2009-10 UK Applicants -FLR - Timelines: NOV-DEC 09 - 2010

Calling all those who applied under FLR in 2009-10 from UK, please put your timelines to keep track of how things are shaping up..

Please fill the below details..

TIMELINES..
Date Applied/Docs sent: 23-NOV-2009
Date Docs reached HO:24-NOV-2009
Date Payment Deducted: 01-DEC-2009
Current Status: Waiting for Visa
Date Passport/Docs received from HO:
Result & VISA stamped:
Visa Type : FLR for dependent Child Born in UK

Wish you all good luck to all those applied till date..

Date Applied/Docs sent: 19-NOV-2009
Date Docs reached HO:23-NOV-2009
Date Payment Deducted: 24-NOV-2009
Current Status: Waiting for letter to make BIOS appointment
Date Passport/Docs received from HO:
Result & VISA stamped:
Visa Type : FLR for Spouse of UK Citizen

I havent even received notification to make an appointment to have my BIOS done, so I called the HO today and they told me that my application isnt even on their system yet. How frustrating!!! I have been waiting 9 weeks already.

I have a letter from the HO confirming the receipt of my application (dated 23 NOV 2009) they have taken payment and they have given me a reference number, so how can my application not even be on their system yet?

Giff wrote:
I havent even received notification to make an appointment to have my BIOS done, so I called the HO today and they told me that my application isnt even on their system yet. How frustrating!!! I have been waiting 9 weeks already.

I have a letter from the HO confirming the receipt of my application (dated 23 NOV 2009) they have taken payment and they have given me a reference number, so how can my application not even be on their system yet?

Giff,

Thanks for posting your timeline. It seems you have applied around the same time as me. I know how frustrating it is when HO are sitting on your application and telling you nothing.

Btw, they are not supposed to tell any information about an individual application until 14 weeks after submission of application. In that case, I wonder how can HO say they do not have your details on their system when they themselves do not know about its status until 14 weeks?

I will request other members to please post their timelines too........

hi all
FLR(m) POSTED ON OCT 29 2009
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT LETTER 9TH NOV
MONEY DEDUCTED 12TH NOV
15TH DECEMBER APPLICATED SENT BACK AS INVALID DUE TO WRONG PASSPORT SIZE PHOTO FORMAT.
GIVEN 28 DAYS TO SEND THE RIGHT FORMAT PHOTOS OR MY APPLICATION WILL BE REJECTED AND MONEY REFUNDED.
23RD DECEMBER SENT PHOTOS OF BOTH ME AND MY HUSBAND AS THEY DIDNT SPECIFY WHICH ONES HAD THE WRONG FORMAT.

STILL WAITING

I ALREADY HAVE AN ID CARD FOR FOREIGN NATIONALS WHERE MY BIOMETRICS WERE TAKEN IN JANUARY WHEN I APPLIED TO EXTEND MY VISA AS A STUDENT.ITS WITH THEM.
I DONT KNOW IF I STILL HAVE TO GO FOR BIOMETRICS AFTER WAITING FOR THREE MONTHS.

ITS HELL AND HELL AND HELL OF A WAIT

I called them again yesterday, spoke to 3 different people in 2 separate departments and they still cannot locate my application on their system.

I have an acknowledgement letter from them dated 23 november and they took payment on 24 November - yet I do not seem to exist on their computers. They also searched for me by name and all they could find was my previous work permit applications and COA.

I've been advised to write a letter to them requesting the whereabouts of my application and also requesting that I be sent my notification for Bios.

Its been 10 weeks and I havent even had Bios done. Plus, to add insult to injury, I have a brilliant offer of employment waiting for me which I would hate to lose. The company have already been so patient with me but that was when I told them it should take up to 14 weeks.

What a mess. I'm so annoyed. It sounds like they have lost my application (and passports) somewhere in their office - yet they have charged me for the application and given me a reference number which doesnt match up to anything.

I really hope that I do not have to wait another 14 weeks now... I'll lose my job if I do.

Bongaye/Giff,

It really hurts to see the attitude of HO towards the plight of people like us who are waiting desperate to get the Visa. More so, when the fees for the Visa is way over their unit cost. What makes the situation worse is even after charging so much, they do not tell the status until after 14 weeks.

