Fast track SAR for PR date?

So was the PR date in the 'ENTITLEMENT' section again? It's so frustrating how inconsistent these people are.

Yes, exactly. It was in the Entitlement section on the right hand side of the screen shot.

It read: The date we can confirm the applicant acquired an entitlement to permanent residence is: xx/xx/xx

There are four sections on this page in my SAR:

1. ISSUE and it says: EEA Permanent Residence. Appropriate checks are in date and are considered. I confirm that pre consideration checks are clear and I can proceed.

2. Identity. Evidence of EEA nationality has been sent in the form of: xxxxxx (it shows my passport / ID number)

3. Entitlement

4. Treaty Rights

Thanks for your help and all the info. Somehow I reckon the notes for my DCPR application were cropped. I don't have an 'Entitlement' section or any of the ones you mention and the page numbers are blacked out. I will submit another one and I might attach a letter explaining what I need.

I really despair sometimes. I should be able to just call and get the date.

Best of luck!!

Yes, a note in the second section should do. I can't find the copy of my application but I wrote a short note explaining why I needed this date, etc. I also included the number of my DCPR, just to point their attention in the right direction.

Could have been pure coincidence / chance that it worked for me.

Different members here share conflicting stories. Seems like caseworkers at Lunar House don't have approved procedure or guidance on the matter and improvise.

I did include a note on my first application asking for the date but I might use the exact wording with the section name 'Entitlement' and refer to the case notes the second time. If it doesn't work then, I seriously won't know what to do.

This is what the page looks like if they don't mess up the response to your SAR:

Wording your next request around that would be a good idea.

I wish to know the date that UKVI has recorded for me acquiring the right to permanent residence under the EEA regulations

for example.

Hi ohara. I was referencing this exact picture when I said I've seen it done 'right'. I also used your recommended (or similar) wording. To no avail it seems but I might enclose this page as an example and include a cover letter as well.

I can confirm fast track SAR did come with PR acquired date.
It's funny because it says that my husband is entitled to PR in April 2015 but because spouse(me) has been previously issued with PR with acquired PR May 2015, with him as sponsor, his entitlement would be in the same line as spouse.
When we apply for his PR as european we sent evidence from November 2015 and we used the same support documents we had previously used for my PR card as non-EU issued last year and they decided that this would be our PR acquired date.
Turns out even me who is a non-EU PRC holder did not have to wait 1 year from my PRC been issued to apply for citizenship as my solicitor had advised. He was wrong
Thank you everyone who takes part in this forum! You guys are amazing!

Seems like I am the only person that didn't get their PR date with my fast track SAR. My bureaucrat must have been particularly sloppy but that's probably why it came back so quickly.

Second attempt at finding out my PR date in vain...

Just had my fast-track SAR documents returned with the following:

"Unfortunately, we are unable to process this request. This is because the application was not accompanied by one or more of the following, as indicated:
Certified photographic evidence of the subject's identity, for example, copy of passport or driving licence."

I'm flabbergasted, not sure whether the relevant clerk didn't notice that this was for a fast track instead of a full SAR, or whether they now want a certified id copy in either case?


My first attempt was six weeks prior to that when I submitted a full SAR. This was returned as they were "unable to find any trace of the information you have asked for in our records..."
(I had asked specifically for the date I acquired Permanent Residence Status and had not ticked any boxes.) On that occasion no documents were returned to me, and the cheque for £10 had not been cashed which seemed fair given that they have not provided any information.

I saw earlier today on my bank statement that the £10 cheque has been cashed this week. This means that the person dealing with my very recent fast track SAR did look at my earlier full SAR request (which was accompanied by a certified id copy), cashed the cheque but ignored the photo id! I was livid!


From what I've read on this discussion thread, some people have had success with a fast track SAR and different ways of asking for information, others haven't - seems the same lack of consistency of approach as with the DCPR so it feels pointless to launch another SAR (and spend more money on another certified id copy in the process) with uncertain prospect of success.

I wonder whether instead I should contact them and get them to connect the dots: for them to use the photo id and £10 from my previous and provide me with the specific info I need (or my whole case worker database record). Has anyone had experience contacting them, either the case worker named on the letter, or the Customer Services Team for a review?

maxima12 wrote:Second attempt at finding out my PR date in vain...

...

Why not go to lowest cost NCS you can find. (Whether or not you are ready to apply - you risk only the NCS fee, not full AN fee).
Ask NCS to check your date in CID databanks using HO helpline they have access to.

Hi noajtan

Thanks, I wrote earlier in the thread that I have already contacted them. They first didn't understand my question and then said that they don't ring about the date. They ask applicants to bring the last six years' worth of payslips (or in my case self-assessments). When I explained about needing to know the specific PR date (which caseworkers sometimes set for later than would be expected) and the full application fee being at stake, they said that they have never had any problems.

maxima

maxima12 wrote:Hi noajtan

Thanks, I wrote earlier in the thread that I have already contacted them. They first didn't understand my question and then said that they don't ring about the date. They ask applicants to bring the last six years' worth of payslips (or in my case self-assessments). When I explained about needing to know the specific PR date (which caseworkers sometimes set for later than would be expected) and the full application fee being at stake, they said that they have never had any problems.

maxima

One or two NCS have been reported as not playing ball. Just use another.

