UKVI Digital Changes, No PEO/PSCs from October 2018?

[trueblue19]

Sounds very interesting. I havent seen any topics or post around this so just sharing.

Does this mean there'll be no PSC/PEO appointments released for October 2018 onwards?


On 17 May the Immigration Minister Caroline Nokes announced details of the outsourcing of the visa application submission process to a single third party provider, Sopra Steria, for people applying for a work or study visa, settlement or citizenship from within the UK. This will take effect in October 2018.

In the lead up to the introduction of this new outsourced service, the Home Office has implemented the gradual roll out of online application forms for most application types in the UK, including Tier 2 work visas, Tier 4 student visas, Tier 1 investor, settlement and citizenship applications. At the same time as submitting the application forms online, the associated fees are paid and the biometric appointment booked. Applicants have then attended either a Home Office visa application centre to submit their biometric data and deliver their documents or submit their application package by post and attend a Post Office to submit their biometric data, once asked to do so by the Home Office.

The application process will now be streamlined and the main changes will be:

- Once applicants have submitted their application online and paid the fees, they will have the facility to upload the documents required for their application, in advance of their biometric appointment
- Over 60 locations will be provided for applicants to submit their biometric data and present original documents, including their passport
- All original documents will be checked at the appointment and immediately returned to the applicant who can then take their passport and other documents away with them
- The application will then be processed immediately by the Home Office
- There will no longer be premium service centre (PSC) appointments at the Home Office in Croydon and their other offices around the country, and the Tier 2 priority service will also cease. However, Home Office service centres will still be available for certain “vulnerable” applicants and asylum applicants.

With the cessation of the PSC same day processing service, there is some uncertainty as to whether Sopra Steria will offer a 24 hour service but full details of turnaround times will be published in due course, along with the associated priority processing fees. We understand that Sopra Steria will be able to offer bespoke services, similar to the current Super Premium Service, whereby applicants can submit their biometric data at a location of their choosing, subject to payment of the relevant premium service fee.

[michali]

It does look that way though the government site does not specifically say that. Several legal firms have reported on this change in process and some say there will not be any PSC appointments. It is not clear whether the process will be quicker or whether we will all be waiting for months to get a decision!

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/sopr ... i-contract

[GMO]

Sounds very interesting and confusing as well..not clear whether they start operation in October 2018 or they will just take the contract on that time for future operation!!

[trueblue19]

Sounds very interesting and confusing as well..not clear whether they start operation in October 2018 or they will just take the contract on that time for future operation!!

As much as I'm aware through Industry sources (Steria is one of our competitors work-wise), this is going 'live' in October 2018. Online forms for SETO SETM etc are first step towards it.

[GMO]

Sounds very interesting and confusing as well..not clear whether they start operation in October 2018 or they will just take the contract on that time for future operation!!

As much as I'm aware through Industry sources (Steria is one of our competitors work-wise), this is going 'live' in October 2018. Online forms for SETO SETM etc are first step towards it.

Thanks for the reply ! So can’t we get same day decision like premium service ?

[bluebird12]

Good thing is 60 locations will be available in UK instead of only fewer currently PSC Centres we are having in UK , meaning that easy for applicants to get appointments....

[equitydealer]

This probably accounts for the fact that the UKVI don’t seem to be in a rush to fix the current booking system issues if someone else will be taking this on.

It’ll be interesting how they handle priority applications, it may be like some embassies who have contracted out visa applications, hand in applications in the morning and collect them in the evening or next day. Let’s see + how much the processing fees will be.

[regularuser]

On their website:

The new service will deliver a more streamlined application process from over 60 locations across the UK, including 56 local libraries.

Under the new arrangements people using the service will be able to submit biometric information including photos, fingerprints, and signatures and their supporting evidence at a single appointment. The evidence will then be copied and sent to UKVI, meaning that people won’t have to hand over important documents, such as passports, whilst the applications are processed.

In addition, the new process will mean that individuals can choose to upload digital files in advance of their appointment, saving even more time.

[michali]

It sounds good...if it works! And if we don’t have to wait too long to get a result! Certainly like the idea of keeping original documents,especially passport. Also, if applicants are able to upload their own documents, it suggests that one could use online bank statements. This would eliminate the need to have online statements stamped or accompanied by a letter, which most banks now seem reluctant to do. On the downside, how reliable will it be? Will 'they' say that certain documents were not submitted, when the applicant was certain they were? How long will the process take? I hope they have levels of application, priority etc. I would think that financially, it would be in their best interest to offer that.

[ntt05r]

hmn... does this mean if we try to book a PSC appointment after 16th August there will not be any appointments available?

[equitydealer]

Depends when in October the new application process will come into affect

[GMO]

Depends when in October the new application process will come into affect

Any updates about that? We should start looking for an October booking from 17th of August onwards!

