So we applied for fiance visa on 3 September. We've asked a couple of times for updates and they've replied saying "I have tracked the status and found that your application has not yet been assessed by an Entry Clearance Officer (ECO)." But then we asked yesterday, and they said "We understand that you would like to know about the current status of your visa application. I have tracked the status and found that there are no current updates. This could be because your application was submitted recently or the details that you have provided above are incorrect." Then after we replied to that saying the details are correct and that we had updates before they said "With regards to your query, please provide us the following information so that we can expedite the case: Full name of applicant: Application number (GWFxxxxxxxxx): Date of birth of applicant: Visa application centre reference number: Date of application: Place of application ( City and Country ): Type of Visa applied: Nationality: Passport Number:" Has anyone ever had anything like this before? Or knows what it could mean?
We've now given the info they asked for and have had another mail saying "With the information you have provided, we have now escalated this case to the relevant department who will investigate your case and will be back in contact as soon as possible." What could it mean?
It sounds to me that they have just clarified your personal and application details, only you and your fellow of course would be able to supply these. The term "escalated this case" would suggest that they have given it some kind of priority and sent it on to the relevant case worker for evaluation. Would be rather nice of them to reply to you in good old plain English but that's probably too easy.
But usually they just send the normal update mail saying it's waiting to be assessed. Why are they suddenly saying there's no update and they're escalating the case? It's really cause for concern I think, and I can't find anything online about others who have had the same email.
I think its just the sort of response that people get when they are inquiring about their application, they are basically telling you they are on the case, whether that's true they are on the case is another matter. Remember that you only submitted one month ago. Remain positive, remember that most things you worry about in life never come true , don't try too much to read between the lines.
Well it isn't Timmers :/ The normal response is the generic email they send out saying it's waiting to be assessed. A case is escalated when there's a problem, right?
If there was a problem with the application and they needed more information then they would have contacted you I hope. It could be a Filipino using the word escalated (to intensify) in the wrong sense. I have just asked the loved one and she says that it is the usual reply to anyone who is following up to appease them. What I am thinking is that they should have used the phrase "we have now raised the application to the relevant department" Look at it like this, they have not declined your visa application at this time. We will both be laughing about this soon, just you wait and see, keep smiling young lady
Our company employs a few Filipinos. They are easy to spot by the way they use English. Someone at work had an email from HR (Dubai) that came across as odd. I looked at it. And then said, I bet that is a Filipina. And I was right. She was using words and phrases in the same way my wife does. Yes, it can throw you sometimes.
But these are generic emails. And for some reason (I can only assume the application isn't showing up on their system) they're saying updates aren't available and they've escalated our case to some other department. Anyway I will call the number at 2am on Monday morning and hope someone can shed some light on it.
But are they generic? I came to the conclusion a long time ago that they dont send out generic emails as such. Though they may use generic phrases.
Hope you manage to get through Lisa and get some sort of sense out of them, not very good customer service from VFS. Take a look at the line below which I've copied and pasted from the VFS Global feedback and complaints process page; In the unlikely event that you are not satisfied with our response, you can escalate your complaint to the British Embassy. See the UK government website for visas and immigration in the Philippines for more information. They like using the word escalate don't they.
Maybe I'll try that then if I get nowhere on the phone. Thanks Timmers. Yes they are generic John. We've had some the same and I've seen plenty online the same too. If things were ok and we were just still in the queue I'm sure we would just have had that same response - the one we had before. Why would they ask for further info and escalate the case if there's no problem?
On a couple of occasions I have tweaked working machinery to get the best performance out of it and regretted it so much, hence the saying "if it isn't broke don't fix it". It is a saying that can be used in many different circumstances.
