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Archive » United Kingdom » Validating a visa up to 3 months forward ???

Author	Post
Ahoi Junior Member Member # 7247	Posted November 12, 2003 02:06 PM quote: Originally posted by Kayalami: 2. Out of country applicants get an HSMP approval letter valid for 3 months for obtaining a visa at the British Embassy/ High Commission. 3. You can request the Embassy to validate your visa up to 3 months forward from the dat of application i.e. apply for visa on 1st Jan the visa can be made valid from March 31st. You cannot enter the UK before the validity of the visa so think carefully about this especially as you need to be in the UK to increase your chances of getting a job. Hi all and especially Kayalami. Please, give me advice in my situation. I went to ask a visa to British embassy in Prague in the end of validity of HSMP approval letter. I wrote in my application and told visa officer that I want my visa to be valid from the middle of Febriary 2004. But they refused me and did the visa valid from today. Can I go there again and request what I want and, please, advise on what I can refer to in my request? [ November 12, 2003: Message edited by: Ahoi ] [ November 12, 2003: Message edited by: Ahoi ] [ November 12, 2003: Message edited by: Ahoi ]
Kayalami Member Member # 5984	Posted November 12, 2003 07:07 PM I am surprised that the ECO did not postdate the HSMP Visa as per your request though they have wide leeway to issue visa how they see fit. Did you ask why this was the case? I am sure they will give you definitve feedback on this because you have applied within the validity of the HSMP approval letter. You will most likely have to pay a second fee for a second visa. -------------------- ---audi alteram partem---
Ahoi Junior Member Member # 7247	Posted November 13, 2003 10:06 AM Yes, I asked. But the officer (examiner, inspector) in the window (I communicated only with her) explained me that they gave an entry clearence only with today date and no more definitive. I dimly kept in mind your post, tryed to tell about my right to request determined date, but unfortunately couldn't refer to any rules or laws concerning it. Are there ones ? Do you think I will forced to pay second time not depending on that fact I had records in 2 places in my application that I want an appropriate date for my visa?
Samran Member Member # 894	Posted November 13, 2003 10:49 AM actually ahoi has a very good point. Kayalami, is there anywhere official which definetively says that an applicant can request an entry date up to 3 months from the date of application? I can't seem to see anything in the official guidance notes This may be useful for people who are at applying at posts where HSMP requests aren't that common and the local staff may not know the rules as a matter of course. Cheers Samran
ajani Junior Member Member # 6289	Posted November 13, 2003 10:56 AM i am very sure the law allows visas to be issued 3 months in advance of travel date, i used this clause in june when i collected visas for three of my kids. i told the guy they werent ready to travel and issued it in advance.
Ahoi Junior Member Member # 7247	Posted November 13, 2003 01:22 PM quote: Originally posted by ajani: i am very sure the law allows visas to be issued 3 months in advance of travel date, i used this clause in june when i collected visas for three of my kids. i told the guy they werent ready to travel and issued it in advance. I told the inspector too, but how to force them to do what I want?
ArtikRU Junior Member Member # 7257	Posted November 14, 2003 01:22 AM Ahoi, I cannot understand, what is the problem with visa active from today? As I understand, you will need to extend your visa on 12 month after ARRIVAL in UK, not the date your visa granted. Am I right? Or you need more time to enter UK? How long is your visa valid to enter UK? One year? Sorry, if something is wrong, I am new guy here )
Ahoi Junior Member Member # 7247	Posted November 14, 2003 10:01 AM quote: Originally posted by ArtikRU: As I understand, you will need to extend your visa on 12 month after ARRIVAL in UK, not the date your visa granted. Am I right? ] I think you need to extend your visa on 12 month after your visa beginning quote: Originally posted by ArtikRU: How long is your visa valid to enter UK? One year? Yes, one year.
Subbukwt Member Member # 7197	Posted November 15, 2003 07:39 AM Hi - I also asked the same question about stamping my visa effective Jan 04 since that was the date of expected travel which I had declared in my Entry Clearance (EC) application form. (this was fm Kuwait). Unfortunately, my request was turned down. I was not sure, as many of our friends in this Discussion Board, whether I could refer to any guidance notes. If there is any firm legal/written backing in any of the govt sites, maybe I can go to the Embassy and request them to post-date my visa. Can anyone help in this regard? Question 2: Will this in any way (i.e the fact that I had first got a visa dated 20th Oct and then I go and cancel it in favor of a new visa dated say, 1st Jan) be a problem on arrival in the UK?
Subbukwt Member Member # 7197	Posted November 15, 2003 09:09 AM Hi - I called up the Embassy here again and asked them about this issue and was told that I can stretch the restamping till close to the last day of the validity of my HSMP approval letter.(i.e. 3 months fm date of approval letter). Only issue is (as Kayalami mentioned) the fees would have to be paid again. They will cancel the previous EC and give a fresh one dated say 20th of Dec or so (i.e. the date when I actually go for re-stamping). Whether one wants to do this all over again is entirely left to each individual's personal choice. The main point is - it is do-able.
Cosmopol Member Member # 7165	Posted November 15, 2003 02:13 PM I want to draw attention that it seems one can go and restamp the visa for as long as the HSMP letter is valid - for an additional fee and still dated the day of the visit. Yet, it seems diificult, and often impossible, to post-date the visa from the day of the visit, no matter when this visit occurs - in the beginning or the end of the HSMP validity letter.
Kayalami Member Member # 5984	Posted November 19, 2003 01:55 PM I have re-checked the diplomatic service procedures on matters pertaining to entry clearance and as I had stated initially the 3 month forward request for visa validity is just an operational policy as opposed to a rule. However it appears that the 3 month validity of the HSMP 'approval letter' covers this 3 forward month request period. Given that the HSMP approval is an implicit approval of leave to enter the UK (only requiring an accompanying visa) then it would appear the UK Home Office does not want a 'select' group of LTE applicants (HSMP's) to be able to postpone their LTE period 6 mths forward from the date of application for such i.e. 3mths HSMP approval + 3 mths std forward request whereas all other applicants get 3 months. I do apologise where my intial post was misleading hence why it is vital to seek competent legal advice and not rely entirely on a forum. INMHO one can challenge the ECO on this but the matter is weighted heavily in favour of the Government because their is no case law on the matter, the new Immigration & Nationality Act restricts appeals for those granted LTE but not in the manner they want it i.e as long as you get LTE you can't really appeal that it wasn't when you wanted it. I also believe the appellate authorities would see such an appeal as frivolous. In light of these and given that HSMP extension depends on your economic activity within the UK over the inital 12 mths you may wish to re-arrange your arrival dates in the UK. Good Luck to all -------------------- ---audi alteram partem---
bella_uk Member Member # 7162	Posted November 20, 2003 08:24 PM I called British Embassy yesterday and asked about Entry Clearance procedure and about the possibility to postpone my visa till the last day of HSMP letter validity. My request was refused and I was told that the visa is the same day issue. How can I convince the consulate to stretch the visa to the last day of the validity of my HSMP letter?