Pogo

I am desperate to move back to UK from NZ to have our baby, and just to be home. But my husband is a Kiwi and we are going through the Ancestry visa process for him... stress!!

He applied online mid-January and had his biometric appointment 29th January. We couriered the supporting documents Friday 2nd February to the Auckland address given, they were received and signed for Monday 5th, and then he gets this email thursday 8th from the Sheffield office in UK to say they have received his online application but not yet the supporting documents, and if they don't receive them within 5 working days they will process the visa without them!!

He has emailed them screenshot proof of the signature and date they were received in Auckland but no response. I am freaking out! Has this happened to anyone else? Any advice greatly appreciated thanks.

Pogo

... and now we have received back all the suppOrting documents except for passport with a letter saying:

"Your application and supporting documents have been scanned at the visa application centre in Sydney, Australia..."

Now I'm REALLY confused! So Sheffield didn't receive them but Sydney did??? What has Australia got to do with this when my husband is a Kiwi applying from NZ?

Can anyone please please shed some light? It's stressing me out big time.

rockaju

Did they scan all your supporting documents at the Visa application centre?

Pogo

Hi there. The note that we got when they sent them back to us says they were scanned at the visa application centre in Sydney. I'm guessing all, or the relevant ones. Just worried they somehow haven't got to the Sheffield office that say they will make a decision documents or no documents. Why on earth would they go from NZ to Sydney. Thanks

londoner007

It means the VFS at Sydney did the scanning which would then have been uploaded as a PDF to Sheffield. Dont worry its all in process and you will get your decision soon. We tend to stress and worry about things out of our hands / and the unknown but rest assured your application is in motion since you've got a note saying docs been scanned.

Pogo

Phew. Thanks so much. I just thought is was odd it went to Sydney, but you've put my mind at rest a bit there.

If only Sheffield would also email to say they have received them, instead of telling you they haven't then leaving you wondering if they ever did after that!

prospect

I did spouse visa in Australia but not in Sydney or Melbourne and I had to send everything to Sydney to be scanned. I got a similar email just after my biometrics (that appt triggered the email) saying the same thing about needing to send docs thru to Sheffield. I also found it hard not getting a follow email to say the docs had arrived in Sheffield or Sydney... but no, we heard nothing. Good luck.

Pogo

Thank you yeah we got that initial email after the bio appt to tell us to send them off. But then we got another a week or so later saying they hadn't received them yet. That's the one that triggered all the anxiety

Pogo

Argh! Help!

Update: so we emailed the UKVI enquiries email (the one that you have to pay for) to double check everything got to where it needed to. They told us we should have sent it to the Auckland private bag address that we did send it to, and requested sooo much information, wevery little detail of the application and also when and where we sent things, emails from UKVI, everything. Gave them everything they asked for. They replied with this...

"Thank you for contacting UK Visas and Immigration International Contact Centre.


With regards to your enquiry about your documents.


The appendix and all supporting documents should be sent by the sponsor or applicant to:


Settlement Applications, International Operations and Visas

PO Box 5852

Sheffield

United Kingdom

S11 0FX



Send your passport and application form separately to the Auckland address below.


UK Visas and Immigration

Private Bag 115–770

Shortland Street

Auckland

1140


I also escalate your case to the department.


Please note that the onus is upon individual customers to ensure that they satisfy the requirements set out in the guidance material. The guidance material accompanies each and every application form. UK Visa and Immigration is not able to give, indicate or advise upon the outcome of any such application prior to it being given full and careful consideration.

Directing you to the guidance material is the only advice we can give you. If you need any further help you should seek independent immigration advice.


Regards,"

THIS CONTRADICTS EVERYTHING WE WERE TOLD ON THE WEBSITE, APPLICATION, BIOMETRIC EMAIL, AND THEIR PREVIOUS EMAIL TO US ABOUT WHERE TO SEND THE SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS!

Ancestry isn't a 'settlement visa' is it? Now I'm really confused. And really furious because it feels like UKVI enquiries just took our money then didn't read the actual information we sent!! They are being no help at all. And I'm terrified because those 5 working days we were told the decision makers needed the documents by is now up.

londoner007

UKVI enquiries is a third party company so they cant tell if documents have been received within Sheffield.

When they say they will escalate it, it means they will ask Sheffield to respond, which they may or may not. If it has been scanned and you have a receipt you have nothing to worry about.

Pogo

Thanks so much for your response. It brings some peace of mind. I wish they wouldn't give us wrong (I hope?!) information about where we should have sent them in this latest email though - it just causes worry!

londoner007

UKVI enquiries is just a call centre with limited access to data, they are outsourced an not part of homeoffice. I wouldn't worry if you already have a receipt from the day your docs were scanned.

Pogo

Thank you so much for the reassurance. I really appreciate it. The only receipt we have is that note they sent, but that should be enough. Just gonna have to keep taking deeeep breaths until we here back.

londoner007

Hang in there and you will get your positive outcome.

When things are out of our hands / sight, when we become very stressed. Be rest assured that with every hardship there is an ease, and the taste of ease is so sweeeet. :0)

Pogo

Visa came! Flights booked already. Thank you for the advice, and especially reassurance. So appreciated.