UKVI Contact Form for Status Update

Good morning ladies and gents.

Just a quick query, hopefully someone here has had the same experience with the UKVI contact form (when you can actually get on to it, spent about a week trying to access it to be lead to a blank page until Friday evening).

Wifey's biometrics were taken on 21 March 2017 and UKVI in Sheffield received our supporting documents on 31 March 2017. I received the supporting documents and the generic 'we're going to start processing your application soon' letter attached with it on 06 April 2017 (nearly 6 weeks from today).

We contacted UKVI through the online form on Friday and received a reply this morning which read:

'Thank you for contacting the UK Visas and Immigration International Enquiry
Service.

We understand that you would like to know about the current status of your
visa application. I have tracked the status (GWFxxxxxxxxx and date of birth
xx/xx/xxxx) and found that there are no current updates. This could be
because your application was submitted recently or the details that you
have provided above are incorrect.

If it is the former you may contact us at a later stage once our records
have been updated. We will be happy to give you the current status of your
application. If the information provided is incorrect then please provide
the 9-digit GWF number and the date of birth of the applicant.'

Is just short of 6 weeks (nearly half of the estimated processing time) classed as recent? Has anybody here experienced the same or at least similar to this?

I've shot forward a reply this morning insisting that her details were correct and reminding them that biometrics were submitted 8 weeks ago, along with a polite request that they re-check their records.

Now to try and reassure my wife that everything is fine and that she shouldn't get upset and/or worried. Not exactly what I was hoping for after a 12 hour night shift.

Happy Monday everyone.

I have received the same email every time, i have used the online email service. I believe they are automated emails, because no matter what i email them, always get the same response. I have been waiting since 6th Jan. I have been told to keep calling UKVI office and ask them to escalate it, however i haven't been able to speak to the right person who is able to do the same.

Afternoon guys.

Just a quick update on this and to vent my frustration I guess.

We replied to this first generic response through the online contact form again on Monday at around 0500am. We have still not received any sort of response to that, so today I thought it'd be wise to contact them using the phone number that is provided.

I was shocked as the lady on the other end of the line told me to have my credit / debit card ready, as they were going to charge me for asking why we have not received any sort of response when we are currently at week 8 of our estimated 12 week wait (from biometrics being taken).

I am disgusted that UKVI and our government have been pocketing from this at a rate of £1.37 per minute because of their low ability at replying to emails, and using the excuse that there are no records that match my wife's reference number is shambolic at this stage. I would expect it at maybe up to the 4 week mark but 2/3's of the way through our estimated ordeal - REALLY?!

Rant over. UKVI are starting to really f*** me off now.

i suggest you wait a couple of days and then email them again. that happened to me got the same response then couple of days later got my papers through post back

cnrlln wrote:Rant over. UKVI are starting to really f*** me off now.

Join the UKVI and HGS hate club mate! (HGS is the 3rd party call centre that answers questions to very less than useless abilities they have and charge us £1.37 per min).
Anyhow - to cut a long story short - yes everyone on this board has been waiting long time.
Quick questions:
1. which VAC did you apply from? i.e. Which city were the biometrics done in?
2. Was your application priority or non-priority?

Mohit

Mohit, glad everyone is in the same boat with the HGS hate!! I understand that UKVI have a job to do but it was made out during our application process that we were going to be inundated with SMS and email updates on the process, to this day we have one and that was only to say that they'd received our supporting documentation.
Her biometrics were taken at the VFS centre in Thimphu, Bhutan - we made history by being the first ever UK spousal visa application made from there, ahaha.
Her application was submitted via non-priority as at the time of preparing and submitting the application we weren't given the option to go priority; if we were given the option we definitely would have footed the extra charge to do it.

