Switching from Postal service to Premium service for ILR

[alice_2016]

Dear Members,

My spouse visa has expired this month Nov 2016, I applied by post for ILR on 10 Oct 2016.
They deducted the fees from my account on 13 Oct 2016. On 31 Oct I received a letter from Home Office - Liverpool in which they invited me to do the biometric test, I did the test on 1st Nov.
I wanted to switch from Postal Mode to Premium Mode because I urgently needed the visa, the biometric card and the supporting documents I have sent with the postal application. So I filled in and emailed the two forms to the Upgrade Team in Liverpool on 9th Nov. On 10th Nov I received the following email from the team:

Dear Sir/Madam
As your application is already being considered by another business area then we are unable to accept an Premium Upgrade service in these circumstances.
Kind Regards
Premium Upgrade Team

What does that mean? is it good news or bad news?
what another business area can be?
Any idea how to accelerate the decision and how to use the premium service?
Should I instruct a solicitor to deal with the case as I urgently need the visa and the documents for exceptional circumstances?

Waiting for your feedback
Thank you very much

[CR001]

No need for multiple posts all over the ILR sub forum. See Multiple Posts (click)

[CR001]

What does that mean?

Means it is probably in latter stages and HO has refused to upgrade your application to premium.

is it good news or bad news?

No way to tell really.

what another business area can be?

The one that deals with ILR applications perhaps

Any idea how to accelerate the decision and how to use the premium service?

No other way. If you followed HO procedure and they declined your request, then that is it.

Should I instruct a solicitor to deal with the case as I urgently need the visa and the documents for exceptional circumstances?

Would be pointless really. Solicitors have no sway with HO. Did you explain in your request what the exceptional circumstances are?

Note, ILR is not a visa.

[alice_2016]

No need for multiple posts all over the ILR sub forum. See Multiple Posts (click)

my apology, I wanted to get as many opinions as possible, thank you for deleting the other posts.

[alice_2016]

Thank you very much for reply.

Can the biometric card be the latter stage you mentioned? I suppose that asking me to attend for the biometric card can be a good sign that my application has no problems (i.e. missing information, documents etc..) and indicates that the application is in the final stages?

Actually I am not so worried about granting ILR as I am not aware of any possible problem, but I am concerned about time. So I wonder if my situation tells anything about the time of having my ILR and the documents.

Yes, I told them in the upgrade form about my exceptional circumstances.

I do agree, ILR is not a visa.

As you see I am desperate to know anything about the time of receiving my ILR.

Thank you very much for help

[Casa]

Biometrics are only taken at the first stage before the Case Worker begins to process and access the application.

[alice_2016]

Biometrics are only taken at the first stage before the Case Worker begins to process and access the application.

In this case I wonder what the latter stages you mentioned can be, what is the stage (HO called it another business area) that comes after the biometrics & the Case Worker and the Upgrade Team cannot retrieve the application from.

Thank you

[CR001]

We don't work for HO or have any knowledge of their internal workings.

[schneider315]

Hi Alice,

What ended up happening?
I'm in the same boat and there are just no numbers to call, kicking myself for not going premium in the first place.

have a flight home in 10 days so thinking of cancelling and losing the fee which is pretty devastating. Weird thing is I emailed the upgrade service on Monday and still haven't heard anything, chased today via email but no response.

-Anthony

[alice_2016]

Hi Alice,

What ended up happening?
I'm in the same boat and there are just no numbers to call, kicking myself for not going premium in the first place.

have a flight home in 10 days so thinking of cancelling and losing the fee which is pretty devastating. Weird thing is I emailed the upgrade service on Monday and still haven't heard anything, chased today via email but no response.

-Anthony

Hi Anthony,

I just read your reply

Sorry for you, I also had very hard circumstances and still waiting.
Is there any progress on your application?

In the payment form I provided the team with the credit card details, but unfortunately my credit card was lost. I sent the team another form with a different card details. Few days ago, I received an email from the premium team telling me that they tried to take the fees from my account but the bank has declined, and told me they will try again, if they failed to take the fees they would consider my application is cancelled and return it to the normal postal mode. I sent them the credit card details again with no response. I am worried about the application to be returned to the postal mode as they did not pick up the new card details I sent the first time and did not reply on the new emails.

[alice_2016]

following my question above, I would mention that the upgrade team has sent me an email later telling me they requested the application from another department. After 6 weeks I received an email telling me they failed to deduct the fees from my account as I explained in the previous reply.

Is it possible that my application is cancelled and returned to the postal mode without telling me?
Should I send a new application with the new payment details ?

If any idea or advice about this case would be really appreciated.

[paru.org]

@alice
was ur premium application accepted in 1st time? u got response same day?
i have sent them 3 emails on 3 dsya bw 8 and 12 pm but they didnt responded even once>>

following my question above, I would mention that the upgrade team has sent me an email later telling me they requested the application from another department. After 6 weeks I received an email telling me they failed to deduct the fees from my account as I explained in the previous reply.

Is it possible that my application is cancelled and returned to the postal mode without telling me?
Should I send a new application with the new payment details ?

If any idea or advice about this case would be really appreciated.

[alice_2016]

paru.org

The first time they declined my application, then I asked them by email to review their decision based on my exceptional circumstances, they replied in the same day and told me they requested my application form another department. 2 months have passed and still waiting, I really experienced very tough time because of this matter.

[paru.org]

thx for reply
when u say <<<u email to review their decision....u sent email to same email of upgrade team or any else??

paru.org

The first time they declined my application, then I asked them by email to review their decision based on my exceptional circumstances, they replied in the same day and told me they requested my application form another department. 2 months have passed and still waiting, I really experienced very tough time because of this matter.

[alice_2016]

..u sent email to same email of upgrade team or any else??

Yes that is true, I emailed them on the same email address I sent my application at first place.