UKVCAS Super Priority Service

[YTL25]

Hi all,

I applied/submitted biometrics 2 weeks ago under Super Priority but yet to receive a reply. I understood that you could check online through the below link:
https://www.gov.uk/prove-right-to-work

When I checked, it says "there is no limit to how long you can stay..." Does that mean it has been approved or not yet?

Yes, It means you have been approved. Congrats!
Since like they didn't send you an email notifying that (happens sometimes). Just wait for your decision letter and BRP that will come via the post!

Btw - might be worth reaching out to them to get a refund for your super priority fee, since you didn't get the decision within 24hrs.

[YTL25]

Hi All,

Applied for ILR (T2 General, 5 years route ) from Cardiff.

Timeline -
Biometrics appointment - 4th Feb 2019 (Super Priority Service)
5th Feb- Letter received by agent -
Although we would normally decide your super priority application within 24 hrs from date it was submitted, unfortunately this is not going to be possible in your case.
This is because we are waiting for a response from another government department or agency to verify some of the information or documents you have given to us.

Decision email - Awaiting
BRP card - Awaiting

Has anyone received a letter like this? Anything to worry??
Has anyone applied from Cardiff and got the decision? Its been 2 weeks now and apart from above letter no communication from HO.
My application is straight forward as I have been with same employer no other issues as well.

Any comments ?? or I should just wait patiently?

Thanks
Raj

Cannot comment on if anything to worry...but I assume it is just routine check. What documents did you submit that might have caused them needing to verify?

It's been 2 weeks since you received that email. So you're totally entitled to chase them (you are allow to after 5 working days after every time you get in touch).

[famishra14]

Documents submitted -

> Visa application payment confirmation email
> Document checklist and application form
> Current and Expired passport, BRPs and visas
> 3 months Payslips
> P60's
> Degree certificate
> Life in UK test certificate
> Bank Statements
> Employer Support Letter and Schedule of Absence
> Consent form

Thanks
Raj

[Cara1]

Hi,

Has anyone got refund for not receiving decision within 24 hours for super priority service. Can anyone guide me with the process? The online websites do not give clarity and phoning home office hasn’t been much useful.

Regards,
Cara

[Cara1]

Finally my wait is over.

I applied for the IlR 5 yrs spouse route
Application -31dec, Biometrics: 14th Jan
Super priority
Decision Email :19th Feb

After 6 phone calls, email to MP and various complaints email. The wait is finally over

Now waiting for the card n letter
Refund was also processed

Hi,

Congratulations! You said your refund is being processed. Whom did you contact for refund and what is the procedure?

Regards,
Cara

[DIR]

I applied for tier 5 extension via super priority service.
Online on 12 Feb
Biometrics on 14 Feb at Croydon.
No email ,nothing up to now. Working five days gone. I am frustrated . My visa expires soon. Roughly how many days they take for BRP?
Do they request old BRP, when they handover new BRP?

[Moeribi]

Hi guys,

I applied for SET (LR) though the super priority service in Cardiff core centre, timeline below:

Online application submitted: 23rd Jan
Appointment & biometrics collected: 15th Feb
Nothing received yet, tomorrow will be a full week which is the minimum time that needs to pass before any escalation can take place through a phone call. I have checked the right to work website and it still refers to the text on my current BRP so I can only assume that they haven't looked at my case yet.

Absolutely frustrating as I had a job offer today that is only valid for seven days to accept so I hope I hear positive news from the HO soon.

Besides waiting and calling them on the phone for escalation, anyone else has any advise that can help? or anyone else applied on the 15th from Cardiff and still waiting on a decision?

Appreciate your help. Thanks.

[nanhasharma]

Appointment type : super priority
Application type : SET(LR)
appointment location : Croydon
Appointment time : 9 am, 19 feb 2019
Enrolled at : 8 45 am
Out of the centre by : 9 am
Email received : 2 pm same day that application was successful.

[Jojo19]

Finally my wait is over.

