stefrocks

Hi my name Is Stephanie Richmond and I am sending in my UKM form this week and I had a few questions somebody might know the answer to.

National insurance number? We don't have that here in the USA. Do I leave it blank?

Occupation? I took early retirement a few years ago so not sure what they want here.

Address of tax office? I looked it up and the IRS has dozens. :-)

I think the rest I figured out and am very excited!!!!

Cheers, Stef

BritInParis

Hello Stephanie.

Unless you've worked previously in the UK you won't have one yet. Write "N/A".

"Retired"

"N/A"

"One of us, one of us..."

stefrocks

Hello BritInParis

Thank you very much for the helpful reply. :-) Does N/A apply to every blank space on the form? There are so many blank portions that don't apply to me and the form says to skip.

Cheers, Stef

BritInParis

If the form says skip, then skip. Only write N/A when there is no option to skip but the required information doesn't apply to you.

stefrocks

Please help I am freaking out!
I sent in my application and supporting materials by FedEx to the address in the UKM form.
Fedex said it was not deliverable.

I addressed the forms to:

Department 1
UKVI
The Capital
New Hall Place
Liverpool
L3 9PP

Because they said the address above is not complete the Fedex courier took it upon themselves to deliver it to another place entirely. A pharmacy!!! I am not keeping calm and carrying on. I have no idea what to do.
Fedex keeps telling me the address above is not complete and the courier used their best judgment. What???
That is there craziest thing I've ever heard of. Please someone help me. I have called the Home office's dozen different numbers and nobody there can give me a straight answer about the address. I have received 4 different versions. 2 days have passed and I am still waiting for Fedex to locate the package that was sent to the wrong address. I have been crying all evening. I don't have copies of any of the passports which are not replaceable since my mother has passed away. That is all I had.

spouse of scouse

Hi Stef, I'm so sorry to hear this and no wonder you feel so stressed.

First things first - although it's impossible to keep calm, do try not to panic. There is lots of help available here on British Expats and there WILL be a solution. It's only 6am here now so unfortunately you'll need to wait a little longer until people wake up and have had their coffee.

Take a deep breath, have a cuppa or a coffee (or an alcoholic beverage!) and I'm sure you'll hear back from someone hear soon. Brit in Paris, who's already answered some of your questions, is the bee's knees at this stuff.

Lots of us here will be following your story and keeping everything crossed for a very speedy resolution.

ps the address on the UK government website is
Department 1
UK Visas and Immigration
The Capital Building
New Hall Place
Liverpool
L3 9PP

Although you abbreviated UKVI and left off 'Building', it should have been easy for Fedex to work it out - the address alone should have done that! What a bunch of cowboys.

angie_329

You need to lodge a complaint with Fedex at manager level to retrieve the package, it should NOT have been delivered to a pharmacy. Ask if it was isgned for as they need to trace it.

I looked up the postcode in Googlemaps uk and the street comes up Old Hall street (a Tesco express supermarket on that section of postcode )- and using street images...
AND on the modern building in side banner,it says capital car park - next to the tesco express are two double revolving doors in the glass front, showing entrance to offices, which is probably the UKVI,
Round the corner in Union street there is a customer service entrance for UK visas and immigration.

I think leaving off ' building' and not putting UK visas and immigration in full, will have contributed to the location problems, as I presume UKVI has a special entrance called 'new hall place' off Old Hall Street , for postal deliveries in the building called The Capital Building. UK address can be complicated.

Notwithstanding there is NO WAY Fedex should have left the package at a pharmacy ( in side Tesco perhaps?) They can surely ring up the pharmacy and the person who signed for the package to retrieve it..

angie_329

Just a tip. when you ring Fedex ask to make ' an official complaint'- then they will have to process it at higher level straight away. The courier should be sent back to retrieve the package. The only other hope is that someone where he delivered it may take it to UKVI offices. But then you will not have any proof of delivery.

I looked up the building address
here is the info which no doubt causes confusion... UKVI should change the address to the correct one. The street this building is in in 'Old Hall Street'.

however the building has a big sign saying' CAPITAL' so the courier cannot have looked properly.

