**** COVID19 Biometrics appointments and UKVCAS ***** (Discuss here ONLY)

[Lespa]

Congratulations to everyone who got their decision

Couple of questions.
Can you get a refund if you cancel appointment?
Thinking of booking one but at the moment the soonest I can book is couple of weeks away, and that is when they pop up.
If I get a decision before the appointment, can I cancel and get a refund?


Also, I emailed UKVI for a status update hoping to get a reply from caseworker like some members here.
Well, I got one of those, what looks to me, generic emails with the word YOUR in red
Have they actually assessed MY case?
Did any of you have this email and got approved/refused soon after?

I am just asking this as if its not a generic response, than its not worth booking biometric appointment.

Dear Lespa

We aim to process all applications within 6 months from the date submitted. However, in certain circumstances this target is not possible. Following our assessment of your case, unfortunately it appears of your application will not be processed within the 6 month target.

This is because it is taking longer than usual to process applications because of coronavirus (COVID-19). This will not affect the decision.

We expect to make a decision on your application as soon as possible, but we will write to you again if this is not going to be possible.

Yours sincerely

Home Office

[skasyap]

Congrats null1639 & skasyap!

Please can you share your timeline and/or category? Thanks

Application date 21st of May
IDV Submission 27th of August
Biometric at UKVCAS centre ( Free appointment)17th of September
Approval- 18th of September

Hope that helps and goodluck !!

Hi, may i ask, when you went to the free appointment did you need to bring all the document hard copies again? or did they just accept the document uploaded online?

Hi Yogii96

Worth taking all documents with you just in case but only thing UKVCAS is interested in is your Passport and the barcode for your appointment.

I did take all my documents despite I had already uploaded and submitted my documents long back on UKVCAS website.

[heyaheya]

just received an email got an approval. received an email at 11.51am. good luck everyone. many thanks,

Congratulations

Looks like IDV submission is considered but in what order only UKVI knows. You received confirmation exactly after 3 weeks IDV submission.

I will still attend my free appointment just to ensure they have no excuses in case there was an issue with IDV submission.

Goodluck everyone!!

thanku soo much ..

[heyaheya]

I finally received approval today from nationalitycaseworkdecisionservice@homeoffice.gov.uk

Online Application : May 18th
Submitted IDV via App : Aug 26th
Free Appointment Lansdowne : Sep 17th
Decision approval by email : Sep 18th at 11:10am

I went to Lansdowne Croydon yesterday for Bio-metrics considering I didn't hear any news after 3 weeks submitting IDV. I received approval today AM. Now let's wait for ceremony which hopefully will be done less than 12 weeks ! Thank you so much for this forum. Good luck everyone !

Congratulations
I also went for free appointment yesterday so just waiting to hear back. Let see

Finally received my confirmation just 2 minutes ago yeaaaa happy days !!

Goodluck everyone

congratulationnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnsssssssssssss ...goodluck for ur future.

[heyaheya]

just received an email got an approval. received an email at 11.51am. good luck everyone. many thanks,

Congrats

thank you very much to u . because of u i could upload documents on ukvcas.. !! good luck .. i m sure your getting ur reply today or early next week.. have a good day.. thanks again for your support.

[CULLINAN]

Congratulations to everyone who got their decision

Couple of questions.
Can you get a refund if you cancel appointment?
Thinking of booking one but at the moment the soonest I can book is couple of weeks away, and that is when they pop up.
If I get a decision before the appointment, can I cancel and get a refund?


Also, I emailed UKVI for a status update hoping to get a reply from caseworker like some members here.
Well, I got one of those, what looks to me, generic emails with the word YOUR in red
Have they actually assessed MY case?
Did any of you have this email and got approved/refused soon after?

I am just asking this as if its not a generic response, than its not worth booking biometric appointment.

