New Appointment Centre UKVCAS

[timipre]

I am new here and was looking for information on the new system.

I accompanied my husband to the new Birmingham Sopra Steria centre on Tuesday 13th November. He was welcomed as the first customer as we arrived early, waited a few minutes and were allowed in about 8:15 am for his 8.30 appointment. He was customer One and was given a Number One slip which I still have. He applied for LR using the super priority service.

The centre had some difficulty with their machines at first, which was significant for him because he has some visual impairment and could not use the self-service kiosk and so he had to have his image captured by staff.

This was resolved when some staff from the home office who were there intervened. We left after completing the application process at about 10 am, after a staff has scanned his international passport and mine, taken his bio metrics and checked the documents he had uploaded with his application, on their computer (we paid for this service). Then they asked if there was anything he wanted to add before they clicked 'send'. He said no, and they sent the documents electronically to the Home office.

Staff were very kind as were members of the Home Office who were there. Any one who was there between 8.30am and about 10 am when we left the place should remember my husband. It took about an hour and thirty minutes to capture his image as machines temporarily failed, but not the staff, they made up for these machine issues by their kindness, apologies and persistence.

We left after he joked with them that he deserved a service award as their 'longest serving customer.'

There was no email acknowledging the documents sent on Tuesday 13th November by Sopra Steria had reached the Home Office. The only email received from the Home office was the acknowledgement email sent after his application form was originally filled and submitted online.

We are now waiting to hear from the Home Office two days after.

[allyf]

I’m starting to wonder whether those who went to the premium lounge in London for the super priority service are getting their visa quicker than the SS points anywhere else?!

[jibs]

I’m starting to wonder whether those who went to the premium lounge in London for the super priority service are getting their visa quicker than the SS points anywhere else?!

I was also thinking the same! This service costs an additional £260 on top of visa fee £3018.

[kerboodle]

I’m starting to wonder whether those who went to the premium lounge in London for the super priority service are getting their visa quicker than the SS points anywhere else?!

Evidently not, because i was there Tuesday and i haven't had any correspondence since. I think everyone's is delayed. I mean i understand, its a new system, it just that this uncertainty is very unnerving.

[jibs]

I’m starting to wonder whether those who went to the premium lounge in London for the super priority service are getting their visa quicker than the SS points anywhere else?!

Evidently not, because i was there Tuesday and i haven't had any correspondence since. I think everyone's is delayed. I mean i understand, its a new system, it just that this uncertainty is very unnerving.

Thank you. I contacted the sopra steria customer service again this afternoon and requested for a confirmation of submission.

During the conversation, the customer service person said there were technical issues on Tuesday and these are now resolved. Unfortunately they are not able to confirm the successful submission by sending an email but he said 'looking at the screen I can see your information submitted to home office on that day and that's the only confirmation I can give.'

[Swathis]

Hello!

Can anyone please share with me the content that goes into the COVER LETTER for ILR Set(O) application? I'd really appreciate it.

Plus, whom should I address the Employer letter to? At the moment if we applied through Croydon Premium Centre, it will be like,
Croydon premium service centre
Lunar House
40 Wellesley Road
Croydon
CR9 2BY

What should it be for UKVCAS, Croydon?

Please advise.

Thanks!

[allyf]

I’m starting to wonder whether those who went to the premium lounge in London for the super priority service are getting their visa quicker than the SS points anywhere else?!

Evidently not, because i was there Tuesday and i haven't had any correspondence since. I think everyone's is delayed. I mean i understand, its a new system, it just that this uncertainty is very unnerving.

Thank you. I contacted the sopra steria customer service again this afternoon and requested for a confirmation of submission.

During the conversation, the customer service person said there were technical issues on Tuesday and these are now resolved. Unfortunately they are not able to confirm the successful submission by sending an email but he said 'looking at the screen I can see your information submitted to home office on that day and that's the only confirmation I can give.'

Hi jibs, can you advise the number of the customer service that you called ? I think I better keep this on hand as well...

[Sissigogo]

Hi guys,

I just registered a new account and let you know...I was at Birmingham centre on 13th Nov at 9.00 a.m. The caseworker told me she cannot submit my documents because of a system issue. Then there was another staff noted my appointment number saying she would look at this issue later and let me leave first. I actually had headed back to London already but I thought there was big chance they forgot doing this for me. So I took another 2 hours train back to the centre at 17.00 p.m...as expected, my case hasn’t been submitted yet. But they helped me check and show me on their screen it then was submitted around 17.15 p.m. The next day 10.00 a.m. I received the confirmation from home office that the ILR has been granted...

