UK spouse visa appointment bad experience - Singapore
Dec 11th 2018, 1:47 pm
#1
Just Joined
Thread Starter
Joined: Oct 2018
Posts: 14
UK spouse visa appointment bad experience - Singapore
Hello
My wife had her UK spouse visa appointment at VFS Singapore today – it wasn’t a pleasant experience. I am sharing below to see if anyone else has had a similar experience and for others applying in the future with a similar scenario.
Firstly I (sponsor) was not allowed to accompany my wife into the VFS office for the appointment.
The visa and appointment emails received had stated all supporting documents were to be taken to the appointment – however only the application reference number from the appointment email plus the prepared full photocopy of my wife’s passport (to use the ‘Keep My Passport When Applying’ service – see below) was seen/checked by the representative.
When booking the appointment online we had tried to purchase the ‘Keep My Passport When Applying’ premium service but it was not listed as being available for our application reference. The only options were ‘Priority Settlement Visa’, ‘SMS Service’, ‘Walk in without Appointment’ and ‘Application and Document Checks’. So we purchased the ‘Priority Settlement Visa’, ‘SMS Service’ and ‘Application and Document Checks’ with the intention of buying the ‘Keep My Passport When Applying’ service during the appointment. But my wife was told during the appointment that she cannot have both the ‘Priority Settlement Visa’ and ‘Keep My Passport When Applying’ services on the same application. So given my wife cannot be without her passport for 2 to 3 months, she had to revert to standard priority to keep hold of her passport.
I can understand why this would be the case for visit and other non-settlement visas where the processing time is typically a few weeks (or less for priority). But since settlement visas seem to be typically processed in a couple of months (or more) even with priority, it seems a strange rule. Has anyone else experienced this? I have seen posts from other users who have used both priority and keep their passport services although they were from different VFS application centres.
Then apparently because my wife was no longer doing the ‘priority settlement visa’ the representative said it would not be possible to use the ‘Application and Document Checks’ service. Logically this seemed odd because in both cases we would need to send the docs to Sheffield ourselves afterwards. Whether it is priority or not should not make any difference. Also on their website we had purchased ‘Application and Document Checks’ a few days before ‘priority settlement visa’. So they didn’t seem to be linked / conditional. Very frustrating.
Has anyone else experienced similar?
Prior to the appointment, last week my wife and then me on a separate days tried to visit the VFS office to ask questions (printed out) about these premium services and using them in combination but were refused entry. On my visit I was told by the security guard that all visas including settlement had the documents scanned at the office. He also said not to worry and that the passport can be kept by the applicant even with priority visa. Unfortunately as explained above the information he gave me was incorrect. Prior to attempting the office visit I had also sent the same questions to [email protected] (email found on the forum) but did not get a reply. There is no phone number or email contact listed on the website or the front door of their office (incidentally there is for New Zealand, Canada and Australia visas which are processed in the same office by them). All very very frustrating.
On the positive side they did agree to refund the fees paid for both of the unused services, in 28 working days.
My wife had her UK spouse visa appointment at VFS Singapore today – it wasn’t a pleasant experience. I am sharing below to see if anyone else has had a similar experience and for others applying in the future with a similar scenario.
Firstly I (sponsor) was not allowed to accompany my wife into the VFS office for the appointment.
The visa and appointment emails received had stated all supporting documents were to be taken to the appointment – however only the application reference number from the appointment email plus the prepared full photocopy of my wife’s passport (to use the ‘Keep My Passport When Applying’ service – see below) was seen/checked by the representative.
When booking the appointment online we had tried to purchase the ‘Keep My Passport When Applying’ premium service but it was not listed as being available for our application reference. The only options were ‘Priority Settlement Visa’, ‘SMS Service’, ‘Walk in without Appointment’ and ‘Application and Document Checks’. So we purchased the ‘Priority Settlement Visa’, ‘SMS Service’ and ‘Application and Document Checks’ with the intention of buying the ‘Keep My Passport When Applying’ service during the appointment. But my wife was told during the appointment that she cannot have both the ‘Priority Settlement Visa’ and ‘Keep My Passport When Applying’ services on the same application. So given my wife cannot be without her passport for 2 to 3 months, she had to revert to standard priority to keep hold of her passport.
