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theprideofpak
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Posts: 198
Joined: Sun Jul 21, 2013 10:44 am

Re: FLR(M) waiting times 2011-2014

Post by theprideofpak » Sun Jun 22, 2014 1:33 pm

david2014 wrote:
theprideofpak wrote:
david2014 wrote:Hi, everyone! I would really appreciate an opinion.

Here's my application timeline:
Applied: 28-01-2014
Received Ack. Letter: 05-02-2014
Biometrics booking letter and request to take a new English exam arrived: 19-03-2014
Biometrics Appointment: 03-04-2014
New English Test sent: 28-04-2014
Visa Type: FLR(M) for spouse

Some background:
I entered the UK as a fiancée about 3 years ago. After getting married I applied for a FLR (M) 2 year residence card. There was no problem. I submitted the application at PEO center in Liverpool and got an approval the same day. After a year living in the UK I had to do a course to renew my medical license back home (I needed a valid license to be able to apply in the UK) and for that I had to leave the UK. There was no way I could get out of it, so I decided to go back home. My wife was in her last year at Uni and couldn't follow me to Kazakhstan. I planned to complete the course in 6-7 months but instead it took me just over 10 months to complete the whole thing. I did visit my spouse over Christmas and stayed for a few weeks in the UK during that time. When I came back I applied for an FLR(M) residence card extension. I decided that that's the best way to go since at the time I hadn't completed the 2 year period necessary for ILR nor taken the Life in the UK test. A month and a half after submitting the application I received a letter stating that my application was put on hold due to the fact that my English exam results (TOEFL) could not be verified and I had an option of either to wait indefinitely until the end of the investigation or take another exam.

Just a quick background on the exam issue. What happened is that about a week after submitting my application, BBC made a documentary exposing fraud at an ETS English test centre. Here's a link http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-26024375 ETS is the organization that administers TOEFL (the test I took when I first applied). As a result, next day after the documentary was released, the Home Office decided to start an investigation.

The earliest I could book the new test (this time it was IELTS) was about 3 weeks, then after sitting the test I had to wait for 2 and a half weeks for the results before I could send them off to the Home Office.

Now it's been over 7 weeks since I sent my results (I got 8.5 on IELTS - just as high as my TOEFL results) and I'm still waiting. During this time ETS decided not to renew their license with Home Office (and since April it's no longer accepted) and Daily Mail uncovered another fraud. This time it was Cambridge ESOL English test. I'm hoping nothing similar will happen to IELTS now ))

The problem is that I now need my passport to register for my licensing exams. Actually, I was planning on taking them in the spring. I requested return of documents and received a letter stating that my passport couldn’t be returned until they reach a decision on my application.

This is incredibly frustrating. Has anyone had a similar problem? Does anybody know where I could get help to find out about the stage my application is at? Or an approximate date I might get the documents back. Could I apply to have my application reviewed at a PEO for an extra fee?
I think its likely that HO have put your application on hold until they finish their investigation, if you still have valid visa, you can withdraw your application completely and apply at PEO. But if you don't have a valid visa, then this is not an option for you. You cannot break the process by paying extra fee to move your application at PEO. Otherwise, just be patient and wait, there is nothing you can do about it.....
Thank you! Do you think they can't come to a decision until the end of the investigation even after I took another test as they suggested? In fact, they clearly stated in their letter that if I wanted to avoid waiting for a long time I could take another test.
sure, I think you call them first, and you can also send the result as further documents. The address is is in the form and its not the same address where you sent the application. Do a special delivery and keep the receipt safe. Scan the results before sending away or if you have the results online, that's good too.
This should do the trick...I sent my wife's UK NARIC documents 2 weeks after I sent the application....

david2014
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Joined: Fri Jun 20, 2014 3:07 pm

