can ECOs actually read ??????

[goldilocks]

and perhaps, more importantly do they actually care about the life-changing decisions they make ?

Hi everyone, just wanted to let you know about what's just happened to my fiance (who is Nepali ) and me (I'm British) :

we applied for a fiance visa for him to come to the UK and marry me - date of our wedding is set for July. Not being wise to the ways of the ECO's abroad we didn't actually think there would be a problem, (I'm not so naive now.....)

I'm a fully qualified doctor, employed full time in the NHS, earning over £30,000 a year, with accomodation, savings etc.... everything required on immigration rules 290. We've met, have a long relationship with evidence to prove it, and have evidence we will marry in July, such as a church booked and a letter from a vicar agreeing to marry us.

The powers-that-be in the overseas embassy did not bother to read his application, ignored the letters that said I was a doctor from my hospital Trust, ignored my 6 months PAYE slips, bank statements and savings statements and decided in their wisdom I was in fact a STUDENT doctor, without a salary, therefore meaning we would both need to claim benefits before and after the wedding

Go figure.......

Their refusal was solely about my 'lack of employment', which I was suppose is a plus, having read about all the difficulties people have had in convincing ECOs that they do have genuine loving relationships.

but it really really makes me angry that these people can do this. we pay large amounts of money to our government for a service that we quite reasonably expect to be of a certain level of quality and this is how we are treated.

I could go on about the service I am giving to the NHS, the money they have spent training me etc etc but I won't continue to rant

I just wanted to tell you all that I've been reading posts from lots of you in similar unfair positions and I know to some extent now how you're feeling and it is crap

best wishes and best of luck,

love, goldilocks xx

[British]

The answer is that the ECOs or as a matter of fact none of the Immigration officers can read! They are practically blind!

There is abundant evidence for this across several posts in this forum, and so we don't need a poll for this

Read one other case here (especially the experience narrated by one other member babujee) here:

http://www.immigrationboards.com/viewtopic.php?t=13612

No other go! You have put up with these idiots!

[goldilocks]

Hi British

thank you for directing me to that link, more evidence of their incompetence !

reading babujee's experience has made me feel more hopeful ! next thing to try......

cheers, goldilocks x

[John]

goldilocks, have you sent an email to the ECM ... the Entry Clearance Manager ... asking him/her to review the decision of the ECO? If not I suggest you do that forthwith .... but do keep it polite! Point out the evidence that you feel was ignored by the ECO.

Absolutely not guaranteed to work, but it has been known to, and can cause a speedy refusal of an adverse decision.

[goldilocks]

Hi John,

Thanks for your suggestions,

We hired an immigration lawyer to go over our application initally before submitting it and since having it rejected, she has sent several polite but becoming more strong-worded emails to the ECM (copying in the FCO) asking for an informal review, given the factual inaccuracies on the rejection letter and re-explaining our documentation to them. So far over the last few weeks we have heard nothing,not even acknowledgement of the emails, from the embassy itself or the FCO.

This week she has suggested I approach the embassy myself by phone to gently ask for an informal reconsideration and to start to get MPs involved. I'm quite nervous about speaking to the emb......

goldilocks x

[Russia]

goldilocks, I'm probably amongst the more forthright on this board (rude, in some people's view, but nevertheless), unless you get on the phone to the Embassy and make it known in no uncertain terms what a shower they are and tell them that you will submit a complaint and appeal claiming damages etc you will get that most typical of British abroad responses - a polite, but stern fob off, at best - or completely ignored, at worst.
They (Embassies), have absolutely no interest in you, me, or anyone except big business - unless you hit them were it hurts (in the pocket/negative media) you will get nowhere.
Oh, and leave diplomacy to the experts, they rather expect a blunt in-your-face attitude from us mere proles, so dont worry about ruffling feathers.
All the best

[ilm]

Unfortunately this is not just the ECO's, it seems to be every walk of life these days. You have spell out exactly how a job is to be done otherwise it won't be done properly. Very frustrating when they are supposed to be the experts.

As I have said before, make sure you know all about the application you are making even if you are using a solicitor. When we made our application we split the application into sections representing each rule we had to meet. Each section started with an index of the evidence and a note which spelled out that we met the rules. Although this is not needed for a successful application, information from this board made me realise the importance it being well prepared.

Unfortunately this doesn't help you now but all too often people come on this forum with a similar story.

Having said all that I am very surprised a solicitor prepared application can fail so dramatically. I would certainly approach the Embassy yourself and contact your MP.

