Settlement Gold Premium Service Appointment

It is a clear answer, but unbelievable!   

It's a total sham... I'm looking forward to submitting my honest feedback to UKVI.

It's ridiculous that we're still waiting two weeks later. Today was the last day for me to get the visa in my hand before being stuck here until January and I'm so upset over it.

I'm so sorry Dani. I was so relieved that we got everything sent off, this time two weeks ago. You mentioned you already rented a house in the UK just to meet the accommodation requirement ahead of your move. It sucks that you're having to pay for that while you wait. I just hope that half of UKVI aren't on vacation already... It's awful being left in limbo like this.

What the hell even is Gold Premium Service? I want to e-mail asking for a list of what I received for the extra cost.

I too can't understand what we actually paid for. Basically snake oil. Especially when priority applications are being turned around in 2-5 business days, of late. I also hate not knowing for sure whether they actually scanned and submitted everything I handed them. I can't help but be worried that they left something out and I'm just waiting on a denial so we can go through all this again.

Any time saved by them scanning my documents is offset by the time it will take to send my passport to them and get it back. For them to now tell me I have to send it within a business day of hearing from them completely defeats the purpose of letting me hold onto it.

It's a total sham... I'm looking forward to submitting my honest feedback to UKVI.

Agreed. I hope the link (that got our hopes up) to their survey is still active when this is finally done.

I'm so sorry Dani. I was so relieved that we got everything sent off, this time two weeks ago. You mentioned you already rented a house in the UK just to meet the accommodation requirement ahead of your move. It sucks that you're having to pay for that while you wait. I just hope that half of UKVI aren't on vacation already... It's awful being left in limbo like this.

I too can't understand what we actually paid for. Basically snake oil. Especially when priority applications are being turned around in 2-5 business days, of late. I also hate not knowing for sure whether they actually scanned and submitted everything I handed them. I can't help but be worried that they left something out and I'm just waiting on a denial so we can go through all this again. 

Thanks, it really is awful and you have my sympathy as well! The limbo is a nightmare, not just being unsure of whether it will even be approved but everyone asking when we're leaving and not understanding how I could not know! I've been telling people that we're moving for so long now that I think they just don't believe me anymore 

Any time saved by them scanning my documents is offset by the time it will take to send my passport to them and get it back. For them to now tell me I have to send it within a business day of hearing from them completely defeats the purpose of letting me hold onto it.

That's a key point to the whole thing feeling dubious. Some services offered can clearly be provided if they work out a system, but that one makes no sense whatsoever except if its purpose was to be misleading.

I'm really bummed that this happened to both of us. I do think that maybe while we're both still waiting, we can at least be hopeful it's not our individual applications in particular that are holding things up, if that makes any sense! That said though, I always log on here hoping you've heard back! 

I encourage you to both write to your MP's after you are in the UK, and possibly the media as well. If they are going to offer a "premium" service at such exaggerated costs, they should've worked out the kinks or offered you immediate refunds & realistic timeframes. I'm sorry you're not stuck waiting and missing xmas in the UK, but hopefully you'll get to spend more time with US loved ones as well.

More money of course .. should have known ..

Always, lol.  I guess love isn't cheap!

I think we should change the title of this thread to something along the lines of

WARNING- Do not use the Settlement Gold Premium Service!

And I can't understand why they are being so short sighted. From a commercial point of view, if the intention was to make more money,(which I'm sure that it was) you'd think that they'd at least take extra care to process the initial batch of applicants super fast so that word would get out and more people would use it, benefiting both them and the customer.
 

And who is benefitting anyway from the income that this brings in anyway? Is it even UKVI? Are they getting a cut or is VFS getting it all?

It's a big, fat racket whatever the case.

And I can't understand why they are being so short sighted. From a commercial point of view, if the intention was to make more money,(which I'm sure that it was) you'd think that they'd at least take extra care to process the initial batch of applicants super fast so that word would get out and more people would use it, benefiting both them and the customer.

I was betting on that very logic!   

If I can say anything that this entire process is a joke .. I know most of u will probably disagree but the United States green card process is so much easier and you get to speak at an actual interview... I went through it with my ex husband who was British and my now husband had a green card as well as his ex was American ... we both said how easy it was compared to this ..  I honestly wish he never gave up his green card at this point ...

But I'm rooting for you girls !!! Hopefully u hear something before Christmas !!!!!!!!

I think we should change the title of this thread to something along the lines of

WARNING- Do not use the Settlement Gold Premium Service!

I second that!

And who is benefitting anyway from the income that this brings in anyway? Is it even UKVI? Are they getting a cut or is VFS getting it all?

It doesn't make any sense... They must be getting some small cut and figured it would be easy money. I understand their goal is to get the people that use these services to pay for it entirely and eliminate any burden on the British tax payer. I suppose that's a noble stance.

If VFS had actually done ANY of what they advertise, it might have been worthwhile. They certainly gave us the impression gold would be fastest. All marketing I suppose. Alas.

