Sopra Steria (SS)... where do they 'fit in'?

We will be submitting my wife's second FLR(M) (Extension - 2.5 years) application in September this year.
Under the '28 days before expiry' rule, do we use the Expiry Date on her current BRP card to calculate the earliest date we can press 'Send' on her online application, or is it another date we need to use?

Even if we scan & upload all the required evidence ourselves at home, I understand we still need to book an appointment with SS to submit new biometric information - photo & 'prints'? This used to be done at a Post Office, for a fraction of what SS now charge! I'm sure there is more to the service that SS now provide?
Does the option to book with SS present itself after you hit 'Send' on the online application? Similar to how the IHS charge presents itself, from memory...
What happens if you can't get an appointment with SS between submitting the online application and the expiry of the BRP?? As long as you have submitted the application online before expiry of the BRP, will UKVI just 'overlook' the fact that the BRP is expired before biometrics have been submitted?

We haven't decided yet whether to pay for 'extra services' from SS or UKVI - evidence document checking, expedited decision etc.

TIA

After you pay the IHS fee and then the visa fee, you are then directed to the Sopra Steria site. You will also get an email with the SS link. The website will show the best locations depending on your post code and available appointments.

For SS Manchester, appointments were fairly easy on most days including weekends. I didn't look at the other locations to see ease of appointments elsewhere. Eventually, we were all submitted 3 days before the BRP's expiration. I don't know what would happen if your biometric appointments was after the expiry. I'd hope this would not be a major issue, but that's only a guess!

I didn't complete the SS stuff until a few days after I paid for the visa. Uploading documents was a relatively painless exercise. The only trauma was bringing the printer out for the first time in over a year and working out how to get it hooked up to the new WiFi.

it will be interesting to see what the different prices are for the SS appointments. We paid £71.

with regard to extra services by SS---as far as i can tell at this stage--they offer to check, scan and upload your evidences...but whether its included in the price you pay remains to be seen. I will know more on tuesday. But they do suggest you upload your docs to their site before hand--at least 48 hours before. I did get an email saying all but 2 of mine were ok--and to re-upload the other 2.

the main advantage of this new procedure is not having to post kilos of paperwork to UKVI--if it ever gets there.

Thanks. That's pretty much what I thought the procedure would be.

I guess pricing is on a national structure - not regional - the only differences being which 'Services' you choose to pay for, the time of day and weekday or weekend appointment? If I remember, I will Post our total costs on here after the event...

The application date is the key date as long as that is done on time you are fine even of your bio appointment is after your BRP has expired.

Thanks for the confirmation, @Mattecube .

today went well--no hassle--in and out in 15 mins. Sopra were satisfied the uploads were all ok and submitted them. So all the documents she took werent even looked at. They pointed out my wife hadnt signed her passport.

Should know the result sometime tomorrow.

after yesterday's appointment at sopra steria--at 11-30 am, my wife received an email from them at 11-50 saying they had submitted the uploaded evidences to UKVI--and it was now up to UKVI to decide., and not to contact sopra / UKVCAS any further. They did give a contact phone number for UKVI and a link to the processing timescale.

we paid an extra £800 for super priority service--meaning a decision next working day.

So far--nothing. No decision--no reply to say they needed further information--just --zilch.

Why am i not in the least surprised ?

email this morning to say item will be delivered by TNT today--and will need signature. Tracking ref provided.
TNT site says" Biometric Residency Permit (BRP)"

Happy days
But why no contact to say we are successful ?

(edited)

Congratulations

thanks--and thanks for all your help and advice throughout the process. The BRP has arrived--and ive noticed it has an expiry date--2024. So does that mean we have to renew it every few years ?

No they all expire on 31 December 2024 what UKGov are looking to do by then is link in ILR to your national insurance number and do away with once you have ILR the BRP cards.
I guess it won't matter if you become a Brit but for those who stay on ILR that is how it will work

That's interesting to hear, I hadn't heard of that and to be honest didn't research why the card had the expiry - I also thought it was just a straight forward renewal! Thanks for the heads up

As a comparison for non-expedited decision, we got our approval via email this morning.

Sopra Steria appointment and docs submitted (self uploaded, no checking or other services) on 20th June 2021.

Email confirmation received 24th July 2021.

Just over a month.



And when we thought the expenses were all done for now, we have one final expense which will be the £1.20 or so to send the expired BRP to Bristol.

Health surcharge £1560.00
Visa fee £1052.20
Sopra Steria £138.00
Returning BRP Recorded Delivery approx £1.20
Total £2751.40

Lying in bed right now and watching her tease the dogs, I have to query the value/reward of this outlay.

congrats on getting the FLR--that was a quick result. But do bear in mind the final ILR can take 6 months--and we have seen a couple of results taking nearly that long: thats why we opted for super priority ( £800 extra ) rather than be dangled on a string till next year.

Congratulations on the visa.
I must admit I thought and understand you only need to send your BRP card back once you gain British Citizenship.
You could save £1.20 here!