Re: FLR(M) waiting times 2011-2014

Post by david2014 » Sun Jun 22, 2014 5:15 pm

theprideofpak wrote: sure, I think you call them first, and you can also send the result as further documents. The address is is in the form and its not the same address where you sent the application. Do a special delivery and keep the receipt safe. Scan the results before sending away or if you have the results online, that's good too.
This should do the trick...I sent my wife's UK NARIC documents 2 weeks after I sent the application....
Thanks a lot! As a matter of fact, I was thinking of sending some more documents that may help them reach a decision sooner.

theprideofpak
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Posts: 198
Joined: Sun Jul 21, 2013 10:44 am

Re: FLR(M) waiting times 2011-2014

Post by theprideofpak » Sun Jun 22, 2014 6:02 pm

Please keep us update as well....thx

sagareva
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Location: London, United Kingdom

Re: FLR(M) waiting times 2011-2014

Post by sagareva » Mon Jun 23, 2014 11:49 am

[quote="david2014"]Hi, everyone! I would really appreciate an opinion.

Here's my application timeline:
Applied: 28-01-2014
Received Ack. Letter: 05-02-2014
Biometrics booking letter and request to take a new English exam arrived: 19-03-2014
Biometrics Appointment: 03-04-2014
New English Test sent: 28-04-2014
Visa Type: FLR(M) for spouse

Some background:
I entered the UK as a fiancée about 3 years ago. After getting married I applied for a FLR (M) 2 year residence card. There was no problem. I submitted the application at PEO center in Liverpool and got an approval the same day. After a year living in the UK I had to do a course to renew my medical license back home (I needed a valid license to be able to apply in the UK) and for that I had to leave the UK. There was no way I could get out of it, so I decided to go back home. My wife was in her last year at Uni and couldn't follow me to Kazakhstan. I planned to complete the course in 6-7 months but instead it took me just over 10 months to complete the whole thing. I did visit my spouse over Christmas and stayed for a few weeks in the UK during that time. When I came back I applied for an FLR(M) residence card extension. I decided that that's the best way to go since at the time I hadn't completed the 2 year period necessary for ILR nor taken the Life in the UK test. A month and a half after submitting the application I received a letter stating that my application was put on hold due to the fact that my English exam results (TOEFL) could not be verified and I had an option of either to wait indefinitely until the end of the investigation or take another exam.

Just a quick background on the exam issue. What happened is that about a week after submitting my application, BBC made a documentary exposing fraud at an ETS English test centre. Here's a link http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-26024375 ETS is the organization that administers TOEFL (the test I took when I first applied). As a result, next day after the documentary was released, the Home Office decided to start an investigation.

The earliest I could book the new test (this time it was IELTS) was about 3 weeks, then after sitting the test I had to wait for 2 and a half weeks for the results before I could send them off to the Home Office.

Now it's been over 7 weeks since I sent my results (I got 8.5 on IELTS - just as high as my TOEFL results) and I'm still waiting. During this time ETS decided not to renew their license with Home Office (and since April it's no longer accepted) and Daily Mail uncovered another fraud. This time it was Cambridge ESOL English test. I'm hoping nothing similar will happen to IELTS now ))

The problem is that I now need my passport to register for my licensing exams. Actually, I was planning on taking them in the spring. I requested return of documents and received a letter stating that my passport couldn’t be returned until they reach a decision on my application.

This is incredibly frustrating. Has anyone had a similar problem? Does anybody know where I could get help to find out about the stage my application is at? Or an approximate date I might get the documents back. Could I apply to have my application reviewed at a PEO for an extra fee?[/quote]


Hi david2014
we have exactly the same situation with my daughter (over 18 applying as PBS depoendant on SET(O))
almost to the bit
originally we applied at PEO and it changed nothing they still just gave us the alternative test letter
which it took time to book, then 2 week for results (also did IELTS) annd by the time we forwarded the new results back to PEO, they decided not to wait anymore and forwarded all applications with ETS test results to a new ETS Taskforce located in Sheffield
chances are yours is there too
you can send stuff there, but as far as what they told me when i miraculously managed to contact them, they got all applications together and are just sitting on them, they have so far no mandate or instructions to proceed on any of them at all
if you send new test results to the address on your letter they will link them up

zicoliu
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Posts: 26
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Re: FLR(M) waiting times 2011-2014