I applied for the IlR 5 yrs spouse route
Application -31dec, Biometrics: 14th Jan
Super priority
Decision Email :19th Feb

After 6 phone calls, email to MP and various complaints email. The wait is finally over

Now waiting for the card n letter
Refund was also processed

Hi,

Congratulations! You said your refund is being processed. Whom did you contact for refund and what is the procedure?

Regards,
Cara

Hi Cara,

I wrote to the complaints email demanding a refund way before I got a decision on my case. In the email I said they failed to provide the service I paid for. I received a reply from that email about a decision and the refund being authorised.

[Jojo19]

Hi guys,

I applied for SET (LR) though the super priority service in Cardiff core centre, timeline below:

Online application submitted: 23rd Jan
Appointment & biometrics collected: 15th Feb
Nothing received yet, tomorrow will be a full week which is the minimum time that needs to pass before any escalation can take place through a phone call. I have checked the right to work website and it still refers to the text on my current BRP so I can only assume that they haven't looked at my case yet.

Absolutely frustrating as I had a job offer today that is only valid for seven days to accept so I hope I hear positive news from the HO soon.

Besides waiting and calling them on the phone for escalation, anyone else has any advise that can help? or anyone else applied on the 15th from Cardiff and still waiting on a decision?

Appreciate your help. Thanks.

Hi,

It’s best you accept the Job than to wait for the HO. As long as you applied before your current leave ran out you have the right to work. The new employer will do a check on your right to work and that is sufficient still you get your card.

It took a month and 5 days before I got a decision

[CR001]

Hi guys,

I applied for SET (LR) though the super priority service in Cardiff core centre, timeline below:

Online application submitted: 23rd Jan
Appointment & biometrics collected: 15th Feb
Nothing received yet, tomorrow will be a full week which is the minimum time that needs to pass before any escalation can take place through a phone call. I have checked the right to work website and it still refers to the text on my current BRP so I can only assume that they haven't looked at my case yet.

Absolutely frustrating as I had a job offer today that is only valid for seven days to accept so I hope I hear positive news from the HO soon.

Besides waiting and calling them on the phone for escalation, anyone else has any advise that can help? or anyone else applied on the 15th from Cardiff and still waiting on a decision?

Appreciate your help. Thanks.

Useful to state what your immigration history and last visa held is.

[sg664]

Glad for you that your wait, though agonising, is over. The new super priority seems to have mixed results. I see lots of delays for Tier 2 or spouse visa.

Did anyone who applied on 18th Feb (Croydon) receive a decision already? I have applied around noon, but haven't heard anything back. I see few receiving response same day or the next working day, however few having to wait a week or two.
So wondering....

After agonising wait of a week, happy to share my ILR is granted via super priority
Route: Tier 2 general
Online application submission: 15th Feb
Biometrics: 16th Feb
Approval email: Today
BRP received: Waiting

After waiting for a week, I did call the contact centre to complain this morning. Within an hour of my call, I received an email that ILR is granted. Not sure if that call helped though.

On second thoughts, I applied while on maternity so it might have required additional verification on SMP which may have contributed to the delay. I am requesting for a refund nonetheless.

[speckycanuck]

Escalating delayed super priority application

Hi all. Wondering if anyone else dealing with escalating application has tried a Home Office complaint (rather than UKVI contact centre), either during or after the process?

I've escalated through UKVI (after 5 business days, on 12 Feb, and now again after a further 8-9, on 22 Feb, when they've said I can't re-escalate until a full 30 business days (!!) after the first call, so 12 March). I've also asked MP to contact, which she has, and the '20 business day' response time for the HO to MPs would fall around 14 Mar.

I asked the UKVI staff if there was a Home Office-specific number, for contact or complaints (as ultimately UKVI centre can't access system and are waiting on the HO, which is where the delay really sits). She said now, but this seems to be the way to do it: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisat ... -procedure which says

Email or write to us if:
you have a complaint about our service or professional conduct
-the incident happened within the last 3 months
-Complaints should be made no later than 3 months after the date of the incident unless there are exceptional circumstances.
........
If you have a complaint about our service or professional conduct, we encourage you to email us at complaints@homeoffice.gov.uk, as you’re likely to receive a quicker reply.

