EC Application - My Findings

[pravtech]

aprilhsmp,
Get a letter from ur frnd for accomodation with his proper address and passport copy and visa copy..that will work,y to book hotels...

[rb7575]

aj_sp_1,
yes they verified the employer and also university,ie..why they take 3 weeks to issue the visa..Integra are the one ho verifys these two places... IT part they may r maynt verify,donno correctly..ALL THE BEST TO ALL.

first of all congrats on ur visa.

Could u please throw more light on the verification process ie. did they call your employer

[hsmp_apr]

Hi all,
I got the visa for 2 years..Thanks a lot to the board,really helped me a lot in every stage of my application.once again thanks all......

Regards

Congratulation
Wish you best of luck in your job search

[pravtech]

Hi ,
Integra screen will call the employer and sometimes they visit the company if they dont satisfy on phone conversation. rb7575 hope this clears ur doubt.

[aprilhsmp]

Praveen,

whose contact details you had given for university. Did they call there?

For HSMP I had given university registrar's contact number and university help-desk number. But all of us know the way our universities respond to any query. I am really worried here. Shall I also give contact details of my college. College people are more prompt and responsible for any query about passout students.

[aj_sp_007]

really wondering how integra gonna verify the documents....even i think people are not enough resposible to answer thr queries...my univeristy have more than 40 phone nos. really dont know which one to give...when i went to the university to find out the right department for the no. nobody willing to take the resposibility....kept on passing to different ppl...

very worried...

aj_sp_007
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Fix Ps3

[aprilhsmp]

AJ

I agree with you. I waited one full month for the NARIC evaluation report before applying for HSMP. Now if again i need to worry about the university verification, what's the point of getting NARIC done

Today while looking at EC form I got a very very basic doubt. What shall I fill in Section 1. There is nothing for HSMP or his dependent ! My best guess is to tick Work Permit Holder for myself and Dependent of a person in a long stay category for my spouse and child.

-upset hsmp.

[sanyam]

Hi,
You should tick other and then write HSMP for yourself and HSMP dependant for your dependents.

[aprilhsmp]

Thanks. That means work permit and HSMP are teated as seperate things for EC.

Now do I need to fill section 7 "Employment in the United Kingdom" or skip it. May be HSMP is also a kind of permit free employment so i should fill it ?

I never spent so much time on a form in my life

[sanyam]

Yes you may skip it and with HSMP you have every right to go and then search for work rather than having job before going.

[pravtech]

Hi guys ,
dont worry abt the verification to university,itz a general enquiry whether candidate has studied previously.Nthg to worry abt the integra ,they just give the report to ECO and he inturn has to decide ur case .Integra are the one ho verifies but itz a casual verification,need not worry.

[aprilhsmp]

thanks praveen.
I hope all goes well with our EC applications.

[aprilhsmp]

All those applied in Ec recently and have filled the integrascreen form, did VFS people told that it is now mandatory. see the topic

EC: Integrascreen form for HSMP
http://www.immigrationboards.com/viewtopic.php?t=15507

I and sandeep has found from VFS website that Integrascreen is not mandatory.

Will I be able to get EC faster if I do not go through integrascreen?

[hsmp73]

I checked with vfs office at Hyderabad before applying for EC and then cofirmed that it is mandatory from April. Not sure about other centers.

[aj_sp_007]

integrascreen is mandatory in kolkata...and i think everywhr..
in the vfs website...integra is optional ...but when i personally went to vfs..they confirmed me that this service is provided free of cost and very much mandatory...thats y it will take 15-16 days...earlier it was 2days...

god knows...what they are upto..

Regards...

aj_sp_007

** Just a note : yesterday i called up my university...about the verification procedure...they simply kept on transferring my line...and finally i got hold of one..and the person told me...the complete procedure but again it will take minimum 3 weeks or more...dont know how BHC will give us the visa in 15-16 days...just wondering how integra will fasten my visa... i feel they will slow down the process...
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GOSSIP GIRL FORUM

[sanyam]

Hi All,
Integra screen verification can be done in 2 ways:
1 Self by paying the required fees. this is optional.
2. If you dont get it done yourself, BHC would get it done and the fees is already covered under Rs 18000 fess. This is mandatory i.e. if you dont get verification done yourself, BHC would anyways get it done themselves.

So my opinion is why to spend your own money to verify your docs, when the same is already covered under EC fees that you are paying to VFS.

Hope, this clarifies and help you all!

[aprilhsmp]

I went to Bangalore VFS office and they also told that integrascreen is mandatory.

For me also main concern is time consumed on verification from university. I had given contact number of registrar as well for NARIC and HSMP so that atleast they can reach to some person who has high probability of answering their phone.

AJ,
have you already submitted your EC application? I am thinking of submitting next week.


