Reapplication with current approval

[rella]

Has anyone sent in a new application while having a current approval?

I know this is an odd situation, but the HO is creating all kinds of silly situations. Quick recap for those who don't remember our situation: Hubby sent in HSMP in April, got approval in Nov. He is on a student visa, but didn't finish his programme. During the 7 months waiting to be processed, the HO changed the rules for visa-switching and now husband can't get an FLR(IED). HSMP won't reissue an approval letter for EC.

So... the only choice is to reapply, but his approval is good through May. We will send in the new HSMP as soon as he gets paid for this month, to get more points -- so they will get it around 1 March.

So please give your best guess, based on the behavior of the HO. Will they look at this ref number and put it at the back of the old queue? Or will he be processed on the new fast post-Dec track? Any guesses?

Anyone been in this odd state of affairs and submitted their app yet?

[f2k]

I would say go for it. first though send them an email to find out its ok to that. are you now back in the US?

[rella]

I would say go for it. first though send them an email to find out its ok to that. are you now back in the US?

They told us intially to resubmit. That was before they had time to think about it and all the other people started turning up in this situation. I'm afraid that many, many people may not know for a long time. Those who have already been approved will probably not be aware of the change in rules and will submit the FLR(IED) as directed, wait for months and months to get it back and then be refused. That will continue happening over the next several months, if the backlogged HSMP people ever get their approvals. Those who aren't in the current visa-switching categories may not know that they are no longer eligible to get an FLR(IED) as they wait for up to a year or more for HSMP approval then wait for another half a year for FLR(IED) to only get a rejection. What a complete mess!

No, we are not back in the U.S. and we're not planning on going back until my husband gets a new (knock on wood) HSMP approval. We will be using his mom's address in the U.S. and we plan on going back for EC if the new app is approved. We should be fine continuing to live here, since we have until May to submit the FLR app according to the current HSMP approval. In fact, HSMP said we could continue living here on the student visa (stamped until the end of 2006) as long as we don't leave the country. Oh brother -- now, that is definitely not true. We may be able to get by with it, but it is not legal. As long as we have some kind of application for a new visa in the works, we should be legal. But it would be plain stupid to try to stay on the student visa.

Anyway, we'll see if they process his reapplication quickly, or kick him back in order of ref number to be one of the last people to ever have his application looked at. There's no way to even guess what they will do...