Post by zicoliu » Mon Jun 23, 2014 12:40 pm

Hi

this is the timeline for my wife's FLR(M)
20/05/2014 Application posted special delivery
21/05/2014 Application received by Home Office Durham
28/05/2014 Payment of £601 taken through cheque
28/05/2014 Acknowledgement letter received dated 22/05/2014
06/06/2014 Biometric invitation letter received dated 03/06/2014
09/06/2014 Biometrics given at post office
20/06/2014 letter about TOEIC test not being accepted dated 13/06/2014

pending - Approval letter received
pending - Biometric Resident card received

The letter that they sent about the TOEIC test not being accepted gave us a link to a list of alternative test....which still included TOEIC. It also gave us a number that we can call, which is now no longer available and refers us to http://www.gov.uk

From what I can work out on the government website,
https://www.gov.uk/government/publicati ... uage-tests

There are now Transitional arrangements which means applications with ETS exams will still be accepted as long as they were made and the fee paid before 1st July or 22nd July if overseas.
However it seems strange that they will send us a letter dated 13 June about taking another test when the information on the website was updated on the 4th June.

Did anyone else receive this? Is this information correct?

What we submitted on the date of application was in accordance with the rules at the time, it would be extremely unfair if they change the rules and reject applications that are already submitted.

Her Fiancee visa expires in July but we've submitted the application already anyway so we can just wait and see what happens, but are also considering doing another test as she will need it in 2.5 years when we come to extend the FLR again.

thanks

david2014
Newly Registered
Posts: 17
Joined: Fri Jun 20, 2014 3:07 pm

Re: FLR(M) waiting times 2011-2014

Post by david2014 » Mon Jun 23, 2014 1:11 pm

sagareva wrote: Hi david2014
we have exactly the same situation with my daughter (over 18 applying as PBS depoendant on SET(O))
almost to the bit
originally we applied at PEO and it changed nothing they still just gave us the alternative test letter
which it took time to book, then 2 week for results (also did IELTS) annd by the time we forwarded the new results back to PEO, they decided not to wait anymore and forwarded all applications with ETS test results to a new ETS Taskforce located in Sheffield
chances are yours is there too
you can send stuff there, but as far as what they told me when i miraculously managed to contact them, they got all applications together and are just sitting on them, they have so far no mandate or instructions to proceed on any of them at all
if you send new test results to the address on your letter they will link them up
Hi, sagareva
Thank you for your reply! It's certainly a relief to know I'm not alone)
I've already sent my test results to their office in Sheffield.
Have you managed to get any update from them since you last contacted them? That is quite strange that even after receiving test results from another test centre they still keep applications on hold.
Also, could you tell me the lucky phone number because I couldn't get throu to them with the ones I got.
Please, stay in touch. Maybe with our combined effort we might get them to speed up the process.

julian1972
Junior Member
Posts: 98
Joined: Mon Jan 06, 2014 1:24 am

Re: FLR(M) waiting times 2011-2014

Post by julian1972 » Thu Jun 26, 2014 11:18 am

22/5/14 - Application posted Special Delivery
23/5/14 - Application received by Home Office Durham
27/5/14 - Payment of £601 taken through Debit Card
30/5/14 - Acknowledgement letter dated 27/5/14 received
02/6/14 - Biometric enrolment letter received dated 29/5/14
03/6/14 - Biometric fingerprints given
26/06/14 - Approval letter + supporting documents received
Pending - Biometric Resident Card received

julian1972
Junior Member
Posts: 98
Joined: Mon Jan 06, 2014 1:24 am

Re: FLR(M) waiting times 2011-2014

Post by julian1972 » Thu Jun 26, 2014 12:01 pm

I have now just received the BRP card, some 40 minutes after receiving my supporting documents and approval letter.

The whole application took exactly 5 weeks:

Application posted on 22/05/14
Approval letter, supporting documents and BRP card received on 26/06/14.