We can only hope and pray that the Visa arrive soon.

Has anyone recieved his/her FLR visa within the 14 weeks timeframe recently? Replies appreciated.

Giff / Cool Guy,

Date Applied/Docs sent: 3rd December 2009
Date Docs reached HO:4th December 2009
Date Payment Deducted: 6th December 2009
Current Status: Waiting for Visa
Date Passport/Docs received from HO:
Result & VISA stamped:
Visa Type : Spouse of a British Citizen.

I called the home office yesterday and was told my application was not on the system as yet. I informed them that it was about to be 8 weeks since the deducted the payment and that i had not heard anything since then! I haven't even got a letter for biometrics. I believe my applications is very straight forward as i'm moving from a work permit to FLR (M), so cannot see what the delay is.. The woman i spoke to said she could not tell me when this would be done and that i just had to wait.

By the looks of things, people who applied in November/December don't appear to have had much progress with their application.

Giff - did you write to the home office as they suggested to you? Did you get a response??

Any help / advice would be great!

Thanks!

Hello Panesar,

Funnily enough, I am also switching from a Work Permit (valid till 2012) to a Spouse visa. I am an australian citizen and have been in the UK for almost 7 years. I am on my third work permit... my husband is a british citizen and earns enough to cover the financial means requirement (even though I have evidence of a new job offer). So, I can only assume that my application would be rather straightforward too!

I posted a letter to them today (as requested) asking to know the whereabouts of my application and when I would receive notification to have my bios done. I also requested that I not be placed back in the 14 week queue now that I have been waiting 10 weeks already.

I've also asked them if I could go and make my application in person at their Croydon office to try and accelerate the process - although I somehow doubt they will allow me to do this.

I am expecting that they will just tell me to wait and not give me any further information. In other words, I'm not expecting much!! But it was worth a try.

I will keep you updated.

Hello Panesar,

Let's hope you get a positive response from them.

Good luck!!!

Giff wrote:Hello Panesar,

Funnily enough, I am also switching from a Work Permit (valid till 2012) to a Spouse visa. I am an australian citizen and have been in the UK for almost 7 years. I am on my third work permit... my husband is a british citizen and earns enough to cover the financial means requirement (even though I have evidence of a new job offer). So, I can only assume that my application would be rather straightforward too!

I posted a letter to them today (as requested) asking to know the whereabouts of my application and when I would receive notification to have my bios done. I also requested that I not be placed back in the 14 week queue now that I have been waiting 10 weeks already.

I've also asked them if I could go and make my application in person at their Croydon office to try and accelerate the process - although I somehow doubt they will allow me to do this.

I am expecting that they will just tell me to wait and not give me any further information. In other words, I'm not expecting much!! But it was worth a try.

I will keep you updated.

By the way - it depends who you speak to at the Home Office (Immigration Enquiry Bureau number) as to what response you will get.

One man told me to wait another 2 weeks and then call back to check again.

One man told me I needed to check with the Biometrics team as they should have my application - So i called them and they couldnt help me (they are only a call centre to book appointments)

So, back on the phone again to the Home Office - this time a man told me that it wasnt on the system and he couldnt tell me why, so he transferred me through to the General Enquiries line...

It was only then that I had a gentleman who tried his best to help me by searching the system with my name and DOB (as the reference number supplied to me on the original letter sent by the HO does not appear on their system)... He found me on their system but only the records of my previous applications (Work Permits) and he told me that there is no record of my FLR(M) application. He then advised me to write to the Home Office (giving me the Lunar House address, Croydon) with me details and request information from them.

They will receive this letter tomorrow by Special Delivery so hopefully I get a response next week sometime.

Fingers crossed that they havent lost my passport!!

Hi Giff - our applications are very similar from the looks of things. My work permit is valid until 2012 as well. Could it be that since we have leave to remain for another two years we have been put at the back of the pile??

Please let me know if you hear anything from the home office. If i dont hear anything soon then i'm seriously considering withdrawing my application and using the same day service. Just a shame to waste that money.

Hi Kindley - thanks, i hope we hear something back soon!

