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will appreciate your response,

My all experience is in db support, in some very reputable world's IT company.

wish you good luck, with your application,

take care,

I spoke to the line manager at HSMP team today and explained my case.
He said the typical current delay for HSMP renewal applications are a minimum of 10-12 weeks - around 2-3 months.

The reason being the same small sized team is looking at all applications including WP, WP renewals, HSMP and others.
The team size is very small compared to the load of work.

Also it seems they have to give first preference to charged (fee collected) applications like WP applicaions.
Everyday there are so many charged applications coming in and hence they are trying to clear the charged applications first before taking up non-charged ones like HSMP renewals.

So typically he said HSMP renewals will have to wait for 2-3 months before getting any decision.

He asked me whether I wanted my passports back without a renewal decision because I have travel plans... but he also said that could put my application to the last in que.
Then I said i did not want my passports if it will jeopardise my processing que status.

That's the update.

regards.

If he offered passport....does it mean that they can decide on the application without passport......and later on you would hava to submit just for the stamp.....which would have been faster...

If they would give your passport back so you could travel, did they say they would give you an extension of a few months LTR on your passport? Otherwise, how could you get back in on HSMP if your trip lasted longer then the original expiry date?

Thanks
Joseph

I had an update this morning from HSMP team...
They said they have allocated my application to a case worker 1 week back and he has not yet opened my application package yet because of other applications he is working on and hence it is likely it will take couple of more weeks... the currnet total turnaround is around 16-19 weeks... so likely it will be around December 2nd week before I get a decision on my HSMP renewal... that makes it a total of around 4 months for HSMP renewal decisions these days.

Hope this update helps everybody to plan their HSMP renewal applications.

As a note: I will become eligible for my ILR (Permenant residency) on the 16th of December 2003 - on completing 3 years and 11 months of stay (WP + HSMP).

regards.

[ September 08, 2003: Message edited by: User ]

It was never like this before - at the most they would take something like 1-2 months... but now it is at 3-4 months processing time.

I guess the reason for this huge delay is - they are giving higher proference to visa applications which have a fee for processing, unlike the HSMP visas which are free.

This is just my guess - because the delay never used to be so much before - at most they would take 1-2 months in cases where it was complicated.
But now, after having submitted my renewal application (which is quite straight forward) about 3 weeks back, they have not even opened my application package, leave alone processing it.

Anyway, we just have to bite the bullet.

regards.

Its been a month since I had submitted my HSMP renewal application and there had been no decision as yet.

Apart from my ongoing work with my existing customers, toady I had a new customer from USA wanting to arrange a consulting service from me and had sent out a agreement to sign.

I really did not know what to do having regard to the fact that my current HSMP visa is expiring on next week... so I was in real embarrasment, because I could not commit anything to my new customer as to whether I would be available to them at all, pending my HSMP renewal decison.
Apart from this, I have been getting lots of new cunsulting oppurtunites in the past few weeks.

Today I decided to talk to HSMP team in detail.

I faxed them the below documents, explaining my embarassing position that I am unable to continue to do my business peacefully because I am unable to committ to my new customers pending HSMP visa decison.

So I requested them to expedite my renewal application at their earliest so as to enable to me to sign off my new customers, with peace of mind.

The following are the documents I faxed:

1. A cover letter in my business letter head, referring my HSMP reference number, explaining my new oppurtunities, new customers and also the embarrassing position I am facing because of the delay in getting my HSMP visa decision.

2. The full contract documents (marking it private and confidential) I received today from my new customers (3 separate contracts)

3. A formal letter from one of my three new customers, confirming my discussions I had with my new customers last week about this possible consultancy.

4. My interim bank statement from my bankers showing an up-front bank transfer of funds, my new customer had sent out to my business bank account - as an initial token cunsultancy fees towards the new agreement, and a letter of confirmation for such transfer.

After faxing the above documents, I spoke to the line manager and he said he read through the documents and confirmed me that he was happy with the supporting documents to prioritise my application and said he will allocate it to a new case worker today and it will be taken up for processing first thing tomorrow and also said I could call up sometime late afternoon to find out the decision outcome.

The good thing was, he informally apologised saying that he did not realise I was going through such an embarrassment in my business activities because of the delay in HSMP processing.

I thanked him in return and said I appreciated the timely kind consideration of the HSMP team to prioritise my application now.

That's the good news!

So, one more day to go... I will keep you all updated as soon as I know the decision.

regards.

That’s great feedback! I’m sure that your outcome will be positive shortly.

I think that the reason the reason HSMP renewals are put on the back burner is that it is unlikely that they will be rejected outright. If that were not the case, I would think HSMP would review quickly and send out orders to leave the country in 28 days to those applicants who don’t qualify. By not reviewing quickly, they are automatically extending the applicants’ stay under Variation of Leave Order (VOLO).

They assume that as long as the application submitted on time you can continue to stay and work on the same conditions, and that you should be happy about that. What they don’t realise is that having an application in process is of no comfort to a client or a potential employer (who can chose other candidates less risky), not to mention the fact that you cannot travel overseas. I recently failed to get a second interview for a public sector job, in large part, because my HSMP is up for renewal shortly. They asked me about it and seemed very concerned when I explained the situation. Imagine starting a new job and not being able to travel overseas for the first 3 months!

User, you are doing a good service by keeping us updated and also by showing HSMP an illustration of this problem.

Regards,
Joseph

I received a letter today from HSMP asking me to send out another copy of my business plan document, since they have misplaced/lost the business plan document I had submitted with my application.

So I will have to send out another copy of my business plan on Monday.

Once I send it out, they will probably be able to complete processing my application.

They could have told me this fact in the past 4 weeks.

Anyway, that's the way they work, unfortunately.

I will send out the document on monday and will keep you all updated of the decision.

regards.

Congratulations on your new business! I still haven't taken that "first step" but I sure wish I could.

After doing that, getting HSMP renewed will be a piece of cake!

Regards,
Joseph

Yes no matter what happens, you have much to be proud of and many of us acknowledge your significant achievements in the last year. I feel sure your case will be positively assessed and am pleased to know that there are those making a significant contribution to the UK economy under the HSMP scheme. For those of us who remember the original TOR of HSMP, this is a real achievement.

With best wishes for your speedy renewal,
LC1