Thank you all for all your help particular when I was unsure if the first employer's letter that had been written without mentioning vital information about my employment. With your assistance I was able to pester my employer to rewrite the letter.

Thanks a million!!

Spatacus
Member of Standing
Posts: 485
Joined: Thu Aug 23, 2012 5:40 pm

Re: FLR(M) waiting times 2011-2014

Post by Spatacus » Tue Jul 01, 2014 7:11 pm

julian1972 wrote:I have now just received the BRP card, some 40 minutes after receiving my supporting documents and approval letter.

The whole application took exactly 5 weeks:

Application posted on 22/05/14
Approval letter, supporting documents and BRP card received on 26/06/14.

Thank you all for all your help particular when I was unsure if the first employer's letter that had been written without mentioning vital information about my employment. With your assistance I was able to pester my employer to rewrite the letter.

Thanks a million!!
Hello Julian,
just wondering if you could tell us what evidence you presented for Financial/maintenance requirements.
Thanks
Appl sent: 29-08-2014
Acknow received: 07-09-2014
Bio received: 23-09-2014
Bio recorded: 23-09-2014
Approval date: 31-12-2014
Approval received : 05-01-2015

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/ ... view?pli=1#

julian1972
Junior Member
Posts: 98
Joined: Mon Jan 06, 2014 1:24 am

Re: FLR(M) waiting times 2011-2014

Post by julian1972 » Wed Jul 02, 2014 12:13 am

6 months pay slip and 6 months bank statements.

Abdoul1979
Junior Member
Posts: 62
Joined: Wed Apr 30, 2014 7:04 am

Re: FLR(M) waiting times 2011-2014

Post by Abdoul1979 » Wed Jul 02, 2014 6:38 am

Abdoul1979 wrote:
Abdoul1979 wrote:27/5/14 - Application posted Special Delivery - FLR(M) spouse settle person SET(LR)
28/5/14 - Application received by Home Office Durham
31/5/14 - Payment of £601 taken through Debit Card
02/06/14 - Acknowledgement letter received
04/06/14- Biometric invitation letter received
05/06/14 - Biometric fingerprints given
26/06/14 - Approval letter received
Pending - Biometric Resident Card received
(Redelivery for Thursday morning)
5 years settlement route mean 30 months visa,to be renew up to the 60 months.
Specially wife was here since September 2007, it sucks

theprideofpak
Member
Posts: 198
Joined: Sun Jul 21, 2013 10:44 am

Re: FLR(M) waiting times 2011-2014

Post by theprideofpak » Wed Jul 02, 2014 6:53 am

Abdoul1979 wrote:
Abdoul1979 wrote:
Abdoul1979 wrote:27/5/14 - Application posted Special Delivery - FLR(M) spouse settle person SET(LR)
28/5/14 - Application received by Home Office Durham
31/5/14 - Payment of £601 taken through Debit Card
02/06/14 - Acknowledgement letter received
04/06/14- Biometric invitation letter received
05/06/14 - Biometric fingerprints given
26/06/14 - Approval letter received
Pending - Biometric Resident Card received
(Redelivery for Thursday morning)
5 years settlement route mean 30 months visa,to be renew up to the 60 months.
Specially wife was here since September 2007, it sucks
Did you fill in section 7a in FLR m form?

theprideofpak
Member
Posts: 198
Joined: Sun Jul 21, 2013 10:44 am

Re: FLR(M) waiting times 2011-2014

Post by theprideofpak » Thu Jul 03, 2014 9:33 am

Abdoul1979 wrote:
Abdoul1979 wrote:
Abdoul1979 wrote:27/5/14 - Application posted Special Delivery - FLR(M) spouse settle person SET(LR)
28/5/14 - Application received by Home Office Durham
31/5/14 - Payment of £601 taken through Debit Card
02/06/14 - Acknowledgement letter received
04/06/14- Biometric invitation letter received
05/06/14 - Biometric fingerprints given
26/06/14 - Approval letter received
Pending - Biometric Resident Card received
(Redelivery for Thursday morning)
5 years settlement route mean 30 months visa,to be renew up to the 60 months.
Specially wife was here since September 2007, it sucks
Also what category your wife was a defendant of, I.e, student defendant, t1g dependent before applying for FLR m. Thx

