Settlement Gold Premium Service Appointment

Both my interviews went really well, thanks for asking! I'm expecting an offer this week 🤞

Wow.  That was easy.  I've been interviewing for one job for two months now.  And still don't know if I'll get an offer.  LOL!

Wow.  That was easy.  I've been interviewing for one job for two months now.  And still don't know if I'll get an offer.  LOL!

Yeah, I've sent off a few dozen applications over the past couple of months so it's good to see the interview invitations all trickling in after a bunch of rejections. Definitely helps that I can now tell prospective employers I have the right to work! I'm glad civil engineers are in demand in Britain 

The saga continues...

Is it safe to expect the 30 day window will begin on the date of decision, giving me until 4 Feb?

Oh boy! 
Unfortunately, you can’t count on anything where UKVI is concerned.

Oh boy! 
Unfortunately, you can’t count on anything where UKVI is concerned.

Yeah, I was afraid you pros would all say that! I want to book a return flight ASAP, but I'd better just wait until I have the vignette in hand. God damn it UPS!

It's just the final cherry to top off this whole procees 😂

The saga continues... I dropped off my passport at my local UPS store early Monday afternoon, using the "Next Day Air, Early" service that guarantees delivery by 8am the next day.

Just checked the tracking number two days later and it says my passport has gone from MD to KY. Moreover it has missed today's flight to DC and they've deleted the estimated delivery date all together. I should've just taken a day off and driven into DC.

I know I'll have to fly back and forth to pick up my BRP within 30 days - just a bit concerned about the timing. Is it safe to expect the 30 day window will begin on the date of decision, giving me until 4 Feb?

Oh man, could any part of this process just go smoothly already?! Although that said, I'm glad to hear your interviews went well!

I wonder if you can email VFS and ask what the start date is on your vignette? Surely they have that information, whether they can figure out how to find it and relay it to you is another matter. Hopefully you'll have it back in a couple days anyway but it could save you wondering for a little while at least.

@Dani1983, I was really hoping we'd hear back at the same time. So sorry you haven't heard yet. I'd have gladly traded my spot in the queue if I'd known I was ahead and it was somehow possible to do it. You've just got to be one of the next ones to hear. At least you won't have to deal with returning your passport to them for the vignette 

Thanks so much, that's really kind of you. I figured we'd both hear within a short time of each other because that would make sense, but of course so much of this process doesn't make sense. That is true about the passport though, I guess I'm glad they still have it. If I'd known what I know now, I'd have kept my passport and flown over with my family on November 27th! 

Oh man, could any part of this process just go smoothly already?! Although that said, I'm glad to hear your interviews went well!

I know, right?! Thanks @Dani1983 but I must admit I feel guilty whining about this when you haven't even heard anything yet!

I wonder if you can email VFS and ask what the start date is on your vignette? Surely they have that information, whether they can figure out how to find it and relay it to you is another matter. Hopefully you'll have it back in a couple days anyway but it could save you wondering for a little while at least.

I've emailed but I'm not counting on a response... Tickets to the UK this month are relatively cheap, so apart from a wedding in FL and a work related trip to WA that have already been arranged, I'm hopeful the scheduling will work out.
 

Thanks so much, that's really kind of you. I figured we'd both hear within a short time of each other because that would make sense, but of course so much of this process doesn't make sense. That is true about the passport though, I guess I'm glad they still have it. If I'd known what I know now, I'd have kept my passport and flown over with my family on November 27th! 

Hopefully our experiences with VFS will make it clear to anyone reading this and contemplating 'Gold Premium' to steer well clear.

Now, with all of that said, I do have a couple of questions for the experts here, regarding the BRP...

• When we originally applied, we thought we'd be collecting my BRP over a Christmas trip. We had used my partner's parents address in the Midlands for the accommodation requirement, and a nearby Post Office for the designated BRP collection point. Since we now have an address in Leeds and I'm flying back for just a few days, it would be much easier if I could pick it up at a different post office, in Leeds. I see there's an option to do that, but is this a risky move, given my narrow window? How exactly do I go about this? The UKVI site just says "You’ll need to arrange this at the branch and pay a fee," (https://www.gov.uk/biometric-residence-permits/collect). Any advice on this would be much appreciated!
• Speaking of our new address in Leeds, I understand that I must send them my new address but the 'have a valid BRP link' (https://www.gov.uk/change-circumstances-visa-brp) points to Form MCC, which seems to only be for points based visas? Is there another form for settlement visas? Does this need to wait until I have bills or other mail with the new address on it?