So if you calling today they said it had a teahnical issue on Tuesday and submission status is ok now. I would say they just submitted it for you..you probably will receive the home office decision tomorrow. If not, you may have to go to the centre talking with them face by face.

The centre staffs are seems extremely nice. But apparently they didn’t have training at all.

Bugs in the new system
1) no confirmation for the completion of centre submission is sent out; no cut off for the online uploads
2) the staff not checking the original copies, who knows it’s not photoshoped

[jibs]

Hi guys,

I just registered a new account and let you know...I was at Birmingham centre on 13th Nov at 9.00 a.m. The caseworker told me she cannot submit my documents because of a system issue. Then there was another staff noted my appointment number saying she would look at this issue later and let me leave first. I actually had headed back to London already but I thought there was big chance they forgot doing this for me. So I took another 2 hours train back to the centre at 17.00 p.m...as expected, my case hasn’t been submitted yet. But they helped me check and show me on their screen it then was submitted around 17.15 p.m. The next day 10.00 a.m. I received the confirmation from home office that the ILR has been granted...

So if you calling today they said it had a teahnical issue on Tuesday and submission status is ok now. I would say they just submitted it for you..you probably will receive the home office decision tomorrow. If not, you may have to go to the centre talking with them face by face.

The centre staffs are seems extremely nice. But apparently they didn’t have training at all.

Bugs in the new system
1) no confirmation for the completion of centre submission is sent out; no cut off for the online uploads
2) the staff not checking the original copies, who knows it’s not photoshoped

Congratulations sissigogo and thank you for your time to update.

As you mentioned in your post-

the caseworker told me he cannot submit my documents because of a system issue, this had happened to me as well. they asked me to wait and after after a while I checked with a UKVI staff who was present there. This person told me that it has submitted but no proof or confirmation!

But they helped me check and show me on their screen it then was submitted around 17.15 p.m- Did they gave you any confirmation for that?

I received the confirmation from home office- How did you received this confirmation was that an email? Have you received your BRP card?

Bugs in the system - very good observation and hope they will fix it soon.

[jibs]

I’m starting to wonder whether those who went to the premium lounge in London for the super priority service are getting their visa quicker than the SS points anywhere else?!

Evidently not, because i was there Tuesday and i haven't had any correspondence since. I think everyone's is delayed. I mean i understand, its a new system, it just that this uncertainty is very unnerving.

Thank you. I contacted the sopra steria customer service again this afternoon and requested for a confirmation of submission.

During the conversation, the customer service person said there were technical issues on Tuesday and these are now resolved. Unfortunately they are not able to confirm the successful submission by sending an email but he said 'looking at the screen I can see your information submitted to home office on that day and that's the only confirmation I can give.'

Hi jibs, can you advise the number of the customer service that you called ? I think I better keep this on hand as well...

The customer service charges £2.50 a minute and in no way helpful in my experience.

You will get this number when you go to sopra steria website for booking your appointment.

[Winshee18]

Hi guys,

I just registered a new account and let you know...I was at Birmingham centre on 13th Nov at 9.00 a.m. The caseworker told me she cannot submit my documents because of a system issue. Then there was another staff noted my appointment number saying she would look at this issue later and let me leave first. I actually had headed back to London already but I thought there was big chance they forgot doing this for me. So I took another 2 hours train back to the centre at 17.00 p.m...as expected, my case hasn’t been submitted yet. But they helped me check and show me on their screen it then was submitted around 17.15 p.m. The next day 10.00 a.m. I received the confirmation from home office that the ILR has been granted...

So if you calling today they said it had a teahnical issue on Tuesday and submission status is ok now. I would say they just submitted it for you..you probably will receive the home office decision tomorrow. If not, you may have to go to the centre talking with them face by face.

The centre staffs are seems extremely nice. But apparently they didn’t have training at all.

Bugs in the new system
1) no confirmation for the completion of centre submission is sent out; no cut off for the online uploads
2) the staff not checking the original copies, who knows it’s not photoshoped

Hi Sissiggogo

Which umber did you use to contact the centre staff? How did the home office get in contact with you to confirm your ILR - phone or email?

