When asked to comment on Boyle’s issues, a Home Office spokesperson in the UK said it was “a matter of long-standing government policy that we do not comment on individual cases”.
Boyle had applied for a visa last year without issue, but had to reapply when his October departure was delayed until March this year.
On January 14, he and his friend applied for a new visa, completed biometrics on February 9 and couriered it to VHS Global on February 14. VHS Global emailed him confirming the application and passport had been received, and forwarded to UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) on February 16.
In early March, Boyle’s friend received their passport and application back, a few days ahead of the three-week wait time, but Boyle did not. On March 5, he called UKVI and asked for his case to be escalated because he was leaving New Zealand on March 15, to visit his sister in Australia before flying to the UK.
The Home Office spokesperson said all visa applications were “carefully considered on their individual merits in accordance with the Immigration Rules” and could not offer any further explanation for the delays.
“[I] told them I had a flight to catch to Australia that day so I needed my passport back on Thursday, 14th March with or without the visa,” Boyle said.
“They confirmed with me they’d raise it as an urgent case and that my application would go to the top of the pile in Auckland.”
Boyle called them “nearly every day” the week before his flight and was told his application was marked “approved” so it would be with him soon, and felt optimistic it would work out.
“I was quietly sure that my passport would turn up any day, that I’d get the confirmation email from VHS [Global], courier would be on the way and I’d be set to see my sister, I was so sure this would happen,” he said.
Yet the flight date came and went and Boyle heard nothing. Since then he has been met with “loops of brick walls with no information, just generic fob-off keep-waiting responses”.
“Every time I called I asked to be put through to a supervisor, manager, someone in charge, someone who has a reason or explanation for this, and I was constantly told that was impossible,” he said.
Aside from the visa fee, Boyle said the delay has cost him $1800 due to flight changes and losing a deposit on a flat he’d found in Birmingham; and this will only increase by several hundred dollars when he rebooks new flights. The constant stress has also taken a toll on his mental health and every day is “riddled with anxiety”.
On March 22, Boyle called UKVI but was then told completed applications could be held by UKVI for 10 days “for some sort of processing”.
In the meantime, Boyle is stuck waiting, unable to spend any time planning for his life in the UK.
“I’ve just paused as it’s bad form to inquire on places to rent and jobs to work when I don’t even know when I’ll be able to get into the country,” he said.
Still hopeful, he said he had pushed his flight to the UK to March 31 and is yet to book a new flight to Australia.
“I’m waiting to book that flight again as soon as I hear word my passport is on the way and for the one I’m looking at paying between $440-$760,” he said.
Kiwi stranded after ‘technical issue’ with visa
This isn’t the first time a Kiwi’s visa and passport have gone missing. Aucklander Adam Breen, 23, has been waiting six weeks for his documents to arrive and, after calling UKVI, has been told his application number is invalid.
On March 26, days before his March 31 flight to the UK, Breen received an email from VHS Global, stating a “technical issue” meant UKVI did not receive his biometrics.
Breen will be refunded the cost of his application, but must start the entire process again and has not been told whether he will get his passport back. A standard passport service, which takes four weeks, costs $206, but an urgent passport application within two days costs $412.
