Another HUGE change for UK settlement applications

https://www.vfsglobal.co.uk/philippines/pdf/Intro-Scan-Process.pdf

Thanks @Dav3&Ai5a for sharing, I thought the barcodes only apply to Tier 1-4 applicants.

Has anyone experienced having their authenticated docs scanned? Just wondering how this is done when you cannot detach the actual birth certificate from the red ribbon, otherwise the full doc cant be scanned.

Also, can anyone advice on bank statements please. My fiance have 2 bank accounts containing his salary. He moved his payroll to another bank but his old bank account still exist. Does he need to provide recent 6 mos bank statements for both accounts? Or can he do 2 mos for bank account1 and 4 mos on bank acct2?

Note that the settlement visa is not covered by the UK tier visa system, it is separate, some of the tiers 1-5 can lead to eventual settlement.

• Tier 1, High-Value Migrants
• Tier 2, Skilled Workers
• Tier 3, Unskilled Workers
• Tier 4, Adult Students
• Tier 5, Temporary Workers

When scanning any red ribboned documents just scan the first page (with ribbon) as it is, and scan any remaining pages as you would if the documents were stapled together by folding at the corner, I do realise the red ribbon often covers some of the information on the first page but don't worry about it.

Regarding the bank statements just submit the last 6 months, it doesn't matter that they are from different banks, as long as they tally with his last 6 months payslips then it will be fine.

Thanks again @Timmers

Based on Mrs. Watson's experience where she mailed her docs to Sheffield then they sent everything back to her after scanning, it would seem like UKVI will not keep any hard copies anymore. And scanning is exactly what VFS offers for a fee. Whether UKVI now prefers to keep electronic docs, I don't know.

Just thinking now whether we should avail of VFS scanning service as it will save us time and money with mailing and all that. But UKVI did put a clause in their guide, "where required, applicant should provide original doc" or something like that. Which of course adds more confusion as there is no one in VFS who verifies the docs are originals before they are scanned.

Have you read the attached file on the first post of this thread?
We are very soon ready to submit our visa application, my fiancée has just got her last document today and will send everything within the next few days for me to submit here. On the attached file it states only 1 month for transition will scanning service be available by the VFS. So in my view I think by asking them to scan any documents there could result in a delay in the processing of any visa now.

Yes, I've read it but my interpretation is that since decision will now be made by the UKVI in Sheffield, any supporting docs sent to UKVI in Manila for the period of 1 month from April 3, 2017 will be forwarded to Sheffield. After the 1 month transition period, applicants have the option to mail the docs to Sheffield themselves or avail of the new scanning service of VFS.

In your case, it seems like you have most of the requirements so it would make sense for you to mail them to Sheffield. But in my case, we still have quite a long way to go to complete the requirements haha! So we are still trying to figure out this process and the best option to take. My fiance actually brought some docs to Manila, but I may have to send them back to him in the end, not sure yet.

Hope your submission of documents goes well, and congrats on completing the requirements!

If I was starting the visa process again I would definitely avail to the scanning service presently on offer, its a personal choice of course.

At least if you take the application to the VFS they can at least check through to see you have the basics required for the application before scanning.

"old" rating ?

So can you give me the information of a vfs office in Tagaytay or manila ? How do we book it etc ?

Also guys please help. The local mayor at the civil is unavailable. Ive passed all my documents to the civil including my affirmation from british embassy.

We have found a bishop who will marry us. Is this accepted by uk as an official marriage still ?

Only two VFS centres. MANILA and CEBU. Check it here:

https://www.vfsglobal.co.uk/philippines/

I think that any judge or the civil registry office can perform the marriage not only the mayor. The local mayor officiates 'mass wedding' every now and then as part of their duties but this is not thier job (in the same way that the mayor of london is not expected to officiate wedding everyday).

A local bishop have the power to officiate the marriage but they will ask for various religious requirements (check them out first before proceeding specially if its catholic: ie you will need to produce baptismal cert etx). These marriages are accepted by the UKVI after they have been registered (technically the same process as in the UK when the marriage are officiated by a religious person).

Hi @Mrs.Watson have you had any news yet on your visa application?

Unfortunately still has no news about it. I am back in Scotland now and that i wasted money paying for the Priority Visa . I dont know when are they going to release the result, been contacting them (the UKVI) also but they kept on saying its still on the process. So i will just wait i dont know until when

I stayed in the Philippines for more than 30 days and I availed the 10 days Priority Visa but still very useless I will charged it to experience. But still hoping for a positive result. And I emailed UKVI three times for any updates, and all answers are automated I really can't do anything but have to wait, maybe the normal 12 weeks

Fingers crossed for you that you get a positive result.

Hi, can you tell me where you got your biometrics done and at what stage of the visa application, regards

Biometrics are done at the VFS when your missus submits the application.

Hello
We are still utterly confused about where to submit supporting documents.
I took all my, sponcer documents to Manila last month, only to bring them back to UK. After reading various posts on here and elsewhere.
An email from UKBI says all documents must be submitted in Manila with the application....help...

youre confused! i think youve just confused the rest of us. i understood it to be the exact opposite....all documents to sheffield. can you check that email again ?