Hello reader,
Nicole and I went to the UKBA in Glasgow today for our FLR(M) interview at 11:30am and I am pleased to tell you that we were approved!
The people there were friendly and helpful and I couldn't fault the service on the day. That is not to say however that we will not be looking for answers regarding the misinformation we were given by the UKBA and the Home Office. The unnecessary stress we went through is something that should not be happening and we hope that our story can help to ensure that this kind of thing doesn't happen again.
Thank you for all of your advice and support.
Thank you for reading,
John
Wednesday 5 December 2012
Friday 26 October 2012
Our local MP is looking for answers!
Hello reader,
I contacted my MP's Senior Caseworker with the email below.
--
Joanna,
Nicole called the UKBA on Tuesday late afternoon and a different person told her that we fall under the old rules as Nicole entered the UK on a visa issued before 9 July 2012.
This comes as a huge relief as you can imagine but I have to say we are very disappointed with the UKBA and the Home Office itself who also told us we would be subject to the new rules. The UKBA gave bad information out to Nicole, the East Lothian Courier, the Daily Express and to your office. So on four out of five occasions they were wrong when advising on the rules they are meant to know and understand. You have to wonder how many others have been and will continue to be put through unnecessary worry and distress?
I would like to thank you for your help and advice during both the fiance visa process and with this, it is very much appreciated.
Kind regards,
John
--
I was hoping that her office would not just let this go and follow up to find out how we were misinformed on so many occasions. Her response is below.
--
I contacted my MP's Senior Caseworker with the email below.
--
Joanna,
Nicole called the UKBA on Tuesday late afternoon and a different person told her that we fall under the old rules as Nicole entered the UK on a visa issued before 9 July 2012.
This comes as a huge relief as you can imagine but I have to say we are very disappointed with the UKBA and the Home Office itself who also told us we would be subject to the new rules. The UKBA gave bad information out to Nicole, the East Lothian Courier, the Daily Express and to your office. So on four out of five occasions they were wrong when advising on the rules they are meant to know and understand. You have to wonder how many others have been and will continue to be put through unnecessary worry and distress?
I would like to thank you for your help and advice during both the fiance visa process and with this, it is very much appreciated.
Kind regards,
John
--
I was hoping that her office would not just let this go and follow up to find out how we were misinformed on so many occasions. Her response is below.
--
Dear John,
Many
thanks for keeping me up-to-date. I will make sure that Fiona is
informed – she will be delighted by this news. Fiona will also take
this matter up
with the Minister with regards to the process/confusion and as soon as
she has received a response she will be in touch with you.
Wishing you and your wife a very happy future together.
Please
do not hesitate to get back in touch should you have any other
difficulties in the future or if you have any other issues which you
wish to raise with
Fiona.
Kind regards
Joanna
--
Good news as far as we are concerned. Hopefully the UKBA will realise they need to take action with regards to how their staff are handling such enquiries. What is really worrying is that some people may have just accepted this bad information and already left the UK because of it.
Thank you for reading.
John
Wednesday 24 October 2012
Finally!
Hello reader,
So we finally have the answer we wanted to hear. Nicole spent a good half hour on the phone with Jessica from the UK Border Agency and she was able to confirm that we will be considered under the old rules.
This comes as a huge relief as you can imagine and Nicole and I can finally focus on the next stage of our journey. What's next for us? Well now we must fill out the FLR(M) form, gather all of our information together and get the Spouse visa application sent off.
What I find difficult to understand is how someone at the UKBA managed to misinform first Nicole and then after that a local newspaper the East Lothian Courier, a national newspaper the Daily Express and an MP's office. We were also misinformed by the Citizen's Advice Bureau and worst of all the Home Office!!!
The kind of distress this has caused Nicole and I was absolutely the last thing we needed right after our wedding. Hopefully our story can help others avoid such a situation.
I'll continue to update regarding our application and hopefully in the near future I will be able to report that we were successful.
Thank you to everyone who has helped us so far and thank you for reading.
John
So we finally have the answer we wanted to hear. Nicole spent a good half hour on the phone with Jessica from the UK Border Agency and she was able to confirm that we will be considered under the old rules.
This comes as a huge relief as you can imagine and Nicole and I can finally focus on the next stage of our journey. What's next for us? Well now we must fill out the FLR(M) form, gather all of our information together and get the Spouse visa application sent off.
What I find difficult to understand is how someone at the UKBA managed to misinform first Nicole and then after that a local newspaper the East Lothian Courier, a national newspaper the Daily Express and an MP's office. We were also misinformed by the Citizen's Advice Bureau and worst of all the Home Office!!!
The kind of distress this has caused Nicole and I was absolutely the last thing we needed right after our wedding. Hopefully our story can help others avoid such a situation.
I'll continue to update regarding our application and hopefully in the near future I will be able to report that we were successful.
Thank you to everyone who has helped us so far and thank you for reading.
John
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