Marriagevisahelp.com wishes to remind our readers of an important notice regarding spouse visas that were issued by the UK Consulates in Islamabad and Mumbai. Possible errors were made by Islamabad entry clearance officers between 2002 and late 2005, while errors by entry clearance officers in Mumbai were reported between 2003 and late 2004.
Those who enter the UK on a wife or husband settlement visa must wait two years before they are granted the right to remain in the UK indefinitely. The effective commencement date of the waiting period is the visa holder’s date of entry to the UK. Entry clearance officers are instructed to inquire about the visa holder’s planned date of entry, and ensure that the date on the visa coincides with the date given by the visa holder.
If visa holders wait too long to enter the UK, additional fees to extend their two year waiting period may result. Because some of the dates recorded by Islamabad and Mumbai officials were inaccurate, visa holders may have been charged unnecessary fees.
Those who have received letters informing them of a requirement to pay an extension fee should be aware of measures that have been taken to ensure that errors by entry clearance officials will not result in unnecessary charges.
Individuals issued a spouse visa in one of these countries during the time period mentioned who have received a notice informing them of an extension fee may not be required to pay it. If the difference between the actual date of entry and the date on the visa is less than three months, visa holders should mention this notice and include their letter when submitting their indefinite leave to remain (ILR) application. Any extension fees will be waived.
Those who have already remitted additional fees, but meet the above stipulations are eligible to have their extension fee refunded. The visa holder’s name, birth date, date of application, reference number of the letter requesting additional payment, and the letter itself (if possible) should be sent to the Immigration and Nationality Directorate for immediate review and compensation.