Apply UK visa from Singapore
It's been a while that us, 3 sisters are separated geographically. I'm staying in Singapore, my elder sister in Rome, and my younger sis in Jakarta.
So this time we're planning to go for a trip only the 3 of us. We're planning to go to London in United Kingdom and few cities in Italy. But then, my 7 years old son convinced me to bring him along so he can protect us.-_____-''
Annddddd he also promised that he wouldn't complain when we walk all day, to sleep in the sofa, to eat bread everyday and so on. Mommy was sooo amazed that she decided to bring the boy along. Too easy huh?! Ahahahhahaa...
Being an Indonesian holding Singapore Permanent Resident (SPR), we need to apply for the UK visa plus the Schengen visa for Italy from Singapore. Please note you need be Singapore resident (EP, WP, PR, student card, etc) to be able to apply visa from Singapore, otherwise you need to apply from your home country. We decided to use VFS for the UK visa, and BLSItalySingapore for our Schengen visa. I gotta admit, I was really confused at the beginning of how to start. I hope this posting will help all of you :)
Applying UK visa from VFS:
1. Visit this website: https://visas-immigration.service.gov.uk/product/uk-visit-visa
2. Select your language
3. Choose your visa type
4. Enter country name that you’re applying from
5. Click “I have checked available biometric enrolment locations and can travel to a location in my selected country. If no location is available in that country, then I confirm that I can travel to a location in the redirected country.”
6. Click “Start now” green button at the bottom.
After that, fill in all the required details:
1. Select your language
Important TIPS:
1. After you upload few documents, you can proceed to choose your appointment date first, then come back later to upload the rest of remaining documents. This allows you to choose earlier appointment date. Make sure you upload all the remaining documents BEFORE your appointment date.
2. Same email address can be used for few registration, like mine and my son's using the same email address. The application can be differentiate based on different GWF number.
On the appointment day
1. Bring the printed appointment letter
2. Bring your passport
3. Bring the BARCODED checklist
4. Bring yourself
So at the appointed time, we go to MYP Plaza in 135 Cecil Street #08-01.
1. Once we go out from the lift, there's a formed queue in front of the door. You MUST go into this queue whatever your enquiry is, regardless what time your appointment is.
2. There will be security guard who will assist you, just show him your appointment letter.
3. Once we're inside, the staff just "accepting" our visa request form, etc etc, but did NOT accept any of the documents, since we already uploaded them. So actually no need to bring the printed version of what you already submit.
4. They also DID NOT check any of your documents. They just received our passport, and then let us proceed to the biometrics taking. That's it. I felt very insecure, not knowing whether the documents I submitted were correct or complete. They said the processing time is 14 business days. But on that day, I submitted my latest bank statement that just came on the mail, together with my passport and barcoded checklist.
After 6 days, I received email to collect MY passport only. What about my son's?? No news at all!! They said each application will be processed individually even you're a family applying together. (>.<)
On Wed, the 13th day, still no news. We were so worried for my son's application, especially that we have appointment for Italian visa on coming Friday that cannot be cancelled. I wanted to call to ask them how was the application going, then I found out that they do NOT have any contacts, phone nor email in VFS Singapore if we want to ask regarding our UK visa application, altho they do have contact for Australian visa. But, they do have website that saying, you can call directly to UK number or email to certain email address, with a fee!!!
After a few agony days with full of prayers, finally the email come saying they got his passport on Thurs afternoon!!! Woohooo, so I head down to MYP plaza that very same day to collect his passport. An answered prayer indeed :)
The following day, we go to BLS to apply for our Italy visa.
So this time we're planning to go for a trip only the 3 of us. We're planning to go to London in United Kingdom and few cities in Italy. But then, my 7 years old son convinced me to bring him along so he can protect us.-_____-''
Annddddd he also promised that he wouldn't complain when we walk all day, to sleep in the sofa, to eat bread everyday and so on. Mommy was sooo amazed that she decided to bring the boy along. Too easy huh?! Ahahahhahaa...
Being an Indonesian holding Singapore Permanent Resident (SPR), we need to apply for the UK visa plus the Schengen visa for Italy from Singapore. Please note you need be Singapore resident (EP, WP, PR, student card, etc) to be able to apply visa from Singapore, otherwise you need to apply from your home country. We decided to use VFS for the UK visa, and BLSItalySingapore for our Schengen visa. I gotta admit, I was really confused at the beginning of how to start. I hope this posting will help all of you :)
1. Visit this website: https://visas-immigration.service.gov.uk/product/uk-visit-visa
2. Select your language
3. Choose your visa type
4. Enter country name that you’re applying from
5. Click “I have checked available biometric enrolment locations and can travel to a location in my selected country. If no location is available in that country, then I confirm that I can travel to a location in the redirected country.”
6. Click “Start now” green button at the bottom.
After that, fill in all the required details:
1. Select your language
2. Choose your visa type
3. Enter country name that you’re applying from
4. Click “I have checked available biometric enrolment locations and can travel to a location in my selected country. If no location is available in that country, then I confirm that I can travel to a location in the redirected country.”
