Biometric Letter gives Invalid Barcode error at Post Office

kyborg99 · Post by **kyborg99** » Thu Mar 22, 2012 5:00 pm

My child, wife and me got the Biometric Letter for our Tier 1 G extension and we went to Oxford PO for the same.

My kid and I were able to successfully submit the same, however the Biometric barcode on the letter did not work for my Wife ...it kept returning Invalid error.

I called the 0870 call centre and they said they have raised a case with the Head Office and I will have to wait now.

... anyone else experienced a similar issue please? If yes, what did you do? How did you get it resolved please?

Thanks in advance
Kartik

timesofindia · Post by **timesofindia** » Fri Mar 23, 2012 7:10 am

hi
yes, bioometric letters worked for my dependents but did not work for me.
i called UKBA and asked for new corrected letter..
Now waiting for that new letter...

did you ask for new letter??

shahjee11 · Post by **shahjee11** » Fri Mar 23, 2012 8:51 am

This is the standard of service for which we pay hundreds of pounds

kyborg99 · Post by **kyborg99** » Fri Mar 23, 2012 9:37 am

thanks timesofindia

yes, when the callcentre agent said that she is raising a case with the HO she did specifiy that I might be getting a new letter.

When did you ask for a new one and how long have you been waiting please?

Is the wait going to be another 6 weeks ... as we got the original Biometric letters 6 weeks from apllication submission.

regards

timesofindia · Post by **timesofindia** » Fri Mar 23, 2012 10:17 am

Well i think its between 1 to 2 weeks.

I had asked for new one this monday 19-mar and havent still go it.. so may be this week of next week..

timesofindia · Post by **timesofindia** » Sat Mar 24, 2012 4:34 pm

I got the supposedly "corrected" biometric letter but that is also not working at the post office.

I created a new account and tried to book an appointment and I am not getting a error when I try to book online appointment.
Error is

"We do not have a record for the case ID and date of birth that you entered. Check that you entered these fields correctly or call the call centre."

The details are correct in the biometric letter.. looks like somewhere there is a typo..

kyborg99 · Post by **kyborg99** » Sun Mar 25, 2012 12:18 am

This is frustrating ...

I have NOT got the corrected letter yet but I tried the online appointment system anyway and got the exact same error as yours

Qs
- What are the next steps - what are you doing? As I might have to go through the same
- Which centre did you see that the slots were available - I can not find anything anywhere other than Cardiff?
- Did your letter by any chance says that the PEO Biometrics service is only available until 5th April only? As mine says that.

Will await your response.

Regards

timesofindia · Post by **timesofindia** » Sun Mar 25, 2012 8:12 am

Qs
- What are the next steps - what are you doing? As I might have to go through the same
>> first thing monday morning I will be calling UKBA and informing about letter & also not being able to book appointment. Looks like some typo somewhere in the system..

- Which centre did you see that the slots were available - I can not find anything anywhere other than Cardiff?
>> there are some available at Sheffield on 10April...

- Did your letter by any chance says that the PEO Biometrics service is only available until 5th April only? As mine says that.
>> yes letter says you have option to book at PEO till 5th April the appointment can be any date after that.. so that appointment could be on 10-Apr or 01-May or whenever..

gkedia · Post by **gkedia** » Tue Mar 27, 2012 10:21 pm

I am in the same position, Went to post office (nearest was 40 miles) only to find that barcode not recognised in my wife's letter.. so furious with this sub standard service of UKBA. Reading on this forum it seems quite a common problem and UKBA is doing nothing on this. Thinking of making a formal complain againt their service.

Called them and they said they will send second letter but I hope that work. The lady in postoffice told us that she had seen two cases today when even second letter didnt scan in their system. This is really frustating and such a poor service from UKBA.

kyborg99 · Post by **kyborg99** » Tue Mar 27, 2012 11:14 pm

timesofindia
when did they say you will get your THIRD letter?

gkedia
Try a PEO appoinment online and see of you are getting the same error as us or not?

timesofindia · Post by **timesofindia** » Wed Mar 28, 2012 6:44 am

I had called them and they are now saying if letter is failing then no getting new letter so they are no issuing letters anymore.

book PEO .. thats what they said. but there are no PEOs available..
also I applied with 2 dependents so if through online system I have to book appointment for all 3 and not just the one for which is it broken..

kyborg99 · Post by **kyborg99** » Wed Mar 28, 2012 9:39 am

book PEO ...?
But that gives an error ... 'We do not have a record of your ...'
So how to book PEO?

Moreover, you can not book apntmnt for just one ... so you have to book for the whole family together... correct me?

And when you do get a PEO apntmnt, let me know how - as I ll do the same for me wife.

TIP - When you try book PEO online - do not choose Tier 1 as service - choose RFC(BC) as service - that might let you book an apntmntjust for one candidate.

Let us know ...

Thanks & Regards

timesofindia · Post by **timesofindia** » Wed Mar 28, 2012 10:35 am

>> Exactly, they have no clue.. people on 0870 are not helping.. basically I am checking online every few minutes for any appointments available....

