BRP(RC) issue

[afcdon83]

Has anyone ever had a BRP(RC) application refused and why?
I submitted my biometrics for change in surname 6 weeks ago and nothing back yet and these applications are supposed to be quick. All required documents were submitted so really confused

[Greenie]

where does it say that these applications 'are supposed to be quick'

[afcdon83]

Refer to link

http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/sitec ... 020091.pdf

Section 13 says they aim to process applications quickly - now 6 weeks after biometrics (12 weeks after application), is not quick in my opinion.

And in fact if you look at section 12, it says BRP should be delievered within 7 working days of biometric appt. They've clearly made misrepresentations here

[Greenie]

I find it a bit odd that they have put that information on the guidance notes, since the usual process (for other applications anyway) is that applications are not considered until biometrics have been given, 7 days is usually the timeframe they give to expect the BRP after a decision is made. It is also odd because processing times vary depending on workload and staffing so why they would state that you can expect the BRP within 7 days of biometrics on the guidance notes is puzzling

It also seems to contradict what it says later on down in the guidance document that:

As we cannot tell in advance how long it will take to decide particular cases, our general advice to applicants is not to make any non-urgent travel arrangements until your passport or travel document is returned to you, followed by your Biometric Residence Permit if your application is successful

[nissyj]

i've been anxiously tracking my application too and i urge you to all contact your MPs because there's some proper mismanagement with these applications.

applied on the 9th of feb, received acknowledgement a few days later. Biometric enrollment letter only came on the 15th of March, and I enrolled them on the 19th.

i was already starting to panic before as i had planned to go home to visit a sickly cousin of mine (she has stage III cancer with dim prospects) for the beginning of april as i was advised it would take 4-6 weeks when i called them prior to application. so i called up my MP for some assistance.

my MP's case worker came back with this:

"They have been able to confirm that your application was received on 10 February. However, as it was not passed to the correct unit within UKBA until 15 March, I am told that the 4-6 week timescale will only apply from this later date and you may yet face a wait of several weeks. I am sure that you will be very frustrated by this news and I agree that it is a ridiculous way to apply a target."

you cannot imagine my reaction to this. it is complete and utter misrepresentation from both the helpline advisors and the guidance notes. it is simply careless incompetence and for it to have taken 5 WEEKS for an application to be passed around is absolutely ridiculous.

i am starting to agree that there isn't a specific case team for these type of applications. please, please get in touch with your MP because it might be the case that your application is sitting somewhere untouched. i have my MP fighting my corner and also have my employer's legal team trying to do the best they can to sort it out, and i don't think i will hear back from it for some time still as it seems like they're understaffed. just crossing my fingers that it will come back to me sometime this week or next..

[Greenie]

if you have a biometric letter then your case will be with a casework team as they 'raise' your case and you are issued a Case ID at this point. The issue is that they are taking several weeks to decide these applications which appears contary to the guidance notes - however I would say that these notes are either out of date or incorrect. Applications are not substantively considered until biometrics are given - this is the same for all applications - there is a delay of 3-4 weeks from the when the ack letter is issued to when the biometric letter is issue.

[afcdon83]

I still haven't heard anything, did biometrics on 23 Feb (6 weeks ago!!). My MP has been on the case and he wrote to the Chief Exec last week outlining the issue - but how long will the Chief Exec take to act?? Probably weeks if not months!!

[Greenie]

I still haven't heard anything, did biometrics on 23 Feb (6 weeks ago!!). My MP has been on the case and he wrote to the Chief Exec last week outlining the issue - but how long will the Chief Exec take to act?? Probably weeks if not months!!

your case is not unusual. All applications are taking longer than usual at the moment and 6 weeks is not unusual for a BRP(RC) application.

[nissyj]

if you have a biometric letter then your case will be with a casework team as they 'raise' your case and you are issued a Case ID at this point. The issue is that they are taking several weeks to decide these applications which appears contary to the guidance notes - however I would say that these notes are either out of date or incorrect. Applications are not substantively considered until biometrics are given - this is the same for all applications - there is a delay of 3-4 weeks from the when the ack letter is issued to when the biometric letter is issue.

the guidance notes were updated in feb 2012. in any case, all the BRP RC apps seem to be taking longer than a normal visa application which is strange, and there's also been a case of someone not getting a biometric letter after 8 weeks of submission - it seems to me that there isn't a clear procedure with handling these cases.

[afcdon83]

I still haven't heard anything, did biometrics on 23 Feb (6 weeks ago!!). My MP has been on the case and he wrote to the Chief Exec last week outlining the issue - but how long will the Chief Exec take to act?? Probably weeks if not months!!

your case is not unusual. All applications are taking longer than usual at the moment and 6 weeks is not unusual for a BRP(RC) application.

My initial application was made at beginning of Jan, which is when apps were being processed on time. Only last few weeks has it got busy, so it's clear mine has gone towards back of the queue. In fact when I phoned UKBA, they said that might have happened. I guess it could be 6 weeks, 8 weeks, 10 months, 20 years, who knows, doesn't matter to UKBA.

[zaheeruk]

This is really frustrating. I got my letter on Feb 2nd saying that a caseworker has been assigned, After that no letter at all from UKBA. It has been two months. I sent 6 written letters and almost 15 emails to customer complaints. My passport is with them. I need to go to India to visit my father who is not doing well. I called a number to return my documents but no one answers.

