Can you advise? Missed deadline, plus errors!

Hello,

I am grateful to have found this forum! What a resource. I am always amazed and impressed that experts (and other folks with experience) are willing to devote so much time to helping others on forums such as this.

I could use some advice on my application for a spouse visa to join my husband in the UK. I'm a US citizen applying from Washington, DC. We hope to live in Cambridge, but I may have messed things up irretrievably in attempting to obtain a visa!

My husband moved (back) to the UK 2 weeks ago, with a new job offer, but I have remained behind to deal with selling our house and many other boring details. And to obtain my visa.

But in the mess of activities surrounding selling a house and moving--which --you all know so well--I missed the deadline to submit my application package following my biometrics appointment!

(At first, I didn't even know there was a deadline. But I also thought I could apply for a settlement visa in person in Washington DC, which shows you how distracted I've been, as I'm normally much more careful about reading instructions.)

Anyway, I've read so many immigration documents that I'm no longer sure whether it's 15 days or 5 days, and whether they're business days or not, but I've missed it. My biometrics appointment was on June 22, so 5 business days would have been June 29; 15 would have been July 13. I won't be able to mail it until Monday July 18 (UPS priority through vfs global).

How serious is this? Will my application still be accepted? Should I redo my biometrics or take some other steps to rectify this?

Many thanks in advance for your advice!

(I also have a question about the application, which I'll pose in a separate post.)

Welcome to the forum .

Anyway, I've read so many immigration documents that I'm no longer sure whether it's 15 days or 5 days, and whether they're business days or not, but I've missed it. My biometrics appointment was on June 22, so 5 business days would have been June 29; 15 would have been July 13. I won't be able to mail it until Monday July 18 (UPS priority through vfs global).

It's 5 calendar days. So, if your biometrics was 22 June, your deadline to mail the documents was 27 June.

The old deadline was 14 calendar days, but this changed to 5 days in September 2015. So, even if it was still 14 days, your deadline would have been 5 July.

See here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/usa-apply-for-a-uk-visa/apply-for-a-uk-visa-in-the-usa#post-your-application

How serious is this? Will my application still be accepted? Should I redo my biometrics or take some other steps to rectify this?

It's a tricky one, as I'm not sure what happens if you miss the deadline.

You can't redo the biometrics without starting from scratch with a whole new visa application, which means losing all the money you paid for it and paying again (though you should be able to get a refund of the £600 IHS surcharge/not pay it again). Other than the IHS surcharge, once you have given biometrics, you can no longer get a refund of the visa fee.

I'm inclined to suggest that you mail the documents anyway and hope for the best. If the visa is refused, then you'll just have to apply again. If it's approved, then you haven't lost anything.

Are you not able to mail it today or tomorrow? It could then arrive in Sheffield early next week, rather than late next week.

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In regards to your other question, it would be helpful if you can create just one topic for all your questions, then everything will be together and we won't need to dig up multiple topics to remember what we've told you and what your visa situation is .

Hello again,

Thanks very much for this advice and the pointer to more information. Sending it ASAP and hoping for the best makes sense to me.

Should I mention this issue in my cover letter, or just ignore it?

(BTW, I only learned that there was a deadline for sending the materials when I eventually read my stamped Visa4UK Appointment Confirmation page. It still says 2 weeks! I wonder when they plan to correct this …)

My other question involves how I may have messed up the online application itself. I didn’t start this process early enough, figuring (stupidly) that it would be fairly easy and straightforward since I had done it before. (I lived in the UK with my husband, a UK national, from 2005 to 2007  on a spouse visa and an extension of stay. We have been in the US since then.) The online application even automatically populated some of the answers for me, if I recall correctly. So I figured they knew all about us, and would just need an update. (Silly me.)

What did I do? On June 18, I did an initial pass on filling out the online application (before gathering all my documents).  And then proceeded to hit “submit” instead of “save”!! I soon realized that I’d hit the wrong button, but thought that I could update the application later as needed. But no: it’s been set in stone, it appears, since being submitted.

The problem is that what I submitted instead of saved was just an initial pass; I had not yet gathered all the instructions or studied them carefully. So I’m having to make lots of corrections, but I read somewhere that they discourage writing on the printout itself. So I’ve used a yellow sticky note (taped down) to either modify a response or direct the officer to “Additional Information,” where I’ve attached additional sheets. My cover letter also describes what I’ve done.

The other problem is that it hasn’t been nearly as easy as I expected to figure out what documents I must submit, especially in the midst of moving, selling the house, etc. As a result, it’s now July 15 - a full 27 days since I accidentally submitted the online application.

So I have two questions:

(1) Is this the best approach for making corrections—taped notes plus mentioning them in my cover letter? I have no choice but to make the changes, but want to do so in the best and least annoying way.

(2) Am I correct that I have a month from submitting the online application to post my documents? Or does it have to ARRIVE in Sheffield by July 18? (Or some other date?)

Again, thank you very much for your advice! (And my apologies for the long posts. I promise to be more concise in the future )

(BTW, I only learned that there was a deadline for sending the materials when I eventually read my stamped Visa4UK Appointment Confirmation page. It still says 2 weeks! I wonder when they plan to correct this …)

Don't hold your breath, it can take ages for them to catch up with their own changes!

The problem is that what I submitted instead of saved was just an initial pass; I had
The other problem is that it hasn’t been nearly as easy as I expected to figure out what documents I must submit, especially in the midst of moving, selling the house, etc. As a result, it’s now July 15 - a full 27 days since I accidentally submitted the online application.

So I have two questions:

(1) Is this the best approach for making corrections—taped notes plus mentioning them in my cover letter? I have no choice but to make the changes, but want to do so in the best and least annoying way.

