Spousal Visa - Incorrect Visa Length

[farrellc]

Hi All,

Sorry I wasn't sure which section to post in, hopefully this is ok.

My wife is in the UK on a spousal visa from South Africa. We are due to extend her visa next year but have noticed that instead of the 33 months initial visa duration she should have for the 5 year route she has been given 27 months (the pre-2012 2 year route amount).

The big problem here is if we apply at the end of 27 months for the 2.5 year extension we're going to fall just short of 5 years to apply for ILR meaning we'd need to apply for a second extension costing an extra £2k and delaying potential citizenship by another 2 years!

I phoned the home office for help and they acknowledged the problem but stated that they can't help as the administrative review team won't fix an issue that wasn't created by them. They told me I would have to contact the country where the visa was issued (South Africa) and take it up with them, but were unable to give me any contact details.

I have found two general email addresses for the High Commission in Pretoria where the visa was issued (PTA.VisaEnquiries@fco.gov.uk / pta.visacorrespondence@fco.gov.uk) and have emailed both, but these are just general enquiry email addresses and I have no idea if they are even going to reply let alone help.

My wife is 5 months pregnant at the moment and I'm trying to handle this quickly so she doesn't have unneeded stress but I'm starting to worry a bit myself. If anyone has any ideas how I might get this resolved please feel free to make suggestions.

It's utterly ludicrous that we can pay such huge volumes of money for visas and can't even talk to someone when THEY make a mistake with them.

Thank you,
Farrell

[farrellc]

Small update, out of the two email addresses I mentioned above for the Pretoria High Commision, one of them is out of use and the other states

"Thank you for your e-mail. Please note that this inbox is an internal e-mail address used only to deal with MP enquiries, Pre-Action Protocol (PAPs), complaints already registered and sent by our internal complaints team, and administrative reviews. If your e-mail is about anything else, it will automatically be deleted and you will not receive a response. We do not respond to general enquiries from this inbox and we do not forward your e-mail on to another department. If your e-mail is a request for a refund, a general enquiry or formal complaint, you must follow the guidelines below. If your e-mail relates to additional documents or information that we have requested, please follow the guidelines below. If you wish to make a formal complaint, but have not yet done so through the formal channel on www.gov.uk then please follow the ‘Formal Complaints’ guidelines below. By following the guidelines below, you will ensure a response."

I would have thought my email falls under 'administrative review' but I imagine more likely it will be automatically deleted.

So I'm now back to square one, with absolutely no idea who to contact to get this fixed. I'm really starting to panic a bit now. Can anyone offer any advise?

[CR001]

The easiest way to deal with this is to apply by post shortly before he current visa expires. That way, once approved and issued, she would have gained the extra time (few months) that you are short.

[vinny]

If there is time, then they should correct it.

See also 27 MONTH SPOUSE VISA ISSUED AFTER 2012 - HELP!

[farrellc]

Ty for the replies,

There is definitely time, I'm just not sure who to contact to get it fixed, everyone I have contacted so far has either not replied or told me it's not there problem.

If anyone has an idea of who I can contact that would help (I am writing this before reading Vinny's link, so if that has the answers I apologise :p!)

[farrellc]

The link you shared Vinnie is actually the post that I first read when I had a feeling something was wrong, it was very helpful in explaining the problem.

I have so far emailed:

These Pretoria High Consulate emails:
PTA.VisaEnquiries@fco.gov.uk,
PTA.visacorrespondence@fco.gov.uk
PTA.visadocs@fco.gov.uk

And these UK based emails:
EntryClearance.Errors@fco.gsi.gov.uk
admin.review.enquiries@homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk

And phoned 03001232241 for UK Visas and Immigration from inside the UK.

I have only had a response from one email and thats the admin.review one, stating that they can't help me because the visa wasn't issued by them but in South Africa.

The phone calls have been equally unhelpful, the first one told me to email the admin.review email address and the second one told me I need to contact the consulate that issued the visa, which I've tried to do but to no avail.

So still very concerned, just wish I could get in conversation with the correct person!

[CR001]

Did you click on both of vinny's links? The one labeled 'correct' has more information.

[farrellc]

Hi,

Sorry I wasn't clear, I did click Vinnie's other link. I emailed the Sheffield email 12 days ago, I haven't yet heard anything back from them and I couldn't find a phone number for them.

Essentially I'm just baffled by how difficult it is to just talk to someone, it's a simple administrative error but I can't get anyone to respond other than shrugging their shoulders.

[vinny]

They should respond, in time.....