Asked Home Office to process application quicker instead got visa application returned

[hakimsara]

Hello,
My name is Sarra,
In October 2017, I was diagnosed with an aggressive breast cancer whilst 3 weeks pregnant at the age of 25. In December of the same year, I had a lumpectomy and a tumour was removed. After that, I was prescribed four chemotherapy cycles at my third trimester of pregnancy so I have applied for my mother to come to the UK to assist me and in the visa application we included all the diagnoses letters and she was granted a 6 months’ standard visitor visa in January 2018.

After finishing my four chemotherapy cycles, on the 1st of March 2018, my doctors told me that my cancer was difficult and I had to do a further 12 chemotherapy cycles as well as 30 days of radiotherapy so we have applied to extend my mother’s standard visitor visa on 25 May 2018 based on my medical grounds.

After carrying a further 7 chemotherapy cessions out of the 12, I broke down, and decided to not take out the remaining 7 chemotherapy cessions. I then went to a post-natal depression and doing chemotherapy made it worse. I contacted the Home Office on the 20th of July and asked them to update me on my mother’s application. I explained to them that I needed to visit my sisters and father and that it would help me mentally a lot but I couldn’t leave my mother in the UK alone as the Home Office had her passport. The person on the phone told me they have no updates and that they will tell the person processing the application to do it quicker.

After a further 2 weeks, my depression became worse so I contacted the Home Office again and they said they already told the person to chase it and they can do nothing for me. They told me that there is an online service where I can fill a document return form whereby they can return my mother’s passport and process the visa extension for her in the meanwhile.

Nothing has changed so I called them and asked them again to return my mother’s passport and process the application quicker, they said the same thing and that they asked the person to do the application quicker. The person on the phone asked me whether I would like to withdraw the application or tell them to chase it. I said no to withdraw the application. They told me applications can take over 2 months and that we are likely to receive my mother's visa mid-August. They then asked me to send a letter to the Home Office which I did, in the letter I stated my circumstances and that I was tired of chemotherapy and going thought depression and that we needed my mother’s passport so we go home together as we couldn’t leave her. I did not request my mother’s visa application to be withdrawn.

The next day, the Home Office contacted me and asked me whether I wanted my mother’s passport back and whether I booked a flight for her and I said yes. They then said they will return the passport on a next day service.

I have received the passport today without any visas and the Home Office has taken £993 from me.

In none of the calls I made to them or received from them, I was told or told them that I wanted the application to be withdrawn. It was not implied. It wasn’t written in the letter. Is this normal?

The Home Office has taken £993 from a cancer patient, kept the file with them for months and then returned it. All I wanted from the Home Office is to process the application quicker based on my medical circumstances as I don’t know how long I go to live with my triple negative cancer and all they did is cancel my application.

Can you please assist me. How can this be allowed to happen at this time? Is there no mercy? Are there no grounds for compassion for people who are suffering from aggressive diseases?
Thank you for your time.

[vinny]

Try complaining?

[hakimsara]

Hello,
I have not tried. Do I complain to the same people who have ripped me off?
If I say I didn't ask them to withdraw my application and they withdrew it without my request, what they did was it wrong? Do I have any grounds for a refund of my fee? I haven't recorded my calls to them. Will I have to prove it?

[vignezh]

Hello,
My name is Sarra,
In October 2017, I was diagnosed with an aggressive breast cancer whilst 3 weeks pregnant at the age of 25. In December of the same year, I had a lumpectomy and a tumour was removed. After that, I was prescribed four chemotherapy cycles at my third trimester of pregnancy so I have applied for my mother to come to the UK to assist me and in the visa application we included all the diagnoses letters and she was granted a 6 months’ standard visitor visa in January 2018.

After finishing my four chemotherapy cycles, on the 1st of March 2018, my doctors told me that my cancer was difficult and I had to do a further 12 chemotherapy cycles as well as 30 days of radiotherapy so we have applied to extend my mother’s standard visitor visa on 25 May 2018 based on my medical grounds.

After carrying a further 7 chemotherapy cessions out of the 12, I broke down, and decided to not take out the remaining 7 chemotherapy cessions. I then went to a post-natal depression and doing chemotherapy made it worse. I contacted the Home Office on the 20th of July and asked them to update me on my mother’s application. I explained to them that I needed to visit my sisters and father and that it would help me mentally a lot but I couldn’t leave my mother in the UK alone as the Home Office had her passport. The person on the phone told me they have no updates and that they will tell the person processing the application to do it quicker.

After a further 2 weeks, my depression became worse so I contacted the Home Office again and they said they already told the person to chase it and they can do nothing for me. They told me that there is an online service where I can fill a document return form whereby they can return my mother’s passport and process the visa extension for her in the meanwhile.

Nothing has changed so I called them and asked them again to return my mother’s passport and process the application quicker, they said the same thing and that they asked the person to do the application quicker. The person on the phone asked me whether I would like to withdraw the application or tell them to chase it. I said no to withdraw the application. They told me applications can take over 2 months and that we are likely to receive my mother's visa mid-August. They then asked me to send a letter to the Home Office which I did, in the letter I stated my circumstances and that I was tired of chemotherapy and going thought depression and that we needed my mother’s passport so we go home together as we couldn’t leave her. I did not request my mother’s visa application to be withdrawn.

The next day, the Home Office contacted me and asked me whether I wanted my mother’s passport back and whether I booked a flight for her and I said yes. They then said they will return the passport on a next day service.

I have received the passport today without any visas and the Home Office has taken £993 from me.

In none of the calls I made to them or received from them, I was told or told them that I wanted the application to be withdrawn. It was not implied. It wasn’t written in the letter. Is this normal?



The Home Office has taken £993 from a cancer patient, kept the file with them for months and then returned it. All I wanted from the Home Office is to process the application quicker based on my medical circumstances as I don’t know how long I go to live with my triple negative cancer and all they did is cancel my application.

Can you please assist me. How can this be allowed to happen at this time? Is there no mercy? Are there no grounds for compassion for people who are suffering from aggressive diseases?
Thank you for your time.

Please do try contacting your local MP if you haven't done so already.