AnnF

Hi guys!

I’m Andrea from Colombia, I’m writing this post to help each other with some questions/issues that all of us ask ourselves EVERY SINGLE DAY with the emails that we recieve updating us to know about the visa!

This is my case: Always that I apply for a UK visa through VFS GLOBAL the British embassy in Bogotá send me 3 emails.

1st one says they recieve my documents.

2nd one says that an officer is checking my case.

3rd one is to deliver my passport to my home through DHL.



BUT now that they are sending ALL cases to Sheffield I recieved an email that says “your visa now is in consideration by an Entry Clearance Officer...I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF...you recieve an email again form Sheffield office? or from VFS global? or the British embassy from the country you applied from?

I’m asking this because on the email says “A further email will be sent to you to confirm when your application has been assessed and dispatched. If your application was made in a Visa Application Centre, the staff there will contact you when your documents are ready”... I’m a little bit confuse so I would appreciate if any of you that already received an answer knows from where will come the further email ?

Thank you in advance!

Invisible

Hi Andrea,

Immediately after completing the online application I received an email confirming the application had been initiated and a reference number.

Immediately after biometrics were taken I received a text message on phone saying the application had been initiated and to send documents to Sheffield.

When documents were returned from Sheffield there was a letter with them stating the application was being processed and someone would contact me via email if more information was needed.

That was the last contact I had. Now on working day 61 since online application made.

AnnF

Hi there,

Thank you very much for your answer!

For me was “quite” the same all emails confirming all the process has started... just that I applied through VFS global a company who’s in charge of recieving all documents and passport and take biometrics.

After 16 days of biometrics I recieved one email saying they are checking my case and could take up to 12 weeks. Now I’m on day 43 form biometrics!

Please let me know from where will you recieve the further email that they mentioned when they send it to you! (Sorry for my bad English) hope you understand all I say... thank you very much!

AnnF.

Invisible

I sent my documents to Sheffield and when the documents were sent back to me it had a letter with it saying the application can take 12 weeks and if they need anything they will email.

My biometrics were taken on 4th January, I have not heard anything else from them.

I think the next email should be a 'decision made' email but not sure if it comes from VFS or UK Immigration. I have read on this forum that many people do not receive any email and the passport has just arrived in the post!

AnnF

Yes, I read it that too on other blogs! I’ll let you know if I receive any email in the future.

Thanks again for all your answers!

Invisible

I will do the same. Good luck Andrea!

Invisible

Andrea, I received an email from Sheffield on Friday morning saying my application was with a decision maker.

Today I received an email from VFS saying processed application has been received and passport will be sent to my address.

AnnF

Thanks again for your answers and support.

On what day did u recieve your passport?

Invisible

Haven't received it yet. Waiting for it in the post.

AnnF

Yes, they told you today that is ready to deliver on day 65!

I’m glad for you!

Wallison

Hi guys. I applied from Brazil and our lawyer choose to send the supporting documents to Sheffield. I wasn’t sure about it as there is a decision making center in Bogota and here in Brazil they use to scan the supporting documents at the VFS to Bogota! ANYWAY WE DECIDED TO SENT TO SHEFFIELD. But after that I got panicked... so my wife emailed and called so many times The immigration call center and every single phone call or by email they said that the decision making center for settlement visa is SHEFFIELD for every single country. Im scared because I don’t know if we sent the supporting documents to the wrong place.... So few days ago after 2 weeks I received an email from Sheffield answering my email questioning about my documents (as I didn’t received one single email from Sheffield) follow their answer below



Dear Sir / Madam

Regarding Visa Application: <<<SNIP>>>

Thank you for your enquiry
I can confirm we have received the documents for this application in the decision making centre here in Sheffield. They have been passed to the relevant enrty clearence team and a decision will be made in due course. You will be notified once a decision has been made.
If you have any further enquiries, please visit our website at www.GOV.UK

Kind Regards
RM
UKVI Contact Centre Service - UK Decision Making Centre www.GOV.UK



I’m sorry for the long message I’m still scared about it because I haven’t find anything in anywhere about any change. And they (call center) use to give the wrong information.

Do you guys know anything about the decision making center in Bogota? Still working or they are really sending to (DMC) in SHEFFIELD!!
Thanks again guys any help will be appreciate

AnnF

Hi Wallison!

All i know is that after May 2017 the decision making center in Bogota start to send all the settlement applications to Sheffield. I applied through VFS I didn’t know about the new system (you have to scan all the support documents) so I had to paid them to do it for me. I think is just when you use VFS, other people just post all their documents to the Sheffield address. VFS told me that non priority could take up to 60 working days and priority 30 working days.

After 16 days of my biometrics i recieved just 1 email saying “Your online application has been received at the UK Decision Making Centre. Your application is currently being prepared for consideration by an Entry Clearance Officer.” That’a the only email I had recieved from that office.

I hope this answer your concerns.
Boa sorte!

Ann.

Wallison

HI there,

Thank you for answering me!
Can you tell me where did you get this information from? I mean it’s so strange as my friend who is also Brazilian applied for his settlement spouse visa at VFS in September 2017 and they scanned all supporting documents from him and he got emails from Bogota decision making center. When have you guys applied for your settlement spouse visa? Both of you are from Colombia?

Good luck for all of us!

spouse of scouse

VFS Global in Bogota is a visa application centre, not a decision making centre. Your application will be decided in Sheffield, by an entry clearance officer. The Bogota visa application centre has introduced a scanning service for supporting documents, according to their web page https://www.vfsglobal.co.uk/colombia..._to_apply.html

VFS Global in Brazil has also introduced the scanning service http://www.vfsglobal.co.uk/brazil/en..._to_apply.html

As you've been notified that Sheffield has received your documents, and that they've been passed to an entry clearance team, I don't think you have anything to worry about.

AnnF

Hi! I got the information from VFS Bogotá office when I applied in January, last year a friend from Medellin (other city from Colombia) applied and took her 8 days to get her spouse visa ( for that reason I didn't pay priority) but when they were scanning my documents they told me : “now all settlement visas are being process at Sheffield office”.

As far as i know last year was a total chaos for Sheffield recieveing all settlement visas and they got lots of delays so I think the contact every “decision making center “ to give them the permission to check some settlement visas while they recover from all those delays (that’s what I think could happen) .... a couple from Mexico wrote on this blog about their timeline and they recieved all emails from Bogota and they applied in Dicember.

I’m from Bogotá. Invisible is from Thailand She sent all her documents to Sheffield and recieved an answer in 65 working days!

Praying for all of us! X