Current Advice Needed For Spouse Visa Application - HELP!

[YorkshirePuddin]

HI all, thanks again for any help in advance.

Can anyone verify that i have the correct schedule for submitting our spouse visa application. We have all the supporting docs, english test, evidence etc. all sorted. Just want to check that this is the order we do things! thanks!

1) VISA online application

2) Arrange Appointment for Submitting Documents with VFS

3) Payment & Passport Photocopy at Union Bank(within 10 days of VISA APPLICATION)

4) Attend Appointment (2 Ids Needed To Enter & Informal Dress Code) & Give Biometric Information on ssame day as attending appointment

This is what we think the order is by reading the various websites and the forum postings but...just want to be sure!
Thanks again!

[YorkshirePuddin]

p.s. do biometric fingerprint and photos cost anything extra?
thanks

[lastlid]

(2 Ids Needed To Enter & Informal Dress Code) & Give Biometric Information on ssame day as attending appointment

Yes. Any males going in must not be wearing shorts! This is more to do with entrance to the Eco Plaza, than the entrance to VFS once inside the Eco Plaza.

[YorkshirePuddin]

thanks Lastlid.

Do you think I have steps 1 to 4 in the correct order of process?

[rusty]

Sounds like you have it all ready, not sure if you have to pay the fee first before you book the appointment, you will need to take a passport photo with you as part of you application.

There are optional additional services you pay for at the time such as sms and courier services.

If you use the VIP lounge all these services, including photocopying and passport photo are included in the VIP cost (1800 Php)

http://www.vfs-uk-ph.com/additionalservice.html

[YorkshirePuddin]

thanks Rusty thats helpful!

[lastlid]

Yorkshire Pudding. When is your application going in? Ours went in on 2nd September......

[YorkshirePuddin]

cool! All the best with it lastlid!
Ours will go in, in the next week.
Didn't want to apply, arrange meeting and discover we should have done bio fingerprints before scheduled meeting or something hence the thread. Did you pay at union bank before your scheduled meeting?

[lastlid]

Yes. But my wife used the VIP lounge. So I am not entirely sure about the regular / standard appointment.

However i think that you can pay the visa fee money either before or after the appointment is made. As long as you have the receipt and take it with you to the appointment. And as long as you go to the appointment within the 10 day limit from paying the fee.

If you want to be 100% certain then email MariaE@vfsglobal.com as she normally replies within 24 hours or less.

[YorkshirePuddin]

Tried to book Online appointment with VIP but all we get is a calendar of september and a "no appointments available". with no option to move the calendar to October. Any ideas?

[lastlid]

You have tried the VIP appointment? Strange that they have no appointments as they normally will see you with 24 hours notice. When my wife went on 2nd Sept she said there was only 2 of them there that morning. You can even specify a time. Phone +63 2 501 3217.....directly to the VIP lounge.

[YorkshirePuddin]

Anyone else having a problem contacting the VFS?
The website VIP appointment is down and all the phone numbers off the website including the vip lounge and the call centres are not working?!?!??!

ahhhhhh!

[lastlid]

When I was in Manila in June, I never ever got through to them on the phone to their standard number(s). Not once. And I tried em a million times.

I had to resort to actually visiting them and email only. Tess (Maria) normally replies to email within 24 hours and often much quicker than that.

But not a problem with the VIP number....

[YorkshirePuddin]

Yeah it seems all numbers including VIP are down. I emailed Maria and an auto out of office reply indicates they are shut until Thursday. am just eager to get ball rolling after many months apart from mahal ko. So many slow processes on the way to applying for this visa....sigh.

I sincerely wish you and your wife all the best with your application. Feel free to drop us a message and let us know how you get on.

[briancol]

may i jump in on this thread as ive asked this question on a thread of my own but no one has replied,.
Visa application help/ info needed
can someone tell me how we go about sending all the paperwork we've gathered, ie,the email printouts,yahoo chat printouts,fotos,receipts,and the like. do we send them in along with the visa application or does my wife take them with her when she goes to Manila for her interview? theres a heck of a lot of it.(inches thick)thanks.

[rusty]

You need to complete the application form online, print and sign the application and then take this with all your supporting documents to the VFS when you submit your application.

Technically its not an interview, you will visit the VFS to submit the application, they will then forward your application to the embassy for a processing.

[briancol]

hi,thnks for that reply.it not me but my wife who will be applying,but does that mean she will have to make two trips to Manila,to VFS then at somepoint UKBA or whoever?
thanks.

[Arthur Little]

hi,thnks for that reply.it not me but my wife who will be applying,but does that mean she will have to make two trips to Manila,to VFS then at somepoint UKBA or whoever?
thanks.

... only ONE trip is needed ... that's to submit her documents to VFS ... who - after checking they're in order - will pass them onto the British Embassy for processing.

[briancol]

ok thank you both,Arthur Little & Rusty.