theprideofpak
Member
Posts: 198
Joined: Sun Jul 21, 2013 10:44 am

Re: FLR(M) waiting times 2011-2014

Post by theprideofpak » Thu Jul 03, 2014 10:03 am

Abdoul1979 wrote:
Abdoul1979 wrote:
Abdoul1979 wrote:27/5/14 - Application posted Special Delivery - FLR(M) spouse settle person SET(LR)
28/5/14 - Application received by Home Office Durham
31/5/14 - Payment of £601 taken through Debit Card
02/06/14 - Acknowledgement letter received
04/06/14- Biometric invitation letter received
05/06/14 - Biometric fingerprints given
26/06/14 - Approval letter received
Pending - Biometric Resident Card received
(Redelivery for Thursday morning)
5 years settlement route mean 30 months visa,to be renew up to the 60 months.
Specially wife was here since September 2007, it sucks

Ahh, so your wife was a psw dependent....that is why time spent as psw or psw dependent doesn't count towards the eligible period for ILR....

Abdoul1979
Junior Member
Posts: 62
Joined: Wed Apr 30, 2014 7:04 am

Re: FLR(M) waiting times 2011-2014

Post by Abdoul1979 » Sat Jul 05, 2014 7:53 am

Abdoul1979 wrote:
27/5/14 - Application posted Special Delivery - FLR(M) spouse settle person SET(LR)
28/5/14 - Application received by Home Office Durham
31/5/14 - Payment of £601 taken through Debit Card
02/06/14 - Acknowledgement letter received
04/06/14- Biometric invitation letter received
05/06/14 - Biometric fingerprints given
26/06/14 - Approval letter received
03/07/14 - Biometric Resident Card received

Took a month in total ,not bad for trimming ,still waiting for kids registration section 1 (3)

zicoliu
Newly Registered
Posts: 26
Joined: Mon Jun 23, 2014 12:26 pm

Re: FLR(M) waiting times 2011-2014

Post by zicoliu » Sat Jul 05, 2014 8:19 am

zicoliu wrote:Hi

this is the timeline for my wife's FLR(M)
20/05/2014 Application posted special delivery
21/05/2014 Application received by Home Office Durham
28/05/2014 Payment of £601 taken through cheque
28/05/2014 Acknowledgement letter received dated 22/05/2014
06/06/2014 Biometric invitation letter received dated 03/06/2014
09/06/2014 Biometrics given at post office
20/06/2014 letter about TOEIC test not being accepted dated 13/06/2014

pending - Approval letter received
pending - Biometric Resident card received

The letter that they sent about the TOEIC test not being accepted gave us a link to a list of alternative test....which still included TOEIC. It also gave us a number that we can call, which is now no longer available and refers us to http://www.gov.uk

From what I can work out on the government website,
https://www.gov.uk/government/publicati ... uage-tests

There are now Transitional arrangements which means applications with ETS exams will still be accepted as long as they were made and the fee paid before 1st July or 22nd July if overseas.
However it seems strange that they will send us a letter dated 13 June about taking another test when the information on the website was updated on the 4th June.

Did anyone else receive this? Is this information correct?

What we submitted on the date of application was in accordance with the rules at the time, it would be extremely unfair if they change the rules and reject applications that are already submitted.