They also give a postal option, and set out what information you'd need to include. It specifically says making a complaint won't speed up or slow down a decision or otherwise affect it. So as a method of moving things forward it may not work, but I do wonder what they're obliged to do upon receipt of a complaint.

Anyway, just wondered if anyone had tried to raise the ridiculous super priority service failure through the HO directly, and provide the info for those who might be interested. FYI, my MP's office has also said they're willing to raise questions about the number of delayed-indefinitely 'super priority' cases like this, at PMQ if need be - it might be worth trying to get a few more MPs doing this!

[YTL25]

Just want to update that my physical decision letter has arrived this morning via Royal Mail Special Delivery - so a signature is required to receive it.

Due to the new service process, we were no longer asked to submit our current BRP when we enrolled Biometrics. In this decision letter, it states that you need to cut the old BRP in half and post it back to Home Office, otherwise there might be £1000 penalty.
Has anybody done this? I wonder what service to use? Would a normal first class post be sufficient? The return address is a PO Box, so I'm guessing a special delivery might be overkill as nobody will be there to sign for a PO Box address?

Hello,
I have been following the forum for the past 2 weeks while I prepare for my application. Now my application has completed, and I just want to say thank you for all those who shared their experience and tips. It's been very helpful!
Here is my timeline and experience of applying -

Applied for ILR Route : Set(O) under Tier 2 (General) route
Date application sent : Monday, 18 Feb 2019. I uploaded all my supporting documents on the same day.
Date Biometrics Enrolled : Wednesday, 20 Feb 2019. I went to London Premium Lounge (had to pay £200 extra, mainly because I wanted to get it done today, and this was the only available location for me. Croydon is a bit too far for me to travel and I would have to pay £100 too for "out of hours" appointment slot if I want to do it today.)

Approval Received : Email came through on the same day - Wednesday, 20 Feb 2019
Decision Letter Received: Friday, 22 Feb 2019
BRP Card Received : Waiting - will update in due course

I'm so very happy right now, as it turns out to be a very quick and smooth process for me! My appointment was at 10:00, and I was done by 10:30 (biometrics was quick, it just took a while for the staff to verify all my uploaded documents).
Less than 3 hrs later, I received the email from Home Office confirming that my ILR has been granted, and decision letter and BRP will be posted to be in due course.
I immediately went on to gov.uk (https://www.gov.uk/prove-right-to-work) to check my right to work - and it has already been changed to "there is no limit".
After following this forum for the past 2 weeks, I know there has been mixed experience on the 24hr service timeline. So I was prepared that I might have to wait longer, and was hoping for the best (that I would receive a decision tomorrow)... To my surprise, my decision came just 3 hrs later! So I'm over the moon!

I wish all of you who are about to submit or are still waiting the best of luck!!

Here is a list of documents I submitted in case anybody might find helpful -
Required:
- Current passport (including scans of all pages)
- Previous passport (including scans of all pages - this has been my main passport and has a lot of visas, entry/exit stamps on it!)
- BRP
- Police registration form (required for certain nationalities only. I have always been good at it - every time I had any change I need to report, I do it straightaway. I think that is somewhat important, as it shows that you're following the immigration rules/conditions to your current visa.)
- Signed consent form (for Home Office to do verification checks)
- Life in the UK Tess pass notification
- UK Degree certificate (for language requirement)
- Employer Letter confirming my employment status (key words "still needed for the foreseeable future"), my current salary, the SOC (the same was on my Tier 2 CoS), and my salary is above the required rate (I also asked my employer to state "my rate of pay will stay the same for the foreseeable future").
- Payslip (only most recent one is required, but I have provided all months of this tax year)
- Bank statement (only most recent one is required, to show the payslip amount has been paid into your account - but I have provided for all months of this tax year)
- Employer Letter confirming my absences from the UK (in the letter, they also confirm how many days of annual leave I'm entitled to)

