Advisor has lost all documents

[barfi]

My immigration adviser has claimed that he has lost all of my wife's documents... cohab documentation, English test passes, life in UK tests passes, bank statements.

what can i do now? what option do i have now. I only have photocopies of some stuff but what else can i do now?

[Amber]

Your 'advisor' should be sorting this out for you.

[pinkpop]

How it happened? During post or what?

[barfi]

He isn't doing anything at all, he said i should go and get replacement statements from banks and other from the council. he is being vague, said we hadn't signed anything with him like a client contract.

he is on the home office register that is why we went for him

[Amber]

I'm afraid that there are many charlatans about, if he's OISC registered then he should have a client care letter for you. You can report him.

You should try and gather the specified evidence you require, copies should be accepted if you explain the circumstances.

[uktraveller.030209]

It is the worst nightmare come true, but there is 1 procedure in place to handle this situation -

1) You must lodge a FIR with the local police. At least lost passport (and/or if your wife had a biometric permit already issued before) must be reported to the police who will give an incident reference number. This is a standard procedure

2) When you make your application, you will need to provide the photocopies of the originals that have been lost. And you will have to specify the reason why you are submitting the photocopies. The Home Office will ask for the incident reference number for lost passport / biometric permit and will make a compelling case for your situation

2) Get all the photocopies (I hope you had scans of your originals somewhere online) -
- a) Bank statements should be easy to get I assume
- b) For Life in the UK pass certificate, contact UK Home Office (the contact info should be available on your pass certificate or
get it online from ukba website or the test center where she took her test)
- c) Passport - contact your country's embassy and try and get a replacement passport or atleast a travel document
- d) Biometric permit (if she had been issued one before) - Contact UK Home office regarding your lost biometric permit. They will ask for the FIR incident reference number to issue a replacement card)

This answer is not based on any actual response from any applicant who applied successfully or unsuccessfully for ILR using any versions of SET-O forms available over last 12 months

[Amber]

Has the advisor actually lost the Passports as well? You'll have to re-sit the LIUK test if they are lost.

[barfi]

Won't a photocopy be eough for life in uk test?. Can we ask for an extension whilst we get all this sorted. wife is from India and from reading online it seems that its almost impossible to get a replacement indian passport from my wife, because she is here on a long term visa.

[uktraveller.030209]

1, No, you need the original LitUK test pass certificate
2. Your wife can visit Indian embassy and get a temporary travel document if they won't issue a replacement passport. However,
based on the police incident reference, they should do that for whatever fee they might charge

[Amber]

There is discretion for the caseworker to accept a copy but you'd be better re-taking the test.

[Manka10]

You need to file a police complaint asap, there is something fishy with the "advisor" too, how can someone lose all your documents? did their house go up in flames?

Filing a complaint will put pressure on that advisor and also support your application, no need to re-appear for LITUK test again, the results are on UKBA systems as well so under exceptional circumstances, supported by a copy of the police complaint, UKBA can discreetly allow your LITUK results

Why can't you get another passport from the embassy?

[katwmn6]

From what you describe it potentially sounds as if the advisor is withholding your documents until you pay ("said we hadn't signed anything with him like a client contract"). Either way, it may be worth putting more pressure on the advisor directly, informing him of your intent to make a complaint. You may then see your wife's documents reappear.

So sorry to hear that this happened. Best of luck, hang in there.