UK Spousal Visa

Thank you! We are going to apply for a refund and reapply for the visa this weekend. Do they definitely refund people for this? It’s before the biometrics were booked so I’m assuming they do .. I get so nervous though  what a mess. So I think one of the options was DHS he’d said... so he would need to click that one for the Application Support Centre? He must have clicked Premium Centre by mistake. It’s so frustrating that they don’t let you go back and amend it! But we’d much rather not pay that 1200 for basically document scanning etc. We want to self upload!

I'm sorry. The VFS Global website is an absolute disgrace designed to upsell beyond anything else. They should be made to re-design it with clarity and ease of use at the forefront.

What happens if you try later after some time has passed? Or try clearing browser history maybe?

Thank you! We are going to apply for a refund and reapply for the visa this weekend. Do they definitely refund people for this? It’s before the biometrics were booked so I’m assuming they do .. I get so nervous though  what a mess.

Yes, as long as he has not attended biometrics, the fee will be refunded... it just might take a while to get it back.

I’m not sure if he will be required to pay the IHS again (and the other payment will be refunded) or if he can use the same IHS reference number again.

It’s unfortunate but at least you caught it now and are able to get a refund.

So I think one of the options was DHS he’d said... so he would need to click that one for the Application Support Centre? He must have clicked Premium Centre by mistake. It’s so frustrating that they don’t let you go back and amend it! But we’d much rather not pay that 1200 for basically document scanning etc. We want to self upload!

Yes, the two options are:
Premium Centre (by selecting one of the 10 centres in major cities)
Or
DHS/Application Support Centre

The DHS thing seems to be new terminology...but it’s still the same USCIS Application Support Center process. So, it should essentially be the same process as when you did the MVV before.


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Thank you both.  Feeling a bit better knowing we will actually get the refund, though we don’t know when!

Am I able to fill out the form for him? I’ve never done that before but wondered if maybe I could book the biometrics. Last time we never saw anything saying DHS so it really threw us off! and it had said “2900” I think he’d said, beside the DHS charge and then 1200 and 2000 for the VFS Premium so he went for the 1200 thinking it was cheaper. The DHS thing surely isn’t $2900 on top of the visa fees though, right? I’d probably have to see it myself to make sense of it but we don’t want to go through this again, what a stress ( thank you both x

Thank you both.  Feeling a bit better knowing we will actually get the refund, though we don’t know when!

Am I able to fill out the form for him? I’ve never done that before but wondered if maybe I could book the biometrics. Last time we never saw anything saying DHS so it really threw us off! and it had said “2900” I think he’d said, beside the DHS charge and then 1200 and 2000 for the VFS Premium so he went for the 1200 thinking it was cheaper. The DHS thing surely isn’t $2900 on top of the visa fees though, right? I’d probably have to see it myself to make sense of it but we don’t want to go through this again, what a stress ( thank you both x

I think you could sign in with his password and have a look around the account but I would have him be the one to purchase the service (just in case).

Last time we never saw anything saying DHS so it really threw us off! and it had said “2900” I think he’d said, beside the DHS charge and then 1200 and 2000 for the VFS Premium so he went for the 1200 thinking it was cheaper. The DHS thing surely isn’t $2900 on top of the visa fees though, right? I’d probably have to see it myself to make sense of it but we don’t want to go through this again, what a stress ( thank you both x

The Application Support Centres are run by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). They used to be run by USCIS,  but are now run by DHS. They provide free biometrics appointments carried out by US immigration on behalf of UKVI.

See here for more information about the ASCs:
https://www.vfsglobal.co.uk/us/en/vacs/usa-application-support-centre

The fees you should be paying are:

On the UKVI website when you submit the online application:
Spousal visa fee = $2,170 (at current exchange rate)
IHS surcharge = £1,872 (not sure what this will be in US dollars)

Then on the VFS Global website when you book biometrics at an ASC:
Priority Visa for Settlement (if you choose to purchase it) = $816
plus either:
Return courier = $45 (return shipping only, so you have to sort out your own outbound shipping to New York)
or
Roundtrip courier = $75

And you can see those services on this page:
https://www.vfsglobal.co.uk/us/en/premium-services

Note that is says that the $1200 and $2000 premium services are not available for purchase if you select 'USA - Application Support Centre'.

And the difference between using a Premium Centre and an ASC:

Biometrics at an ASC:
- Free of charge
- option to purchase priority processing for $816 (6-week processing instead of 12+ weeks)
- you upload your supporting documents to the VFS Global website before biometrics
- you attend biometrics, taking your passport and printed appointment confirmation, which they will stamp at the appointment
- you then have 5 days to mail your passport, stamped appointment sheet, return shipping label and return packaging to the New York Scanning Hub
- you wait for the visa to be processed and your passport to be mailed back to you

Biometrics at a premium centre
- $1200 for standard processing (12+ weeks for processing)
- $2000 for premium processing, which includes $816 priority service (approx 6 weeks for processing)
- you take all your documents to the appointment
- they scan the documents for you at the appointment and you can choose to keep your passport if you wish
- when the visa has been processed they will contact you, and if you kept your passport you will have to return it to them so they can issue the visa

See here for more info about applying in the USA:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/usa-apply-for-a-uk-visa/apply-for-a-uk-visa-in-the-usa

The Application Support Centres are run by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). They used to be run by USCIS,  but are now run by DHS. They provide free biometrics appointments carried out by US immigration on behalf of UKVI.