>> yes you have to book appointment for all applicants even though actually there is only 1 person who needs to give

TIP - When you try book PEO online - do not choose Tier 1 as service - choose RFC(BC) as service - that might let you book an apntmntjust for one candidate.
>> Dont think this will work.. what happens if you book appointment and they turn you away saying its not of right type.. BTW what is RFC(BC)???

timesofindia · Post by **timesofindia** » Wed Mar 28, 2012 10:44 am

Have you emailed AppointmentExceptions??

I am getting standard emails from appointment exceptions..

------------

Thank you for your enquiry.

The UK Border Agency is aware of an error with a small number of barcodes on enrolments letters and is working to resolve this problem as a matter of urgency. I am sorry for any inconvenience this has caused.

Once your barcode has failed to scan at a Post Office you can not enrol your biometrics at a Post Office. Unfortunately when a Barcode fails, it will fail consistently even when a new letter is issued. This I why we are not able to issue a new letter in your wife’s case.

We will be in touch very shortly about the next steps.

Thank you
Appointment Exceptions

kyborg99 · Post by **kyborg99** » Wed Mar 28, 2012 10:45 am

...yes you have to book appointment for all applicants even though actually there is only 1 person who needs to give ...

>> But are not getting that error now? Is that fixed?
>> And are we sure that booking your family in for Biometrics - when they are already done anyway will nto cause any issues to their application?

>> Even I do not know what RFC(BC) is ... someone I know knows someone is the UKBA - he suggested to go for this option - but it gace the same error as well.

>> Again the same q - r u not getting that error now - how did that fix please?

timesofindia · Post by **timesofindia** » Wed Mar 28, 2012 11:00 am

I checked on the forums .. that you get that error if you try to book only for yourself (or for an individual) rather than for all applicants.

on the first screen select tier 1 general --> non premium --> 2 dependents
and then try to book for both of you..

timesofindia · Post by **timesofindia** » Wed Mar 28, 2012 11:04 am

Also I dont see option of RFC (BC)???

kyborg99 · Post by **kyborg99** » Wed Mar 28, 2012 11:13 am

Yeah... not exactly RFC BC - it was something similar - you will see it there- cant miss it

So I choose 2 dependents - pick up a date and then it will asks me for DOB of all candidates?

Let me try that ... Also booking in me n my kid again should not cause any issue right?
And when we go to the PEO do we (me n kid) submit our BMs again - OR only my wife submits it - will they let only 1 dependent (my wife) submit the BM please?

Regards

QuickSam · Post by **QuickSam** » Wed Mar 28, 2012 11:15 am

kyborg99 wrote:Yeah... not exactly RFC BC - it was something similar - you will see it there- cant miss it

So I choose 2 dependents - pick up a date and then it will asks me for DOB of all candidates?

Let me try that ... Also booking in me n my kid again should not cause any issue right?
And when we go to the PEO do we (me n kid) submit our BMs again - OR only my wife submits it - will they let only 1 dependent (my wife) submit the BM please?

Regards

I think what you are referring to is BRP (RC) or something similar. That option is only for lost BRP cards.

timesofindia · Post by **timesofindia** » Wed Mar 28, 2012 11:22 am

kyborg99 wrote:Yeah... not exactly RFC BC - it was something similar - you will see it there- cant miss it

So I choose 2 dependents - pick up a date and then it will asks me for DOB of all candidates?

Let me try that ... Also booking in me n my kid again should not cause any issue right?
And when we go to the PEO do we (me n kid) submit our BMs again - OR only my wife submits it - will they let only 1 dependent (my wife) submit the BM please?

Regards

>> Exactly, In my case bio is done for wife and son but not for me.. i asked same quesiton to 0870.. lady and she said if its done for them then they DO NOT need to come.. but for some reason I dont trust her.. so I am thinking of taking them as well..

also I have proof from Post office that its done for dependents.. so UKBA cannot say no.. but i dont want to take chances with UKBA.

timesofindia · Post by **timesofindia** » Wed Mar 28, 2012 11:38 am

Also I have been checking for different times of the day and there are no appointments shown at Croydon/Birmingham/London PEO centres.
Wonder if these centres are even open...

I can see some appointments in end of April/ early May in Liverpool, Cardiff and Sheffield.

Looks like I will book one of them..

kyborg99 · Post by **kyborg99** » Wed Mar 28, 2012 1:26 pm

Sheffield and Cardiff were the only places where Slots were available

I have got Cardiff on 04th May for all of us.

Did you manage to find something more earlier than this please?

timesofindia · Post by **timesofindia** » Wed Mar 28, 2012 1:33 pm

There are slots in LIverpool on 27th April..

kyborg99 · Post by **kyborg99** » Wed Mar 28, 2012 3:43 pm

yeah... Liverpool is more than 4 hours from where I am at and only gain a few days b/w 27th Apr and 04th May ... so I booked Cardiff.

Thanks

timesofindia · Post by **timesofindia** » Wed Mar 28, 2012 4:44 pm

I am ready to go to even glasgow or belfast if i get a slot next week.... I am ready ..

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Biometric Letter gives Invalid Barcode error at Post Office

Biometric Letter gives Invalid Barcode error at Post Office