Her Fiancee visa expires in July but we've submitted the application already anyway so we can just wait and see what happens, but are also considering doing another test as she will need it in 2.5 years when we come to extend the FLR again.

thanks
She's enrolled for the Cambridge PET exam on 24th July now, but even after taking this, the results won't be available until early September.
Has anyone who's had their application put on hold because of english language tests received any update on their situation?
I tried calling them but they just said we need to wait.

ma14
Junior Member
Posts: 65
Joined: Wed May 07, 2014 10:20 am

Re: FLR(M) waiting times 2011-2014

Post by ma14 » Fri Jul 11, 2014 9:49 am

my wife visa is refuse beacuse of the english test the HO said it should be A1 but my course is equal to b1 what should i do now please senior members advice

zicoliu
Newly Registered
Posts: 26
Joined: Mon Jun 23, 2014 12:26 pm

Re: FLR(M) waiting times 2011-2014

Post by zicoliu » Fri Jul 11, 2014 11:03 am

ma14 wrote:my wife visa is refuse beacuse of the english test the HO said it should be A1 but my course is equal to b1 what should i do now please senior members advice
what test provider was it with?
is it one on the list of approved providers?
ETS TOEIC or ETS TOEFL?

ma14
Junior Member
Posts: 65
Joined: Wed May 07, 2014 10:20 am

Re: FLR(M) waiting times 2011-2014

Post by ma14 » Fri Jul 11, 2014 11:48 am

zicoliu wrote:
ma14 wrote:my wife visa is refuse beacuse of the english test the HO said it should be A1 but my course is equal to b1 what should i do now please senior members advice
what test provider was it with?
is it one on the list of approved providers?
ETS TOEIC or ETS TOEFL?
it was esol entry 3

zicoliu
Newly Registered
Posts: 26
Joined: Mon Jun 23, 2014 12:26 pm

Re: FLR(M) waiting times 2011-2014

Post by zicoliu » Fri Jul 11, 2014 12:03 pm

ma14 wrote:
zicoliu wrote:
ma14 wrote:my wife visa is refuse beacuse of the english test the HO said it should be A1 but my course is equal to b1 what should i do now please senior members advice
what test provider was it with?
is it one on the list of approved providers?
ETS TOEIC or ETS TOEFL?
it was esol entry 3
was that the only reason for refusal? did they give any other feedback?
because that's an approved test, but it's only valid for 2 years.

ma14
Junior Member
Posts: 65
Joined: Wed May 07, 2014 10:20 am

Re: FLR(M) waiting times 2011-2014

Post by ma14 » Fri Jul 11, 2014 12:10 pm

That's the only reason please members advice what should we do now

zicoliu
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Posts: 26
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Re: FLR(M) waiting times 2011-2014

Post by zicoliu » Fri Jul 11, 2014 12:56 pm

ma14 wrote:That's the only reason please members advice what should we do now
sounds similar to this thread
http://www.immigrationboards.com/immigr ... 55383.html

ma14
Junior Member
Posts: 65
Joined: Wed May 07, 2014 10:20 am

Re: FLR(M) waiting times 2011-2014

Post by ma14 » Fri Jul 11, 2014 1:10 pm

zicoliu wrote:
ma14 wrote:That's the only reason please members advice what should we do now
sounds similar to this thread
http://www.immigrationboards.com/immigr ... 55383.html
thank you so much for help what you suggest if we write to case worker about this

zicoliu
Newly Registered
Posts: 26
Joined: Mon Jun 23, 2014 12:26 pm

Re: FLR(M) waiting times 2011-2014

Post by zicoliu » Fri Jul 11, 2014 1:17 pm

ma14 wrote:
zicoliu wrote:
ma14 wrote:That's the only reason please members advice what should we do now
sounds similar to this thread
http://www.immigrationboards.com/immigr ... 55383.html
thank you so much for help what you suggest if we write to case worker about this
was it ESOL Skills for Life Entry 3?
so it turns out there's no expiry date

what did they say exactly?
I would point them to this
https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/s ... _07_14.pdf

and what were the results?

ma14
Junior Member
Posts: 65
Joined: Wed May 07, 2014 10:20 am

Re: FLR(M) waiting times 2011-2014

Post by ma14 » Fri Jul 11, 2014 1:34 pm

was it ESOL Skills for Life Entry 3?
so it turns out there's no expiry date

what did they say exactly?
I would point them to this
https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/s ... _07_14.pdf

and what were the results?[/quote]

the result on certificate is pass

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