Prev Page 3 of 3 1 2 3 Please log in to reply 58 replies to this topic

[ThaiVisaExpress]

VFS are a law to themselves, I have made a complaint also they should not be removing any documents.

[Thongkorn]

A little off topic. when I applied for my wife's ILR in the UK, which was granted, when the file came back there where pictures missing, envelopes that her ESOL certificates where inside and a few other things missing , They  where sent back by second class post, The postman took it appon himself to leave the Envelop outside our front door, Inside where our passports and all the other relevant documents. it seems OK for them to return peoples Visa applications for the simplest things but when it comes to them there s no recourse to complain to them.

Edited by Thongkorn, 2012-03-15 01:08:50.

[quinetta001]

http://www.datasea.info/avatar1.jpgI think you will find that the UKBA do retain some of the paper work, I doubt very much if VFS would have retained any of it. It's a shame that VFS returned some of the evidence to your fiancee, it's not their job to do that.

Edited by quinetta001, 2012-03-16 12:59:32.

[VisasPlus]

The incident was investigated by the British Embassy, but they have said that, as there is no evidencethat VFS returned any documents, then they were unable to prove the case

Edited by VisasPlus, 2012-03-18 17:02:22.

[theoldgit]

This thread beggars belief, why don't the UKBA just put their hands up and say sorry we got this one wrong, rather than defending crass decisions?

Maybe they should use mystery shoppers to test VFS.

[VisasPlus]

theoldgit, on 2012-03-19 09:11:31, said:

This thread beggars belief, why don't the UKBA just put their hands up and say sorry we got this one wrong, rather than defending crass decisions?

Maybe they should use mystery shoppers to test VFS.

That's a good idea. You live in Bangkok, so there's a job for you !  

If I was in charge, perish the thought, I would be looking for an alternative to VFS. There have been a lot of complaints about the service provided, but,as you say, UKBA will not take the applicant's side.  In one response to me, the ECM said that as the applicant had signed  the "document checklist", he ( the ECM) had to rely on that as evidence. Fair enough, but I pointed out that many Thai's have a fear of those in authority, and if "told" to sign, then they will. In many cases, they certainly won't say no, as they do not wish any confrontation.

I have had one report ( but with not enough "evidence" to satisfy UKBA) that an applicant who was prevented from submitting everything that she wanted by VFS, was approached immediately outside VFS by those friendly people in the office next door. The representative of that office told the applicant that he understood that she had just had a problem submitting documents, and offered to assist for a fee.  But, as I said, no evidence to back this up, so no good reporting it to UKBA.  This is indeed the sort of thing that a "mystery shopper" might see happening.

VFS are now operating beyond their brief, I think. They fill out visa applications online for applicants, and, in my mind, that can be construed as giving immigration guidance ( which VFS are prohibited from doing ). If I tried to do that in the UK, then I would be charged with giving immigration advice without being affiliated to OISC. It looks like a double standard to me.  Of course, the office next door will do it for 20 - 25,000 Baht !

[ThaiVisaExpress]

Reply from the UK/BA

Further to my replies of 1 and 8 March, thank you for supplying further information and I have noted your comments in regard to documentation handed back to the applicant and not submitted with the application.  As explained previously, I have placed a note on file that if the ECO dealing with the case requires further documentation, that this should be sought prior to making a final decision.

We have taken this matter very seriously and investigated all concerns raised to the Embassy in regard to this matter sent from yourself and another visa agent.  We have also raised this matter with senior managers at VFS Global, our commercial partner, and further training and detailed guidance reiterated to all VFS staff working within the Visa Application Centre.  The month of March is our busiest period and we see in excess of 10,000 applications going through the VAC, a very high percentage of which go without complaint.  However the latter said there is no excuse for compliancy hence the action we have taken.

[VisasPlus]

ThaiVisaExpress, on 2012-03-19 15:08:37, said:

Reply from the UK/BA

Further to my replies of 1 and 8 March, thank you for supplying further information and I have noted your comments in regard to documentation handed back to the applicant and not submitted with the application.  As explained previously, I have placed a note on file that if the ECO dealing with the case requires further documentation, that this should be sought prior to making a final decision.

We have taken this matter very seriously and investigated all concerns raised to the Embassy in regard to this matter sent from yourself and another visa agent.  We have also raised this matter with senior managers at VFS Global, our commercial partner, and further training and detailed guidance reiterated to all VFS staff working within the Visa Application Centre.  The month of March is our busiest period and we see in excess of 10,000 applications going through the VAC, a very high percentage of which go without complaint.  However the latter said there is no excuse for compliancy hence the action we have taken.

Cheers, Paul. The way that reads to me is,  they say - ".....we see in excess of 10,000 applications going through the VAC, a very high percentage of which go without complaint." - so they are receiving complaints about VFS.   The fact that they are now giving "further training and detailed guidance"  means that there is a problem(s), and that this problem(s) has been identified.  As theoldgit says, why don't they put their hands up and admit it !  Or find another partner agency ?

[ThaiVisaExpress]

It would depend on how many visas per year you submit people like ourselves submit 5-10 applications per month Tony.

So we will obviously deal with them on a week to week basis.