OLD FLR(M) waiting times Thread

[luckyjinx]

So happy to see someone in the media who is sympathetic to us!! This is great!

You can also find the Parliamentary Ombudsman form here:
http://www.ombudsman.org.uk/__data/asse ... 11-web.pdf

First you must make an initial complaint following this:
http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/view/ ... ubmit.form

[maggie786]

allhamdulilah i got my visa after 7 months

Submitted: 05/07/2012
bio submited 05/10/2012
Visa from: Tier 2

[brownskin21]

PSW(expiring 15/2/13) to FLR (M)

My timeline:
Application sent: 18 December
Application received: 19 December 2012
Acknowledgement letter: 20 December 2012
BM letter Issued: 1 February 2013 (Arrived 8 February 2013)
BM at Post office:...
Documents received: ...(to be updated)
BRP received: ...(to be updated)


Wish me luck!

[Jrson]

hello everyone, I wanted to ask those people whose converting from tier 4 to flrm. I apply on july before new rules apply. My question is that i follow all the flr m requirement on old rules but will it be an issue not to sent anything about college attendance and certificate as it was not the basic requirement. Could anyone clarify this for me plzz. thank you

Hi, I'm tier 4 student visa and successfully granted spouse visa last jan. 29. I submitted my application last may 22 and I just submit my student visa and my passport only and the rest are all documents of my partner. My partner put in the front letter that I abondoned my school to provide a new home with him. Luckily, my application granted.

[Kaolo]

hello everyone, I wanted to ask those people whose converting from tier 4 to flrm. I apply on july before new rules apply. My question is that i follow all the flr m requirement on old rules but will it be an issue not to sent anything about college attendance and certificate as it was not the basic requirement. Could anyone clarify this for me plzz. thank you

Hi ,

I dont think you have to send anything from your school. It shoudnt be a problem if your school didnt lose their highly trusted status or if your visa wasnt canceled. They will know anyways i guess.

As far as my recent succesful application, i was on tier 4, like you. For the language requirement i sent my first degree, and i also provided a letter from the school confirming i was enrolled in a master's course.

Hopefully your visas will be granted.

[shendean]

Just a quick thought:

Does anyone have any experience of making a subject access request (SAR) of UKBA under the Data Protection Act? Might be more productive than FOI requests.

Use this SAR Form

hi damanisshallo! Whats that SAR FORM means ? c
can u clarrify it to me please. thanks

[Damanisshallo]

Whats that SAR FORM means ? c
can u clarrify it to me please. thanks

Read this

[shendean]

Whats that SAR FORM means ? c
can u clarrify it to me please. thanks

Read this

yes.. have u used that? is anybody here they speed up ur application ?

[Damanisshallo]

yes.. have u used that? is anybody here they speed up ur application ?

AFAIK, SAR is to request information held by the UKBA about you and has got nothing to do with speeding up your application.

[sanny26]

Does anyone know how i can contact ukba about biometric enrolment letter apart from calling... Its been 4 months now since waiting on a bio letter... Thank you

[Xiaozhu]

Hi Sanny

It took a long time for our BM letter to be sent out,. It is infuriating because it means they have not even opened your application (other than to fish out the cheque) and they can't consider it until you've enrolled your biometrics.

My advice would be to email a complaint. Do not wait for them to reply though, as you will either be ignored or they will take a good month to get back to you. You need to email your MP explaining very carefully your case and why you are complaining about the UKBA. The MP will then write to the UKBA on your behalf, and the UKBA will reply with a crappy pro forma letter that they send to all the MPs. I'm afraid you do have to go through this stupid process, so you better start sooner rather than later.

When you get the crappy letter back from the UKBA, email your MP again saying that their response is unsatisfactory and that you want the MP to make further enquiries (this was the point at which my application seemed to speed up a bit, as the next letter I got from my MP told me that the UKBA were taking our application into 'active consideration'). At the same time you need to contact the Parliamentary Ombudsman, who will send you a complaints form which you must also forward to your MP. You can only complain to the Ombudsman after you have recieved an unsatisfactory response from the UKBA.

The prospect of a complaint from the Ombudsman seems to really get the wind up both the MP and the UKBA!

Seriously, start this process sooner rather than later.

[at2329]

I called UKBA this morning twice to get an update on our case. We have been given same old crap "Application is pending"

I have already emailed my MP and he is in process of getting update from UKBA.

Please can somone suggest what should i do next? do i have to formally launch compaint with UKBA?

[Xiaozhu]

Yes, like I say, do this sooner rather than later.

[sanny26]

Hun,ive made 3 complaints to ukba and they only replied back to one stating that they will send me a bio letter shortly and that was back in november, I also contact my mp in early december he contacted ukba aswel they got back in january with a the same old thing stating that tings will go back to normal in febuary. Im doing a extension and my case is straightforward and they are taking forever to consider it.

[DieselD]

I called UKBA this morning twice to get an update on our case. We have been given same old crap "Application is pending"

I have already emailed my MP and he is in process of getting update from UKBA.

Please can somone suggest what should i do next? do i have to formally launch compaint with UKBA?

It appears from skydrive spreadsheet that people who applied June and beginning of July are receiving their passports back. Guessing you're in with some good news soon.

