What info does SAR (Subject Access Request) give you?

[themanindark]

Hi

I am thinking to make a SAR (Subject Access Request). Can anyone who has applied it before let me know whether it contains the information and supporting documents you provided when you apply the initial VISA(entry clearance) OUTSIDE UK?

This includes:
1. Visa application form
2. Any supporting documents
3. Any other records/notes etc

Many thanks.

[razian97]

Hi

I am thinking to make a SAR (Subject Access Request). Can anyone who has applied it before let me know whether it contains the information and supporting documents you provided when you apply the initial VISA(entry clearance) OUTSIDE UK?

This includes:
1. Visa application form
2. Any supporting documents
3. Any other records/notes etc

Many thanks.

hi
i received mine SAR yesterday,it contains basic data of entry clearance like ref number,date applied,date visa issued ,date visa valid till etc.
no record of any supporting documents or applications form in my SAR file.

[themanindark]

Many thanks for your reply.
So does it has all the supporting documents for further LTR in UK?

[themanindark]

Anyone else who has got your SAR?

Does it contain entry clearance supporting documents and application forms?

[razian97]

Anyone else who has got your SAR?

Does it contain entry clearance supporting documents and application forms?

My SAR file contains all visa applications forms made since i am here in uk from 2004,all correspondence letters from ukba or home office,copies of my visa pages on my pasport ,my all photos present in ukba data,m all documents provided in uk for visa extension.all bank statements with my all college documents.

it do not have my travel history, landing cards,or any data about my first application made in home country for entry clearance visa.

[themanindark]

razian97: Many thanks for your detailed reply.

Anyone else?

[sushdmehta_fan]

It depends, Where did you get your Entry clerance from and when ?

I got my entry clearance in 2006-2007

My SAR report has the data from the entry clearance database, what ukba call, the Central ref. system(CRS).

It has most of the data what the entry clearance visa stamp has, also the purpose of visit, details of sponsors plus the copy
of the first page of my passport.

In my case what I have got is a printout of CRS webpage, which has most of the mandatory data, picture, details as appears on
the vignette issuded, caseworks notes(a paragraph), scan of the first page of the passport.

No application forms, fee receipts, cover letter, supporting documents, property documents, bank,
wage slips that I used for Entry clearance.


Ideally if someone has applied entry clearance recently say AFTER late 2009 or 2010
the CRS will have the visa application form scan, the passport page scan, but it may not have all
the supporting documnents from 2013 once ICW starts.

My understanding is the approved(non contentious) entry clearance visa case files are destroyed after 2 to 3 years.
Only the data saved to CRS stays longer, say 15 years.


Though I have requested another SAR to get details as Fee receipts(I havent reclaimed the visa fee from my company, I may do it)
There was no Landing other cards but the very first Landing card.

No movement data, which I was desparately need, some entry stamps not that clear on my passport.


Hope this helps !

let me know if you have any queries

[themanindark]

Hi

Thank you very much for the detailed reply. This is really helpful for me.

You really answered my question clearly. The SAR does not contain entry clearance application form and supporting documents. I therefore do not need to apply SAR anyway.

My understanding is that the the visa officer overseas will check and retain the supporting documents locally at overseas storage and never send them back to the UK. Given the number of visas issued every year. This will be a huge cost if they do send supporting doc etc to UK. The docs will then destroyed after a period of time at overseas.

I applied my first entry clearance back to 2002. Don't know if they do send the supporting documents back to UK in 2002.

Thanks

[sushdmehta_fan]

Yes the time for keeping the visa case file is the minimum 13 months the supporting documents etc at the over sea post. But these days if needed the post just upload the documents on the request of ukb if needed (of course if they have not destroyed by then) within 3 days.

But now they also upload the visa application form, scan of the passport while they issue the visa. Don't do the supporting docs because they tend to be too many. from 2013 they will upload everything to database because the digital storage is getting cheaper.

But if everyone starts requesting the sar disclosure would be massive average case has 300- 400 pages of information spread across far too many databases. The visa process will be even slower, I guess too much information to store and process. Case in point they ask for 12 month bank statements it's may be 6 -10 pages per month because most use card for shopping.

[themanindark]

Thanks for your reply.

Surely, the digital storage is cheap these days and they can store a lot of things for cheap.

I am more curious about how they handle these back to 2002 time. Is there anyone who applied entry clearance at around 2002 and got your SAR? Does supporting docs and application forms included?

[cs95tdg]

Ideally if someone has applied entry clearance recently say AFTER late 2009 or 2010 the CRS will have the visa application form scan, the passport page scan, but it may not have all the supporting documnents from 2013 once ICW starts.

My understanding is the approved(non contentious) entry clearance visa case files are destroyed after 2 to 3 years. Only the data saved to CRS stays longer, say 15 years.

Yes the time for keeping the visa case file is the minimum 13 months the supporting documents etc at the over sea post. But these days if needed the post just upload the documents on the request of ukb if needed (of course if they have not destroyed by then) within 3 days.

But now they also upload the visa application form, scan of the passport while they issue the visa. Don't do the supporting docs because they tend to be too many. from 2013 they will upload everything to database because the digital storage is getting cheaper.

I am curious as to where you obtained this information. Is it your opinion based on the data that was returned to you from the SAR you made? Or did you obtain it from the UKBA website or by making an UKBA enquiry, in which case it would be useful if you could post a reference.

[themanindark]

I am curious as to where you obtained this information. Is it your opinion based on the data that was returned to you from the SAR you made? Or did you obtain it from the UKBA website or by making an UKBA enquiry, in which case it would be useful if you could post a reference.

This information can be found here:
http://205.139.89.196/about-us/freedom- ... bID=824331

But this rule is fairly new and I don't know if it applies to the entry clearance application back to 2002.

Does anyone who has your entry clearance in 2001, 2002 or 2003 got your SAR file? Is the entry clearance supporting documents and application form included in your file?

[sushdmehta_fan]

Well done the maninthedark, you are not in the dark, afterall
that rule is older than one thinks its was after definitely after 1998 think 2000.

Information is a wonderful thing, FOIs !!

The other information is also on the web -- if just google it enough, read the pdf docs, archives and version have dates as well, by the right keywords, also look closely at the asylum and enforcement guidance notes/manuals.

Also compare the versions or also the dates 29-04-2008, plus previous version and the latest:
http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/sitec ... iew=Binary

I will post the links when i get more time after the christmas break.