I submited my application in Toronto, Canada on March 16. I sumbitted my Biometrics on the same day in the Toronto office. I received an automated reply from Sheffield on March 17, 2017 to advise that the application had been received. I've heard nothing since. I did pay the "Priorty Fee" of £450 to have my application processed within 6 - 8 weeks. Of course it didn't happen. I also paid 5 years worth of health charge surcharges. I started emailing and phoning. Each time I telephoned (at approxmately $15.00 Cdn per call) I am told that they don't have any record of my GWF number. I asked for the issue to be accelerated. I then received an email asking me to scan and email my Priority Visa receipt (so they obviously didn't have it!). I emailed them the copy on the same day. I've heard nothing since. They have taken money from me falsely with the promise of a service that they had no intention of providing. They have my passprt - I have had to cancel holidays and trips because of that. I have submitted a formal complaint to Home Office (they will respond within 20 days!) It has so far cost me over £3,000.00 for a simple, straight forward vis.

My husband of over 25 years is a British National and lived there for 40 years before moving to Canada. I lived in the UK for two years with Indefinite Leave to Remain. I still have my NI number. I pass every single application requirement including the financial means. I have never been convicted of a crime, never collected benefits and have no health problems. I do not understand why this is taking so long and why I have not heard anything from the issuing office.

I am so ticked off!

Has anyone else from Canada had this type of issue?

cnrlln wrote:Afternoon guys.

Just a quick update on this and to vent my frustration I guess.

We replied to this first generic response through the online contact form again on Monday at around 0500am. We have still not received any sort of response to that, so today I thought it'd be wise to contact them using the phone number that is provided.

I was shocked as the lady on the other end of the line told me to have my credit / debit card ready, as they were going to charge me for asking why we have not received any sort of response when we are currently at week 8 of our estimated 12 week wait (from biometrics being taken).

I am disgusted that UKVI and our government have been pocketing from this at a rate of £1.37 per minute because of their low ability at replying to emails, and using the excuse that there are no records that match my wife's reference number is shambolic at this stage. I would expect it at maybe up to the 4 week mark but 2/3's of the way through our estimated ordeal - REALLY?!

Rant over. UKVI are starting to really f*** me off now.

Agree with you.. UKVI in plain words is money extortion company!!! Have no idea of y we are expected to pay £1.37 when no service is provided to us . Everytime u call they have different response to ur application Its shame to be a Brit right now

bittu11 wrote: Its shame to be a Brit right now

100% agreed. I was on FaceTime with my wife whilst making the call on loudspeaker, I was genuinely embarrassed by it if I'm being honest.

My wife is pretty adamant that now we've heard all of your input that we shouldn't bother wasting our money on making these calls. We've handed enough of our money over to them just in an attempt to be together (which in my mind is a basic human requirement right? Actually spending your life with the person you have chosen to spend your life with?).

4redhead wrote: I am so ticked off!

Join the club!! Hopefully you hear some good news soon.

singhmohit wrote: Quick questions:
1. which VAC did you apply from? i.e. Which city were the biometrics done in?
2. Was your application priority or non-priority?

Mohit

Hi Mohit, not sure if you picked up my earlier reply.
-VFS Centre in Thimphu, Bhutan. We were the first ever UK spousal visa application to be made from there.
-Non Priority, we were never given the option to apply through the priority route.

Just as an added note, I'm possibly right in thinking that her application is going to be processed through New Delhi, as that's where her passport was sent to and supporting docs were sent to Sheffield. Unfortunately Bhutan doesn't have a British embassy / consulate yet.

cnrlln wrote:

singhmohit wrote: Quick questions:
1. which VAC did you apply from? i.e. Which city were the biometrics done in?
2. Was your application priority or non-priority?

Mohit

Hi Mohit, not sure if you picked up my earlier reply.
-VFS Centre in Thimphu, Bhutan. We were the first ever UK spousal visa application to be made from there.
-Non Priority, we were never given the option to apply through the priority route.

Just as an added note, I'm possibly right in thinking that her application is going to be processed through New Delhi, as that's where her passport was sent to and supporting docs were sent to Sheffield. Unfortunately Bhutan doesn't have a British embassy / consulate yet.

Sorry mate - didnt get any notification of your replies for some odd reason.

Well - congratulations to break the record to be the first ever - I'm sure this isn't the feeling you've been longing for and there are many more things you wanted like everyone else to have the initial days/months of your marriage close to your spouse and not spending evenings and weekends on skype or whatsapp video.