It's a big, fat racket whatever the case.

You're preachin' to the choir!

The priority timeline doesn't make any sense to me either. There's a couple people that just heard back in three days and yet @AHOXLA and @mlewis_85 have been waiting for weeks! I don't understand how it can be so wildly different?

Everyone who's still waiting, you have my sympathy! At least it feels like we're all in it together!

I was betting on that very logic!   

You're preachin' to the choir!

I'm so frustrated for you both! It only takes a couple of hours to process a straight forward application which means yours are just sitting there waiting...

I'm so frustrated for you both! It only takes a couple of hours to process a straight forward application which means yours are just sitting there waiting...

If it only takes a couple of hours what's with the hold up then ... what exactly do they fine tooth comb .. if they can't really reject people for overstaying or people for having and u have all the proper information?! Why does it take so long esp if your application should have been pushed to the very front with this service as it claims .. it's very miss leading .. and deff should be taking to the media for wasting people's hard earned money

On another note it says you can keep your passport .. but yet u can't really travel ... why then why pay for the luxury of getting to keep it .. and do they even scan your passport at the office or look at it ?
Just random questions that are running across my mind

If it only takes a couple of hours what's with the hold up then ... what exactly do they fine tooth comb .. if they can't really reject people for overstaying or people for having and u have all the proper information?! Why does it take so long esp if your application should have been pushed to the very front with this service as it claims .. it's very miss leading .. and deff should be taking to the media for wasting people's hard earned money

It takes so long because they have hundreds, maybe thousands of other applications all sitting there waiting in line for someone to pick them up. Chances are that these Gold applications haven’t been put right to the front - there may be a hundred applications in front of theirs that arrived earlier and the Gold ones are being treated the same as normal Priority.

About 95% of the processing time is your application sitting in line doing nothing. Then eventually someone picks it up, goes through the documents, and if you meet all the requirements, they tick the boxes, issue the visa and send out the decision email within 1-2 hours.



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Ok folks, so now we've gone from 'totally flexible' to 'return passport in a day' back to 'go ahead and travel?'

I took @larrabee 's advice and emailed VFS back saying they'd given me wildly inconsistent answers about using my passport and in particular, the requisite timeline for returning it post-approval.

I'd appreciate feedback from you all about how I should interpret this latest response from VFS:

Dear applicant,
 
The operation team in DC, has stated verbally and via email that your travel is not a problem while you are having your decision made. The last question you asked highlighted below was regards to the process and processing time. We understand your concerns, in this email chain and while you were at the DC location this process has been explained and VFS looks to accommodate by holding your passport until you return from your trip.
 
The process for your visa is we take your documents and passport, scan them sending it to Sheffield for a decision to be mad. You had an option of leaving your passport or taking it with you if you needed to travel during this time. You choose to keep your passport due to travel arrangements made, which the DC representative told you it is okay, also letting you know that once the decision is made and the vignette is at the office you will be contacted to send your passport the next business day.
 
Since you plan on to travel upon your return back to the U.S you can send your passport for VFS to then apply your vignette also to return your passport.
 
It is also correct that from the time the vignette is used their will be a letter with a required time frame for you to be in the UK and also retrieve your BRP, this is depending on when the decision is made and the vignette is issued.
 
It can be tricky to plan anything or give you a direct answer that can be assured without knowing the exact time it will take for your decision to be made.  We try to accommodate the best we can to help make your experience a better one.

I've added the bold emphasis. I think this is the best I'm going to get from VFS after my fifth consecutive email. I'm really tempted to just go ahead and book the flights. At this point it'll likely have to be for the week between Christmas and NYE. Best case, my visa comes through before I travel. Worst case scenario, I'm denied the visa (for any unrelated reason) or the UK Border Force denies entry because of a pending application. I think I saw advice on another thread from @ksand24    that if I can't use the vignette within the 30 day window, I can apply to the British Consulate in NY for a replacement vignette for £169?

Big hugs Gator and Dani.  I'm thoroughly frustrated and angered at your "premium service".  Been following with interest but I don't have anything insightful to add.

Ok folks, so now we've gone from 'totally flexible' to 'return passport in a day' back to 'go ahead and travel?'

I took @larrabee 's advice and emailed VFS back saying they'd given me wildly inconsistent answers about using my passport and in particular, the requisite timeline for returning it post-approval.

I'd appreciate feedback from you all about how I should interpret this latest response from VFS:

I've added the bold emphasis. I think this is the best I'm going to get from VFS after my fifth consecutive email. I'm really tempted to just go ahead and book the flights. At this point it'll likely have to be for the week between Christmas and NYE. Best case, my visa comes through before I travel. Worst case scenario, I'm denied the visa (for any unrelated reason) or the UK Border Force denies entry because of a pending application. I think I saw advice on another thread from @ksand24    that if I can't use the vignette within the 30 day window, I can apply to the British Consulate in NY for a replacement vignette for £169?

Did they scan your passport and send it in or did they just not take it at all ?!