Hi, Can someone offer me some advice, I am new to the forum and was wondering if you could help me. I am submitting a Fiance Visa to be able to join my Fiance in UK. I have completed all details, gathered all the required information (photos, E-mails, supportive documents) I have made my application online and paid the fee, and have an appointment next week at the Processing Office in Cebu. However today they told me that when I attend for my appointment, I have to hand in my Passport. This will mean that assuming the application process will take let's say 3 months, I will be without a passport for this period. Is this Correct? What if I needed my passport. Infact my Fiance and I were planning a short holiday to meet up in Hong Kong next month. I can understand them needing the Passport if the Visa is granted to put a Visa Label in it. But surely I could then send them the passport by courier. What if I was working overseas and needed my passport for travel. The person who dealt with me did not offer an explanation and just told me to read the website. If anyone can offer me any advice it would be much appreciated. I am worried about this. Thank you so much.
I am surprised you didnt submit it with your application. Yes. They keep it for the duration of application process. However long that happens to be. I recall it is a requirement that the applicants visa goes in with the application. If you are lucky they may issue the visa quite quickly but they need your passport to affix the visa to it.
Thank you for your reply. The application form get's submitted online along with payment. Then you attend a pre arranged appointment at VFS Global offices in Manila or Cebu to submit all supportive documentation, PASSPORT and finalise it. There is an extra fee payable on the day for this.My appointment is booked for Monday. I understand all this and knew about this side of the process all along. What I did not know or expect was that I had to surrender my passport for 3 months, which is what my enquiry here on this forum is really relating too. What if an emergency happened and I needed to travel overseas, as I have family living overseas? How does a Filipino working overseas applying in a similar situation manage? There is no given right or guarantee that the Visa will be granted and as such I would have thought that if they make the grant of a visa to me, an E-mail confirming it and requesting my passport would be a better arrangement. I am surprised UK has not moved on yet to Label free Visa's like Australia, a more secure system. Oh well I live and learn. Thanks again John Ash for your reply, much appreciated.
Ah. I see what you mean, Yes, agreed. However we have to play it by their rules, unfortunately. Hopefully it wont take 3 months. Ours took 2 weeks, albeit 2.5 years ago. Anne on here - hers took 20 days. So crossfingers.
They need your passport. It's a vital part of the application documentation, even though they no longer fix the visa to it but give a separate card. There's no way round it as far as I can see. Best to just apply at a time you're not planning to travel anywhere.
Did your wife get the laminated card Timmers? I was surprised when we got that instead of a passport stamp.
She didn't get a laminated card but I was expecting one that could be used as proof you are in the UK legally, instead of having your passport on you all the time. I've just photocopied the visa in her passport as a valid ID for her to keep in her bag.
For ILR my wife just got a letter and a cheapo post officey style stamp in her passport. Nothing lavish and worthy of the huge sum we paid for it.
Not a bad idea, Tim, but on its own it isn't valid ID; you need to attach a photocopy of the details page of her Passport
You're right Mark, I'd already done that in the unlikely event that a copper stops us for some reason, cant be too careful can we
I'm pretty sure she doesn't need to keep this stuff on her all the time. Nobody's going to chuck her out the country for not having ID. We just put it in a draw and left it there.
Same here. That reminds me of the time I was stopped by the police here for driving too slowly along the promenade. We had just got out of the cinema and were heading to Tesco. We were both chatting about the movie. The police van had tailed me into the Tesco car park and I had no idea they were onto me until I got out of the car to be confronted by a male female combo. Anyhow, after questioning me and peering into the car they went on their way. I never drive quickly along the prom as the road surface is particularly bad and there are always cars pulling out from the left as there is short term parking all the way along one section of it. They didn't question Mrs Ash though.
What a photocopy of the wife's visa and passport might help avoid is being thrown in the back of a van by an over zealous UKBA employee looking to repatriate overstayers and illegals. Fortunately they don't operate in our area. http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2014/jul/29/david-cameron-illegal-immigrants-find-you-send-home
over on the other forum--terpe posted an article about a group of eastern european illegals being caught and held pending deportation. the were working in a hand-car wash right over the road from my house--last year. they did a brilliant wash for a fiver !
I was watching one of those UK Border programs the other week and the UKBA chaps were just stopping and asking any foreigners at a busy London train station for proof they were in the UK legally, they caught quite a few over stayers and people with no visas at all. Best to keep photocopies handy I think, belt and braces to use Subseastus term
I think if we were living in such an area the I would have encouraged my wife to do something of that sort. Just to keep the UKBA chaps at bay.
