Urgent advice regarding mother's travel needed

[PSYCHODRAMA]

Dear Forum moderators and members,

I would appreciate your urgent advice on the following matter:

My mother had travelled to UK from India, to visit family in June 2015. She had a 5 years visitor's visa stamped on her Indian passport. The visa expires on 15th October 2015.

Unfortunately during her stay with us, our house was burgled and her passport was stolen amongst other things. She does not have the copy of passport or the Visa. HCI has kindly made her new passport with validity for 2 years.

It has been extremely difficult to communicate with the British Home office. After a long delay they have written emailed back to me with this suggestion:

Once you mother has obtained her new passport, the correct procedure would be apply on the Transfer of Conditions form (TOC) to be issued with a Biometric Residence Permit (BRP) confirming your mother’s visa status in the United Kingdom (UK)

However when I started to fill the application form the guidance suggests that the application should be made at least 8 weeks before the conditions on the visa are going to expire. My mother has a return ticket to India on 7th October! The guidance also indicates that if the person do wish to extend their stay they could travel back with the old passport and/or the letter from HOME OFFICE confirming status in this country.

The home office has confirmed they do not issue letters confirming visa status.

From the forumI would want to take following advice:

1. Can my mother travel back to India on her new passport but without the valid UK Visa?
2. Would she have difficulty boarding flight from UK or at immigration check in INDIA in case she travels without Visa?
3. Would it be advisable to go for the premium service in case TOC is mandatory?
4. Could she have difficulties in applying for UK visa in future if she travels back to India with applying for TOC?

I would be very grateful for advice of fellow forum members and moderators.

Kind regards

Psychodrama

[PSYCHODRAMA]

I know I have only posted the query few hours ago but I would really value your opinion on this matter please.

[secret.simon]

1. Can my mother travel back to India on her new passport but without the valid UK Visa?

She does not need a UK visa to travel to India.

Your mother has an Indian passport issued by the High Commission of India (try not using abbreviations that not everybody on these forums would understand. HCI would not be universally understood). That implies that she is an Indian citizen. So, as she has an Indian travel document, she should not have any issues with travelling to India.

2. Would she have difficulty boarding flight from UK or at immigration check in INDIA in case she travels without Visa?

The latter is likely. I presume that you have a police report of the burglary and a photocopy of the visa page of her passport. I would suggest that she carry copies of the same.

Even if she were to get a TOC, the HCI seems to only have issued her a temporary (2-year) passport for the purpose of travel back to India. She will need to reapply for a proper 10 year passport in India.

[PSYCHODRAMA]

It is very kind of you to take time for your response. Many thanks.

I will bear in mind not to use abbreviations in the future.

Best wishes

[vinny]

Do make copies of passports and visas in the future.

[PSYCHODRAMA]

Thanks, that's one lesson I will never forget!