Priority visa service

Old Feb 22nd 2017, 11:28 am
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Default Priority visa service

Hi everybody,

My wife has applied for a visa to come and live with me in the UK. She is a New Zealand resident. She has been to the biometric appointment.

We want to pay extra for the visa priority service, and we did so via the VFS website. However, the website is not clear. We chose marriage for visa type and paid $NZ273. We have a document to print out and take to the biometric appointment, which my wife did. The document says we have paid the priority processing fee for a non-settlement visa.

Now I think I should have chosen Settlement visa not Marriage visa from the website.

Does anybody know whether we have made a mistake, and if so how to fix it? We haven't posted the application and documents yet.

Another issue is that when you choose settlement visa from the options the charge is over $NZ800. That doesn't correlate to £360, unless VPS is using the incorrect exchange rate (which wouldn't surprise me, as more profit for them).

Thanks,
Andrew
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Old Feb 22nd 2017, 11:51 am
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Default Re: Priority visa service

Originally Posted by andrewgibson
Hi everybody,

My wife has applied for a visa to come and live with me in the UK. She is a New Zealand resident. She has been to the biometric appointment.

We want to pay extra for the visa priority service, and we did so via the VFS website. However, the website is not clear. We chose marriage for visa type and paid $NZ273. We have a document to print out and take to the biometric appointment, which my wife did. The document says we have paid the priority processing fee for a non-settlement visa.

Now I think I should have chosen Settlement visa not Marriage visa from the website.

Does anybody know whether we have made a mistake, and if so how to fix it? We haven't posted the application and documents yet.

Another issue is that when you choose settlement visa from the options the charge is over $NZ800. That doesn't correlate to £360, unless VPS is using the incorrect exchange rate (which wouldn't surprise me, as more profit for them).

Thanks,
Andrew
Now you think right. It seems that you're already married. No comment on the $NZ, is VFS an agency?
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Old Feb 22nd 2017, 11:55 am
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Default Re: Priority visa service

Unless things have changed, as long as you have not attended the appointment to enrol biometrics, you can cancel your application and biometric appointment and reapply using the correct category. You should be refunded the application fee.
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Old Feb 22nd 2017, 3:16 pm
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Default Re: Priority visa service

Originally Posted by andrewgibson
Hi everybody,

My wife has applied for a visa to come and live with me in the UK. She is a New Zealand resident. She has been to the biometric appointment.

We want to pay extra for the visa priority service, and we did so via the VFS website. However, the website is not clear. We chose marriage for visa type and paid $NZ273. We have a document to print out and take to the biometric appointment, which my wife did. The document says we have paid the priority processing fee for a non-settlement visa.

Now I think I should have chosen Settlement visa not Marriage visa from the website.

Does anybody know whether we have made a mistake, and if so how to fix it? We haven't posted the application and documents yet.

Another issue is that when you choose settlement visa from the options the charge is over $NZ800. That doesn't correlate to £360, unless VPS is using the incorrect exchange rate (which wouldn't surprise me, as more profit for them).

Thanks,
Andrew
Hi Andrew, I'm sorry but I find your post a little confusing (probably just me!)

Are you a UK citizen? Is your wife a NZ citizen?

Has your wife attended her biometrics appointment or not? From what you've written she has, but then you mention that you haven't posted the application or documents yet. Unless it's radically different in NZ to Australia, your printed application and documents are taken from you at the biometrics appointment - they send them, not you.

If you're a UK citizen and your wife a NZ citizen, and she intended applying for a visa to enable her to live with you in the UK, then she has indeed applied for the wrong visa. She needed to apply for a Family of a Settled Person visa - https://www.gov.uk/join-family-in-uk/overview

I don't know how to correct this sorry. If Brit in Paris or someone else with the knowledge sees your post I'm sure they will offer advice.

With regards to 'VPS', do you mean VFS Global? That's the name of the company contracted by the UK to process visas.

Last edited by spouse of scouse; Feb 22nd 2017 at 3:39 pm.
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Old Feb 22nd 2017, 5:56 pm
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Default Re: Priority visa service

My wife is a NZ resident, I'm a UK citizen. She has applied for the correct visa and attended her biometrics appointment. They don't take the papers from you in NZ – they give you an address to send them to and you have to do it yourself.

She's applied for the correct visa. What's gone wrong is paying for the priority processing service. We chose the wrong option from the available list and have paid for the priority processing service for a non-settlement marriage visa, not a settlement visa, which costs more money.

That's the problem we're trying to solve.
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Old Feb 22nd 2017, 6:05 pm
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Default Re: Priority visa service

Originally Posted by andrewgibson
My wife is a NZ resident, I'm a UK citizen. She has applied for the correct visa and attended her biometrics appointment. They don't take the papers from you in NZ – they give you an address to send them to and you have to do it yourself.

She's applied for the correct visa. What's gone wrong is paying for the priority processing service. We chose the wrong option from the available list and have paid for the priority processing service for a non-settlement marriage visa, not a settlement visa, which costs more money.

That's the problem we're trying to solve.
Ah, clear now, thanks. Hopefully someone who knows the answer will be along soon.
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Old Feb 23rd 2017, 7:56 am
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Default Re: Priority visa service

I would suggest contacting VFS Global as they are the third party service provider. In theory they should be able to refund your fee and you can pay again for the priority service since this is separate from the VAC you paid. Given that 80% of applications lodged in Auckland are processed within 15 working days I would suggest it may not be worth paying again by the time the situation is resolved as the visa is likely to have been issued or about to be issued.
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Old Feb 23rd 2017, 10:08 am
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Default Re: Priority visa service

Do you know how to contact VFS Global? There are no contact details on their website and phone numbers I find online for them don't seem to work. I also can't refund the transaction online. They give you an option to do so, but it doesn't recognise the GWF number.

Good point about 80% of applications being processed in 15 working days. We wanted to pay extra so my wife doesn't have to spend longer in Auckland than she has to (she flew there to apply for the visa), but maybe it's best to forget about the priority service and keep our fingers crossed.
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Old Feb 23rd 2017, 8:05 pm
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Default Re: Priority visa service

Originally Posted by andrewgibson
Do you know how to contact VFS Global? There are no contact details on their website and phone numbers I find online for them don't seem to work. I also can't refund the transaction online. They give you an option to do so, but it doesn't recognise the GWF number.

Good point about 80% of applications being processed in 15 working days. We wanted to pay extra so my wife doesn't have to spend longer in Auckland than she has to (she flew there to apply for the visa), but maybe it's best to forget about the priority service and keep our fingers crossed.
I don't, sorry.
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