See here for more information about the ASCs:
https://www.vfsglobal.co.uk/us/en/vacs/usa-application-support-centre

The fees you should be paying are:

On the UKVI website when you submit the online application:
Spousal visa fee = $2,170 (at current exchange rate)
IHS surcharge = £1,872 (not sure what this will be in US dollars)

Then on the VFS Global website when you book biometrics at an ASC:
Priority Visa for Settlement (if you choose to purchase it) = $816
plus either:
Return courier = $45 (return shipping only, so you have to sort out your own outbound shipping to New York)
or
Roundtrip courier = $75

And you can see those services on this page:
https://www.vfsglobal.co.uk/us/en/premium-services

Note that is says that the $1200 and $2000 premium services are not available for purchase if you select 'USA - Application Support Centre'.

And the difference between using a Premium Centre and an ASC:

Biometrics at an ASC:
- Free of charge
- option to purchase priority processing for $816 (6-week processing instead of 12+ weeks)
- you upload your supporting documents to the VFS Global website before biometrics
- you attend biometrics, taking your passport and printed appointment confirmation, which they will stamp at the appointment
- you then have 5 days to mail your passport, stamped appointment sheet, return shipping label and return packaging to the New York Scanning Hub
- you wait for the visa to be processed and your passport to be mailed back to you

Biometrics at a premium centre
- $1200 for standard processing (12+ weeks for processing)
- $2000 for premium processing, which includes $816 priority service (approx 6 weeks for processing)
- you take all your documents to the appointment
- they scan the documents for you at the appointment and you can choose to keep your passport if you wish
- when the visa has been processed they will contact you, and if you kept your passport you will have to return it to them so they can issue the visa

See here for more info about applying in the USA:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/usa-apply-for-a-uk-visa/apply-for-a-uk-visa-in-the-usa

Thank you! The application centre place is defo the one we are looking for. I wonder if I’m allowed to fill out the form for him? Citizens advice website says I can.. but I don’t see the option on the form to fill out for someone else unless it comes later!

I’m so worried we select the wrong option again, though he did see DHS, so hopefully it’ll be okay this time

I think you could sign in with his password and have a look around the account but I would have him be the one to purchase the service (just in case).

Definitely gonna try that!!!

Definitely gonna try that!!!

And just to clarify, he can use either your card or his to pay for it.

Thank you! The application centre place is defo the one we are looking for. I wonder if I’m allowed to fill out the form for him? Citizens advice website says I can.. but I don’t see the option on the form to fill out for someone else unless it comes later!

You'll need to create the account in his name because he is the one applying for the visa. However, you can always just log into his account using his password and complete the form as if you are him... after all, no one will know who actually clicked on each page and typed in the answers.

You don't want to 'fill out for someone else' because that only applies where the applicant is a child who is too young to apply on their own, or you are appointing a professional representative to apply on your behalf because you are unable to do it yourself.

I’m so worried we select the wrong option again, though he did see DHS, so hopefully it’ll be okay this time

Just make sure you select "USA - Application Support Centre' instead of one of the 10 Premium Centres and you should be fine.

Thank you!! It’s worked today thank goodness.

My parents have a mortgage transaction summary. It’s dated up to 5 January so today is the 6 February... is this one of the documents that has to be dated a certain time? I’m worried now!! The actual letter is dated the 12th from the Bank but the last receipt is the 4 Jan

Thank you!! It’s worked today thank goodness.

My parents have a mortgage transaction summary. It’s dated up to 5 January so today is the 6 February... is this one of the documents that has to be dated a certain time? I’m worried now!! The actual letter is dated the 12th from the Bank but the last receipt is the 4 Jan

That's fine. It's the financial documents which must be within the 28 days, not accommodation.

Thank you! And there’s no appointments atm due to Covid restrictions so must be limited.. i saw someone said just check back regularly. So will all my docs still be okay, we won’t have to get new lens if it takes a while?(like bank statements etc)

Thank you! And there’s no appointments atm due to Covid restrictions so must be limited.. i saw someone said just check back regularly. So will all my docs still be okay, we won’t have to get new lens if it takes a while?(like bank statements etc)

No, the clock stops the day you do the online application. You can relax!

Hi all,

So we uploaded documents last week all was going fine then last night a message appeared when trying to check the documents and upload more “Please try again” we’ve tried different browsers, STILL nothing. It is the worst website ever. I’m not really sure what to do! Contacted VFSGlobal also but they’re not the best with contact. It says about document scanning assistance but we don’t really need it! We could upload fine before and I don’t know what to dooo I contacted the UKVI email and they just sent me a generic link but even if I could email the Officer allocated with the documents but I don’t think they’d allow it.

It says on VFS that documents are there but we can’t click them so I’m guessing the officer wouldn’t be able to see them either. I’m soooo confused with this and the appointment is in five days 

Edit: just went on and did a test upload of my passport photo, though I did upload it last week- that works. But we can’t view anything already uploaded. I’m worried incase we have missed a document or upload something twice and it confuses them. I think I’ll pop something in the cover letter. It’s soo strange, just says “Please try again” when we try to view them!

I think I’ll pop something in the cover letter.

That's what I would do.