Thanks
Winshee

[kerboodle]

Hi guys,

I just registered a new account and let you know...I was at Birmingham centre on 13th Nov at 9.00 a.m. The caseworker told me she cannot submit my documents because of a system issue. Then there was another staff noted my appointment number saying she would look at this issue later and let me leave first. I actually had headed back to London already but I thought there was big chance they forgot doing this for me. So I took another 2 hours train back to the centre at 17.00 p.m...as expected, my case hasn’t been submitted yet. But they helped me check and show me on their screen it then was submitted around 17.15 p.m. The next day 10.00 a.m. I received the confirmation from home office that the ILR has been granted...

So if you calling today they said it had a teahnical issue on Tuesday and submission status is ok now. I would say they just submitted it for you..you probably will receive the home office decision tomorrow. If not, you may have to go to the centre talking with them face by face.

The centre staffs are seems extremely nice. But apparently they didn’t have training at all.

Bugs in the new system
1) no confirmation for the completion of centre submission is sent out; no cut off for the online uploads
2) the staff not checking the original copies, who knows it’s not photoshoped

Hi

how did you receive the decision? through email or through the post? a few people are saying the BRP came in the post without any email.

[Sissigogo]

Hmm. I returned to the centre in the afternoon on 13th Nov...They didn’t revisit the morning applications with ‘issues’. They then operated this for me and showed on screen of ‘submited’...I received the email from Home Office the next day morning. The BRP card is still on the way.

Hope you guys ok soon!

[Winshee18]

Hmm. I returned to the centre in the afternoon on 13th Nov...They didn’t revisit the morning applications with ‘issues’. They then operated this for me and showed on screen of ‘submited’...I received the email from Home Office the next day morning. The BRP card is still on the way.

Hope you guys ok soon!

Hi Sissigogo

Just one more help, can you chcek if you can still access the UKVCAS and see your document upload section?
I can see them in mine and wondering if this is something to do with non-submission? Please can you chcek this for us? I know few of us that attended the Birmingham centre has the similar problem.

Thanks
Winshee

[Sissigogo]

Hi Winshee18,

I just checked - the online uploads is still open. Don’t worry, the Home Office decision shall be quick once the submission is done.

[Winshee18]

Hi Winshee18,

I just checked - the online uploads is still open. Don’t worry, the Home Office decision shall be quick once the submission is done.

Thank you Sissigogo. I also attended the Birmingham one on Tuesday the 13th at 11.00. The women who did mine said its all submitted - didnt even say there was any problem with submission. So i thought all went ok.

I just rang the call centre they said my document has been submitted to UKVI and they said they cannot give a date when I will hear from UKVI. I am now worried that they may just have submitted. I asked her when it was submitted and all she said was it was submitted and cannot give you a time.

So frustrating! But thanks for your help.

[allyf]

Evidently not, because i was there Tuesday and i haven't had any correspondence since. I think everyone's is delayed. I mean i understand, its a new system, it just that this uncertainty is very unnerving.

Thank you. I contacted the sopra steria customer service again this afternoon and requested for a confirmation of submission.

During the conversation, the customer service person said there were technical issues on Tuesday and these are now resolved. Unfortunately they are not able to confirm the successful submission by sending an email but he said 'looking at the screen I can see your information submitted to home office on that day and that's the only confirmation I can give.'

Hi jibs, can you advise the number of the customer service that you called ? I think I better keep this on hand as well...

The customer service charges £2.50 a minute and in no way helpful in my experience.

You will get this number when you go to sopra steria website for booking your appointment.

Thanks jibs. Yes probably not worth the 2.50£ min cost!

[aigskay]

Please could anyone who has recently used the new UKVCAS system to upload documents give any information regarding making coloured copies of original documents and upload onto the system. is Coloured copies frowned upon versus b&w copies? thanks for any response.

If you are scanning, you might just want to scan it in couloured one which is better in my view to look at. As long as they are clear, I guess there is no real difference.

Thank you for responding.