Dear Lespa

We aim to process all applications within 6 months from the date submitted. However, in certain circumstances this target is not possible. Following our assessment of your case, unfortunately it appears of your application will not be processed within the 6 month target.

This is because it is taking longer than usual to process applications because of coronavirus (COVID-19). This will not affect the decision.

We expect to make a decision on your application as soon as possible, but we will write to you again if this is not going to be possible.

Yours sincerely

Home Office

Yes you can get an appointment refund if you cancel before 48 hours window minus £10 admin charge. Its not a good idea to budge HO before 6 months.

[Lespa]

Yes you can get an appointment refund if you cancel before 48 hours window minus £10 admin charge. Its not a good idea to budge HO before 6 months.

Thanks. I think I will go for a double submission too. Not worth risking that potentially IDV is holding off a decision.

Why do you think its not a good idea to email them for a status?
It was really just a one line email, "I was wondering if you could give me an update on the status of my application"

[CULLINAN]

Yes you can get an appointment refund if you cancel before 48 hours window minus £10 admin charge. Its not a good idea to budge HO before 6 months.

Thanks. I think I will go for a double submission too. Not worth risking that potentially IDV is holding off a decision.

Why do you think its not a good idea to email them for a status?
It was really just a one line email, "I was wondering if you could give me an update on the status of my application"

The standard processing time is 6 months. If you send HO an email before that, you will only get back a generic reply (if any). If you do not hear back before 14th Oct, you can ask for an update.

[Lespa]

Yes you can get an appointment refund if you cancel before 48 hours window minus £10 admin charge. Its not a good idea to budge HO before 6 months.

Thanks. I think I will go for a double submission too. Not worth risking that potentially IDV is holding off a decision.

Why do you think its not a good idea to email them for a status?
It was really just a one line email, "I was wondering if you could give me an update on the status of my application"

The standard processing time is 6 months. If you send HO an email before that, you will only get back a generic reply (if any). If you do not hear back before 14th Oct, you can ask for an update.

Fair enough. I saw few people here getting responses from their case workers before 6 months period, so I thought to try my luck.
Anyway, booked a biometric appointment for next week. Will keep you updated if double submission works

[hazemA]

I guess for those asking about the harm of booking an appointment when you've submitted documents via app already is that after 20th of September you're taking opportunity from those who are not candidates for IDV app. But then I know everyone has to think about themselves.

[CULLINAN]

UKVCAS website showing this:

UKVCAS SERVICE STATUS Service Status currently being updated

[CULLINAN]

UKVCAS Service Point Update 18th Sep:

https://www.ukvcas.co.uk/flash-message- ... geId=56249

[Jeannot88]

Used the IDV app on 27/08 but haven't heard back yet. But as some have got a decision from doing an in-person biometric appt, I've been thinking about it too since beginning of Sept.

Sometimes I go into the UKVCAS website to check for any free appointments and I get nothing except just now, I managed to get a free one at Victoria. Decided to go for it since it's free.

Still loads of free ones for Fri, 25th between 10am-4pm and all of next week in case you are wondering/interested.

Anyways my in-person appt is this coming Wed AM. Keep you guys posted! Enjoy your weekend!

[Ibrahim131286]

HI guys , i applied in may 21 and idv app submission 27, went for appointment 15 and still waiting for decision
when i download my documents i didnot write the name of documents .pdf i just download it as it is like number 134455.bdf i didnot change that as i didnot know would that be mess for the case worker or this is fine .,

[CULLINAN]

HI guys , i applied in may 21 and idv app submission 27, went for appointment 15 and still waiting for decision
when i download my documents i didnot write the name of documents .pdf i just download it as it is like number 134455.bdf i didnot change that as i didnot know would that be mess for the case worker or this is fine .,

Thats a non-issue.

[Ibrahim131286]

thanks alot for your quick answer

[Ritchie12]

just received an email got an approval. received an email at 11.51am. good luck everyone. many thanks,

@heyaheya, when did you apply?