5. Put in your email address
6. Choose a secure password but memorable
7. Just answer all the questions and follow all the requirements
8. At the end of the form, they will ask you to pay for the visa directly.
9. We chose to pay for the 6 months visa, 177 SGD in July 2019.
10. Take screenshot or picture of all the confirmation pages you have from now onwards, just in case.
11. After pay, you need to click “Download checklist”. This BARCODED checklist must be printed and answered, later must bring on the appointment day. This specific checklist have barcode with your information etc. So can’t mix up the checklist with anyone else.
After that click the next step which is "provide documents and biometrics". Here onwards, you will be redirected to myappointment in vfsglobal website.
1. Here you will be assigned GWF number that is unique per person, NOT per family. (please take note on this number)
2. They will ask you what type of "EXTRA" services you need. These extra services are for those who need help to upload the documents ($25), help to check whether ur documents are complete ($22), receive SMS notification ($3), express processing ($400+), etc etc.
We chose none. so I clicked “I do not wish to purchase these optional services”.
3. Next is to self upload your documents. This is very very challenging and I almost gave up. Actually it's a very simple task, to upload your document to the website. BUT they keep failing me I dont know why. Last resort, I make sure all my documents are A4 size, and the file sizes are not too big. I upload them one by one, and its very sensitive. After a few docs uploaded, it will show error message, and I refreshed my browser, start again and again. Until FINALLYYYYY.... all documents are up!
4. After you have uploaded all the documents in the checklist, click continue, then you can choose appointment time.
5. You can save the your application, and come back later in:
https://myappointment.vfsglobal.co.uk/MyAppointment/Account/Login
5. Put in your email address
6. Choose a secure password but memorable
7. Just answer all the questions and follow all the requirements
8. At the end of the form, they will ask you to pay for the visa directly.
9. We chose to pay for the 6 months visa, 177 SGD in July 2019.
10. Take screenshot or picture of all the confirmation pages you have from now onwards, just in case.
11. After pay, you need to click “Download checklist”. This BARCODED checklist must be printed and answered, later must bring on the appointment day. This specific checklist have barcode with your information etc. So can’t mix up the checklist with anyone else.
After that click the next step which is "provide documents and biometrics". Here onwards, you will be redirected to myappointment in vfsglobal website.
1. Here you will be assigned GWF number that is unique per person, NOT per family. (please take note on this number)
2. They will ask you what type of "EXTRA" services you need. These extra services are for those who need help to upload the documents ($25), help to check whether ur documents are complete ($22), receive SMS notification ($3), express processing ($400+), etc etc.
We chose none. so I clicked “I do not wish to purchase these optional services”.
3. Next is to self upload your documents. This is very very challenging and I almost gave up. Actually it's a very simple task, to upload your document to the website. BUT they keep failing me I dont know why. Last resort, I make sure all my documents are A4 size, and the file sizes are not too big. I upload them one by one, and its very sensitive. After a few docs uploaded, it will show error message, and I refreshed my browser, start again and again. Until FINALLYYYYY.... all documents are up!
4. After you have uploaded all the documents in the checklist, click continue, then you can choose appointment time.
5. You can save the your application, and come back later in:
https://myappointment.vfsglobal.co.uk/MyAppointment/Account/Login
6. After each login, they will ask the GWF number and the registered email address.
Important TIPS:
1. After you upload few documents, you can proceed to choose your appointment date first, then come back later to upload the rest of remaining documents. This allows you to choose earlier appointment date. Make sure you upload all the remaining documents BEFORE your appointment date.
2. Same email address can be used for few registration, like mine and my son's using the same email address. The application can be differentiate based on different GWF number.
On the appointment day
2. Bring your passport
3. Bring the BARCODED checklist
4. Bring yourself
So at the appointed time, we go to MYP Plaza in 135 Cecil Street #08-01.
1. Once we go out from the lift, there's a formed queue in front of the door. You MUST go into this queue whatever your enquiry is, regardless what time your appointment is.
2. There will be security guard who will assist you, just show him your appointment letter.
3. Once we're inside, the staff just "accepting" our visa request form, etc etc, but did NOT accept any of the documents, since we already uploaded them. So actually no need to bring the printed version of what you already submit.
4. They also DID NOT check any of your documents. They just received our passport, and then let us proceed to the biometrics taking. That's it. I felt very insecure, not knowing whether the documents I submitted were correct or complete. They said the processing time is 14 business days. But on that day, I submitted my latest bank statement that just came on the mail, together with my passport and barcoded checklist.
After 6 days, I received email to collect MY passport only. What about my son's?? No news at all!! They said each application will be processed individually even you're a family applying together. (>.<)
On Wed, the 13th day, still no news. We were so worried for my son's application, especially that we have appointment for Italian visa on coming Friday that cannot be cancelled. I wanted to call to ask them how was the application going, then I found out that they do NOT have any contacts, phone nor email in VFS Singapore if we want to ask regarding our UK visa application, altho they do have contact for Australian visa. But, they do have website that saying, you can call directly to UK number or email to certain email address, with a fee!!!
After a few agony days with full of prayers, finally the email come saying they got his passport on Thurs afternoon!!! Woohooo, so I head down to MYP plaza that very same day to collect his passport. An answered prayer indeed :)
The following day, we go to BLS to apply for our Italy visa.
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