British Consulate General New York

This is my second time applying for a UK student visa. I applied with the standard processing and did not choose the priority service. I got my visa approved in 5 business days and it was shipped the same day that I got the e-mail that it was despatched from the visa center! I feel like I lucked out for sure. Here's my timeline.

10/8: Online application submitted
10/26: Biometrics appointment. This was the earliest appointment I could get but was in and out within 10 minutes. I shipped off the documents the same day with one day air shipping through UPS. With the return label included, it cost $100 in total. YIKES. You can definitely save if you go with 2 day shipping instead though.
10/27: Application delivered to mail room. The only way I knew was because I checked the UPS tracking. I received no communication from the consulate
11/2: received e-mail from VFS that my visa application was processed and would be despatched to the address on my return shipping label. I checked UPS and it was sent off that evening.
11/3: received my passport with the visa attached!

So relieved that I got my visa within 5 business days without paying premium prices! Kind of weird how they don't send any updates at all though until it's shipped out.

If you have a question, pull out your wallet because they charge for all email and phone inquiries.

Stressful, disappointing, and costly experience with UKVI and its partner VFS Global. Misleading instructions on VFS Global website suggesting that paying for their next-day courier is the only way to send and receive documents to the NY Processing Centre. The internal process at VFS Global between a visa decision being made by the UK and the documents being shipped back is totally opaque, and not subject to any total processing time. There is no way to track this internal progress, either. No channel to reach VFS or communicate with staff other than email, which contains only generic responses and requests that you simply wait. UKVI charges each email inquiry £5.48 and each phone inquiry £1.37 per minute, but staff do not provide helpful information.

Do not use USPS for the return service, they do not accept it. I had my visa approved in 6 days. Their shipping service did not work for me, so I just used UPS.

Bio-metrics was quick & easy.

Make sure you send in the correct paperwork and be very careful when filling out forms and you will be fine.

Hard to get in touch with anyone by phone, but my emails regarding shipping were addressed.

Terrible money-sucking nonsense. No human support, no clarity in the process- you can easily drop an extra couple hundred (or thousands) of dollars you don't need to spend purely due to obfuscation on their part. Doesn't at all feel like a trustworthy government service.

GND: 10025D AVIATION/911<<
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W.omen H.ate A.nother L.ady E.ntertaining (WHALES $1/78 STO. DGO.)
The SoundTrk Dept.est. 1995 <<<<

Super easy and fast. My husband applied for a London vacation, he is a green card holder and after sending it with USPS MAIL we got a confirmation after 2 days that they got our applications, then after 3 days he got an email saying his visa is accepted.

I got scared at first reading all the bad reviews but in our experience It was a easy process fill put the application $130 plus the shipping for return which was $41, then just follow the directions on the application you will be all set.

Its been an extremely distressing experience and the site does not help. Once your application has been submitted, it looks like it has gone in a black hole. Even after submitting paid email inquiries with specific questions like how I withdraw and get my papers back, no fail to see the question and send a standard response. Its been an ordeal and the site is very painfully designed, with no easy way to get such information.

I did not have any problems with my application. Visa was decided within 15 working days, got all my documents back. The courier website can be tricky to use, i had several failed attempts to pay for the service. But other than that, all went well.

Boycott the UK this year! Do not travel there. Do not buy British goods, do not fly British Airways and other British Carriers until Tommy Robinson is released.

Horrible experience. Completely felt unwelcomed to their country.ruthless behaviour by the security guard, he never allowed even a call to the officers to withdraw and get my passport.if you are a permanent resident be ready for the worst experience. Nobody will provide you any information about your visa status even if u pay8$ for email inquiries or 50€ on phone calling then uk consulte. Horrible Britts n their horrible system

It seems to me like the whole UK VISA application is created to make money out of us.under that scenario they still offer us the worst customer service I've ever experienced. The whole process of getting that UK visa is extremely long, expensive and annoying. Thank you for making me not want to come and visit UK anymore!

Going through any hurdle during this process requires money. Contacting the Customer Service requires Money. Calling requires money. If you decide to withdraw your application, you'd get your passport back within 5-10 business days. A have a Shenghen visa and can't use it because this imbeciles are still with my passport. #NoService

Non-communicative and the worst visa experience ever. It's like a money-extortion scheme. Do not expect any help from the helpline since they have generic and often incorrect information. Applied for my visa through regular service and no update or response in 12 working days. Requested in-person pickup of the visa but to no avail and ended up missing my flight. Simply told time and again that paying $400 for priority service is the way to go. Apply a month in advance to ensure you do not have the same issues as me.

