (VFS) Center, Dhaka. They checked and asked me to pay appropriate fee at counter. After that the officer informed me the interview date.

Question asked by ECO at UK embassy, Dhaka :

1. What the reason is to come to UK
2. Why you are intending to come UK as you are doing very good job with
good salary.
3. How many days of HSMP visa you want (:shock: ECO didnt know !)
4. What you will do in UK as you don’t have any job offer
5. Do you want to be British citizen
6. What is profession of spouse

The behavior of ECO was very nice and granted one year HSMP visa for me and my all dependants. The visa starts from the date of interview though I requested for starting visa from October, 2004 in my cover letter but ECO didn’t it. Passports were given back to me after two hours of interview.

Plz dont hesitate to ask me if any member has any query.
Thank you. !

Sampan

It would be helpful if against all the questions asked by ECO you could also share what answers you gave.

Hi Mini

I replied against theses questions as :

1 & 2 : Through HSMP visa I want to come to UK. Human being needs
development. HSMP attracts skilled people to come UK for better
opportunity. Specially where UK is world leader in Financial Industries,
so as a working people in this sector I want to take the opportunity.

3. Initially one year as per HSMP rules

4. I contacted many employers/ recruiters in UK through on line but all
of them want face to face interview. The eligibility they want are
matching with my experience. ( I submitted some AD )

5. Yes.

6. Business

Thank you.

sampan

[Cosmopol]

Entry Clearance Experience – India – Mumbai ( 29th August 2004)

Reached the VFS office at 9.30am. Collected a token and VAF form from the counter and entered into lounge. Filled the form and went to next room where all VFS personnel are sitting in a row assisting the applicants and collecting the documents.
They called my token number and assigned me to a Staff member. I submitted all the documents to her.

Documents Attached:
Covering letter stating the details of all documents attached and funds
VAF - Form
Passport
Photo Copy of Passport
HSMP Approval letter dated: June 24
Accommodation letter from Friend and his Passport Copy
Educational Certificates
Experience letters
Pay slips for last 6 months and CTC Statement
IT Returns document
Funds availability – GBP 11,000 (bank statements from last 6 months and bonds)

VFS people have a checklist where they mark about all the documents attached. They are very good and cooperative (But it is very difficult to get them on phone, or they don’t have email service like in Delhi if any information needed)

She first checked my VAF form and corrected few options.

7.2 Give name, address and number of UK employer?

I left this blank. She asked me whether I have any job offer or not. When I said no, she just wrote “HSMP”.

7.3. Are you applying to go to the UK as a work permit holder?

I checked No. But she marked it as YES, and at Work Permit Number she gave the HSMP Reference number, Date of issue as HSMP issue date, length of permit as 1 year.

4.14. Have you ever been refused a visa for another country.

I wrote Yes, and mentioned the details. And wrote about the subsequent approval of visa for the same country. She checked the refusal and further approval dates on passport and marked it as “NO”, saying if there is any approval after a refusal, this need not be filled.

I filled the document at home, but Jai Jawaan suggested me to fill the form given by VFS( It is a booklet and looks professional, Thanks JJ J ). That is really a good idea even though we have to sit there and fill the form again. And I found a point that is missing in PDF file.
4.9. Have you visited UK before?
It is having a sub question asking for the dates visited

Cool. She kept all the documents into a bag and asked me to pay the fee at the counter. After the payment there is another counter for submission. They asked me whether to courier it or to collect personally. I opted to collect it by person after checking the list.

30th August 2004, 5.00pm. VFS Office, Mumbai.

Checked my name in the list. Good to see that my name is not in the list (I have to attend the interview if it is in the list) and stood in the queue. After 30 minutes, they gave a token again and send inside. After an hour they called my number and gave me the packet with all the documents and passport, of course with VISA STAMPED.

Thank you all members and moderators for your inputs. It would have been very difficult without this board. It helped at every step of the process.

Regards
Puti

[bani]

Hi, I recently got the EC from the British Embassy in Manila.

They have a courier-assisted program where you call a 900 number to arrange for pick up and delivery of the application materials within Manila. The operator went through with me the materials that needed to be sent (payment - they even record the check number, VAF1 form, current and all previous passports, passport photos, supporting materials, and 2 copies of the checklist of all materials enclosed). For the supporting materials, she said to send originals as well as photocopies (for the embassy to keep). I sent originals and photocopies in two separate folders.

Supporting Materials -
1. HSMP Approval Letter
2. CV
3. UK Employment - job offer letter, job advertisement
4. Funds - bank statements
5. Education - transcripts of records for PhD and Bachelor's degrees
6. Work Experience - employer reference letters that were previously sent to HSMP team, most recent tax return
7. Achievement in Chosen Field - letters of reference that were previously sent to HSMP team (I did not send copies of my publications this time, but did for HSMP).

Processing in Manila is 4 working days, I got my passport and original documents back from the courier 10 days after submission (including transport time, weekend and 1 public holiday). Originally, they only gave me 6 months by mistake. But after faxing an urgent request for reissue (explaining that the standard HSMP EC is 1 year and I would encounter problems with such a short validity period on my EC), the ECO emailed me 2 days later, saying that visa has been reissued and to just bring my passport to the embassy. At the embassy, I gave my passport and a printout of the email to a visa staffmember. After a few minutes, another ECO saw me and told me to come back for my new visa stamp after an hour. Overall, process took 13 days.

[noddy214]

Hello Everybody,

Got my EC done from Mumbai, India. They did not call me for an interview. Had requested them to stamp my visa from a later date (Jan 2005) but they did not pay attention and any stamped it as on the date of application. Now I will be leaving for UK (London) in the first week of Jan.

The following is the list of original documents submitted by me :

• VAF Form
• One Passport Size Photographs
• Valid Passport
• Photo copy of the Passport
• HSMP Approval Letter dt. November 9, 2004
• Print out of Email invitation from friend offering accommodation.
• Salary Increment Letter from employer.
• Salary Certificate for last six months.
• Income Tax Returns filed for Financial Year 2003-2004
• Statement of Estimated Expenditure & Funds Available.
• Bank Statements for six months to establish funds available
• Experience Letters from previous employers
• Education Certificates

Hope other applicants from Bombay find this post useful. Incase of any further clarification, do feel free to contact me.

Noddy