Saninsts wrote: ↑Sun Jan 13, 2019 1:04 pm
It has been a month now of submitting application at Sopra center with super priority service. I am bit optimistic for my application as they mentioned applications made in transition period are being reviewed to be cleared in January , and I believe my application is one such case as it was submitted online before this new Sopra service introduced but appointment was later booked with Sopra.
Last Friday when I called to front end service, they offered whether I want phone from HO or email reply, I confirmed phone is better. Hopefully I will get a call this week.
My wife waited 6 weeks for her decision. I have been actively involved in her case and it is our experience the HO customer service line 'escalation' does not speed up the decision process in the slightest.
I have had numerous conversations with a number of call handlers and some have let slip a few things. Firstly, your escalation does not reach the case worker; it is seen by a HO front desk person who does not have any access to any cases and will simply send out a generic reply. Secondly, they do not check whether your case has been allocated as super priority or not, the 'we aim to process within 24 hour service standard' is a generic email they send out if the query is about a super priority application. Thirdly, the mode of reply (email or telephone) makes no difference as it is still the same front desk person replying with a generic reply. Simply put, the customer service line 'escalation' isn't in fact an escalation; to me it seems like something HO has placed to meet government defined standards rather than it having any true function.
From our personal experience and from being a silent reader of this board for 6 weeks, there appears to be only two ways you can potentially speed things up.
First is by making an official complaint using the email provided on UKVI website. It cannot be a coincidence a few of the 'older' members getting their decisions after being contacted by the complaints department on the same day. They have a 20 working day turn around policy and I think some of the 'older' members are getting their decisions after the complaints department looked in to their complaints and contacted the specific case work team, my wife's case possibly included (please remember this is my assumption).
My wife's case was a straightforward 5 year tier 2 visa route and I personally don't buy the non-sense that complicated applications take longer to process. In my humble opinion the delays are likely from system errors and severe teething problems with the new electronic super priority service. The HO may slowly be getting a handle on things but I suspect some people are still going to get stranded like we were.
Second is by asking your MP to make a parliamentary enquiry regarding your case. When your MP's case worker contacts the HO (their parliamentary liaison team) again there is a 20 working day turn around policy. The liaison team then contacts the case work team who will report back to the liaison team with the case progress. I was told they cannot give a generic reply to a parliamentary enquiry and need to give details of progress. I suspect if your case was stuck in the wrong file or something this will help retrieve it, again this is my conjecture.
To me there appears to be no logical way of explaining why there has been such severe delays for some cases and some are getting quicker decisions. Also it does not seem like the HO is processing cases on 'first delayed first served' basis, which I feel is unethical. This may be to do with the HO having a number of different sites and many more subdivided case work teams who aren't singing from the same hymn sheet. I think some people simply have been luckier than others. The 6 week wait has been excruciating and I think many people on this board shared and is still sharing our pain. My wife deserves a holiday..
and very weird. My head is gone with this Sopra System now