I wouldn't expect them to check on your behalf over the phone and without an appointment; you would have to make an appointment.

Thanks noajthan.

Actually, I did not ask them to ring about the PR date at the time, I asked them whether they would ring the Home Office about it during the checking appointment and they said no.
I get your point about trying a different one - I've now found two that are within an hours travel from me. I might try them in the new year then.

It still bugs me though that I could not get any response to my SAR - have you heard about people trying to follow up on unsuccessful SARs? Or am I just banging my head against the wall here?

maxima12 wrote:Thanks noajthan.

...

It still bugs me though that I could not get any response to my SAR - have you heard about people trying to follow up on unsuccessful SARs? Or am I just banging my head against the wall here?

I seem to recall one or two other members have reported not getting the expected response.

Probably just symptoms of a not too joined up system.
FOI and SARs were not intended to service EU-related PR enquiries. And in some cases the information may not be on file.

maxima12 wrote:Thanks noajthan.

Actually, I did not ask them to ring about the PR date at the time, I asked them whether they would ring the Home Office about it during the checking appointment and they said no.
I get your point about trying a different one - I've now found two that are within an hours travel from me. I might try them in the new year then.

It still bugs me though that I could not get any response to my SAR - have you heard about people trying to follow up on unsuccessful SARs? Or am I just banging my head against the wall here?

If you read my post, you'll see I am in a similar position. I have sent a second SAR request with a cover letter and an example of the information I need. However, first time round they sent me a confirmation letter within a week while now it's been a week and I've heard nothing from them.

What really annoys me in this case is that I asked my caseworker to send me the date in my cover letter for DCPR but they still didn't do it.

I would urge people to also fill out feedback surveys and let UKVI know how poor their service is.

Right wrote:

maxima12 wrote:What really annoys me in this case is that I asked my caseworker to send me the date in my cover letter for DCPR but they still didn't do it.

Again that's an ad hoc and non-standard procedure.

I was lucky with my SAR
I applied and get it within a month and I stated in notes that I want know the exact time for my PR and I recieve mine stated the excact time and was shocked Bcos the exact time not as I thought it was two month later so I had to delay my AN for two month after it was ready .

It’s bizarre, how the experience of the fast track SAR differs from applicant to applicant. When applied in early November, didn’t include a covering letter with any additional requests, just the form (with ticked ‘IT records’ box), and copies of IDs as instructed. Got an acknowledgement within a week, and the rest of the documents in less than 20 days, including case notes of my EEA PR application and PR entitlement date.

The quest to find my PR date continues:

I have just spoken to one of the NCS in the area. Again, they don't call the home office during the checking appointment at all. However the lady suggested I should try to get a letter from the Home Office - she recently had an EEA national who received a letter with his PR date (not a SAR) with his DCPR document. This seems to be the same approach as Right had taken, though in his/her case this didn't seem to work either. The lady at the NCS said she was well aware of the difficulties but they don't ring the Home Office...

Not sure what to do now, will keep on ringing different NCS and contemplate writing letter to the DCPR issuing authority in Liverpool or ask for a SAR review or another SAR...

maxima12, I called the British Citizenship helpline and the lady advised me to write to UKVI at this address and ask for the date. When I asked the question, she caught on quickly, so hopefully I get a response. I sent a letter today, so I will have to wait and see the result.


I had to resort to this method because my second fast track SAR was sent back with a negative reply. It said I had not sent a £10 cheque or certified documents which implies they treated it as a full SAR due to the cover letter I enclosed.

Thanks for letting me know, Right. It seems we are in a similar situation - I'm not confident that another SAR, full or fast track, would help - so I think I will write a letter to UKVI, too.

Can I ask:
- Did you just write a letter citing DCPR number and issue date or similar references? Or did you include anything else - such as DCPR photocopy, passport photocopy, the page from the sample caseworker information record with section 'entitlement'?
- How did you word your request, roughly? 'The date I acquired permanent resident status' or something similar?

Any help greatly appreciated.

Hi, maxima12 and sorry for the somewhat late response.

To answer your questions, I disclosed my Case ID and DCPR document number (the one that starts with UKF) in the letter. It was not asked of me but I thought I'd give them an idea even though from what I've seen on their database they should be able to identify me easily enough.

The specific sentence in which I ask for the information states:

I am writing to you to request the date the UKVI has recorded for me acquiring the right to permanent residence under the EEA regulations (not the date the document was issued).

I also attached copies (not certified) for my DCPR, Bulgarian passport and ID card, just because I had them on hand from my SAR.

I went this route because, as you say and as noajthan has pointed out, they might have just recorded the information erroneously, so the 'source' needs to be addressed in this specific case.

Thanks, Right, that is really helpful.

I will send off my letter shortly, taking a very similar approach; will post here when there's any news. Good luck! Hopefully this time you're successful and get the PR date.

Summertime76 wrote:It’s bizarre, how the experience of the fast track SAR differs from applicant to applicant. When applied in early November, didn’t include a covering letter with any additional requests, just the form (with ticked ‘IT records’ box), and copies of IDs as instructed. Got an acknowledgement within a week, and the rest of the documents in less than 20 days, including case notes of my EEA PR application and PR entitlement date.

Hi Summertime76,

Did it include the dates of absences you had included in your PR application form?