Another month of tension....

[aprilhsmp]

Hi All,

I am planning to apply for the EC by next week.
I have following questions on filling up the VAF-1 form.

1) What type of visa are you aplying for?
There is no mention of HSMP Visa. Should I put it under others and specify it as HSMP visa?

2.10) Is it your first passport?
My wife has a second passport after change of name to married name
Should I just write "NO" or do I need to provide the old passport too along with the EC application?

3.5) Is your spouse/civil partner travelling with you? (If yes, please note that he/she should complete a separate application form)
i. Yes, on my passport !
ii. Yes, on his/her own passport !
What should I write? my wife is travelling with me as HSMP dependent visa holder. Should I write it as second option on her own passport?

5.1 How long do you intend to stay in the UK?
What should be the answer?
2 years (which is the visa validity date), or what else should I write in?

5.3 Why are you going to the UK?
What should be the answer?
Should I just say "TO LIVE AND WORK IN THE UK"?

5.5 Do you have any family or close friends in the UK?
I have a cousin of mine in the UK, should I write his name, or is it not required?

5.6 Please give the full address and telephone number of all the places where you will be staying during your visit, including
hotels.
If I provide the HOTEL BOOKING, will that be enough?
As I dont know, where shall I be living, after I get the job.

6.7 What is your monthly income from employment?
Is this the amount in INR or the equivalent GBP?

7.2 Please give the name, address and telephone number of your UK employer.
What should I write-in, if I dont have any job in hand yet?

7.3 Are you applying to go to the UK as a work permit holder?
Yes or NO? for HSMP Visa?

Any response to the above, will be highly appreciated.

Thanks,
NNJ10

nnj10,

did you get answers for these questions. I am having almost same set of questions and I searched this thread but could not find answers. please help.

one more question for 6.8 "Do you receive income from any other source, including friends or family"

My spouse is working. So shall I write yes here?

[aj_sp_007]

hi aprilhsmp..

im not in a hurry at all...im just working with my documents, properly arranging them...detailing them...presenting them...all this will take atleast a month...by the time...will research more about the EC.

Dont want to take any kind of chances...will taken..is risk to life..

Regards..

aj_sp_007

* just a query...i have a student visa...can i get my HSMP EC done from uk or need to get it stamped in india...
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MOTORCYCLE TIRES

[aprilhsmp]

AJ,

I think you need to come to india for applying EC.
I saw in the HSMP guidance note page 8 that

"The entry clearance application should be
submitted to the British Embassy, High
Commission or Consulate in either your country of
origin or country of residence. You will not
normally be allowed to submit an application for
entry clearance in a country where you are based
as a visitor or other temporary basis.
...
If you are not sure where to apply,
any UK mission will be able to advise you."

May be in your case going for personal integrascreen may help because you might be able to get it done before coming to india and later on EC things may go fast because u already have integrascreen done.

This visa thing is quite complicated. Can't say what is best.

[umeshsethi]

Hi, since me and cousin went to VFS Delhi for his EC, i can help with some queries i think

Integra is mandatory in Delhi and all over i think. Forget what website says... the workingintheuk.gov.uk still mentions 315 GBP as HSMP assessment fee when its 400 GBP now... so these guys are not maintaining their websites it seems.

Integra form in last week became a single page document rather than the 5-6 page document it was.

But relax.. You may have to visit VFS once additonally before applying, to see if anything has changed, because things keep changing every 1 week it seems.....but you will atleast get first hand info.

Integra lists a whole range of documents but currenty what they are asking for is 2 xerox of

a) your degree and marksheets
b) joing and reliving letters - last 2 employers
c) Last 2 payslips

and ofcourse you submit original payslipss with vaf....

But again this can change next week.....but for what its worth, this is what is happening now.

regards
umesh

[niruv]

Thanks a lot to this forum.
I got HSMP Visa for 2 years till may 2009
Thanks once again to all.

[aprilhsmp]

niruv,

what were the timelines. Did you fill integrascreen form?

Umesh,

i read that integrascreen need details of employer for past 2 years and not exactly 2 employers. If they are looking for 2 employers then i m in trouble. I had been working with current employer for quite some time have not much docs from previous employer.

too many questions and i m totally lost

[niruv]

Applied on April 16

Took the medical test as requested on April 27

Received passport with EC stamped for two years on May 05.

One important thing is I enquired with my employer, they said they neither got a mail nor phone call form British embassy or integra.

We need to give employer details for past 2 years and not last two employers.

One more suggestion always submit the EC by self. Better not to give to the consultants. The lady at VFS tried to return back me some important docs. but i convienced her to attach those docs to British embassy for stamping.

[aprilhsmp]

great niruv !

I have some hopes now