**** COVID19 and UKVCAS Appointments **** (ONLY discuss here)

azLondon2020 wrote: ↑

Mon Nov 23, 2020 4:22 pm

I have seen in the timeline chat that some people that Submitted in Oct got an answer in a matter of days or weeks. How is it that October Set (O) was so quick? I can see that more people from August and Sept are still waiting for emails, but most people in October got an answer fairly quickly.

I am hoping that this is the home office picking up the pace before the holiday season.

That would be nice . Do they close over Christmas? I imagine that they would do which might mean slightly longer turnaround times if you're applying in November.

azLondon2020 wrote: ↑

Mon Nov 23, 2020 4:22 pm

I have seen in the timeline chat that some people that Submitted in Oct got an answer in a matter of days or weeks. How is it that October Set (O) was so quick? I can see that more people from August and Sept are still waiting for emails, but most people in October got an answer fairly quickly.

I am hoping that this is the home office picking up the pace before the holiday season.

I think the period when most swift decisions were being rolled out in October was when UKVI staff was waiting for IDV backlog to be injected with biometric information (that's what i read somewhere). As soon as that happened (somewhere around October half term), the focus shifted to clearing that backlog. Most Set (O) decisions since then have been for IDV applicants.

Ameline wrote: ↑

Mon Nov 23, 2020 2:44 pm

poper wrote: ↑

Mon Nov 23, 2020 2:43 pm

Ameline wrote: ↑

Mon Nov 23, 2020 2:40 pm

poper wrote: ↑

Mon Nov 23, 2020 2:37 pm

srivnip escalated to his MP due to an emergency. His timeline says that

Thanks @poper so, this will be an exception for LR.

Yes, an exception. As a late August applicant it was a shock for me too to see a September LR decision but calmed down when I saw the applicant has escalated

Yes same here and just checked again after your msg and it says he has escalated

haha, same here too. Yes, it's an exception, as the other ones who escalated were.

I wonder if you receive a confirmation email after the biometric appointment at UKVCAS?
I had mine on 11th but didn't receive any email or confirmation.

seank wrote: ↑

Mon Nov 23, 2020 7:35 pm

I wonder if you receive a confirmation email after the biometric appointment at UKVCAS?
I had mine on 11th but didn't receive any email or confirmation.

Nope, you don't. All you have to (and can) do now is wait.

gag285 wrote: ↑

Mon Nov 23, 2020 3:31 pm

Does anyone know if the application gets a Case Id straight away on submission or only when its assigned to a case worker? My solicitor tried to get more information on my application and the response came with a Case ID and status - still under processing.

Case ID is assigned same day when you pay and submit online. The generic automated email is sometimes just not pushed but usually comes within 1-2 days after submission. Often when you make an enquiry, HO just pushes the same generic email with Case ID on. It does not mean that your case is assigned only after the enquiry. Your Case ID remains the same throughout before decision (very rare exceptions). The generic Case ID emails have no relevance to the decision pace though.

raghuy wrote: ↑

Mon Nov 23, 2020 3:45 pm

Could you please ask him to provide an email id of HO? I will do the same thing from my end to check the status of my application?

Really no need to chase HO since you only applied in Oct.

Wednesday will mark 14 weeks of waiting for FLR(M) since application submission......

Why oh why oh why oh why did I use the IDV app...? This is so depressing...

Hi,

I have recently booked a UKVCAS Biometric appointment for 18th Dec, however I am looking for a way to reschedule it for an earlier date without cancelling the current appointment.

Please help/guide if anyone has tried this. I can not see any option online, also tried calling UKVCAS last evening but no luck.

Thanks

coolz4242 wrote: ↑

Tue Nov 24, 2020 12:03 am

Hi,

I have recently booked a UKVCAS Biometric appointment for 18th Dec, however I am looking for a way to reschedule it for an earlier date without cancelling the current appointment.

Please help/guide if anyone has tried this. I can not see any option online, also tried calling UKVCAS last evening but no luck.

Thanks

There is no way without cancelling first.

translationlibration wrote: ↑

Mon Nov 23, 2020 11:17 pm

Wednesday will mark 14 weeks of waiting for FLR(M) since application submission......

Why oh why oh why oh why did I use the IDV app...? This is so depressing...

We are at 12 weeks for Set (M) and did not use the IDV app- not sure what difference it makes now, but hang in there we'll all get there in the end!