I hate to see that UKVI are remorseless, ugly, and hopeless people who make a joke of the lives like us - shame on them!

Keep the faith and wait on....

singhmohit wrote: I'm sure this isn't the feeling you've been longing for and there are many more things you wanted like everyone else to have the initial days/months of your marriage close to your spouse and not spending evenings and weekends on skype or whatsapp video.

You can say that again, we were married in Goa in late September and then I flew home beginning of November. The last time I saw her in person was February. Kind of feels like we've lost the whole honeymoon period of being married. I'm looking at flying out to see her in a couple of weeks in Bhutan but with the cost of flights and a visa fee that stands at around £150 per day I don't think I'm going to be to afford it this time around; unless somebody fancies giving me a fairly large handout!!

singhmohit wrote:I hate to see that UKVI are remorseless, ugly, and hopeless people who make a joke of the lives like us - shame on them!

Keep the faith and wait on....

I completely understand that they have a task to do, and if it wasn't for all of the sham marriages ruining it for the genuine couples like us, we would probably all be waiting a lot less to see our loved ones. Alas, it is what it is and we'll just have to wait our course. It'll all be worth it in the end. I don't mind the waiting as we had prepared ourselves for it but a quick update would be nice, that's all I'm asking for really.

Has anyone that has previously been left in the dark with no updates and assistance from HGS and / or UKVI looked at contacting their local MP? Maybe a nudge from an MP would perhaps bring an update? Just a thought.

Have a nice day everyone.

Hi my American wife submitted her application on the 13th of March 2017 (std process not the priority one) and receipt was acknowledged on the 23rd of March from Sheffield. Unsurprisingly (having read these threads) we heard nothing for weeks and eventually emailed UKVI from the online form at the end of April just to receive the same BS reply that others have above. We resorted to the chargeable phone "service" to be told that it was "with an agent" but that was all they could say. We then waited a couple more weeks and called again last Friday to be told it was in a "checking phase" and that apparently the process is :

1 - Acknowledge Receipt
2 - Check of documentation
3 - Agent review
4 - A further round of checks
5 - Agent Review and approve or decline Visa.

From this we assumed that it must be in the 3rd phase (above) as we had already been told it was in checking. We called again yesterday to now be told that the system shows "no update" and they could not give us any further information. When we asked about prior updates on the record the woman we spoke with stated that updates were only live on their system for a "brief period" after which they were deleted and replaced with "no update"!!!! We were then told that it we wanted to get further information then we should request escalation of our status inquiry via the online portal. The online portal didn't support enough characters for the information that we were asked to submit (unsurprisingly) and so we were told to send in "abbreviated" versions of our escalation and they would understand it (I doubt this very much). Once submitted we received the usual BS reply saying we would get a response in 24 hours.... well in true UKVI style that was 24 hours ago and guess what.... no response!

The whole process is an absolute shambles and the UKVI system is so unbelievably dysfunctional (to say the least). We are now on week 9 of the wait and are still no wiser to where we are in the queue or the process... Who could have thought the UK Civil Service could be so utterly useless eh!

The next step is going to be a letter to our local MP to complain about the service we are receiving but I can almost guarantee the response will be along the lines of "Your wife's application is still within the 12 week SLA".

Has anyone else successfully involved their MP in a complaint about the UKVI?

cnrlln wrote: Has anyone that has previously been left in the dark with no updates and assistance from HGS and / or UKVI looked at contacting their local MP? Maybe a nudge from an MP would perhaps bring an update? Just a thought.

Tried that mate - I tried to contact the local MPs and they have turned around and said in the nicest possible words - we won't do diddly squat until the elections are over. 08th Jun - I can't be bother to vote this time around they are all a bunch of *** (use any adjective you like)

NickandJess wrote:Once submitted we received the usual BS reply saying we would get a response in 24 hours.... well in true UKVI style that was 24 hours ago and guess what.... no response!

Hey Nick, welcome to the club ahaha, currently on day 3 of waiting for a reply.

NickandJess wrote:The next step is going to be a letter to our local MP to complain about the service we are receiving but I can almost guarantee the response will be along the lines of "Your wife's application is still within the 12 week SLA".

