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I am planning to make the citizenship payment through credit card as I think it will be faster than cheque clearance. There is a small query I have. I have registered for the Mastercard securecode system where for online payments I need to enter a password apart from the card-number, expiry, last 3-digits and address.

Can someone please clarify that it will not be a problem for the home office if they try to take the payment?

Additional question. In case, for whatever reason, they can not take the payment from the card do they just reject the application (and you having to apply again) or do they come back to you giving you another chance to pay?

Thanks.

Mastercard Securecode only applies if a) the transaction is online (via the web) and the customer is actively making the transaction, b) the retailer has registered, c) the bank has registered and d) the customer has registered.

Since a) won't apply - it's not a problem.

Thanks MPH80. I think I kind of knew the answer but just wanted the confirmation.

If anyone knows the answer to the 2nd part of my question (do they reject or give you another chance if payment doesn't go through) please let me know.

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Thanks Johnsienuk. I think I will ask NCS about it. If they say it is best to attach an alternative slip (in case the payment form main slip is rejected) then I will do so.

I used a mastercard credit and payment went through - no issues...i didn't even think about Mastercard Securecode at the time.

Thanks lanr3e. Hopefully it will go through.

The only reason I asked the question is that my credit card is through Capital One and in the past they have given me a call to verify some payments (e.g. when I used it to buy Stupid tickets on the phone) before approving them. In such a scenario it is conceivable that they are not able to reach me and hence reject the payment. Hopefully they will see that the payment originated from the home office and apply some common sense.

dex123 wrote:I am planning to make the citizenship payment through credit card as I think it will be faster than cheque clearance.

send cheque
card change nothing and doesn't speed up your application
only you'll be able to see the payment has been processed 2-3 days earlier

Is it really true that a payment by cheque doesn't slow the whole process compared to credit/debit card?

send cheque
card change nothing and doesn't speed up your application
only you'll be able to see the payment has been processed 2-3 days earlier

Not true. They first ensure that payment has been received ... cleared funds ... and whilst with card payments that happens "instantly", for cheques it takes days for the cheque to clear. Accordingly paying by cheque is bound to slow up matters.

John wrote:

send cheque
card change nothing and doesn't speed up your application
only you'll be able to see the payment has been processed 2-3 days earlier

Not true. They first ensure that payment has been received ... cleared funds ... and whilst with card payments that happens "instantly", for cheques it takes days for the cheque to clear. Accordingly paying by cheque is bound to slow up matters.

any proof?
receiving cheque is legally equivalent to payment being made
cheque = money
card payments are not cleared instantly - it's old wives tale - banks "clear" funds in a good faith but card payment (including debit card) can be overturned
you can make a charge back from credit card and money is not paid to them for a month anyway
aren't you speculating only?

Meanwhile in the real world!!

Situation 1 .... go into a shop that still takes cheques and buy something .... pay with a card = no problem .... pay with a cheque and they will not let you take the goods without a cheque guarantee card.

Situation 2 .... buy something on eBay .... pay using a card for example using PayPal .... goods can be sent without delay .... but if the seller takes cheques and you send one, they will not send goods until the cheque is cleared.

So to UKBA, especially because we are talking about an amount far in excess of the limit of a cheque guarantee card, clearly UKBA will wait for any cheque to clear, but with a card the real application can start to be processed without delay.

I do know that here we are talking about a Citizenship application, and that happens all in the one location, but for postal visa applications they are sent to Durham, but all they do there is ensure that funds have cleared before forwarding the papers to a "real office". Cards processed instantly ... cheques need to clear.

Also cheque is not equivalent to money until it is cleared. Only demand draft is equivalent to money. One can send a cheque and inform the bank not to authorise it. So no way cheque is equivalent to money for the amount we are talking here.

nax_72 wrote:Also cheque is not equivalent to money until it is cleared. Only demand draft is equivalent to money. One can send a cheque and inform the bank not to authorise it. So no way cheque is equivalent to money for the amount we are talking here.

it's another urban myth...
but let's leave it as I am not gonna win, am I?
everyone to its own, anyway in the grand scheme of things even if cheque payment cause delay (but am pretty sure it is not the case), 2-3 days longer do not change anything, innit?

as for the real world example, I can't say how it works with UKBA because the process lasts longer, but can say how it is with IPS:
I sent my application last Monday, it was delivered on Tuesday 9am, received documents back and letter asking me to book passport interview last week, could have attended interview today (but opted not to) and my cheque is still not "cleared"
so could have been all and dusted in a week whilst money is still in my bank account, because by handing out the cheque I am binded to cover for it

OP, Good Luck whatever you decide

Thanks everyone for your valuable inputs. I guess in the grand scheme of things it doens't make that much of a difference. The UKBA may start processing the application while asusming that the cheque will be cleared. Of course they wouldn't approve the application until the payment is cleared. So if the payment processing and the application processing is happening in parallel, there shouldn't ideally be any delays based on which method one chooses to adopt. However the reality may probably be different.

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Thanks johnsienuk.

I think based on our normal day to day experience it seems natural to expect more delays with cheques.

Someone said that a card payment can be overturned, however the card company will ask for proof that it was fraudulent or unauthorized. If it was genuine then one cannot reverse it. Also with cards there is no risk of things like enough balance not being there etc because that is checked instantaneously.

With cheques, they could be cancelled by the account holder during the time period before it comes back for clearance (which takes normally 4 to 5 days). Yes one could go to court if it is refused but for most businesses it makes far more practical sense to wait for the clearance rather than go through the hassle.

dex123 wrote:Thanks johnsienuk.

I think based on our normal day to day experience it seems natural to expect more delays with cheques.

Someone said that a card payment can be overturned, however the card company will ask for proof that it was fraudulent or unauthorized. If it was genuine then one cannot reverse it. Also with cards there is no risk of things like enough balance not being there etc because that is checked instantaneously.

With cheques, they could be cancelled by the account holder during the time period before it comes back for clearance (which takes normally 4 to 5 days). Yes one could go to court if it is refused but for most businesses it makes far more practical sense to wait for the clearance rather than go through the hassle.

Hi,
As I said, it's up to you.
Regarding overturning payment - I wasn't saying about fraudalent activity, but about card clearnig process which can be overturned by many things (it's OT anyway). As for fraudalent activity, transactions without PIN authorisation are treated differently and are much easier to be reversed.

Also, cheques and cards "clearing times" are much longer than you say.
When money is out or in after 3 days (as usually for cheques) it is only processed for you in good faith. Money still can be taken out within specified timescale as some payment then go for thorough authorisation / further checks (like signature check).

Anyway, my suggestion was based on your past experience of transaction being verified by Cap1. If £780 (or £1010) is substantial percentage of your card limit, and for instance you use your card rarely and spend usually no more than £20, and for instance never paid by it on-line or by phone, then their system could flag it.
It's better to pay by debit card or cheque (in my opinion).
Anyway, the way you pay will not affect UKBA's decision.

You are in a nice position to have worries about payment method - at least no FPNs, court summons, and other such things.

Good Luck

just wondered does anyone ever use good old postal orders

pennylessinindia wrote:just wondered does anyone ever use good old postal orders

would be costly - max value is £250 with 10% fee (capped at £10)
so £780 would cost £33 in fees

Thanks all of you again. Anyhow I used a cheque.

By the way NCS told me that cheque doesn't slow the application down. The guy even said that home office has special arrangements with the banks so that it is processed straightaway and doesn't go through the normal clearing process where it takes 4-5 days. He sounded confident however I still have some doubts whether it is really the case.

Good Luck with your application.
It's waiting game for you now.