[Ritchie12]

Important:

From 21 September onwards, ALL customers will need to book an appointment at one of our Service Points. The IDV app will only be available to some T4 students

That is concerning. I just hope they didn't mess up leaving us IDV app users in limbo.

Same here. I think they have left us in limbo already. If they stick to their promise of processing earlier applications, most of us who applied in March April May should be receiving decision from HO CW buy now. My gut tells me they have piled up the IDV submissions and will drip feed them to HO but will focus on in-person appointment as it brings in more revenue.

[Ritchie12]

Hi All,

Me and my family submitted the visa extension application on 15th April 2020 and still haven't received anything from home office or UKVCAS. We havent been able to book a biometric appointment as no slots are available.

We are currently on the 10 Year Family Route and then we will get the ILR.

It has been 5 months and we have not recieved any email regarding biometric or anything.

Is there anyone else in the same situation? Who has applied in April and still havent been contacted by Home Office or UKVCAS?

I am getting a bit worried to be honest because some people who applied way after me for example, I know someone who applied in July and they got their biometrics done and now waiting for the BRP's to arrive.

Please let me know if you have any suggestions.

Kind Regards!
Robin

Robin, you are not on your own. I submitted our applications including all the documents uploaded in March. I only got IDV app last week. I only had to the face ID verification. Completed it in 5 mins literally and submitted them all, all five applications. Its taking too long and I can't get anywhere with UKVCAS or HO. I'm just hoping someone will do some due diligence and get our from under the pile

[Ritchie12]

I finally received approval today from nationalitycaseworkdecisionservice@homeoffice.gov.uk

Online Application : May 18th
Submitted IDV via App : Aug 26th
Free Appointment Lansdowne : Sep 17th
Decision approval by email : Sep 18th at 11:10am

I went to Lansdowne Croydon yesterday for Bio-metrics considering I didn't hear any news after 3 weeks submitting IDV. I received approval today AM. Now let's wait for ceremony which hopefully will be done less than 12 weeks ! Thank you so much for this forum. Good luck everyone !

Congrats null1639. It looks like the IDVapp is effectively useless. In person appointments trumps it. Will be looking for appointments for my who family

[Ritchie12]

Kind request please. If anyone finds a free appointment slot in the Birmingham area or with 40miles, please post here. I'm happy to drive anywhere within 40miles for the biometrics appointment. Thank you

[Ritchie12]

I finally received approval today from nationalitycaseworkdecisionservice@homeoffice.gov.uk

Online Application : May 18th
Submitted IDV via App : Aug 26th
Free Appointment Lansdowne : Sep 17th
Decision approval by email : Sep 18th at 11:10am

I went to Lansdowne Croydon yesterday for Bio-metrics considering I didn't hear any news after 3 weeks submitting IDV. I received approval today AM. Now let's wait for ceremony which hopefully will be done less than 12 weeks ! Thank you so much for this forum. Good luck everyone !

does that mean booking an appointment even after an IDV submission was the right thing to do?

@soul_mickey, my personal conclusion is that it goes fast than the IDVapp. My personal opinion: i think the IDVapp has been a cover up to allow UKVCAS get back to normal person appointment service

[CULLINAN]

UKVCAS update 19th Sep

https://www.ukvcas.co.uk/flash-message- ... geId=74833

[CULLINAN]

Seems like due to fear of second wave UKVCAS has reconsidered its decision to stick with IDV app.

We were planning to do this on 21 September 2020, but we are still working on final testing with UKVI. We’ll keep you posted about when this will happen, so keep checking this service status.

[CULLINAN]

If UKVCAS received your application on or before 11 September 2020 you should have received an email inviting you to either book a UKVCAS appointment or to download and use the IDV app.

If UKVCAS received your application on or after 12 September 2020, please continue to check this page for updates. We will refresh this page next week to let you know when you can book a UKVCAS appointment or use the IDV app.