Has anyone else successfully involved their MP in a complaint about the UKVI?

My wife and I are looking at possibly taking this route too, however I've heard from previous experiences that what you guessed at is precisely the answer you get. UKVI / HGS do a very good job of covering themselves on this. When you originally apply you are told '12 weeks, however it could maybe take longer' and then when you finally get that first email back from the contact form you'll see that it says '95% of settlement visas are completed within 12 weeks, and 100% within 24 weeks'; which means they are technically covered under their SLAs for up to 24 weeks.

singhmohit wrote: Tried that mate - I tried to contact the local MPs and they have turned around and said in the nicest possible words - we won't do diddly squat until the elections are over. 08th Jun - I can't be bother to vote this time around they are all a bunch of *** (use any adjective you like) esp the tories!

Looks like I'll be going to see my MP around 09 June then ahaha. I'm not a huge politics person myself but at least Labour seem to handle some things a little more humanely, for example they are looking to abolish the minimum wage ruling for settlement visas. But no party is an ideal party in my eyes, but that conversation is for another day and another forum aha.

NickandJess wrote:Has anyone else successfully involved their MP in a complaint about the UKVI?

Really sad state of affairs with UKVI really... I've read many threads on here and have seen many forum users been waiting for more than 12 weeks - a guy has been waiting for over 24 weeks as well.
Read the following thread: immigration-for-family-members/spouse-v ... 30869.html which I'm sure is just the tip of the bloody iceberg.

cnrlln wrote:Looks like I'll be going to see my MP around 09 June then ahaha.

cnrlln - Mate, you must be a very positive person - we (me and my wife) are very disappointed (if I use another word than "depressed") esp knowing that there seem to be no light visible at the end of this deep dark tunnel

Most importantly @cnrlln - You are very correct in saying they are covered till 24 weeks according to their Home Office's Service Standard (SLAs)

singhmohit wrote:Mate, you must be a very positive person - we (me and my wife) are very disappointed (if I use another word than "depressed") esp knowing that there seem to be no light visible at the end of this deep dark tunnel

I try my best I guess, like everyone I'd imagine here I have good days and bad days. I have some days where I wonder if we're ever going to see an end to all of this like yourself. I do a lot of overtime at work to keep my self busy as otherwise I have a tendency to mope around on my days off.

As I tell my wife, this is a real s***ty ordeal but in the grand scheme of things it's only temporary, and the fact that we've both been willing and able to stick it out with such a great distance and a five hour timezone difference will all be in the past soon enough. We'll have the rest of our lives together to make up for the lost time.

cnrlln wrote:

singhmohit wrote:Mate, you must be a very positive person - we (me and my wife) are very disappointed (if I use another word than "depressed") esp knowing that there seem to be no light visible at the end of this deep dark tunnel

I try my best I guess, like everyone I'd imagine here I have good days and bad days. I have some days where I wonder if we're ever going to see an end to all of this like yourself. I do a lot of overtime at work to keep my self busy as otherwise I have a tendency to mope around on my days off.

As I tell my wife, this is a real s***ty ordeal but in the grand scheme of things it's only temporary, and the fact that we've both been willing and able to stick it out with such a great distance and a five hour timezone difference will all be in the past soon enough. We'll have the rest of our lives together to make up for the lost time.

But on a side note I have noticed more recently since the start of this application process that my sleep quality has been on a steady decline. I used to be an extremely solid sleeper and now I wake up on average 2 or 3 times a night. I'm having a lot more nightmares / extremely odd dreams than I ever used to before. I think the mind often treats such a separation from a loved one in the same way it does with grief I suppose. However I doubt UKVI would ever really bother to take genuine human feeling into account, aha.

But, as Mohit said previously, to anyone peeping in on this; keep the faith - you'll get the answer you're hoping for soon enough.

singhmohit wrote: cnrlln - Mate, you must be a very positive person - we (me and my wife) are very disappointed (if I use another word than "depressed") esp knowing that there seem to be no light visible at the end of this deep dark tunnel

Just seen your update on the timeline thread mate. Brilliant news.

Did post a note of congratulations underneath but it was deleted by a moderator so it seems - who knew being polite was so against the rules eh?

