work permit has expired passport number -- problem for entry clearance?

Thanks for implying I'm a numpty, Victoria. I can't imagine how I would feel about that if, like the Australian, I or my employer had been paying for your services. I will rest my case by saying that I read the information provided by the Home Office very carefully, and recall finding nothing that explicitly or implicitly suggests one ought not to renew one's passport between the time an application is filed and the time entry clearance is granted. I think that I am a reasonably intelligent and well-travelled person, etc., and if this information was not obvious to me, then it isn't likely to be obvious to a great many other people in my situation. Hence my suggestion that the UK Home Office is derelict for not making the information more easily available. Really, how hard could it be for them to write up a simple, straightforward and comprehensive 'how to' guide? (Think of all the questions that are asked on this forum that would never have to be asked.)

This point is well taken!  Well put too.  

We need to put this gap before their webmasters so that they can find the right place on the UKBA site to put this warning.  "Persephone" is speaking with them tomorrow on behalf of UKY, and we'll ask her to add this in to UKY's issues.  And if they can't progress it, I'll take it up with stakeholders.

Keep them ideas flowing peeps

Retro, I am sorry, I did not mean to imply that you were a numpty - you did a sensible thing in renewing your passport to alleviate future problems and have been an unfortunate victim of a lack of information.  I had a friendly relationship with my other client, who, as I say, managed to 'lose' his passport...a totally different scenario.

I would say in your position see if you can get a repsonse from the ECO - as you still have the old passport he may have some leeway.  If he says no, get the employers to make a new application, asking for exceptional urgent treatment, and hope that this doesn't take the 2 months that most applications are now.

Apols once again.

Vicky

I was just going through the WP form on Home office site. It says specify the the passpot number (If Known)... does it not indicate that it is optional?

Isn't this on the form from the EMPLOYER to fill out?  In other words, if the employer is applying for a work permit for someone, they might not know the applicant's passport number (form WP)

http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/workingintheuk/tier2/workpermits/workpermitarrangements/businessandcommercialworkpermits/

But in the form for the visa that the work permit holder fills out, I thought it quite clearly has a section for passport information (the old VAF2, or the online form)

http://www.ukvisas.gov.uk/en/howtoapply/infs/inf13workpermitholders#Q11

Thanks Vicky. I'm sorry for sounding harsh. This is just really upsetting news, especially as I have resigned my job here in Canada and am supposed to start teaching for the term that begins Oct. 7. I also do find the Home Office website does not structure the presentation of information as well as it could. For instance, when one goes to the 'work permits' section of the website, and clicks on the part that says 'work permit holders', which says it is to provide information for the holders of work permits, there isn't anything that indicates a WP holder has to apply for entry clearance, and there is no link to visa services. In fact, the only mention of entry clearance under the 'for WP holders section' is in the sub-section that mentions dependants, and even there the link for 'entry clearance' is dead.)

Regarding the passport number problem: I just looked at the Home Office "Guidance for Employers" document and it seems to say that work permits can be reprinted for errors or omissions that are not central to the consideration of the work permit. (So, for instance, one can fix the spelling of a name or a "mistyped passport number", but not the salary, or duration of the permit, or place of employment.) In my situation the passport number wasn't mistyped, of course, but it seems to be a similar kind of change. Maybe my employer should try this first.

Regarding the ECO....I thought it wasn't possible to talk to these people in person (I have to apply online, and for contact information am given the worldbridge number). Am I missing something? Is there a way to talk to the ECO directly prior to putting in and paying for an application?

thanks again, everyone.

retrobolted.

I just called the High Commission in Ottawa, and was told that entry clearance officers don't take any inquiries, by any means (phone, fax, email, letter). "Everything has been outsourced", the person on the other end of the line said, with a tone that suggested she considers this some kind of accomplishment.

retrobolted.

Regarding the passport number problem: I just looked at the Home Office "Guidance for Employers" document and it seems to say that work permits can be reprinted for errors or omissions that are not central to the consideration of the work permit. (So, for instance, one can fix the spelling of a name or a "mistyped passport number", but not the salary, or duration of the permit, or place of employment.) In my situation the passport number wasn't mistyped, of course, but it seems to be a similar kind of change. Maybe my employer should try this first.

Anything's worth a try!!

I just called the High Commission in Ottawa, and was told that entry clearance officers don't take any inquiries, by any means (phone, fax, email, letter). "Everything has been outsourced", the person on the other end of the line said, with a tone that suggested she considers this some kind of accomplishment.

It *IS* an accomplishment! 

I'm proud to have played a role in bringing it about.   And the last time we met, I praised them for it.

I hope that's ok.  It's the immigrants who benefit from it.

That's an interesting perspective. I guess I'm just nostalgic for the days when gov't services were offered by gov't employees and citizens and soon-to-be taxpayers didn't have to pay very expensive per-minute rates for finding out basic information.

There are still teething problems like the one you're having. 

They will get sorted by the end of the year and there will be a direct pipeline into the cognizant post for documentation issues only.

Ring-fencing the ECO's from the outside world may have its drawbacks, but it is a vast improvement over the nightmarish chaos that was happening previously. 

This was brought about from the advocacy side.

I can see how it must have some advantages, esp. in dividing labour up so that ECOs aren't dealing with every dumb inquiry.

Not so much a division of labour, but the totally wrong skill sets.  ECO's are trained to make decisions, not to give advice; and when they try to give advice the results are unfailingly abysmal, no matter how well intended.

Be thankful you didn't have to live through the first attempt, which was a globally visible disaster called "Abtran".  In that era you paid money to listen to them make up advice out of the blue.  That's not hyperbole either.  We have lots of veterans at UKY who lived through that era.

They just dreamed stuff up and you paid for it.     That was a small, but unsatisfactory,  improvement on ECO's engaging the general public giving random advice to any random caller while people's applications waited.

So we all have a right to be proud of what has evolved.  Not perfect, but we'll keep hammering away until it's right.

Retrobolted, I mentioned the lack of information about renewal of passports while applying for a work permit to a person with UKBA that I was asking a few other questions of.  I pointed out what a difficult position this can put people in and how stressful it can be when full information is not put on the website.  Hopefully this will help pave the way for others who may follow in your foot steps. 

Well, the ECO can be corresponded with.  Things like this do not go via worldbridge.  Get a fax number from the website and give it a go.

With regard to getting a reprint, that is usually only where the Home Office have made a mistake.

Vicky

Final Update (hopefully helpful to anyone else in this situation):

I tracked down the name of the head of consular and visa affairs at the High Commission in Ottawa and emailed him. He confirmed that the passport number on the work permit _does not need to match_ one's current passport -- all that matters is that the Entry Clearance Officer be satisfied that the work permit was issued to the person submitting the visa application. The easiest way to do this is to include the old passport, which bears the number that is printed on the work permit, with a note explaining the situation.

This is what I did, and I got entry clearance for my partner and I in three days. There was a note in my passport advising me to carry both passports when I cross the border.

I am certainly happy that I didn't apply for a work permit again from the beginning.

Brilliant.

Thought FURIOUS that not every ECO takes this sensible approach.


Vicky