EUSS Family Permit - Home Office checks

[amelie12]

Didn't anyone else experience a delay and found ways to speed up the process e.g. complained to MP or anything else?

We did. the MP was useful and their communication with a dedicated line with UKVI was more speedy. I highly recommend going through your MP.

I contacted MP after about 6 weeks from biometrics and three weeks later he received more or less standard reply about „not straightforward, Covid delays etc“.

The difficulty is that we have no idea about processing times and when to start chasing again.
Do you think I should contact MP again?

How long was your timeline overall from biometrics till passport return?

[a.s.b.o]

Didn't anyone else experience a delay and found ways to speed up the process e.g. complained to MP or anything else?

We did. the MP was useful and their communication with a dedicated line with UKVI was more speedy. I highly recommend going through your MP.

I contacted MP after about 6 weeks from biometrics and three weeks later he received more or less standard reply about „not straightforward, Covid delays etc“.

The difficulty is that we have no idea about processing times and when to start chasing again.
Do you think I should contact MP again?

How long was your timeline overall from biometrics till passport return?

UKVI c*cked up big times and I am in a process of claiming against UKVI. EUSS should be an expedited process, period.

We received a BS (aka 'not straightforward') email in mid January 2021 having applied in late December 2020. I complained and my complaint was upheld in mid February. It took another complaint and two requests from an MP for the passport be made available for collection in Saint Petersburg in mid March.

[amelie12]

Didn't anyone else experience a delay and found ways to speed up the process e.g. complained to MP or anything else?

We did. the MP was useful and their communication with a dedicated line with UKVI was more speedy. I highly recommend going through your MP.

I contacted MP after about 6 weeks from biometrics and three weeks later he received more or less standard reply about „not straightforward, Covid delays etc“.

The difficulty is that we have no idea about processing times and when to start chasing again.
Do you think I should contact MP again?

How long was your timeline overall from biometrics till passport return?

UKVI c*cked up big times and I am in a process of claiming against UKVI. EUSS should be an expedited process, period.

We received a BS (aka 'not straightforward') email in mid January 2021 having applied in late December 2020. I complained and my complaint was upheld in mid February. It took another complaint and two requests from an MP for the passport be made available for collection in Saint Petersburg in mid March.

I have also complained to HO mid-March but received a reply from them just last week and the complaint was not upheld. The reason for not upholding my complaint was as follows:
Our records show you were advised on 10 March that as a result of the significant increase in intake, customers may experience a longer wait than usual for their decision on their EUSS Family Permit applications.


Great. They think that by merely informing me that the process will take longer they do not need to explain themselves and update me on how much longer to wait. I don't really know what to do next. Perhaps, my complaint was not fierce enough. Could you please share with me a depersonalised content of your complaint?

You mentioned that EUSS should be an expedited process. Do you have any links to official sources which say that or give what the processing times for EUSS should be?

[a.s.b.o]

I have also complained to HO mid-March but received a reply from them just last week and the complaint was not upheld. The reason for not upholding my complaint was as follows:
Our records show you were advised on 10 March that as a result of the significant increase in intake, customers may experience a longer wait than usual for their decision on their EUSS Family Permit applications.

Great. They think that by merely informing me that the process will take longer they do not need to explain themselves and update me on how much longer to wait. I don't really know what to do next. Perhaps, my complaint was not fierce enough. Could you please share with me a depersonalised content of your complaint?

You mentioned that EUSS should be an expedited process. Do you have any links to official sources which say that or give what the processing times for EUSS should be?

The text:

The nature of my complaint is that the EUSS Family Permit, which we are applying for, has not been considered by following an expedited process. This requirement is explicitly stipulated in the EUSS guidance documents for case workers.

The generic acknowledgement issued 14/01/2021 bears no reference to the points in which my daughter’s application is ’not being straightforward’. On opposite, I argue that our application is straightforward because I provided all relevant documentation in support of the points that need to be established for purposes of issuing EUSS FP, namely establishing

(1) relations between the applicant and the EU (XXX) parent;
(2) identity of the EU (XXX) parent; and
(3) evidence of EU (XXX) parent being resident in UK. By way of background, I am a permanent resident and am employed in the UK.

In short, I ask you to escalate this complaint. I also request for the application to be processed by following the expedited process that EUSS applications must follow. I am of course open to all reasonable requests for clarification.

[amelie12]

I have also complained to HO mid-March but received a reply from them just last week and the complaint was not upheld. The reason for not upholding my complaint was as follows:
Our records show you were advised on 10 March that as a result of the significant increase in intake, customers may experience a longer wait than usual for their decision on their EUSS Family Permit applications.

Great. They think that by merely informing me that the process will take longer they do not need to explain themselves and update me on how much longer to wait. I don't really know what to do next. Perhaps, my complaint was not fierce enough. Could you please share with me a depersonalised content of your complaint?

You mentioned that EUSS should be an expedited process. Do you have any links to official sources which say that or give what the processing times for EUSS should be?

The text:

The nature of my complaint is that the EUSS Family Permit, which we are applying for, has not been considered by following an expedited process. This requirement is explicitly stipulated in the EUSS guidance documents for case workers.

The generic acknowledgement issued 14/01/2021 bears no reference to the points in which my daughter’s application is ’not being straightforward’. On opposite, I argue that our application is straightforward because I provided all relevant documentation in support of the points that need to be established for purposes of issuing EUSS FP, namely establishing

(1) relations between the applicant and the EU (XXX) parent;
(2) identity of the EU (XXX) parent; and
(3) evidence of EU (XXX) parent being resident in UK. By way of background, I am a permanent resident and am employed in the UK.