[shendean]

sanny26---- we are nov applicant! we will have it soon

[Xiaozhu]

Hun,ive made 3 complaints to ukba and they only replied back to one stating that they will send me a bio letter shortly and that was back in november, I also contact my mp in early december he contacted ukba aswel they got back in january with a the same old thing stating that tings will go back to normal in febuary. Im doing a extension and my case is straightforward and they are taking forever to consider it.

Yes, well that's a good start. You've got to keep badgering them though. Write again to your MP asking for another enquiry, as well as contacting the Ombudsman for a complaints form.

Believe me, this works if you go about it the right way. We submitted our application at the end of August and we have been told to expect our documents back early this week (don't know the decision yet though). This would make it about 5 and a half months between application and receiving the docs back. They only reason why we have managed to speed things up is because we were so persistent in sending complaints to our MP and the Ombudsman, its no good just sending letters to the UKBA and waiting around for their response.

[at2329]

Yes, like I say, do this sooner rather than later.

Xiaozhu

Do you know the best way to do it, The online complaint form when i select following option then the page results in error. When i call UKBA their agent asked me to send email to ukbacustomercomplaint@homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk?

"I am unhappy about the standard of service received from the UK Border Agency (other than in the categories listed above"

By the way I have read you heart touching story in Guardian, I wish you good luck and hope that all of our application will come on time.

[DieselD]

Hun,ive made 3 complaints to ukba and they only replied back to one stating that they will send me a bio letter shortly and that was back in november, I also contact my mp in early december he contacted ukba aswel they got back in january with a the same old thing stating that tings will go back to normal in febuary. Im doing a extension and my case is straightforward and they are taking forever to consider it.

Yes, well that's a good start. You've got to keep badgering them though. Write again to your MP asking for another enquiry, as well as contacting the Ombudsman for a complaints form.

Believe me, this works if you go about it the right way. We submitted our application at the end of August and we have been told to expect our documents back early this week (don't know the decision yet though). This would make it about 5 and a half months between application and receiving the docs back. They only reason why we have managed to speed things up is because we were so persistent in sending complaints to our MP and the Ombudsman, its no good just sending letters to the UKBA and waiting around for their response.

Xiaozhu, you have a very simular timeline to me. If you get your passport back before mine then i'll be in hot pursuit of that Ombudsman.

[Xiaozhu]

Yes that's the email address I used, though they didn't reply for about 6 weeks and only then after me chasing them using this email address: NEYHCustomers@UKBA.gsi.gov.uk.

I also emailed:

'ministerforimmigration@homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk' (Immigration Minister Mark Harper - passed my complaint onto Margeret Hodge MP who made an enquiry on our behalf)

'public.enquiries@homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk' (Theresa May)

'info@migrantsrights.org.uk'

The most effective by far was our local MP, who needs to be kicked into action as the first letter they send to the UKBA is always met with a stupid pro forma reply. You need to email your MP again, saying this reply is unsatisfactory and that you will be making a complaint via the Ombudsman.

[Xiaozhu]

Xiaozhu, you have a very simular timeline to me. If you get your passport back before mine then i'll be in hot pursuit of that Ombudsman.

As it happens the Ombudsman has not needed to do anything as yet, it was merely the threat of complaining to the Ombudsman that kicked my MP and the UKBA into action.

I think it's because the Ombudsman can order financial compensation. In my experience, if you mention money, people move.

[curlyk]

Hello,
My husband received a response from UKBA today requesting more information, even though we felt we had provided them with everything.

He is converting from Fiance Visa, but they have asked for eveidence of official documents addressed jointly to both of us.

Given we got married in September and applied shortly after the wedding, when is he supposed to have had a chance to apply for a bank account etc, and given he cant work, he cant pay any bills, nor can he access NHS for any medical treatment...essentially, nothing is in his name apart from a Tesco Clubcard!! they also want this spread over 2 years...which impossible!!

I suspect they have messed up our application! Any advice would be much appreciated.

Thanks

[Xiaozhu]

Curlyk: Not sure what to suggest other than having his name put on the council tax, water and gas and electricity bills. Also, he can access NHS treatment.

[DieselD]

Hello,
My husband received a response from UKBA today requesting more information, even though we felt we had provided them with everything.

He is converting from Fiance Visa, but they have asked for eveidence of official documents addressed jointly to both of us.

Given we got married in September and applied shortly after the wedding, when is he supposed to have had a chance to apply for a bank account etc, and given he cant work, he cant pay any bills, nor can he access NHS for any medical treatment...essentially, nothing is in his name apart from a Tesco Clubcard!! they also want this spread over 2 years...which impossible!!

I suspect they have messed up our application! Any advice would be much appreciated.

Thanks

I am also on a fiance visa. When I came in on a fiance visa I immediately added my name to my sponsors council tax and telephone landline. I also opened up a joint bank savings account, but have'nt used that statement yet. This was essential to prove i'm now living at same address as my sponsor. I will continue to keep this paper trail until I eventually become a British Citizen.

Add your timeline to Skydrive found on Sticky: FLR (M) waiting times 2011-2013.

Regards

DieselD

[curlyk]

Thanks DieselD. Details are already on SkyDrive I believe.

Council Tax bill has been changed recently, and has his name, and was back dated!

He couldnt open a bank account as back then didnt have his name on the council tax bill.

Just called UKBA and lady suggested send anything you have plus a covering letter to explain the situation. Separate letters addressed to him at the same address also count....he has a Tesco Club card...thankfully they dont need a VISA for that!