Any updates re: Sopra Steria appointments?

Oh so we never managed to register for an appointment as all the slots were closed. I guess we will spend this weekend uploading the docs anyway


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We were the same, we could not get an appointment but we were able to upload all our docs. Just hoping that those who applied in June who are now getting to make appointments don't get ahead of us in the queue while we wait for another email telling us what to do next!!

Hi all! So I, too, got the "no need to attend an appointment email" yesterday. It was exciting to actually hear something. But it's disheartening to know we don't actually know what the new process will be or how long it's going to take. Ugh.

For reference, I applied June 4, uploaded all my documents, and visa expired June 28th. The waiting game continues.

However, I just got this weird little email from them I thought I'd share:

Due to the volume of correspondence we may be unable to locate your application without this reference and your correspondence may be returned to you.

Thank you for your application for permission to stay in the UK.

We apologise for the inconvenience, but, due to the worldwide response to COVID-19, UKVI services are limited and we are not able to meet our usual service standards.

Although we would normally decide your application within eight weeks from the date it was submitted, unfortunately this may not be possible in your case.

In line with Government advice on essential travel, social distancing and other restrictions related to COVID-19, for the safety of our customers and our staff, the UK Visa and Citizenship Application Service (UKVCAS) locations where you would ordinarily submit your biometric details and provide any documents for scanning that you have not already uploaded yourself, are currently closed.

If your application was submitted prior to your current grant of leave expiring, your current status within the United Kingdom has been extended by section 3C of the Immigration Act 1971. You do not need to do anything else at this stage and do not need to be concerned about your immigration status.

If you have applied to switch your status in respect of your employment or studies then please refer to the guidance on Gov.UK as you should be permitted to commence work / study prior to your application being decided, should you meet the conditions set out in the guidance.

We apologise for the delay in dealing with your application and for the inconvenience this is causing. Please be assured we will do all we can to make a decision on your case as quickly as possible once our UKVCAS service locations reopen.

We appreciate your patience at this time.

Kind regards.

Yours sincerely

FLRM VALIDATION

HOME OFFICE

I think this is just a "Sorry this is taking so long, please don't panic!" kind of email, but curious if others have had the same.

My wife and her daughter applied for FLR(M) on 11th May, got an email 7th July to say you need to attend an appointment - we booked the next day at Cardiff (£220 for both) we told it could be a 2 to 6 month wait as there were something like 18,000 applications ahead - but yesterday (23rd July) my wife received an email to say their visas had been granted for 30 months and that their BRPs were being sent immediately.  Not really sure why their fingerprints could not be used from the first Spouse visa but it seems there is still a hold up with this process

My wife and her daughter applied for FLR(M) on 11th May, got an email 7th July to say you need to attend an appointment - we booked the next day at Cardiff (£220 for both) we told it could be a 2 to 6 month wait as there were something like 18,000 applications ahead - but yesterday (23rd July) my wife received an email to say their visas had been granted for 30 months and that their BRPs were being sent immediately.  Not really sure why their fingerprints could not be used from the first Spouse visa but it seems there is still a hold up with this process

Congratulations! 

Applied June 16 for FLR(M) - received my email on Thursday the 23rd July saying they will reuse biometrics.

Just need that photo portal up! I’ve heard from other places it might be early to mid August, but that’s NOT from official HO/Sopra/UKVCAS, so make of that what you will. Maybe just wishful thinking from others! 😂

Hi all,
Has anyone else uploaded their documents after receiving the “we will use your previous biometrics email”?
We are going to do soon albeit the email does not explain the process and we were banking on the idea of getting the scanning service (paying for it) at one of the service centres....


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Hi all,
Has anyone else uploaded their documents after receiving the “we will use your previous biometrics email”?
We are going to do soon albeit the email does not explain the process and we were banking on the idea of getting the scanning service (paying for it) at one of the service centres....


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Yes, I was going to pay as well to have docs uploaded, however, decided to just upload myself a week ago....in case in the off chance it helped expedite things....wishful thinking I imagine....