[DavidJ]

<Big Snip>

Having said all that I am very surprised a solicitor prepared application can fail so dramatically. I would certainly approach the Embassy yourself and contact your MP.

Our application took me two months. It was colour coded, cross-referenced, indexed and beautifully bound. My sponsor letter referred to each section in turn. It was easy to read, using all my acquired admin skills.

The ECO could not have read it. My self-employed status became "unemployed" despite all bank and income records, doubt as to frequency of contact was made despite copious original phone records showing time/date/duration and number called three times a day *every* day, emails, text messages, etc. etc., etc.


A solicitor in Jakarta looked at it after being instructed to simply reapply and attend the interview as silent witness. He just said he could not do better, questioned whether the ECO had read it and recommended an appeal on the basis that if they made another it could just as easily be refused with the same "nonsense".

The IAS here, who assisted in the application, agreed.

So, no they cannot read. They are not "Fit for the purpose" to quote John Reid.

Good luck.
PS. Would you join a petition/action as you seem to be another example of absolutely appalling decision making that has *no* justification, followed by absolutely *no* chain-of-command peer review procedure. (I ask as a "doctor" is doubtless seen in our shallow prejudiced age as more "credible" than your average joe.)

DavidJ.

[British]

The ECO could not have read it. My self-employed status became "unemployed" despite all bank and income records, doubt as to frequency of contact was made despite copious original phone records showing time/date/duration and number called three times a day *every* day, emails, text messages, etc. etc., etc.

So, its not only that they can't read, but they openly lie on record! saying no evidence was submitted by the applicant.

Interesting!

[DavidJ]

The ECO could not have read it. My self-employed status became "unemployed" despite all bank and income records, doubt as to frequency of contact was made despite copious original phone records showing time/date/duration and number called three times a day *every* day, emails, text messages, etc. etc., etc.

So, its not only that they can't read, but they openly lie on record! saying no evidence was submitted by the applicant.

Interesting!

WHich is why I get annoyed when people say it is *simply* a matter of telling the truth etc. etc.

I think many people reading this, who have not experienced an ECO decision, feel there *must* be something people are not mentioning.

We need a good set of journalists. It's alright screaming rabid horror stories about how the HO are letting in criminals/not acting. I think it's just as much a headline to show how they are, at the same time, refusing perfectly legitimate cases.

How angry do we all feel, if we are honest, knowing how appalling the system is for allowing illegals to enter/remain - including dangerous convicts - in the full knowledge that our loved ones have been refused for no legitimate reason?

If that is not a headline worth writing...

DavidJ.

[Russia]

The ECO could not have read it. My self-employed status became "unemployed" despite all bank and income records, doubt as to frequency of contact was made despite copious original phone records showing time/date/duration and number called three times a day *every* day, emails, text messages, etc. etc., etc.

So, its not only that they can't read, but they openly lie on record! saying no evidence was submitted by the applicant.

Interesting!

WHich is why I get annoyed when people say it is *simply* a matter of telling the truth etc. etc.

I think many people reading this, who have not experienced an ECO decision, feel there *must* be something people are not mentioning.

We need a good set of journalists. It's alright screaming rabid horror stories about how the HO are letting in criminals/not acting. I think it's just as much a headline to show how they are, at the same time, refusing perfectly legitimate cases.

How angry do we all feel, if we are honest, knowing how appalling the system is for allowing illegals to enter/remain - including dangerous convicts - in the full knowledge that our loved ones have been refused for no legitimate reason?

If that is not a headline worth writing...

DavidJ.

HEAR! HEAR!

POSITIVE DIRECT ACTION - Shame them, start a petition, make a noise, bang a drum, anything but just do something.
We are the easiest of targets, we're a fragmented group of individuals fighting our own private battles - time to get organised.

[Russia]

The ECO could not have read it. My self-employed status became "unemployed" despite all bank and income records, doubt as to frequency of contact was made despite copious original phone records showing time/date/duration and number called three times a day *every* day, emails, text messages, etc. etc., etc.

So, its not only that they can't read, but they openly lie on record! saying no evidence was submitted by the applicant.

Interesting!

WHich is why I get annoyed when people say it is *simply* a matter of telling the truth etc. etc.

I think many people reading this, who have not experienced an ECO decision, feel there *must* be something people are not mentioning.

We need a good set of journalists. It's alright screaming rabid horror stories about how the HO are letting in criminals/not acting. I think it's just as much a headline to show how they are, at the same time, refusing perfectly legitimate cases.