In short, I ask you to escalate this complaint. I also request for the application to be processed by following the expedited process that EUSS applications must follow. I am of course open to all reasonable requests for clarification.

Thank you! This is very helpful!

I believe the requirement for EUSS FP to be expedited process would help lots of applicants. I checked the guidance but could not find this requirement in those exact words:
https://assets.publishing.service.gov.u ... 1.0ext.pdf

I would like to escalate my complaint but it would be really solid to refer to a specific paragraph of the guidance. Perhaps, the guidance was updated since the time of your application and they deleted that paragraph about "expedited process" ? Anyway, would appreciate your idea on that matter.

[amelie12]

Sorry, small addition. Here is a correct link to EEA Family Permit case worker guidance
https://assets.publishing.service.gov.u ... 2_0EXT.pdf

And, indeed, on the page 4 there is a requirement for the process to be "accelerated and free of charge".

However, in the EUSS Family Permit caseworker guidance there is no such requirement.
https://assets.publishing.service.gov.u ... e-v7.0.pdf

Did you apply for EEA Family Permit or for EUSS Family Permit?

[a.s.b.o]

Sorry, small addition. Here is a correct link to EEA Family Permit case worker guidance
https://assets.publishing.service.gov.u ... 2_0EXT.pdf

And, indeed, on the page 4 there is a requirement for the process to be "accelerated and free of charge".

However, in the EUSS Family Permit caseworker guidance there is no such requirement.
https://assets.publishing.service.gov.u ... e-v7.0.pdf

Did you apply for EEA Family Permit or for EUSS Family Permit?

I seem to have conflated and it did the trick We applied for EUSS Family Permit. The choice is entirely yours in your case too as you are applying for a close family member.

[Crosshaven]

Hello.
There hasn’t been communication yet but yesterday I tracked it through TLS and it showed that application was transferred to VAC (it was on “received my DMC” for ages) ,so I’m assuming that the decision has already been made though we have no idea what the outcome is and it’s just a matter of time before VAC writes to us with the passport pick up details .
I’ll keep you posted...

Hi there. Congrats on finally getting the visa for your mum, what a relief I'm sure!

What is TLS and how do you track through this?

[Mrsdoc]

Hello.
There hasn’t been communication yet but yesterday I tracked it through TLS and it showed that application was transferred to VAC (it was on “received my DMC” for ages) ,so I’m assuming that the decision has already been made though we have no idea what the outcome is and it’s just a matter of time before VAC writes to us with the passport pick up details .
I’ll keep you posted...

Hi there. Congrats on finally getting the visa for your mum, what a relief I'm sure!

What is TLS and how do you track through this?

Thank you .
TLS contact is the firm that deals with visa applications and through which biometrics appointment booked and the required documents are being uploaded. As on as you submit an application there will be a link to TLS website through which you can then track an application status.
Hope it helps.

[1878]

I have same issue. In fact my parents in law were issued with EUSS Family Permit in August 2020 but were unable to enter before its expiry because of flight restrictions. As a result we applied again in February 2021 and got email in March that said it’s not straightforward application! I can’t believe it...

[amelie12]

Thank you

Good news! Today my mum received her EUSS FP!

Timeline:
Biometrics: 19/01/2021 TLS
“Not-straightforward appl” email: 26/01/2021
UKVI requested my EU passport: 05/02/2021
EU passport delivered to UKVI: 08/02/2021
Contacted my MP: 08/03/2021
Reply Home Office to MP: 30/03/2021 (Covid, checks and crisis worldwide)
Complained to HO about delay and EU passport return: 20/03/21
EU passport returned: 07/04/2021
HO replied to complaint (not upheld): 09/04/2021
Email from TLS decision has been made and passport couriered: 14/04/2021
Passport with visa received: 15/04/2021
Visa issue date: 09/04/2021

It’s been a looooong wait. I also chased via UKVI sometime in Feb and March but I got a feeling that it made no difference whatsoever.

I’m glad that it worked out but also frustrated that this is only a waiting game because UKVI provide no details about the process tracking whatsoever.

[Mrsdoc]

Thank you

Good news! Today my mum received her EUSS FP!

Timeline:
Biometrics: 19/01/2021 TLS
“Not-straightforward appl” email: 26/01/2021
UKVI requested my EU passport: 05/02/2021
EU passport delivered to UKVI: 08/02/2021
Contacted my MP: 08/03/2021
Reply Home Office to MP: 30/03/2021 (Covid, checks and crisis worldwide)
Complained to HO about delay and EU passport return: 20/03/21
EU passport returned: 07/04/2021
HO replied to complaint (not upheld): 09/04/2021
Email from TLS decision has been made and passport couriered: 14/04/2021
Passport with visa received: 15/04/2021
Visa issue date: 09/04/2021

It’s been a looooong wait. I also chased via UKVI sometime in Feb and March but I got a feeling that it made no difference whatsoever.

I’m glad that it worked out but also frustrated that this is only a waiting game because UKVI provide no details about the process tracking whatsoever.

Congratulations!!! I bet it’s such a relief for you all ! Now, we’ve got to worry about flying our mums over here. Can’t help but being stressed about all that additional Covid measures for international flights .