Direct from VFS website Keep My Passport When Applying Keep My Passport When Applying service is available to all applicants submitting their applications, requesting to retain their passports in their possession and have agreed to return their passport back to the Visa Application Centre within 10 working days at a fee of PHP3,417.If applicants do not return their passports within the required 10 working days, the application may fall to be refused.
Use a specialist immigration lawyer--to ask UKVI if there is a way you can apply from the UK--or an EU country perhaps--say--Ireland ? i wasnt at all criticising you for enrolling your child at school--just that it is a bit unusual if the parent is on a visit visa. to be brutally honest--i think you should have sorted your immigration status out years ago! however--whats done is done--or not in your case. can your husband take leave from his job--come home to look after his kids while you are away?
What annoys me the most is that t we have a solicitor and was told it’s 50-50 if we apply from the UK. It’s a risk and the horrible truth is we won’t be able to make a refund if application is going to be refused. Like I said, my husband’s job was overseas and we did not know at that time that I can’t switch to FLR here in the UK with my current visa if we decided to move here permanently. It is valid until 2019 and why would we waste the money we paid for 5 years visa to switch to spouse visa when we weren’t even living here. Right, what’s done is done now. Sadly, my husband can’t take leave of absence at work otherwise he loses his job. Especially we don’t even know how long the process is going to take if I go back to the Philippines. If they can guarantee a decision will be made within 1 month using premium service, it’s doable. But that’s wishful thinking isn’t it.
sorry--you have confused me. you are now saying you obtained a 5 year visit visa---in 2014 ? valid till 2019. so--not a 6 month visit visa. are there any limits on your visa for how long you can stay here continuously ? is it a multi entry visa ?
As I understand it @Lizzylou is here on a 5 year multi entry visa and needs to change the visa before 2019 as that is when it runs out. Yes there are limits to how long you can stay the limit being 180 days each visit, hence some of @Lizzylou questions. However if you note my response on an above post you will see I have responded with what the UKGov site states about frequency of visits looking like the visa holder is trying to make the UK her home without the correct visa ie 180 days in the country short holiday then back for 180 days,this strategy as I point out would jeopardise current visa and future applications.
so nothing to stop her going back to the philippines--for a short visit--applying for spouse visa....getting her passport back---then returning to the UK. waiting for the decision--then submitting her passport for the settlement visa to go in it. would she have to go back to the filis again to get her passport--or could it be posted to her in the UK ? whatever she has to do--will carry some measure of inconvenience or disruption to her family life. but its a price we all have to pay. i have far more sympathy with those who simply cannot meet the finacial requirements--and are forced to live apart. an extra flight to the filis--or 2--or even a risked visa fee is small change to a 40% taxpayer!
I totally understand that at some point we have to make sacrifices. But it just doesn’t feel right to leave my two children here in the Uk, or I could take them with me, but isn’t it their right to stay here too? My son has started school, my husband is working so he can feed his family and have enough to pay 40% tax to the government. I don’t intend to work, we will not claim benefits even if we would be entitled to as we know there are people who would need it more than us. The only issue we have for this application is the type of visa I currently have. Fair point for you to say you have more sympathy to those who can’t meet the financial requirement and have to live apart, but the thing is— if you cannot afford it then don’t come here. My husband works hard and pays his tax, but sometimes it’s a shame that it goes to people who come to the UK and live with the benefits from the Government and sit at home. Apologies for the rant.
I am not here to be judged or to make other members upset. I am asking for advice and help to those who might have had the same experience or may know some ways for me to go round my case without going back to the Philippines. As I am desperately trying to avoid leaving my kids here for months and months.
i dont think you will have to leave your kids for months--just a week or two. but ask your lawyer if you can just go to the EA and do the deed.
Big Mac— does that mean the priority service is reliable back in the Phil. Now? How about the backlog with UKVI? I’m afraid to leave as I might have to wait for months in Phil
thank you. I have so much on my plate I am starting to feel hopeless with my visa situation. My husband will send an email to our local MP and maybe he can provide us a letter to support our case. Our lawyer can’t really get straight answer from UKVI apart from what we already know from the Website. He can’t advice us as well to go to Ireland as I have to be a resident of that certain country where I can make the application. I have read the above comment about getting my passport back after application, but then it makes no sense as I will have to return my passport within 10days. (would it be possible to send my passport by a courier from the UK to the Phil. Once I’m back here from the Phil.? ) I think that’s the best possible option I have? Thank you
thank you. I have so much on my plate I am starting to feel hopeless with my visa situation. My husband will send an email to our local MP and maybe he can provide us a letter to support our case. Our lawyer can’t really get straight answer from UKVI apart from what we already know from the Website. He can’t advice us as well to go to Ireland as I have to be a resident of that certain country where I can make the application. I have read the above comment about getting my passport back after application, but then it makes no sense as I will have to return my passport within 10days. (would it be possible to send my passport by a courier from the UK to the Phil. Once I’m back here from the Phil.? ) I think that’s the best possible option I have? Thank you
no--not using the non-existant priority service. just go back home--lodge your settlement visa application--get your passport back--then return to UK. when you get email notification that your visa has been approved--then send in your passport straight away. but i dont know if it will be sent to the philippines or where you are then living. however--do you have someone reliable who could DHL it to you ? as mattcube says--we are on your side--coming up with ideas that can help you overcome your problem. i cant see any reason why you shouldnt get your settlement visa.
for what its worth--i do feel the UKVI insistance that settlement spouse applications require the application to be made outside the UK is frankly ridiculous. what purpose does it serve ?
Would it be breaching my human rights if they ask me to go back to the Philippines to apply for settlement? My kids are both under 4 years old, youngest is only 1.5yo, it would be unreasonable to take my son out from school, my husband is working and could lose his job if takes leave of absence to be able to look after our kids while I am away. Urgh, I wish there is a caseworker from UKVI we could talk to.
I couldn’t agree more. I am already here, the documents from the Phil goes to Sheffield anyway. So why send me back to the Phil.when I can easily do the application from here.
