10 steps of new UK visa application service (formerly postal service)

‘Postal’' visa service is changing with the Home Office making the use of technology!

Earlier we described the new UK visa application process for application inside the UK and the new Next-day service which replaced the old Same-day service.

This is a detailed post on the new Standard service which replaced postal service. In short, the process is almost the same except your supporting documents are ‘posted’ to the Home Office authorities electronically instead of a physical package through Royal Mail. 

Important! The change is only about the application procedure, i.e. how you apply, and NOT about how you qualify. What you have to do to meet the eligibility rules, what documents you have to supply - remains the same, including the Financial Requirement £18,600. 

Step 1: Initial consultation. 

We offer face-to-face appointments at our office in Central London (Monument/Bank) to discuss your case. We also offer consultations via Skype, phone and email - wherever in the world you are! We charge a £100 consultation fee (including VAT). If your case relates to Tier 1 Entrepreneur or Investor visa, we charge advice fee of £150 including VAT. The consultation fee will be deducted from our full-service fee if you make a visa application through us later. 


Step 2: Start a visa application. 

We prepare a contract of engagement. 


Step 3: Payment.

We offer very flexible terms of payment so you can use a bank transfer or debit/credit card. As above, the amount will be discounted by initial consultation amount. 


Step 4: Documents. 

We prepare a detailed list of documents, tailored to your situation. You can then upload them onto Dropbox (we’ll send you a link). This is the fastest and most secure way. Alternatively, you can email or post documents to us. Your original passport will only be needed later at the appointment stage. 

We check the documents, advise on what is missing or what would be beneficial to add. The most common things include missing bank statements miscalculation in the Financial Requirement £18,600, ’too old’ tax return or the wrong incomplete documents from your accountant, wrong English language evidence, missing ‘living together ‘ documents. 

Important! What is changing is ‘How you apply’, not ‘How you become eligible’. All the eligibility rules remain the same, including Financial Requirement £18,600. All the requirements towards the supporting documents remain the same either, except they will be uploaded online instead of posting a thick package to the Home Office. 


Step 5: Online application form. 

Just as before, we prepare your application form except now all forms will be online and not in PDF or on paper. Once ready, we will send you a link to check. 

Step 6: Booking an appointment at your local visa centre. 

Many of you experienced 'postal' service in the past: after we send your application pack off to the Home Office, you would have to go to the nearest designated post-office to show a letter and submit biometrics (fingerprints). This part will remain very similar, except you may have to travel to a community library or a local 'visa centre’. Over the past 10 years we were used to names like VFS Global or TLS Contact who have been then main commercial partners of the UK Government. The new visa centres in the UK are run by Sopra Steria, a different company but the logic remains the same - they do the admin work for the UK immigration authorities so the visa officers wouldn't have to spend time on the admin work (such as scanning your documents or processing payments) and could focus on the casework, ie considering your case and making a decision. 

Important! The visa centre is never the decision-maker. Your case will be passed on (electronically) to the Government for decision. So, the same people will be making a decision on your case but different ‘people’ will be interacting with you at the visa centres. 


Step 7: Timing of appointment. 

This is another major change. Whereas in the past, we were able to book an appointment at the Home Office in advance and before you have met all the requirements, now we can only do so once you have met all the rules. 

Example 1: 
If you are applying for Indefinite Leave, we can only confirm your application and book an appointment within 28 days before ‘your’ 5 years in the UK (not earlier), even if your actual appointment date is later. 

Example 2:
If you are applying as a spouse/partner of a UK citizen and need to keep savings for 6 months, we can only confirm your application and book an appointment after this point (after those 6 months have passed), even if your actual appointment date is later. 

How long in advance can we book? Within next 4 weeks (not later). 


Step 8: Uploading documents onto the Government system. 

Here we must upload all your supporting documents (electronically) instead of posting a thick package by Royal Mail. 


Step 9: Appointment date. 

As we explained above, this is just for you to come and submit biometrics (fingerprints). If you applied using postal service in the past and had to go to a post-office to enrol biometrics, this is a very similar process. Just like a post-office, this facility (usually a local library) won't be there for anything else other than biometrics. All you need to do is to show your original passport and enrol biometrics. Your passport will be returned to you on the day. 


Step 10: Waiting for the decision.

After all the above steps, your case will be finally assessed (ie looked at) by a Home Office visa officer. This is when they see your documents that we uploaded earlier. These are the decision-makers! They will do the same checks as before, such as criminal convictions or tax records. They will check your documents just as meticulously as before except they will be looking at the electronic versions of them. They will just as much have to tick the boxes for each specified document, be it a bank statement or payslip or else. They will do just as strict precise calculation of the Financial Requirement £18,600. 

They will make a decision on your visa when they are ready, which is expected within 2-3 months on most cases unless your case is complex or outside the Rules. Tier 1 Entrepreneur cases also tend to take longer (and may require an interview). 


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1st4Immigration is a practicing immigration law company, accredited by the OISC at the highest Level 3, reference 200800152. Office address: 68 King William Street, City of London, London, EC4M 7DZ. For individual advice or to make your application as successful please contact us: info@1st4immigration.com or visit our website: http://www.1st4immigration.com/

  

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