Nev

gag285 wrote: ↑

Mon Nov 23, 2020 4:32 pm

azLondon2020 wrote: ↑

Mon Nov 23, 2020 4:22 pm

I have seen in the timeline chat that some people that Submitted in Oct got an answer in a matter of days or weeks. How is it that October Set (O) was so quick? I can see that more people from August and Sept are still waiting for emails, but most people in October got an answer fairly quickly.

I am hoping that this is the home office picking up the pace before the holiday season.

I think the period when most swift decisions were being rolled out in October was when UKVI staff was waiting for IDV backlog to be injected with biometric information (that's what i read somewhere). As soon as that happened (somewhere around October half term), the focus shifted to clearing that backlog. Most Set (O) decisions since then have been for IDV applicants.

Looks like Set O IDV approvals have reached 10Sep [Source Timelines thread and other forums]. Assuming there is a single queue for IDV and physical bio now, I think Oct end cases would only be processed in Jan with the year-end holidays with a 2.5 month lag for everyone in this category

CULLINAN wrote: ↑

Mon Nov 23, 2020 10:11 pm

gag285 wrote: ↑

Mon Nov 23, 2020 3:31 pm

Does anyone know if the application gets a Case Id straight away on submission or only when its assigned to a case worker? My solicitor tried to get more information on my application and the response came with a Case ID and status - still under processing.

Case ID is assigned same day when you pay and submit online. The generic automated email is sometimes just not pushed but usually comes within 1-2 days after submission. Often when you make an enquiry, HO just pushes the same generic email with Case ID on. It does not mean that your case is assigned only after the enquiry. Your Case ID remains the same throughout before decision (very rare exceptions). The generic Case ID emails have no relevance to the decision pace though.

Good to know! Thanks

navkant wrote: ↑

Tue Nov 24, 2020 9:22 am

Looks like Set O IDV approvals have reached 10Sep [Source Timelines thread and other forums]. Assuming there is a single queue for IDV and physical bio now, I think Oct end cases would only be processed in Jan with the year-end holidays with a 2.5 month lag for everyone in this category

That would mean it might take longer than Set (LR).

If i remember correctly, IDV was applicable till Sep 3rd week applications only - please correct me.
In which case its a 2 weeks of backlog and after that we saw a number of quick decisions who applied in sep end/ oct start for SeT O
I am hoping they get over with the IDV backlog and move to physical bios in the next 2 weeks

octave009 wrote: ↑

Tue Nov 24, 2020 10:22 am

If i remember correctly, IDV was applicable till Sep 3rd week applications only - please correct me.
In which case its a 2 weeks of backlog and after that we saw a number of quick decisions who applied in sep end/ oct start for SeT O
I am hoping they get over with the IDV backlog and move to physical bios in the next 2 weeks

Good point. Especially as Physical biometrics would be less than 10K submissions a day across all categories. I think IDV had higher than 10K submissions a day.

gag285 wrote: ↑

Tue Nov 24, 2020 9:26 am

navkant wrote: ↑

Tue Nov 24, 2020 9:22 am

Looks like Set O IDV approvals have reached 10Sep [Source Timelines thread and other forums]. Assuming there is a single queue for IDV and physical bio now, I think Oct end cases would only be processed in Jan with the year-end holidays with a 2.5 month lag for everyone in this category

That would mean it might take longer than Set (LR).

I guess Set LR might also slow down a bit in December but as Octave009 pointed out, the backlog is only till Sep 3rd week. The load should reduce afterward.

navkant wrote: ↑

Tue Nov 24, 2020 10:30 am

octave009 wrote: ↑

Tue Nov 24, 2020 10:22 am

If i remember correctly, IDV was applicable till Sep 3rd week applications only - please correct me.
In which case its a 2 weeks of backlog and after that we saw a number of quick decisions who applied in sep end/ oct start for SeT O
I am hoping they get over with the IDV backlog and move to physical bios in the next 2 weeks

Good point. Especially as Physical biometrics would be less than 10K submissions a day across all categories. I think IDV had higher than 10K submissions a day.