Once again though mate, brilliant stuff; congratulations and more importantly enjoy your lives together in the UK.

Hopefully we'll be in for some news soon too.

cnrlln wrote:Just seen your update on the timeline thread mate. Brilliant news.

Did post a note of congratulations underneath but it was deleted by a moderator so it seems - who knew being polite was so against the rules eh?

Timeline topics are for timelines ONLY and NOT for posts such as the one you posted, which was removed, as the first opening post in a timeline topic says.

To understand why we are so strict on timelines, have a look at the previous ones below and how low value it became full of chit chat.

immigration-for-family-members/spousal- ... e#p1285646

immigration-for-family-members/settleme ... l#p1362639

NickandJess wrote:Hi my American wife submitted her application on the 13th of March 2017 (std process not the priority one) and receipt was acknowledged on the 23rd of March from Sheffield. Unsurprisingly (having read these threads) we heard nothing for weeks and eventually emailed UKVI from the online form at the end of April just to receive the same BS reply that others have above. We resorted to the chargeable phone "service" to be told that it was "with an agent" but that was all they could say. We then waited a couple more weeks and called again last Friday to be told it was in a "checking phase" and that apparently the process is :

1 - Acknowledge Receipt
2 - Check of documentation
3 - Agent review
4 - A further round of checks
5 - Agent Review and approve or decline Visa.

.....
.....

Has anyone else successfully involved their MP in a complaint about the UKVI?

You should definitely escalate it with the MP. I did the same thing for my husband and we got a response from the HO the very same day. Moreover, the MPs have the authority to request priority status on your application.

Btw, what do you mean by "agent review". Do you mean when the ECO goes through your application etc?

pixelrage09 wrote: You should definitely escalate it with the MP. I did the same thing for my husband and we got a response from the HO the very same day. Moreover, the MPs have the authority to request priority status on your application.

Really? That's interesting to know. At what point did you contact your MP? Was it after a certain amount of unsuccessful status update requests or was it at a certain time period ie. 'x' amount of weeks into your application?

pixelrage09 wrote: Btw, what do you mean by "agent review". Do you mean when the ECO goes through your application etc?

I took it as that also.

cnrlln wrote:

pixelrage09 wrote: You should definitely escalate it with the MP. I did the same thing for my husband and we got a response from the HO the very same day. Moreover, the MPs have the authority to request priority status on your application.

Really? That's interesting to know. At what point did you contact your MP? Was it after a certain amount of unsuccessful status update requests or was it at a certain time period ie. 'x' amount of weeks into your application?

pixelrage09 wrote: Btw, what do you mean by "agent review". Do you mean when the ECO goes through your application etc?

We contacted our MP around end of April (harder now due to upcoming elections etc) and he was able to contact Sheffield directly (they have their own lines perhaps?) and was able to get an update and request priority on my husband's file.

Also, Labour MPs are a lot more helpful with your spouse's immigration matters than Conservative MPs. Mine is a Labour MP and he helped us out so much.

pixelrage09 wrote: We contacted our MP around end of April (harder now due to upcoming elections etc) and he was able to contact Sheffield directly (they have their own lines perhaps?) and was able to get an update and request priority on my husband's file.

Also, Labour MPs are a lot more helpful with your spouse's immigration matters than Conservative MPs. Mine is a Labour MP and he helped us out so much.

How far were you into your application at that point? Did you trigger the 12 week mark or was it prior to that?

Yeah, our local MP is Conservative (figures ); may still be worth a shot though. Just don't want to go down that route too early (we're currently 9 weeks since Biometric submission).

cnrlln wrote:
How far were you into your application at that point? Did you trigger the 12 week mark or was it prior to that?

Yeah, our local MP is Conservative (figures ); may still be worth a shot though. Just don't want to go down that route too early (we're currently 9 weeks since Biometric submission).

We contacted our MP within 6 weeks of sending our documents to Sheffield and it was well within the 12 week mark.

Unfortunately, earlier this month, my husband got the "your case is not straight forward" email and since then even our MP has said that it is not something in their control, but they still offered to keep checking with them for regular updates.