I can understand why this would be the case for visit and other non-settlement visas where the processing time is typically a few weeks (or less for priority). But since settlement visas seem to be typically processed in a couple of months (or more) even with priority, it seems a strange rule. Has anyone else experienced this? I have seen posts from other users who have used both priority and keep their passport services although they were from different VFS application centres.
Then apparently because my wife was no longer doing the ‘priority settlement visa’ the representative said it would not be possible to use the ‘Application and Document Checks’ service. Logically this seemed odd because in both cases we would need to send the docs to Sheffield ourselves afterwards. Whether it is priority or not should not make any difference. Also on their website we had purchased ‘Application and Document Checks’ a few days before ‘priority settlement visa’. So they didn’t seem to be linked / conditional. Very frustrating.
Has anyone else experienced similar?
Prior to the appointment, last week my wife and then me on a separate days tried to visit the VFS office to ask questions (printed out) about these premium services and using them in combination but were refused entry. On my visit I was told by the security guard that all visas including settlement had the documents scanned at the office. He also said not to worry and that the passport can be kept by the applicant even with priority visa. Unfortunately as explained above the information he gave me was incorrect. Prior to attempting the office visit I had also sent the same questions to [email protected] (email found on the forum) but did not get a reply. There is no phone number or email contact listed on the website or the front door of their office (incidentally there is for New Zealand, Canada and Australia visas which are processed in the same office by them). All very very frustrating.
On the positive side they did agree to refund the fees paid for both of the unused services, in 28 working days.
Dec 13th 2018, 10:30 am
#2
Just Joined
Joined: Jun 2018
Posts: 29
Re: UK spouse visa appointment bad experience - Singapore
Hello
My wife had her UK spouse visa appointment at VFS Singapore today – it wasn’t a pleasant experience. I am sharing below to see if anyone else has had a similar experience and for others applying in the future with a similar scenario.
Firstly I (sponsor) was not allowed to accompany my wife into the VFS office for the appointment.
The visa and appointment emails received had stated all supporting documents were to be taken to the appointment – however only the application reference number from the appointment email plus the prepared full photocopy of my wife’s passport (to use the ‘Keep My Passport When Applying’ service – see below) was seen/checked by the representative.
When booking the appointment online we had tried to purchase the ‘Keep My Passport When Applying’ premium service but it was not listed as being available for our application reference. The only options were ‘Priority Settlement Visa’, ‘SMS Service’, ‘Walk in without Appointment’ and ‘Application and Document Checks’. So we purchased the ‘Priority Settlement Visa’, ‘SMS Service’ and ‘Application and Document Checks’ with the intention of buying the ‘Keep My Passport When Applying’ service during the appointment. But my wife was told during the appointment that she cannot have both the ‘Priority Settlement Visa’ and ‘Keep My Passport When Applying’ services on the same application. So given my wife cannot be without her passport for 2 to 3 months, she had to revert to standard priority to keep hold of her passport.
I can understand why this would be the case for visit and other non-settlement visas where the processing time is typically a few weeks (or less for priority). But since settlement visas seem to be typically processed in a couple of months (or more) even with priority, it seems a strange rule. Has anyone else experienced this? I have seen posts from other users who have used both priority and keep their passport services although they were from different VFS application centres.
Then apparently because my wife was no longer doing the ‘priority settlement visa’ the representative said it would not be possible to use the ‘Application and Document Checks’ service. Logically this seemed odd because in both cases we would need to send the docs to Sheffield ourselves afterwards. Whether it is priority or not should not make any difference. Also on their website we had purchased ‘Application and Document Checks’ a few days before ‘priority settlement visa’. So they didn’t seem to be linked / conditional. Very frustrating.
Has anyone else experienced similar?
Prior to the appointment, last week my wife and then me on a separate days tried to visit the VFS office to ask questions (printed out) about these premium services and using them in combination but were refused entry. On my visit I was told by the security guard that all visas including settlement had the documents scanned at the office. He also said not to worry and that the passport can be kept by the applicant even with priority visa. Unfortunately as explained above the information he gave me was incorrect. Prior to attempting the office visit I had also sent the same questions to [email protected] (email found on the forum) but did not get a reply. There is no phone number or email contact listed on the website or the front door of their office (incidentally there is for New Zealand, Canada and Australia visas which are processed in the same office by them). All very very frustrating.