I called up HO today to enquire on my status of application. Strangely enough, the guy at the other end said that he could not locate my application on the system. I am surprised by his answer and asked him to check again but he could not find my reference number in the system.

Pissed off with this whole HO working ways.

Can somebody answer what does it mean when the HO says they do not have my reference number on their system? Is my application misplaced by them somewhere? It has been 11 weeks since I submitted my application.

Coolguycp1... Have you had your Bios done yet or even received the letter asking you to make an appointment?

Giff wrote:Coolguycp1... Have you had your Bios done yet or even received the letter asking you to make an appointment?

Hi Giff,

The application is for my newborn son who was born in UK. He does not require to have Bios done. It should have been a straightforward process. Do you think the application has been misplaced? I am anxious and worried now after wating for 11 weeks.

I have no idea what it means when they say that "the application is not on their system yet" considering that we have confirmation letters from the HO of our application being received and reference number issued.

I am in the same situation as you except I am applying for a Spouse Visa (currently on a WP, Aussie passport, been here 6 years). It seems that you and I applied at the same time.

I would have thought that the reference number they have given to me would actually match up to their system, but it doesnt. So I can only assume that my application has gone missing somewhere at the HO. I am only assuming this know - i dont know for sure. I wrote a letter to the HO on thursday asking for them to locate my application and to contact me. They would have received this last Friday, so I'm sitting and waiting for a response this week.

I will keep you updated.

Giff wrote:I would have thought that the reference number they have given to me would actually match up to their system, but it doesnt. So I can only assume that my application has gone missing somewhere at the HO. I am only assuming this know - i dont know for sure.

Giff, we are both in the same situation. Will be interesting to know what will be HO's reply to your letter, and if they will reply soon.

I request other other senior members of this forum reading this post to throw some light on the cases of application reference number not being found on HO's system, and the consequences thereof.

Hi guys,

I'm reading your messages with some angst and interest as I am in a similar boat!

Date Applied/Docs sent: Oct-28-2009
Date Docs reached HO: Oct-29-2009
Date Payment Deducted: 07-Nov-2009 (Acknowledgement sent on Nov 8, a Sunday!)
Current Status: Waiting for Visa
Bio's: Invited to submit Dec 11, 2009. Submitted Dec 18, 2009
Date Passport/Docs received from HO: N/A
Result & VISA stamped:
Visa Type : FLR as spouse of UK citizen

Very nervous about this as well. I'm at the 14 week timepoint in two weeks from now. I'm on a working holiday visa which expires on August 7 this year. The 12 month period I was permitted to work expired on Dec 1, 2009. According to HR at my work place and also their website, I can continue working while they decide my application. I told them that also in a cover letter with my application. Hoping things will go through ok

hi MJ MACCA
FROM THE LOOK OF THINGS WE APPLIED ON THE SAME DAY 28TH OCT AN IVE NOT HAD ANY INVITATION FOR THE BIOMETRICS.THEY SENT MY APPLICATION AS INVALID DUE TO WRONG PHOTO FORMATS.SENT IT BACK TO THEM ON DEC 22.NO NEWS YET.THEY ALREADY HAVE MY BIOIMETRICS I DID IN JANUARY 2009 AS A STUDENT.SOMEONE HELP CLARIFY DO I STILL NEED TO GO FOR BIOMETRICS?

FROM THE LOOK OF THINGS YOU SHOULD BE EXPECTING YOUR ID BEFORE THE END OF FEBRUARY.IT DOESNT TAKE UP TO 12 WEEKS AFTER BIOMETIRCS FROM WHAT OTHERS HAVE SAID.

WE ARE STILL WAITING AND WAITING

MJ_Macca wrote:Hi guys,

I'm reading your messages with some angst and interest as I am in a similar boat!

Date Applied/Docs sent: Oct-28-2009
Date Docs reached HO: Oct-29-2009
Date Payment Deducted: 07-Nov-2009 (Acknowledgement sent on Nov 8, a Sunday!)
Current Status: Waiting for Visa
Bio's: Invited to submit Dec 11, 2009. Submitted Dec 18, 2009
Date Passport/Docs received from HO: N/A
Result & VISA stamped:
Visa Type : FLR as spouse of UK citizen

Very nervous about this as well. I'm at the 14 week timepoint in two weeks from now. I'm on a working holiday visa which expires on August 7 this year. The 12 month period I was permitted to work expired on Dec 1, 2009. According to HR at my work place and also their website, I can continue working while they decide my application. I told them that also in a cover letter with my application. Hoping things will go through ok

coolguycp1 wrote:I called up HO today to enquire on my status of application. Strangely enough, the guy at the other end said that he could not locate my application on the system. I am surprised by his answer and asked him to check again but he could not find my reference number in the system.