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Yes, I was going to pay as well to have docs uploaded, however, decided to just upload myself a week ago....in case in the off chance it helped expedite things....wishful thinking I imagine....


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Did you upload the relevant documents on each specific section on the site? We were thinking of bulk scanning ALL of them into ONE pdf and then uploading the whole thing (even though we have a scanner at home, it’s going to be ALOT of scanning!)


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Did you upload the relevant documents on each specific section on the site? We were thinking of bulk scanning ALL of them into ONE pdf and then uploading the whole thing (even though we have a scanner at home, it’s going to be ALOT of scanning!)


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They need to be uploaded as individual files, in each specific upload section.

Each file must be no more than 6MB in size, and they ask you to name each one in a simple way.

This is stated in the FAQ on the UKVCAS website (https://s3.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/soprasteria-ukvi-prd-ukvcas/FAQ.pdf):

3.2. How should I prepare my documents to self-upload?
Please upload documents in PDF (preferred), JPG or PNG format. The file name should be simple e.g. bank-statement-Apr 2018.pdf. Do not upload files with file names containing special characters, #, ë, or bank.statement.apr.2018.pdf. Please do not upload any password protected documents as the caseworker will be unable to open them.

Documents uploaded to the UKVCAS website must have a file size no larger than 6MB. To minimise the file size we recommend scanning in black and white or greyscale and not in colour. It is also helpful to keep the resolution between 150 dpi (dots per inch) to 300 dpi.

Did you upload the relevant documents on each specific section on the site? We were thinking of bulk scanning ALL of them into ONE pdf and then uploading the whole thing (even though we have a scanner at home, it’s going to be ALOT of scanning!)


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Yes each single one and it was painful....took me the good part of a day!


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Just had the generic service standards email
“Although we would normally decide your application within eight weeks from the date it was submitted, unfortunately this may not be possible in your case.“
Applied on June 7th

Just had the generic service standards email
“Although we would normally decide your application within eight weeks from the date it was submitted, unfortunately this may not be possible in your case.“
Applied on June 7th

We applied on May 14th for ILR and other than the email saying we don't need to attend an appointment we have heard nothing. I am hoping we hear something soon.

We applied on May 14th for ILR and other than the email saying we don't need to attend an appointment we have heard nothing. I am hoping we hear something soon.

Service standard for ILR is up to 6 months I think?

I really hope to hear something soon too. Waiting for FLR(M) and knowing we have to go through this again in just over 2 years is rather overwhelming.

Hi,

Just wanted to update on the progress of my application. Applied on the 30 June, received email last Monday, 20 July to notify of biometric appointment availabilities. 

Attended appt today in Croydon. Approximately one  hour and a half before my appt i received an email of missing/illegible mandatory docs. I brought along all the documentation that I scanned so it was thankfully not a problem. The service rep also scanned the ones that were missing at no charge.

The docs that they had issues with were my BRP card, as I believe that I only uploaded the front image and not the back. Also it appears that all the pages of the passport (at least the ones with stamps) need to be scanned as one image... I’m a little confused with this requirement though because originally I tried it that was my but the file then became too big and there was no way to shrink it.

Moral of the story is attend your appointment with everything that you’ve scanned and hopefully if there is an issue it can be rectified there.


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Hi,

Just wanted to update on the progress of my application. Applied on the 30 June, received email last Monday, 20 July to notify of biometric appointment availabilities. 

Attended appt today in Croydon. Approximately one  hour and a half before my appt i received an email of missing/illegible mandatory docs. I brought along all the documentation that I scanned so it was thankfully not a problem. The service rep also scanned the ones that were missing at no charge.

The docs that they had issues with were my BRP card, as I believe that I only uploaded the front image and not the back. Also it appears that all the pages of the passport (at least the ones with stamps) need to be scanned as one image... I’m a little confused with this requirement though because originally I tried it that was my but the file then became too big and there was no way to shrink it.

Moral of the story is attend your appointment with everything that you’ve scanned and hopefully if there is an issue it can be rectified there.


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I am now trying to figure out how the hell to scan and upload every single passport page into one file! Oh dear


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