Submitted application -2/26/18
Biometrics appointment scheduled for -3/1/18
Submitted papers on -3/1/18
USPS delivery confirmation -3/5/18
British consulate delivery acknowledgment -3/8/18
Visa has been printed confirmation email -3/26/18
UPS passport delivery -3/27/18

Was so scared because of reading all the bad experiences mentioned here. But my process was smooth and easy. Make sure to apply at least a month in advance to process your visa. And send them copies of all documents you would like returned back. I did not send any passport photos, because 1.it doesnt say so on their application and 2.they take your picture during the biometrics appointment. Did not buy any premium processing and still got my visa in a month. Only complaint is their lack of communication and confusion created due to no tracking option in the visa process. Hope this helps.

The service is actually pretty quick. They started processing on Friday and I receive the passport the next Thursday as priority service. But I didn’t get any email saying that my visa was approved. I was so worried since my flight will leave Friday, one day after I received my passport.

Update: I have returned from UK and still didn’t receive the email.

Their customer service is extremely poor. Its been more than 10 business days and still nothing. I've got Visit Visas from different countries in Europe within 3-5 working days. I know it does say it could take them about 15 days but they should at least keep us updated.
Make sure when you apply for a visa you have at least a month before sending in all your documents.
I've already spent more than $200 for nothing.

The British Consulate VISA SERVICE is the WORST CUSTOMER SERVICE! You follow their procedure for the EXPEDITED SERVICE and PAY FOR THE OVERNIGHT UPS FEE, and they DIDN'T SEND THE TOURIST VISA, nor DID THEY REURN THE PASSPORT! This was a family trip my daughter was looking for too for months! THEY DON'T HAVE A CUSTOMER SERVICE REP TO ANSWER ANY CALLS AT ALL! What kind of country has this poor a service? THE BRITISH CONSULATE!

I don't understand why they complicated everything about them service and they just making money without good service since i started apply for Visa they Drive me Crazy i spend almost $ 270 only for Visitor Visa i payed $ 130 and Service Couriers $53 and i called 4 times Costumer service because i have many question they charge for me $ 80 so for me i bought a Visa to UK i applied to many country in Europe France and Germany and Spain.they give a best service and i pay only $ 60 no purchasing service couriers no charge for call costumer service and they answer very easy you need just to make an appointment you by yourself to the consulate, i will never apply anymore to Visa UK in my hall life, Really frustrated and this is my first vacation to UK i was excited to visited UK but now nothing i just need my money back i will forget it this bad service make me sad to see this happen to see this kind of poor customer service.this Start i give is because the system force me to put it because honestly i need to send my words so i don't give any start for this service i hope they will give a best and easy service for all peoples in the world.

READ THIS BEFORE YOU SEND IN YOUR DOCUMENTS.

Getting this Visa was a nightmare. However, that was only partly due to the British Consulate. I know you see a lot of bad reviews here, but don't be scared. I think those are people who didn't do their research. Be careful and you should be fine. Read my tips below for a (hopefully) easier experience!

Timeline:
9/18/2017 - Documents sent via UPS Overnight to Consulate
9/19/2017 - Documents confirmed received
9/19/2017 - (SAME DAY) Visa approved
9/21/2017 - Documents returned

- Do your research. Do not take the UK Government's website for everything you might need, they don't list everything they should, as stated by my examples below.

- MAIL DOCUMENTS VIA UPS, FEDEX OR VFS GLOBAL. DO NOT USE ANYTHING ELSE UNLESS YOU'RE SURE IT'LL WORK. They don't accept USPS, which is what I had originally sent my documents in. I only found out that they don't accept USPS through research; they had answered a question about it on Twitter. That should be standard information on their website, but it's not.

- Make sure you have all the correct documentation - DO YOUR RESEARCH ON THIS. IT IS CRUCIAL. I didn't know I needed to send two passport photos with my application, as that was not on the government website. Look around the internet, make sure you have everything. What you might need: application, proof of funds, passport size photos (can be taken at a pharmacy or UPS/packaging store), acceptance/placement letters, and biometrics.

- Label everything. Make it easier for them and they'll make it easier for you. I saw another reviewer do this, and I decided to do it too. I labeled every section with sticky notes on the side, so that all the information would be easy to find. I don't know if it actually helps, but I sincerely doubt it could hurt.

- Unless you have a weird/special circumstance, do not try to call or email them. It will just cost you money, it won't help. They promptly email you when things are received or sent.

Hopefully, your experience is as easy as mine was. Good luck!