[afcdon83]

This is really frustrating. I got my letter on Feb 2nd saying that a caseworker has been assigned, After that no letter at all from UKBA. It has been two months. I sent 6 written letters and almost 15 emails to customer complaints. My passport is with them. I need to go to India to visit my father who is not doing well. I called a number to return my documents but no one answers.

So, have you not given Biometrics yet? Once you get a letter saying caseworker has been assigned that's when you're supposed to do biometrics. First letter you get is acknowledgement with home office ref number then after few weeks you get invite to do biometrics which is the same time a caseworker is applied.

[afcdon83]

if you have a biometric letter then your case will be with a casework team as they 'raise' your case and you are issued a Case ID at this point. The issue is that they are taking several weeks to decide these applications which appears contary to the guidance notes - however I would say that these notes are either out of date or incorrect. Applications are not substantively considered until biometrics are given - this is the same for all applications - there is a delay of 3-4 weeks from the when the ack letter is issued to when the biometric letter is issue.

the guidance notes were updated in feb 2012. in any case, all the BRP RC apps seem to be taking longer than a normal visa application which is strange, and there's also been a case of someone not getting a biometric letter after 8 weeks of submission - it seems to me that there isn't a clear procedure with handling these cases.

I have a feeling they have recently changed the way BRP(RC) are treated. A couple of months ago, the entire process used to take 4 to 6 weeks max (and that means from submitting application to getting everything back). Apart from us lot here, no one has complained about not getting BRP(RC) processed where they gave biometrics before Feb 12, so clearly these delays are a recent thing. In fact, there are very few threads on BRP(RC) at all, maybe they just don't get many at all - hence there is probably no set team that deals with them.

[afcdon83]

i've been anxiously tracking my application too and i urge you to all contact your MPs because there's some proper mismanagement with these applications.

applied on the 9th of feb, received acknowledgement a few days later. Biometric enrollment letter only came on the 15th of March, and I enrolled them on the 19th.

i was already starting to panic before as i had planned to go home to visit a sickly cousin of mine (she has stage III cancer with dim prospects) for the beginning of april as i was advised it would take 4-6 weeks when i called them prior to application. so i called up my MP for some assistance.

my MP's case worker came back with this:

"They have been able to confirm that your application was received on 10 February. However, as it was not passed to the correct unit within UKBA until 15 March, I am told that the 4-6 week timescale will only apply from this later date and you may yet face a wait of several weeks. I am sure that you will be very frustrated by this news and I agree that it is a ridiculous way to apply a target."

you cannot imagine my reaction to this. it is complete and utter misrepresentation from both the helpline advisors and the guidance notes. it is simply careless incompetence and for it to have taken 5 WEEKS for an application to be passed around is absolutely ridiculous.

i am starting to agree that there isn't a specific case team for these type of applications. please, please get in touch with your MP because it might be the case that your application is sitting somewhere untouched. i have my MP fighting my corner and also have my employer's legal team trying to do the best they can to sort it out, and i don't think i will hear back from it for some time still as it seems like they're understaffed. just crossing my fingers that it will come back to me sometime this week or next..

When you say your MP's caseworker came back, could you clarify what you mean? Did a caseworker actually say this or just someone your MP spoke to?

[afcdon83]

Further to nissyj's comment, I agree, everyone should contact their MP. Apparently MP's have their own MP hotline which they can call to get info.
I don't think anyone is looking at our applications

[afcdon83]

I still haven't heard anything, did biometrics on 23 Feb (6 weeks ago!!). My MP has been on the case and he wrote to the Chief Exec last week outlining the issue - but how long will the Chief Exec take to act?? Probably weeks if not months!!

your case is not unusual. All applications are taking longer than usual at the moment and 6 weeks is not unusual for a BRP(RC) application.

Appreciate what you're saying, but how long do you think I should wait before getting anxious (although that line has been crossed already). If Tier 1 and Tier 2 are being done within 4 to 5 weeks, why should replacement take longer?

[afcdon83]

Interesting document here for caseworkers

http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/sitec ... iew=Binary

Our relevant pages are from 90 to 103. The Charged Leave Sheffield workflow team deal with BRP(RC) but I can't get any info about them on the internet except on the linked doc.

[zaheeruk]

This is really frustrating. I got my letter on Feb 2nd saying that a caseworker has been assigned, After that no letter at all from UKBA. It has been two months. I sent 6 written letters and almost 15 emails to customer complaints. My passport is with them. I need to go to India to visit my father who is not doing well. I called a number to return my documents but no one answers.

So, have you not given Biometrics yet? Once you get a letter saying caseworker has been assigned that's when you're supposed to do biometrics. First letter you get is acknowledgement with home office ref number then after few weeks you get invite to do biometrics which is the same time a caseworker is applied.

: The issue i have is I have not got the second letter of invitation yet. That is what is my worry. I dont have a case id yet to invite for biometrics.

[afcdon83]

Has anyone been able to get any more information on how long we should wait? Don't suppose anyone has their documents back yet. It's now been exactly 6 weeks

[zaheeruk]

Update from my side.

I finally was able to talk to someone in UKBA. This is what the update they gave me. The case worker has not even bothered to look at my application. The person has put in information now. This is really frustrating. 2 months i have waited and I was told casually that there was a miss.
Anyway the number to call is 0870 606 7766. Select option 4 and then 2. You will only get through to a person on this selection. Do not select the option which says status update.