Sopra Steria. What is the point??

We've just applied for the 2nd FLR extension. It cost an obscene amount of money- £2.6k- and filled out the same intrusive questions as last time.

Then it comes to the documentation where I had to register on the Sopra Steria website. On paper, I have a simple application. I am a resident British citizen, own my house, earn above the threshold. I already own a printer and scanner so uploaded copies of our documentation myself. I don't really need anyone to help as I have no complicating factors to contend with.

Off we trot today to Manchester for Sopra Steria to take her biometrics. In total, the appointment was about 15 minutes for them to take her photo and fingerprints.

From what I can gather, I have paid £138 for the privilege of uploading, checking and submitting my own documentation and then doing the biometrics which previously cost about £20 in the Post Office.

I feel like I've been scammed.

So much for the new, fairer, immigration system!

we are booked in tues 29th at sopra southampton--paying £71-50 plus £2 for text messages. there were appointments available this coming week at £138 but they were too early for us.

This is for her ILR--which costs £2400 but no IHS surcharge. We opted for super priority next day results ( i wont hold me breath ) this was an extra £800 ( !!)--but i couldnt face the thought of waiting up to 6 months for the regular ( non ) service. I have uploaded the scanned docs today--but we still have to take them anyway. I was worried that i should have paid extra to have the docs checked and uploaded by sopra--so i did it myself just in case.

Good Luck with the application, I am so glad it's all behind us now.

will you be going for citizenship ?

It certainly was a lot easier and less expensive 10 years ago. We were also fortunate that Mrs Ash was eligible for citizenship after 5 years.

Will do wife's after we come back off holiday this year and then do her daughter's next year after she has completed 5 years in the UK (May 2022) timing to be decide the good thing is ( but i need to double check)that once you have held ILR for 3 months you dont need a Schengen visa to visit EU this ruling may of changed since January 1st 2021.
We can do the citizenship ceromny in Liverpool or Manchester so nice and local

It was super easy and inexpensive 20+ years ago from Hong Kong.

So I gather. I seem to recall Graham 59 saying it cost about £70 for a Spouse visa ~20 years ago. Something like that.

Yup, Graham lived in Honkers the same time I did, it cost peanuts and was quick.

has anyone totted up the total cost of visas + IHS surcharges+ citizenship for a settlement visa ?

You pretty much 'nailed it' with the last paragraph (above) - If you choose to scan/upload documents yourself!

I'm willing to bet - if you dig deep enough - SOMEONE in government has a 'vested interest' in Sopra Steria getting that contract from the Post Office...!

Bearing in mind all the charges change with alarming regularity, not an easy task over a
5(+)-year period...

That's the first time I've heard it referred to as a "... fairer, immigration system!"

has anyone who has uploaded their docs to the sopra site had any confirmation or reply if they are ok or not ?

You won't get that, what you will get is at the appointment they will tell you if anything has scanned poorly or if any thing is missing based on your application.
I think this is what Sopra are employed to do a pre screen.

i wonder if sopra look at it at all between upload and appointment ?

As I said before I got the impression they do, the system mixed up my works address with our home address I didn't pick it up till after the submission. We took a corrected hardcopy page and they were aware of the error.

i noticed on the sopra list of what to upload there was no mention of my wife's passport..but i did anyway--at the end. Also everything other than the mandatory family declaration signed by me went under the catch-all heading "other" as the individual categories were not in the order on the submitted application list. Another point--everything i did upload was then listed in reverse order after i did it.

do you think "they" will phone my bank for confirmation of my account ?

Even though ive paid for "super priority " service--next day decision--i fully expect it will be delayed because of " not straightforward"--even though its really simple.

when you say "we"--you werent allowed in--were you ?