New Hall Place (also known as The Capital and the Royal & SunAlliance Building) is a 13-storey brutalist style office complex in the commercial district of Liverpool, England.#
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Hall_Place

I also looked up chemists./ pharmacies/ boots/ superdrug in the building and near that postcode, and could not find any closer than 8 mins drive away... unless the courier delivered to Tesco express which is the only street level retail outlet in the front of the building. I found a comment on the building saying UKBA ( UKVI old name), entrance was round the corner from the main entrance.
This seems to tally with the customer service office of UKVI in Union street ( round the corner). though this may be for walk in appointments.

stefrocks

I agree with all of you of course. I contacted the Home office twice to confirm the mailing address because I thought it looked odd. Twice I was told, more like admonished, that I should only use the address in the UKM form and guide which reads as follows:

Department 1
UKVI
The Capital
New Hall Place
Liverpool
L3 9PP

I have escalated this case and spoken with FedEx everyday and have spoken with the contractor/vendor in the UK. FedEx told me they use an outside contractor for deliveries in Liverpool! Did not know that before paying. I have begged them to retrieve the package. Every time I am told it is not possible because it was correctly delivered to the pharmacy! I contacted Tesco and they don't have a pharmacy at that location. Yesterday I received a call from FedEx escalation telling me it was confirmed received by the Embassy. What Embassy?! There is no embassy in Liverpool! They don't even do confirmations! Nonsense! I contacted the Home Office and they were unhelpful, telling me they can not confirm or deny any receipt. They said they are merely a call center and have no way to "look" for a parcel. They said if it turns up I would receive notification approximately 6 weeks later.

I also wanted to correct the shipping label and was told not to add "building" to Capital and not to add "United Kingdom Visas and Immigration" but to just leave it at UKVI, as written in the guide and form.

This stinks! Might I say without fear of hurt feelings that so far my British experience is that everyone I have spoke to in the UK is super unhelpful!?

Respectfully, Stef

PS. No more passport and no more Mum's passport. Gone. Not to mention my credit card information on the payment form. . .

angie_329

It's all appalling. and so sorry you have had such a lack of helpfulness. Fedex must be able to supply the signature of someone where they left it( did you look on the tracking number is it there?) , Then you can find out if that is someone who works at UKVI ( the embassy?? ) Subbing out to another contractor is not good,,, and you were not told.

Where did you mother come from in UK? You can look up the MP of that area and she and you can contact them to complain.
( https://www.theyworkforyou.com/) it will ask you for the postcode of the town, you can look up the local library or a station and enter that postcode

Also :The minister of state for immigration is Brandon Lewis MP
The address of UKVI is all wrong and misleading... its either 'Capital' or used to be 'new Hall place' ( as ub the building)which sounds like a street name ) but the street as per the postcode is Old Hall Street (or union street entrance for ukvi ?)

I would email and write to him re the address issue sending by UPS/ DHL in hard copy!
And not just to the public enquiries email of the home office - as doubt they will do anything- but to his parliamentary address ( House of Commons)
Here are his details:
https://www.gov.uk/government/minist...nd-immigration
Current role holder: The Rt Hon Brandon Lewis MP , House of Commons London SW1A 0AA
Brandon Lewis was appointed Minister of State for Immigration on 11 June 2017. He was elected Conservative MP for Great Yarmouth in 2010.
https://www.theyworkforyou.com/mp/24...great_yarmouth
House of Commons London SW1A 0AA.
Contact Me – Brandon Lewis

If you are contacting me as Minister of State for the Home Office, please forward your query to [email protected]
Brandon Lewis MP
20 Church Plain
Great Yarmouth
Norfolk NR30
email:
Brandon ( dot) lewis ( dot)mp@parliament (dot) uk

christmasoompa

I'm sincerely hoping that you're not including our lovely forum members in that............

I don't think anybody will claim the UK is good at customer service. History, architecture, food, sarcasm, outdoorsy lifestyle, music, stunning scenery etc yes.........customer service not so much.

Good luck, hope you get it sorted.

stefrocks

Not including the forum members who are super helpful of course!
But, I meant FedEx in the UK (and the grouchy manager at Tescos when I asked if there was a pharmacy) . . . !!!!

I received an email this morning that the person who incorrectly received my forms, and signed for it, contacted FedEx and supposedly FedEx will redeliver to the correct address!!! Yay! The person who received my UKM forms by mistake is helpful and honest, and of course, British!

Crossing my fingers that FedEx doesn't mess this up again with the redelivery!

What a week!

Thank you all for the emotional support. Big hugs!

angie_329

I was wondering what was happening! Thank Goodness for that nice responsible person. .. Fedex have been hopeless - they should have urgently retrieved the package... Do keep on with a complaint or a comment somewhere on line.... as a warning to others... It certainly put me off using them Now I will ask couriers if they 'outsource'.

Yes Unfortunately England is not what is was, inefficiency is rife, and customer service in large or government bodies not good at all.

Of course ensure Fedex DOES follow up and redeliver correctly...!

spouse of scouse

Really glad to hear it's sorted Stef - that was quite a roller coaster for you!

BritInParis

FYI the correct physical addresses according to Royal Mail are:

39 Old Hall Street
LIVERPOOL
L3 9PP

(front entrance)

or

6 Union Street
LIVERPOOL
L3 9AF

(rear entrance)