New: Payment to send an email

Starting in two days, contacting UKVI by email will cost you £5.48 a go.



https://www.gov.uk/government/news/customer-enquiry-service-changes

OMG if that's true - like we don't make an appropriate contribution in the fees we already pay! That's ridiculous!

Starting in two days, contacting UKVI by email will cost you £5.48 a go.



https://www.gov.uk/government/news/customer-enquiry-service-changes

Well, if they are going to start charging for it, they had better make sure they are giving correct and accurate information... can't see that happening though.

Well, if they are going to start charging for it, they had better make sure they are giving correct and accurate information... can't see that happening though.

"[A]ll customer enquiries will be handled by a new commercial partner Sitel UK." I think we know how accurate those private, third-party, profits-first contractors are ...

Well, if they are going to start charging for it, they had better make sure they are giving correct and accurate information... can't see that happening though.

"those who benefit directly from it" -- surely they mean **their own citizens**?! This attitude is so incredibly mind-boggling and rage-inducing...

appropriate contribution eh! like the 2-3k per application isn't contribution enough? they are really scraping the barrel here


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This is awful. Their email system is terrible anyway. When I got my last decision email with the tracking information I went bananas because it wouldn't update. I checked the tracking number they entered against what I had and they had entered the wrong tracking number!

And as for the enquiry line and email, they're absolutely clueless and serve as a verbal FAQ. Completely unhelpful.

I'm actually offended by this!

"[A]ll customer enquiries will be handled by a new commercial partner Sitel UK." I think we know how accurate those private, third-party, profits-first contractors are ...

They are capitalizing on peoples' desperation. 

Unfortunately you guys this is just a taste of what's to come for each of your Immigration journeys over the next many years.  I'm 7.5 years in and I'll finally qualify for ILR in September.  It'll be a £5,000 month for m but then I get to show UKVI my special fingers!!   

So ridiculous! So some call center employee has to answer two emails in an hour - lets be real, copy and paste standard responses - and they've already made over minimum wage, assuming they even make minimum wage. I wonder how much money Sitel UK is scraping in.

And on another note, why is their any type of privatization involved in immigration? Mind boggling.

It's all about profit, I'm afraid.

The actual cost of processing a visa is generally much, much less than the fee they charge for it.

From the fees transparency data, for proposed fees in 2017/2018:
       
Visitor visa: £89
Actual cost to process: £142

Fiance/spousal visa: £1,464
Actual cost to process: £423

FLR(M) visa: £993
Actual cost to process: £147

ILR: £2,297
Actual cost to process: £252

Tier 4 visa: £335
Actual cost to process: £168

Tier 2 General visa: £1,174
Actual cost to process: £139

Naturalisation (UK citizenship): £1,282
Actual cost to process: £386

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/606616/Unit_cost_table_2017.pdf

It's amazing that the government literally posts the data showing that they are ripping people off and there isn't more outrage or call to change over it?

I think it's partly profit, but also partly a deterrent to keep people from immigrating to the UK. Spousal applications are just the scapegoat.

I think it's partly profit, but also partly a deterrent to keep people from immigrating to the UK.

Exactly right.  The UK has been promising to reduce immigration to tens of thousands a year.  Have you read the manifestos for the proposed changes to immigration?  It's not pretty...   

Exactly right.  The UK has been promising to reduce immigration to tens of thousands a year.  Have you read the manifestos for the proposed changes to immigration?  It's not pretty...   

I haven't read them, but I've read articles. I honestly don't want to think about it. I have strong opinions, but I also don't think I should speak on it as I'm not British? But I will say, ever since starting this visa process, I've come to understand Brexit a lot better

*facepalm*
Sometimes I think we should start a campaign to let the British public know about these things. Everyone here I have ever talked to about everything we have to go through is appalled by it.
Just goes to show you that regardless of how people vote, everyone does believe in basic human rights and are disgusted when they don't see that reflected in how things actually are.