Additional:
- P60s for the past 5 years
- HMRC issued Employment history for the past 5 years
- Excel summary I created myself to count my days of absences from the UK - I also include detailed reasons for travel, as well as where to find the related "entry/exit stamps" on my passports. I think it will help the caseworker if they need to verify / check your travel history
- Home Office letters that I received in the past when I applied for my Tier 2 Leave to Remain in the UK

[delayedilr2]

UKVCAS new "super priority" service is a complete joke.

Here is my story:

Application: Set(O) Tier 2 - 5 years route with one employer
ILR Eligible: 19/02/2019
Applied online: 19/02/2019
Biometrics Submitted: 20/02/2019 - 8:00 AM - First applicant served
Location: Croydon
Fee: £3018+£100
Outcome email: NONE

I am still waiting to receive a reply to my application. I genuinely do not understand how people are getting their ILRs in 2-3 hours. I have NOT even received an email confirming submission of my biometrics. Upon calling UKVI I am told to wait 5 business days before they can make an escalation. Anyone waiting here do NOT buy into their words. What they are doing is breach of service standards. They admitted to me over the phone that a decision has to take place in 24 hours (somebody needs to look at your application) within 24 hours as per the guidance provided. They literally tell you to wait 5 business days because apparently the promise of 24 hours is for UKVI to decided on your application - the communication of this decision has 5 days limit. None of this is communicated anywhere.

1) You can check your "right to work" online using https://www.gov.uk/prove-right-to-work. If this page is still showing your Tier 2 stipulations after 24 hours, this means that they HAVE NOT decided on your application and are breach of service standards (contract under UK law).

2) We are promised a service with arbitrary amendments applied in hindsight. This is unacceptable.

Write to your MP, message the Guardian, the Independent, and press. Bring your stories out. This is pure discrimination and not acceptable. I am completely left out in the open with no timeline whatsoever.

After receiving your decision (especially for those paid via credit card or debit card in the EU) call your card provider and exercise Section 75 rights that stipulate that if a service/good is not delivered as promised a full refund can be asked. Do not bother asking to get a refund on the difference. Use Credit Card buyer protection and seek a refund of the FULL amount.

This is unacceptable.

[trait_metallurgica]

Hello All,

I've been reading through hundreds of posts in this forum silently, which can reduce some stress coming out while waiting. I just wanted to add my timeline here so as to add a datapoint

Visa Type: Tier 4 General to Tier 2 General, Super Priority, no dependents
Date of Online Application: 18 Jan 14PM
Date of Biometrics: 28 Jan 9AM at London Croydon – around 10AM after biometric taken + passport pages scanned. I think the UKVCAS service was good.
Date of Email Decision: 06 Feb 12PM
(Gosh! 7 Working Days after biometrics! This came right after my MP's email reply and my 1st-class "large letter" arrival at UKVI, The Capital Building, New Hall Place, Liverpool, L3 9PP)
Date of Decision Letter: 08 Feb 10AM (showing decision made on 06 Feb)
Date of BRP Delivery: 22 Feb 3PM with my 1st NINO number (my ID wasn't checked by DX...)

On 12 Feb I asked the status of my BRP to 'BRPDelivery@homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk', surprisingly they replied me on 15 Feb that there was a delay on BRP production because they were waiting for the Department of Works & Pensions to confirm National Insurance number (quite an interesting ‘newly aligned’ system ha…). I also wrote a complaint to 'complaints@homeoffice.gov.uk' for the delay of visa decision, but no replies or refund received yet. I may write a letter and post to the complaints team in early March.

I think that both contacting local MP and posting something to "UKVI in Liverpool" might work better than calling or emailing to UKVI. Good luck to everyone!

