Conflicting Home Office Updates: "IT Issue" vs. "Outstanding Check" & What Next?

[zxyzhgp]

Apologies, I may have gotten mixed up with another thread.

If you choose to reapply there is no guarantee that the application will be progressed faster. The checks requested will most likely be the same.

Thanks, so (statistically thinking) it is a much better choice to just wait for the current application and not reapply, no matter if it takes another year or so. (Pls correct me if I'm wrong).

Maybe your long delay is due to the checks from your country of origin

Highly unlikely that the UK asks for information from the Iranian govt.

An immigration advisor suggested that the UK govt has started to do more deep checks on people from some nationalities, including Iran. He said that the number of officers/caseworkers who are on that particular office doing those checks do not match the workload.
Considering that other Iranians are getting their response in 2-3 months, I assume the check is only done on SOME applicants.
The big question is if the check is done on A: random APPLICANTS OR B: random APPLICATIONS.
If A --> I will be checked even if I reapply.
If B --> I might not be checked if I reaply.

I'll just wait for now.

I have some Iranian friends and they all got citizenship very quick a few years ago

[tanha_rixby]

I have some Iranian friends and they all got citizenship very quick a few years ago

Same for most of my Iranian friends. But the unlucky of us (that I am aware of) are waiting 1y, 1.5y, and 6.5 years.

I can't comment on your chances, just that I don't think rolling the dice again will necessarily give you a quicker outcome, at the same time there are no guarantees on how long you could be kept waiting with your current application.

Got it, thanks for your advice. I guess I'll just wait for another couple of months, perhaps reach out to the caseworkers again, and if the message is the same, might re-apply.

Have you mentioned in your application or communications with the HO/MP that you had job offers that were rescinded on the grounds of you not having British citizenship?

Yes, several times. I got template response suggesting that while the enquiries are ongoing, they cannot make a decisoin.

They caseworkers once mentioned in a reply to IEC that:
"UKVI will request the checks to be expedited, however as there is a backlog of cases that require consideration they cannot provide a timeframe, at this stage"

That was mid-July, and they confirmed nothing is received yet (mid-October), which basically suggests they can ask for it, but the other agency doesn't priorotise me in the backlog anyways!

[tanha_rixby]

Quick follow-up to my post above: I'm thinking of buying a house, but I'm worried a change of address will restart the checks. Given how long I've already waited, do you think it's too risky?

[contorted_svy]

If you want to buy a house, then do it. You can communicate the change of address later. Buying a house is not a quick process, if you are still waiting when it's time to move you can reassess at that point, as you mentioned you are pondering to reapply/

[gingerbread777]

@tanha_rixby Someone had their application approved after 2 years and 4 months — seems they only made complaints, not an ombudsman referral. Just to put things in perspective, it’s worth noting.

[tanha_rixby]

@tanha_rixby Someone had their application approved after 2 years and 4 months — seems they only made complaints, not an ombudsman referral. Just to put things in perspective, it’s worth noting.

Thanks for the perspective, do you have any info about his nationality and what the underlying issue was for the delay? Did he complain right after the 6 months point, or after 2 years?

[contorted_svy]

@tanha_rixby Someone had their application approved after 2 years and 4 months — seems they only made complaints, not an ombudsman referral. Just to put things in perspective, it’s worth noting.

Thanks for the perspective, do you have any info about his nationality and what the underlying issue was for the delay? Did he complain right after the 6 months point, or after 2 years?

This is the thread being referred to record-for-longest-time-waited-to-reach ... 55107.html

[secret.simon]

I have already lost principal job offers that specifically required citizenship, and it's pointless to apply for more while I'm awaiting the result.

I'm intrigued by this statement and wonder if that has a role to play in the delay.

To the best of my knowledge, the only jobs that require British citizenship are those in the security and diplomatic services. And some of those even require both parents to also hold British citizenship.

But otherwise, almost no jobs in the UK require British citizenship as a pre-condition. Even a non-British citizen who has Commonwealth citizenship and ILR can be elected MP or be appointed to the Lords, and they can be appointed ministers or even the Prime Minister. In theory, British citizenship is not a requirement for even the head of government. Within the UK, having ILR (which you already have) is more than sufficient for most purposes and almost all jobs.

So I wonder what kind of job offers have you received and if the job offers (assuming they are from the security or diplomatic services) may have triggered any additional vetting of your application.

[tanha_rixby]

I'm intrigued by this statement and wonder if that has a role to play in the delay.

To the best of my knowledge, the only jobs that require British citizenship are those in the security and diplomatic services. And some of those even require both parents to also hold British citizenship.

But otherwise, almost no jobs in the UK require British citizenship as a pre-condition. Even a non-British citizen who has Commonwealth citizenship and ILR can be elected MP or be appointed to the Lords, and they can be appointed ministers or even the Prime Minister. In theory, British citizenship is not a requirement for even the head of government. Within the UK, having ILR (which you already have) is more than sufficient for most purposes and almost all jobs.

So I wonder what kind of job offers have you received and if the job offers (assuming they are from the security or diplomatic services) may have triggered any additional vetting of your application.

It was a major technology firm that provides IT infrastructure for government departments. But it’s unlikely that this has triggered the check because the caseworker insists the remaining check was requested on the very same date that I did my biometric appointment. I applied for that job one day after my biometric appointment, so that job application can’t be the reason for the check. I was interviewing for a couple of months and the offer came some time later.

My biometric was done on the same week that I didn’t my application, so I guess it’s one of the checks that were auto-triggered by the system. The check’s name is very vague (‘resolve identity’) and the caseworker suggested that I won’t find much in the SAR.

I once did get a US visa but didn’t travel, but again, that is unlikely to be the reason because I can see in the SAR that the check from the international partner (US) was returned the same day.

[tanha_rixby]

I was thinking: could it be the case that they contacted my employer regarding character?

I provided a reference letter from employer (as a supplement to passport scans, to show we extra proof of residence just in case the caseworker can't find stamps in my passports), but I changed my job shortly after the application. I don't know if my previous company could be that "external agency"?
It's a big IT company and things could have got lost there. Just an speculation

[lolo2]

I don't think this delay has something to do with employment. Having a job is not a requirement for naturalisation, even unemployed people get naturalised. I also believe the job history of the applicant is irrelevant.

To the best of my knowledge, the only jobs that require British citizenship are those in the security and diplomatic services. And some of those even require both parents to also hold British citizenship.

But otherwise, almost no jobs in the UK require British citizenship as a pre-condition.

Not only defence or diplomacy, there are some other strategic industries in the UK that require British citizenship for some "key" positions.

I applied for a job in the nuclear sector before getting citizenship and the hiring manager contacted me asking if I was a British citizen. I only had ILR at the time and for that reason my application was rejected. I did apply because the JD didn't specify that British citizenship was required, otherwise I wouldn't apply for a job reserved for BCs before being naturalised. The organisation later readvertised the job with that requirement.

[alterhase58]

Note a letter from an employer is only used for confirming residency, by way of disclosing dates of employment, not for a reference.
Referee declarations are to support the "Good Character" requirement, however it is very rare that either referees or employers are contacted by UKVI.