(2) Am I correct that I have a month from submitting the online application to post my documents? Or does it have to ARRIVE in Sheffield by July 18? (Or some other date?)

Again, thank you very much for your advice! (And my apologies for the long posts. I promise to be more concise in the future )

OK so it is perfectly fine to write your corrections on the printout of the online application. As I remember, it used to specifically state that on the website but that was revamped a couple of years ago and much of the useful information seems to have been lost.

Anyway yes to the  written corrections, no to the post its!

Regarding getting it to Sheffield, you really just need to get it there asap now, as ksand mentioned and keep fingers crossed.

Thanks. It does make more sense that you can write on the printout.

Will let you know what happens ....

Fingers crossed that they accept your application, I know how frustrating it is to make a mistake.

Ksand knows what she's talking about and always gives good advice. None of us has seen anyone post their documents this late before.

Oh my goodness you and I are in almost the exact same boat! I lived in the UK 2006-2009 and been in the US with my bro husband since as well. He also went back first for a new job, and I stayed behind to get my visa and get everything ready.

And I also assumed, like you, that it would easy since I did this before and was shocked to find out 1) it's not! 2) it's far more work than before 3)it's crazy expensive now. I don't understand why they can't just see we've done this before and ask for a few updated items of info. I totally get having to prove we can afford to live on our own, but the rest, really? Don't even get me started on the cost of it. It kind of feels like save for a visa, or save to buy an overpriced house. Although honestly after owning a house in the US I'm content to rent for awhile. 


I also posted my application late! I sent it out 15 days after biometrics. It arrived in Sheffield Thursday, the 14th. I've not heard anything yet, but I've not gotten a refund of my IHS so I'm going with 'no news is good news'!

I'm a few days ahead of you so I will update you as and when I know more, if it might help you.

I don't understand why they can't just see we've done this before and ask for a few updated items of info. I totally get having to prove we can afford to live on our own, but the rest, really?

And after that it all has to be done two more times during the process! 

I don't understand why they can't just see we've done this before and ask for a few updated items of info. I totally get having to prove we can afford to live on our own, but the rest, really? Don't even get me started on the cost of it. It kind of feels like save for a visa, or save to buy an overpriced house. Although honestly after owning a house in the US I'm content to rent for awhile. 

The thing is that they have introduced all these new rules in order to try to prevent as many people as possible who would have previously qualified for a visa from being able to qualify now.

The idea was that by introducing a higher financial threshold, higher fees and increasing the time to get to ILR, they would prevent about 45% of people who would have previously qualified for a visa from being able to qualify now.

So, they don't care at all that you were here before - as far as they are concerned, you have never lived in the UK before. Even if you have lived here before, that doesn't mean that you will be allowed to live here now.

So, they need to know that you meet the requirements NOW and that you have provided every single document in the exact specified format. If even one document is missing or doesn't meet the specification, they can refuse the visa.

Aeonix,

Oh my goodness is right! I will keep fingers and toes crossed for you; I am probably going to have to start over and pay the fee again, but hope you won't!

We also will be renting for the first 8 months or so while we look for a home to buy in Cambridge. Although thanks to my stupid mistake with the visa, and all the expenses involved in preparing a home for sale and selling it, we my have to rent for longer.

Will look forward to your updates.

The thing is that they have introduced all these new rules in order to try to prevent as many people as possible who would have previously qualified for a visa from being able to qualify now.

Well, that's depressing. I've obviously been too complacent about not only the ease of applying, but also the chances of success. 

Well, that's depressing. I've obviously been too complacent about not only the ease of applying, but also the chances of success. 

Don't get too down - approximately 95-98% of applications made in the US are approved, so as long as you meet the requirements, and have the right documents to show it, you WILL get the visa. It's just that you can't assume you will get it just because you got it last time - you just need to be more thorough with the documents and requirements now.


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I'm also applying from America.
My online application is dated July 8 '16, I go for my biometrics tomorrow July 18 plan on sending all our documents to Sheffield on Wednesday July 20.
I've spent a bit longer than I hoped for but I'm getting every piece of paper I can from my end certified.
I'm from Missouri which in this state the marriage license is the legal document not the certificate which is just a keepsake and also I have a bit of misdemeanor criminal history from 1993-2008 six convictions to be exact but all petty things I never had to serve any time worst was I had to pay a fine. I'm kinda stressing over those two things, should I be worried? I paid for priority so hopefully that will be a plus. I've included certified papers of all my petty convictions and a certified copy of our marriage license. What kind of time frame am I looking at? I hope to fly back to the UK September 1 2016.

The marriage licence won't be an issue - as long as it shows you're legally married, that's what matters.

You only need to get documents certified if they are not originals, but are photocopies or Internet printouts. If your marriage license is the original copy that you received when you got married, it is considered original and does not need to be certified.

You should also include photocopies of every original document that you would like to be returned to you - otherwise they might keep the originals.

As long as you declare the convictions and include the necessary paperwork, it shouldn't be an issue. They can only refuse the visa based on convictions if they happened in the last 12 months.

However, the convictions may slow down your processing time a little while they look into them, so I would allow 1-2 weeks longer, even with priority.


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The thing is that they have introduced all these new rules in order to try to prevent as many people as possible who would have previously qualified for a visa from being able to qualify now.

The idea was that by introducing a higher financial threshold, higher fees and increasing the time to get to ILR, they would prevent about 45% of people who would have previously qualified for a visa from being able to qualify now.

I'm curious how Article 8 comes into their reasoning, if at all.

I also wonder with the UK set to leave the EU how that will change. Is the UK so xenophobic they will make sure there's nothing to say you have a right to family life?