[Prt_fds]

Has there been any further updates on this?? The day home office stopped releasing new dates for October they had to immediately switch to the outsourcing agents.. It's just making people restless given we are 42 days away from October.. 3 days are already gone.. I am checking websites to find the new booking systems and see nothing there.. Please can some one help if you find any further information

[ahasnaini]

saw appointments in glasgow for 1st October today, so it seems like the move isn't happening from the 1st.

Plus contract begins from 1st, it might take a few months to roll out to all visa application categories.

[bezawada]

What about the same-day service?
The premium service centres will still be available by appointment for those who wish to utilise this service.

[Lynz1988]

Ive just seen this very randomly - I want to book a PSC appointment w/c October 22nd and can confirm that as of last night, there were appointments "available" in Glasgow (though it only gave me actual timeslots for the 20th which is 1 day too early for me). As of this morning the timeslots have disappeared. So now I'm a bit confused as to what the process is....?!

[michali]

There have been no further announcements on this plan and October is just around the corner! I would imagine that anyone applying until the end of September will be able to make a PSC appointment but that, from October, applicants will no longer have that option. We will see. Maybe the whole idea has been abandoned as the libraries were objecting to the proposal.

[CR001]

There have been no further announcements on this plan and October is just around the corner! I would imagine that anyone applying until the end of September will be able to make a PSC appointment but that, from October, applicants will no longer have that option. We will see. Maybe the whole idea has been abandoned as the libraries were objecting to the proposal.

Members have posted being able to book PSC appointments for October in the usual way.

[michali]

Yes, I have noticed that. I am hoping that even though the intended proposal was said to be more efficient, they stick to the present system.

[OxBristolia]

Hi, I actually emailed the CEO of Libraries Connected to find out when the new system is going to come into effect (Libraries Connected are apparently in charge of preparing the libraries as application centres). She replied on 21 August with the following:

"The list of participating libraries is still being finalised, as all have needed an extensive process of site surveys and equipment installation. However, the list of sites will be published soon on the government website gov.uk"

So it looks like the new system is definitely going to replace the current system. It's just not clear when, and it's also not clear if there will be any way to pay for faster processing for 'normal' applications.

[trueblue19]

As far as i'm aware, beta trial has been going on since July 2018, and is due to be rolled out soon. While the excerpt below says Sep 2018, I'm assuming there are some delays. Nevertheless, I think it'll be in place sooner than later.

Here's an excerpt from one of the companies who were invited for the beta trial.

On 16 July Tracy Evlogidis, with other senior immigration lawyers, attended a Business User Forum where the Home Office unveiled revolutionary planned changes for the in-country and overseas visa application processes.

It is intended that from September 2018 the Home Office will be rolling out a simpler, digitized application process. It is intended that applications for UK visas will be submitted online with individuals being invited to attend kiosks (for those submitted overseas) or enhanced service points (for those submitted in the UK) in order to upload their documents electronically for submission to the Home Office. Depending on the level of service chosen, individuals will then need to attend a Premium Service Centre or a local post office to enrol their biometric information. It will no longer be necessary to submit original documents (including original passports) to the Home Office for applications to be processed.

As part of this trial Withers LLP submitted a client's Tier 2 (work authorisation) extension application online paying all the required fees. Our client's documents were then scanned and sent to the Home Office electronically for processing. Once the application had been considered in principal and approve subject to their biometric data being provided, the Home Office sent an invite for our client to attend the Premium Service Centre in Croydon with their passports to have the required biometric information taken.

The entire process took just a few days and our client, an international businessman who needs to travel frequently, is delighted that it took so little time.

The idea is that the new application process will be more efficient and streamlined allowing UK visa applications to be decided within quicker time frames. This has certainly been our experience with the trial.

[michali]

That is useful information! Thank you for posting it. I guess only time will tell as to how well the new system works.

[seansilva]

Thanks for the information guys and girls.

I have tried to book an appointment couple of days earlier (NDRS + JCP) with my local registrar office. They were checking the diary and seem nothing can be booked from October onwards. I tried few other local councils before turning into this forum.

It seems like the new process is coming, but no updates have been found elsewhere. I can only imagine some IT guys work the buttocks off day/night to implement these changes.

Anyone got any intel on latest please?

[OxBristolia]

UKVI have published a document with new fees valid from 8 October 2018:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publicati ... ised-table

Almost all of the fees remain the same, but the interesting point is that 8 October is probably the date that the new system will come into effect (given that the new fees come into effect then). So hopefully information on how the new system works will be published on 8 October at the latest.

[seansilva]

UKVI have published a document with new fees valid from 8 October 2018:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publicati ... ised-table

Almost all of the fees remain the same, but the interesting point is that 8 October is probably the date that the new system will come into effect (given that the new fees come into effect then). So hopefully information on how the new system works will be published on 8 October at the latest.

That's very useful observation OxBristolia. Thanks, let's wait for the new process.