On the positive side they did agree to refund the fees paid for both of the unused services, in 28 working days.
My wife had her UK spouse visa appointment at VFS Singapore today – it wasn’t a pleasant experience. I am sharing below to see if anyone else has had a similar experience and for others applying in the future with a similar scenario.
Firstly I (sponsor) was not allowed to accompany my wife into the VFS office for the appointment.
The visa and appointment emails received had stated all supporting documents were to be taken to the appointment – however only the application reference number from the appointment email plus the prepared full photocopy of my wife’s passport (to use the ‘Keep My Passport When Applying’ service – see below) was seen/checked by the representative.
When booking the appointment online we had tried to purchase the ‘Keep My Passport When Applying’ premium service but it was not listed as being available for our application reference. The only options were ‘Priority Settlement Visa’, ‘SMS Service’, ‘Walk in without Appointment’ and ‘Application and Document Checks’. So we purchased the ‘Priority Settlement Visa’, ‘SMS Service’ and ‘Application and Document Checks’ with the intention of buying the ‘Keep My Passport When Applying’ service during the appointment. But my wife was told during the appointment that she cannot have both the ‘Priority Settlement Visa’ and ‘Keep My Passport When Applying’ services on the same application. So given my wife cannot be without her passport for 2 to 3 months, she had to revert to standard priority to keep hold of her passport.
I can understand why this would be the case for visit and other non-settlement visas where the processing time is typically a few weeks (or less for priority). But since settlement visas seem to be typically processed in a couple of months (or more) even with priority, it seems a strange rule. Has anyone else experienced this? I have seen posts from other users who have used both priority and keep their passport services although they were from different VFS application centres.
Then apparently because my wife was no longer doing the ‘priority settlement visa’ the representative said it would not be possible to use the ‘Application and Document Checks’ service. Logically this seemed odd because in both cases we would need to send the docs to Sheffield ourselves afterwards. Whether it is priority or not should not make any difference. Also on their website we had purchased ‘Application and Document Checks’ a few days before ‘priority settlement visa’. So they didn’t seem to be linked / conditional. Very frustrating.
Has anyone else experienced similar?
Prior to the appointment, last week my wife and then me on a separate days tried to visit the VFS office to ask questions (printed out) about these premium services and using them in combination but were refused entry. On my visit I was told by the security guard that all visas including settlement had the documents scanned at the office. He also said not to worry and that the passport can be kept by the applicant even with priority visa. Unfortunately as explained above the information he gave me was incorrect. Prior to attempting the office visit I had also sent the same questions to [email protected] (email found on the forum) but did not get a reply. There is no phone number or email contact listed on the website or the front door of their office (incidentally there is for New Zealand, Canada and Australia visas which are processed in the same office by them). All very very frustrating.
On the positive side they did agree to refund the fees paid for both of the unused services, in 28 working days.
i applied from Singapore too and honestly they are not very knowledgeable at all. I got the document check service as well but it was pointless. They just ticked off based on a list the security guard will give you. It's not thorough and a waste of money. My visa was approved and I used a lawyer and this site to confirm my documents were correct.
Dec 13th 2018, 11:00 am
#3
Concierge
Joined: Jan 2013
Location: Western Australia
Posts: 21,139
Re: UK spouse visa appointment bad experience - Singapore
To be fair, the info your wife was given at the visa centre is available on the VFS Singapore website but not everyone knows that and it can be a bit tricky to find. Fingers crossed for a successful visa application for your wife.
Dec 13th 2018, 11:21 am
#4
Just Joined
Thread Starter
Joined: Oct 2018
Posts: 14
Re: UK spouse visa appointment bad experience - Singapore
Thanks for the replies.
Once the process is over I shall log specific feedback to VFS and the home office in the hope they improve the question form, process and their email communications.
Once the process is over I shall log specific feedback to VFS and the home office in the hope they improve the question form, process and their email communications.
