British embassy doesn't respond!

Dreamscometrue

I have tickets for the Olympics next week and my husband is supposed to be going with me but he is a Cuban national and stuck in Cuba. The British embassy insisted that the invitation letter should be notarised and legalised, I sent it recorded 7 weeks ago but they don't sign in Cuba. I also send another letter to my husband a couple of days later but he hasn't received either of these. I have emailed the embassy several times explaining the situation with an attached copy of the invitation letter but they do not respond. I have just tried to call the embassy 5 times at a cost of 45p a minute plus a further connection charge. The first couple of times the switchboard heard me but the consulate claimed not to hear and cut me off. The third time I was connected to a wrong number (think the exchange goes through Canada due to the US embargo), the 4th time I was connected to an answering machine and the 5th the switchboard could hear but the consulate couldn't (pretended not to?). I feel so frustrated and powerless. My husband still thinks the invitation will arrive soon.

Voyager2002

Does your husband have access to a FAX machine, or even a printer? These would be ways of getting the letter of invitation to him despite the failures of the Cuban postal service.

Anyway, the UKBA and embassy websites make it very clear that all papers in support of a visa application must be brought in by the person applying, and cannot be sent to the embassy's own FAX machine. So there is really nothing that they could do to help: they follow rules laid down in London and have zero discretion to waive any of their requirements.

Let's thank all the people who complain about immigration for making it so difficult for people in your situation.

Dreamscometrue

Many Thanks for your support voyager. Unfortunately my husband is like most Cubans in that he does not have access to a landline, fax, printer or computer. Yes, you are right, it is pointless trying to get through to the embassy and it doesn't seem possible anyway. They don't respond to emails and the telephone line is horrendous. For the moment I've stopped trying to call my husband as sometimes I get a fax, or he can't hear or I get a crossed line. I once had a letter that took 3 months to arrive from Cuba and another time I sent a postcard that took 15 months to arrive. I have sent quite a few things out and usually it takes around 3/4 weeks. Thank god that I am able to text hubby.

MothballsWallet

I can't offer any advice, OP, but only my sympathies - I'm looking at bringing my wife home after her grandmother died (hence the reason why she was out of the UK for so long), and the whole system has changed so much that it's making my head hurt, plus the fees have shot up so much: we're now looking at fees of £826 or more :eek:

I think I'll have to consult a lawyer or go through my MP...

So, I really can sympathise with your situation.

Dreamscometrue

Thanks mothballs,

He is in tears over there, me likewise over here. We had originally thought to apply for the spouse visa now that we are married but hubby didn't pass the basic english test and I seriously doubt that any of them did. About 20 of them paid diferent fees to take different levels but they were all given the same test! Itr sounds as though they were given a version of the life in the UK test even though none of them had ever left their country! So corrupt. Hubby has been refused the visitors visa twice when we applied before we got married. No valid reason was given, just ' we think that you may not return to your gome country'. All of this is heartbreaking and proving costly.

MothballsWallet

DCT. we had the same "we think that you may not return" line for my Mrs when just trying for the visitor's visa; and the "you can get married on a visitor visa" line was another (ever heard of closing the dammed loophole, have we, FCO, eh?)

The whole system's a slow, convoluted, complicated and indecipherable mess...

Dreamscometrue

MothballsWallet wrote: »

The whole system's a slow, convoluted, complicated and indecipherable mess...

Unfortunately true. There are no clear guidelines hence there are so many UK visa forums with everyone trying to advise each other and decipher the rules and requirements. I haven't read anywhere on the UKBA site that invitation letters have to be legalised but Havana told my husband that it must be.

I wish you the very best of luck. God knows, those in our situation need it.

Dreamscometrue

Perhaps Tradesman, we had planned on returning to Cuba together at the end of the 6 months. There is always a chance that anyone on a visitors visa will never return to their home country so maybe they shouldn't let anyone in. I feel so depressed.

melbell

So he can't speak english and he wants to come over here?

I'm glad they are bringing in the basic english test.

Dreamscometrue

He speaks a little english at the moment and has been studying english for a while. There are many people who visit the UK yet can't speak english. I don't believe it is a requirement to pass an english test to visit Britain? I don't speak French yet I've been able to visit Paris and work in Brussels.

Dreamscometrue

melbell wrote: »

I'm glad they are bringing in the basic english test.

The English test requirement is already in place - for spouse visas.