How angry do we all feel, if we are honest, knowing how appalling the system is for allowing illegals to enter/remain - including dangerous convicts - in the full knowledge that our loved ones have been refused for no legitimate reason?

If that is not a headline worth writing...

DavidJ.

HEAR! HEAR!

POSITIVE DIRECT ACTION - Shame them, start a petition, make a noise, bang a drum, anything but just do something.
We are the easiest of targets, we're a fragmented group of individuals fighting our own private battles - time to get organised.

[loozit]

The ECO assessing my husbands application ignored all evidence of relationship and insisted we would not live together.
I challenged both refusals with ukvisas and got nowhere. I now have to wait. The ECO has till 24th May to submit bundle, our first child is due on 26th May.
I applied to AIT to have hearing brought forward as my mum has in January been diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer which has spread to the brain, liver, lung, sternum and i am 8 months pregnant but them circumstances do not warrant compassionate grounds.
I need my husband desperately and dont know how im going to cope without him right now, do they care?, do they hell.

[British]

ECO assessing my husbands application ignored all evidence of relationship and insisted we would not live together

I see. Now add this to the list:

The ECOs are not only blind and they do lie on record, but its also that they think they are God! who can tell everybody's present and future

Hmmm... Now i have a very simple question for these ECO gods!

Is it going to rain this week-end where i live?

Come on ECO god, answer me!!!!

[Wanderer]

Is it going to rain this week-end where i live? :D

Come on ECO god, answer me!!!! :D :D :D :D

Yes it will, this is Britain and it's nearly summer!

[British]

this is Britain

... and that is why we cannot predict!!! and that is why i chose to ask this question to the ECO god who knows the future!!!!!!!!

[Russia]

Is it going to rain this week-end where i live?

Come on ECO god, answer me!!!!

Yes it will, this is Britain and it's nearly summer!

LOL....despite all of the trials and tribulations good to see those amongst us keeping a healthy sense of humour - well done wanderer

[Russia]

The ECO assessing my husbands application ignored all evidence of relationship and insisted we would not live together.
I challenged both refusals with ukvisas and got nowhere. I now have to wait. The ECO has till 24th May to submit bundle, our first child is due on 26th May.
I applied to AIT to have hearing brought forward as my mum has in January been diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer which has spread to the brain, liver, lung, sternum and i am 8 months pregnant but them circumstances do not warrant compassionate grounds.
I need my husband desperately and dont know how im going to cope without him right now, do they care?, do they hell.

Come on guys, this petition has just 39 signatories. My arguably less important petition for travel rights has over 90 - in so far as upholding the right to family life goes there is a disparity in numbers that seems unwarranted nor fair, especially given Loozit's personal situation - sign up, tell a friend, circulate the petitions - only, do it NOW. http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/spouse-visa/

[samkma]

POSITIVE DIRECT ACTION - Shame them, start a petition, make a noise, bang a drum, anything but just do something.
We are the easiest of targets, we're a fragmented group of individuals fighting our own private battles - time to get organised[/b].

How can we get organized when we have no unity or an assosiation of Expatriates in UK

[loozit]

My mum was taken to hospital yesterday, she has hypercalcemia because of the cancer and the sister on the ward told me to ring my relatives

I would like to thank the immigration system for keeping my husband thousands of miles away when i need him most.

I would like to thank the immigration judge who decided my cirumstances of being 8 months pregnant and terminally ill mother are not dire enough to bring forward the appeal.

I think to be honest i would rather leave a country that treats me like crap and move somewhere else.

[DavidJ]

My mum was taken to hospital yesterday, she has hypercalcemia because of the cancer and the sister on the ward told me to ring my relatives

Sorry to hear this and my thoughts are with you and your family.

I think to be honest i would rather leave a country that treats me like crap and move somewhere else.

Two of my brothers have gone, and I will doubtless follow when my daughter has left school and all is well there. Every country has it's problems. To be honest I'd rather live with real problems than the crushing, oppressive state we seem to be living in.

We truly are sleep walking into an orwellian dystopia.

Take care, and may you find comfort in your time of trouble.

DavidJ.

[Russia]

POSITIVE DIRECT ACTION - Shame them, start a petition, make a noise, bang a drum, anything but just do something.
We are the easiest of targets, we're a fragmented group of individuals fighting our own private battles - time to get organised[/b].

How can we get organized when we have no unity or an assosiation of Expatriates in UK

start one.

http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/BritishSpouse/