[michali]

Hi guys,

I just registered a new account and let you know...I was at Birmingham centre on 13th Nov at 9.00 a.m. The caseworker told me she cannot submit my documents because of a system issue. Then there was another staff noted my appointment number saying she would look at this issue later and let me leave first. I actually had headed back to London already but I thought there was big chance they forgot doing this for me. So I took another 2 hours train back to the centre at 17.00 p.m...as expected, my case hasn’t been submitted yet. But they helped me check and show me on their screen it then was submitted around 17.15 p.m. The next day 10.00 a.m. I received the confirmation from home office that the ILR has been granted...

So if you calling today they said it had a teahnical issue on Tuesday and submission status is ok now. I would say they just submitted it for you..you probably will receive the home office decision tomorrow. If not, you may have to go to the centre talking with them face by face.

The centre staffs are seems extremely nice. But apparently they didn’t have training at all.

Bugs in the new system
1) no confirmation for the completion of centre submission is sent out; no cut off for the online uploads
2) the staff not checking the original copies, who knows it’s not photoshoped

They are obviously having serious teething problems but so glad you got your ILR. For those of us who are to apply in the future, it is really helpful to hear of others experiences. Thank you for your input.

[Giammy]

They advertise standard centre in London will open on Monday but they are not still available for booking online.
Is anybody able to help? Are they really opening on Monday? Why they are not still available for booking?

[kenvac]

They advertise standard centre in London will open on Monday but they are not still available for booking online.
Is anybody able to help? Are they really opening on Monday? Why they are not still available for booking?

Usually new centre appointments are released after Friday. Check on saturday or Sunday.

Personal experience..

[mehmettem]

Hi,

I had an appointment on Friday (9/11/2018). They got my biometric and scanned my documents and they told me that they sent my documents, and i will receive a confirmation email, but it s been a week and i haven't receive any email from UKVI yet. My visa type doesn't have any quick decision option, i need to wait for 8 weeks until decision but still i have no idea if UKVI received my documents and i am waiting for a confirmation email about it. Because, I didn't have any info if UKVI received my documents or not, I called Sopra call centre and they told me that my documents sent to UKVI on the day i visited UKVCAS center in Manchester, but they told me that they do not send any confirmation email and I need to contact with UKVI. I called UKVI and they told me that Sopra is really busy and they told me that i will receive confirmation email within 2 weeks.

Did any one receive confirmation email after they completed their application and turned in the documents?

Thank you.

[varma24365]

I am going to Manchester Centre today. Set(o) application and 24hrs service.
Will keep updating.

[mehmettem]

I am going to Manchester Centre today. Set(o) application and 24hrs service.
Will keep updating.

Thanks please lets us updated.

[Josh Hagino]

Hi Everyone

I attended my appointment at the UKVCAS - Sopra Steria today at 12pm. I went for SET (LR) super premium.

Below is what happened. I arrived an hour early to my appointment.

1. I got ID checked by one of the Sopra steria staff (looked at the QR code/reference number on the appointment confirmation and then checked my passport - photo ID)

2. I was given a printed handout "How to do Biometric yourself" and a token number. I was asked to wait until called for checking-in. They had few chairs to sit and they was a water dispenser.

3. I was called to one of the agents after almost an hour (as they even didn't know what they are doing as today was the first day at the Birmingham Centre) for Official Check-in -again using the QR code and Passport. Once this was done, I was asked to wait to be enrolled for Biometric.

4. I was then called for registering my biometric. The UKVI has installed a kit where you do them all by yourself. It is pretty self-explanatory. I did this and waited for document checks

5. I was then called for document check. Again they asked my Appointment reference number and Passport. After that the Sopra Steria staff kept looking at her screen for almost 15 - 20 minutes saying she is looking at my documents. I heard/saw a lot of mouse clicks (may be she was clicking document approved). After that she said, all documents are fine.

6. I double checked her that if everything okay: because they the person didn't even look at my other originals that I carried with me. Not even a single document (apart from the passport). She said it is all good and that I have included necessary documents (dont know how she knew it).

7. I was told I will get the decision in 24 hrs from submission (round the clock). Its 7pm now an dI am yet to hear. I was told I will be contacted by either my contact number or through the email.

8. Once all done, I left the centre. It took around 2.5 hrs for me (may be because I arrived early and the staffs were not very clear on some things).

9. I will update here once I hear a decision from UKVI.

All the best everyone.

Winshee18

Hi , i m just wondering if you received your decision yet??

i have been following your journey.

please let me know !