UK based visa application agency

I think its pretty obvious about the Birthday/Christmas cards, you could just go out and buy some at any time to submit. The better would be to submit an electronic Birthday/Christmas card that has been time stamped as an email.

Basically it just takes as long as it takes you to get all your docs together.

As for OISC. Put it this way. Capital Visas are OISC registered and they didn't have a clue so as far as I'm concerned that stands for nothing.

I believe marriagevisahelp are actually American, which could be why they are not. The uk branch seems to be a bit of a one person band. It seems to be that a woman (at least i think it's a woman!) called Philip pretty much does it all.

Seriously, after the disaster that is OISC registered Capital Visas they were a godsend.

I'm always a little dubious about that kind of review, it does look a little like they wrote the reviews themselves

There was a couple of problems.

One was that it could be frustrating if your case worker wasnt available. One kind of expects their undivided attention. So it bothered me at the time. But looking back it worked well. I just was being a bit impatient. Like I say, they would normally get back to me in less than 24 hours if not immediately. And when it got nearer the time of submission they gave me their undivided attention.

The second was a bit more worrying and was a mistake they made on the application form. A copying error, really. Before submission or rather sending the completed application form to my wife, for submission they gave me a draft copy. Thats where I saw the mistake. I seem to recall it was my wifes birth date or similar. So I had to correct them. But, in a way, that was the purpose of giving me the draft copy to check.

I also used VFS as a reference. I found a very helpful woman that worked for them. I ended up using three chief sources along the way!

Yes. But the forum consensus was bang them in the application. Something picked up in forum folklore at the time.

I don't even understand what VFS is or what they have to do with it.

Maharg, did you find Marriagevisahelp to be efficient and speedy? Could you get hold of the woman when you wanted to?

I can understand that John.

I think you have to look at everything through cynical eyes just like a case officer would do, it gets you thinking that way.

Not really slow. Just me being impatient. I wouldnt say they were fast either. It partly depended on us too. At one point we slowed the process down through no fault of theirs. I would say if you want an express service then they might not be for you.

The marriagevisahelp site really makes them sound good. Is 100% success rate true though, do you think? Mind you they do state that they respond within 24 hours to enquiries but I haven't heard back from them yet from my enquiry yesterday. Anyway I've mailed them again now.

The only way they would have a 100% success rate is if they cherry picked the applications, there is no other way.

Hmm sounds a bit unbelievable really, doesn't it?

OMG I'm becoming so cynical, I think I will apply to be a UKBA Case Worker

I don't like the fact they haven't contacted you either, why make promises on your website they don't keep.

They arent miracle workers. If you dont have a good case they will tell you.

They cant make a silk purse out of a sows ear. But they can get the best out of your circumstances.

Google VFS. They are the people through whom our visas are first submitted. We visited them in Manila and took the email address of one of the staff there. The assistant manager. I emailed her regularly. Free advice. She normally got back to me inside 24 hours.

I'm quite liking the sound of http://www.jpsimmigration.com/ - the guy's been mailing me and he seems nice and knowledgable. You just never know though do you

That was handy then, John! But if you had Visa Logic doing it why did you need to do that? Or were you just checking stuff?

I think that's all you can aim for, getting the best out of your circumstances, you cannot do anymore than that.

I like the saying "you cant make a silk purse out of a sows ear" it makes me happy when I hear it

Just as Timmers says. It pays to be questioning on such important matters.