FL gator, I would not attempt to change the post office. Sometimes people have difficulty getting it from the nominated one (The BRP doesn’t get there when it should) so I think it’s just asking for trouble trying to change.

That’s the correct form, just add spouse in.

Now, with all of that said, I do have a couple of questions for the experts here, regarding the BRP...

• When we originally applied, we thought we'd be collecting my BRP over a Christmas trip. We had used my partner's parents address in the Midlands for the accommodation requirement, and a nearby Post Office for the designated BRP collection point. Since we now have an address in Leeds and I'm flying back for just a few days, it would be much easier if I could pick it up at a different post office, in Leeds. I see there's an option to do that, but is this a risky move, given my narrow window? How exactly do I go about this? The UKVI site just says "You’ll need to arrange this at the branch and pay a fee," (https://www.gov.uk/biometric-residence-permits/collect). Any advice on this would be much appreciated!

I don't know of anyone who has tried to change the Post Office for the BRP before, so not sure how it works.

It will be sent to the designated Post Office when your 30-day vignette is issued, so I imagine it would then have to be transferred internally from the Midlands to Leeds once it has arrived?

It would probably be easier just to go to the original one you requested, rather than worry that it might not make it to Leeds.

• Speaking of our new address in Leeds, I understand that I must send them my new address but the 'have a valid BRP link' (https://www.gov.uk/change-circumstances-visa-brp) points to Form MCC, which seems to only be for points based visas? Is there another form for settlement visas? Does this need to wait until I have bills or other mail with the new address on it?

No you just have to use that form and write in that you have a settlement visa. There is only one form and for some reason it says it's for the points-based Tier visas.

You just fill out the form and send it off. No proof of address needed. You may not even get an acknowledgment that they have received it.

@larrabee & @ksand24 thanks for the quick replies! I'll just bite the bullet and take a train down to Coventry to collect the BRP rather than risk another UPS-like debacle.

Regarding the change of address, I just stumbled across this all-online change of address form that seems like it could be more current? https://visa-address-update.service.gov.uk/ 

Regarding the change of address, I just stumbled across this all-online change of address form that seems like it could be more current? https://visa-address-update.service.gov.uk/ 

Officially, it says you are only supposed to use the online form if you have applied for a visa from inside the UK and it hasn't been processed yet, so you need the address to be changed before the visa has been processed.

However, I think one person did manage to successfully change their address using the online form after they had received their BRP.

Officially, it says you are only supposed to use the online form if you have applied for a visa from inside the UK and it hasn't been processed yet, so you need the address to be changed before the visa has been processed.

However, I think one person did manage to successfully change their address using the online form after they had received their BRP.

Perhaps misinterpreting it, but it says "If you are a migrant living in the UK or your application was made in the UK..."

I'll give it a shot once I have the BRP in hand along with a few pieces of mail, per the instructions.

Thanks again

Perhaps misinterpreting it, but it says "If you are a migrant living in the UK or your application was made in the UK..."

I'll give it a shot once I have the BRP in hand along with a few pieces of mail, per the instructions.

Thanks again

Yeah, it says that on the page itself, but when you go to the UKVI main BRP pages in order to get to that page (https://www.gov.uk/change-circumstances-visa-brp), it says:

Report a change of address only
You can change your address without having to apply for a new BRP.

Which form you fill in depends on whether you:
- have a valid BRP
- have applied but haven’t had a decision letter

If you click 'have a valid BRP' it takes you to:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/notification-of-change-of-circumstances-form-mcc

Whereas if you click 'have applied but haven’t had a decision letter', it takes you to:
https://visa-address-update.service.gov.uk/

Yeah, it says that on the page itself, but when you go to the UKVI main BRP pages in order to get to that page (https://www.gov.uk/change-circumstances-visa-brp), it says:

If you click 'have a valid BRP' it takes you to:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/notification-of-change-of-circumstances-form-mcc

Whereas if you click 'have applied but haven’t had a decision letter', it takes you to:
https://visa-address-update.service.gov.uk/

You're absolutely right, Form MCC it is! Just odd that the form only list the points based visas but if others have notated settlement visa and gotten it through successfully, that's what I'll do.

You're absolutely right, Form MCC it is! Just odd that the form only list the points based visas but if others have notated settlement visa and gotten it through successfully, that's what I'll do.

I've done it successfully using form MCC. 

6 weeks. Where the heck is my application?! At what point do I contact someone? They are now outside of the timeframe quoted for the service. Should I try emailing VFS again?