[abhijit19]

My timeline -

Applied for ILR Route : Set (0) - Tier 2 General (Super Priority)
Date application submitted (online) : 18-jan-2019
Date Biometrics Enrolled : 6-feb-2019
Approval Received : 8-feb-2019 (email)
Decision Letter received : 12-feb-2019
BRP Card Received : 22-feb-2019

Delay in BRP was purely cause DX "apparently" tried to deliver but no one was home...but they didn't leave a card and sent a letter yesterday.

[poppingweasels]

Hi guys,

Reading the posts on this thread has really helped as I'm anxiously waiting for the outcome of my Tier 2 (General) Visa application (Extension of Tier 2 from inside the UK). Thanks all for sharing your experiences and it really seems to be so inconsistent!

Application made: 13/02
Appointment at Croydon: 16/02

Lady who processed my documents in Croydon said that I should expect a decision on Monday/Tuesday (18th or 19th). Haven't received anything to date.

Tried ringing the UKVI call centre and once I was put through to someone and she asked 'How can I help' - then hung up as I was talking! Bit ridiculous!

[Moeribi]

Hi guys,

I applied for SET (LR) though the super priority service in Cardiff core centre, timeline below:

Online application submitted: 23rd Jan
Appointment & biometrics collected: 15th Feb
Nothing received yet, tomorrow will be a full week which is the minimum time that needs to pass before any escalation can take place through a phone call. I have checked the right to work website and it still refers to the text on my current BRP so I can only assume that they haven't looked at my case yet.

Absolutely frustrating as I had a job offer today that is only valid for seven days to accept so I hope I hear positive news from the HO soon.

Besides waiting and calling them on the phone for escalation, anyone else has any advise that can help? or anyone else applied on the 15th from Cardiff and still waiting on a decision?

Appreciate your help. Thanks.

Useful to state what your immigration history and last visa held is.

Hi CR,

I've been on Tier 4 for 6 years and Tier 2 for 4 years. First entry into the UK on 6th Jan 2009. I now have a Tier 2 BRP valid till Nov with my current employer, however I've been looking to change jobs and got the offer letter which is valid for a week last Thursday. I did assume the super priority will take 1 week max, which unfortunately doesn't seem to be the case for many of us.

I escalated through the phone today and the guy did say they will get back to me within a day or two even though the normal time they advise is 5 working days.

Hopefully the above helped with details. Any recommended ways that may "expedite" the decision?

[CR001]

Hi guys,

I applied for SET (LR) though the super priority service in Cardiff core centre, timeline below:

Online application submitted: 23rd Jan
Appointment & biometrics collected: 15th Feb
Nothing received yet, tomorrow will be a full week which is the minimum time that needs to pass before any escalation can take place through a phone call. I have checked the right to work website and it still refers to the text on my current BRP so I can only assume that they haven't looked at my case yet.

Absolutely frustrating as I had a job offer today that is only valid for seven days to accept so I hope I hear positive news from the HO soon.

Besides waiting and calling them on the phone for escalation, anyone else has any advise that can help? or anyone else applied on the 15th from Cardiff and still waiting on a decision?

Appreciate your help. Thanks.

Useful to state what your immigration history and last visa held is.

Hi CR,

I've been on Tier 4 for 6 years and Tier 2 for 4 years. First entry into the UK on 6th Jan 2009. I now have a Tier 2 BRP valid till Nov with my current employer, however I've been looking to change jobs and got the offer letter which is valid for a week last Thursday. I did assume the super priority will take 1 week max, which unfortunately doesn't seem to be the case for many of us.

I escalated through the phone today and the guy did say they will get back to me within a day or two even though the normal time they advise is 5 working days.

Hopefully the above helped with details. Any recommended ways that may "expedite" the decision?

You could have applied in December already, 28 days before the 10th anniversary of your date of entry to the UK.

You also cannot change jobs until you have ilr and your brp card. While you wait, your existing visa conditions continue and you can only work for your tier 2 sponsor.