I think its a big backlog. Imagine they had applicants from June/July/August/Sep who were waiting to submit bios. Although some were getting invitation based biometric appointments not all were. If half of them submitted bios via IDV, we are still looking at a big queue. It is also moving slow because of lockdown. The approvals I have seen in last two weeks are of August applicants so hopefully only one month worth left. Fingers crossed, we see decisions this side of christmas.

navkant wrote: ↑

Tue Nov 24, 2020 10:34 am

gag285 wrote: ↑

Tue Nov 24, 2020 9:26 am

navkant wrote: ↑

Tue Nov 24, 2020 9:22 am

Looks like Set O IDV approvals have reached 10Sep [Source Timelines thread and other forums]. Assuming there is a single queue for IDV and physical bio now, I think Oct end cases would only be processed in Jan with the year-end holidays with a 2.5 month lag for everyone in this category

That would mean it might take longer than Set (LR).

I guess Set LR might also slow down a bit in December but as Octave009 pointed out, the backlog is only till Sep 3rd week. The load should reduce afterward.

Sorry to say but I think it will continue for sometime as the queue keeps growing on the other side. Lockdown plus the new PBS system (post Brexit) will put the UKVI staff under further pressure unless they have planned and recruited more people.

gag285 wrote: ↑

Tue Nov 24, 2020 10:43 am

navkant wrote: ↑

Tue Nov 24, 2020 10:34 am

gag285 wrote: ↑

Tue Nov 24, 2020 9:26 am

navkant wrote: ↑

Tue Nov 24, 2020 9:22 am

Looks like Set O IDV approvals have reached 10Sep [Source Timelines thread and other forums]. Assuming there is a single queue for IDV and physical bio now, I think Oct end cases would only be processed in Jan with the year-end holidays with a 2.5 month lag for everyone in this category

That would mean it might take longer than Set (LR).

I guess Set LR might also slow down a bit in December but as Octave009 pointed out, the backlog is only till Sep 3rd week. The load should reduce afterward.

Sorry to say but I think it will continue for sometime as the queue keeps growing on the other side. Lockdown plus the new PBS system (post Brexit) will put the UKVI staff under further pressure unless they have planned and recruited more people.

I do think there will be a last minute rush of EU settlement submissions ahead of the 31 December deadline. So there will be quite a big waiting list from January to get through.

DanaF wrote: ↑

Tue Nov 24, 2020 12:19 pm

gag285 wrote: ↑

Tue Nov 24, 2020 10:43 am

navkant wrote: ↑

Tue Nov 24, 2020 10:34 am

gag285 wrote: ↑

Tue Nov 24, 2020 9:26 am

That would mean it might take longer than Set (LR).

I guess Set LR might also slow down a bit in December but as Octave009 pointed out, the backlog is only till Sep 3rd week. The load should reduce afterward.

Sorry to say but I think it will continue for sometime as the queue keeps growing on the other side. Lockdown plus the new PBS system (post Brexit) will put the UKVI staff under further pressure unless they have planned and recruited more people.

I do think there will be a last minute rush of EU settlement submissions ahead of the 31 December deadline. So there will be quite a big waiting list from January to get through.

But per my understanding, EU Settlement use a different app not IDV and their process is extremely falst and quite separate from our non-EU...so they shouldnt be joining our queue.

Lockdown 2.0 has definitely slowed down decisions. Most of the trendlines based on past decisions may now become useless

poper wrote: ↑

Tue Nov 24, 2020 12:46 pm

Lockdown 2.0 has definitely slowed down decisions. Most of the trendlines based on past decisions may now become useless

I agree, In Oct pre-lockdown 2.0 people were getting decisions in weeks not months... since Nov it has slowed down. I do hope that with lockdown ending next week it might pick up again as the final push to catch up on backlog before Christmas break. But let's see. Does anyone know if the home office is actually shut over Christmas to the New year?

nevsito wrote: ↑

Tue Nov 24, 2020 9:10 am

translationlibration wrote: ↑

Mon Nov 23, 2020 11:17 pm

Wednesday will mark 14 weeks of waiting for FLR(M) since application submission......

Why oh why oh why oh why did I use the IDV app...? This is so depressing...

We are at 12 weeks for Set (M) and did not use the IDV app- not sure what difference it makes now, but hang in there we'll all get there in the end!

Nev

Fingers crossed... Have you escalated at all!

I understand its really frustrating at this stage. This lockdown was majorly intended to avoid people mingling and that's why pubs, restaurants , entertainment places etc are shut. Other businesses and essential services are supposed to run as normal , so i don't understand how can this lockdown impact processing times for Home Office. It could be that staff is working from home but wasn't it the case from the last 8 months!!

More than lockdown, I think its to do with the backlog due to IDV submissions that is taking longer(which is fair as applications have to be picked up in date order). But it has caused so much uncertainty that nothing can be planned until the decision.