Pissed off with this whole HO working ways.

Can somebody answer what does it mean when the HO says they do not have my reference number on their system? Is my application misplaced by them somewhere? It has been 11 weeks since I submitted my application.

no they transfered ur application to the bios team when ur bios done then u will get another letter from ho and then ur application will on their system but it takes five months so be cool

Thanks Bongaye.

All the best with your application. I don't see why they couldn't have gotten back to you quicker. It's an absolute rort when they can process these in 24 hours for just 200 pounds more. Can't see how they can be extended out beyond 3 months. But yes, I'm also very anxious and agree with you that these applications shouldn't be 14 weeks after bio's, but 14 weeks after acknowledgement of receipt. I'm also concerned because of my working arrangements. My WHM visa meant I had to stop working at the start of December, but submitted my application a month before that. On their website, they state that if you are permitted to work at the time of submission (which I was) then you can continue to do so while your application is being decided. Plus, HR at my workplace informed me that things should be fine, but I'm still very worried! Being at 12 weeks, I'll be calling them in 2 weeks should I hear nothing!

All the very best with your application and everyone else on this forum. I'll keep you updated!

Sorry Bongaye, forgot to answer your biometric question.

I had previously submitted mine to at the British High Commission in Melbourne, Australia in order to obtain my WHM. I told the Home Office all of this information on my application and also in a cover letter. However, they still asked me to submit my biometrics! Granted this could be due to me not remembering the precise date of submission, but I had it down to very early June 2008, and surely it wouldn't take a lot of effort for them to work out when! So there is a chance that they'll ask you for your biometrics again.

All the best

khankhattak, the visa application is for my newborn son who was born in UK last year. There is no requirement for him to have his bios. So, can you clarify what does not having a reference no. in HO systems mean in my case?

TIMELINES..

Date Applied/Docs sent: 19-NOV-2009
Date Docs reached HO:21-NOV-2009
Date Payment Deducted: 01-DEC-2009
Date Biometric request Letter: 18-DEC-2009
Date Biometrics done: 24-DEC-2009 (Croydon)
Current Status: Waiting for Visa
Date Passport/Docs received from HO:
Result & VISA stamped:
Visa Type : FLR for dependent Child Born in UK

I should have done the premium service rather! I had an appointment for 14Dec09.

AntCoe wrote:TIMELINES..

Date Applied/Docs sent: 19-NOV-2009
Date Docs reached HO:21-NOV-2009
Date Payment Deducted: 01-DEC-2009
Date Biometric request Letter: 18-DEC-2009
Date Biometrics done: 24-DEC-2009 (Croydon)
Current Status: Waiting for Visa
Date Passport/Docs received from HO:
Result & VISA stamped:
Visa Type : FLR for dependent Child Born in UK

I should have done the premium service rather! I had an appointment for 14Dec09.

AntCoe,

Your timelines looks similar to mine except the Bios. Can you confirm if your child is not a newborn as I had no request for bios for my newborn?

its terrible if i have to wait for my biometrics letter after 16weeks and then wait again after that.ive just written a letter to my case worker asking what the problem is.i need to know.this is not fair.in my whole life this is the worst thing ive ever done and regretted most.just because i wanted to save bloody 200 pounds.

please keep us all updated

MJ_Macca wrote:Sorry Bongaye, forgot to answer your biometric question.

I had previously submitted mine to at the British High Commission in Melbourne, Australia in order to obtain my WHM. I told the Home Office all of this information on my application and also in a cover letter. However, they still asked me to submit my biometrics! Granted this could be due to me not remembering the precise date of submission, but I had it down to very early June 2008, and surely it wouldn't take a lot of effort for them to work out when! So there is a chance that they'll ask you for your biometrics again.

All the best