From Balikbayan Visa to 13A Visa?

[Jollygoodfellow]

19 hours ago, Huggybearman said:

They also require a “Certificate of Good Moral Character”

What is a certificate of good conduct UK? I would say they are same thing.
A Police Certificate will show all convictions, warnings, reprimands and cautions recorded on UK. An individual can also apply for a basic disclosure which provides information on unspent convictions.

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/656598/CERTIFICATES_OF_GOOD_CONDUCT_IN_THE_UK.pdf

[Huggybearman]

19 hours ago, jimeve said:

Would you need a police report?

Yes, they need a CRB check in addition the the Certificate of Good Moral Character.

[Huggybearman]

1 hour ago, Jollygoodfellow said:

What is a certificate of good conduct UK? I would say they are same thing.
A Police Certificate will show all convictions, warnings, reprimands and cautions recorded on UK. An individual can also apply for a basic disclosure which provides information on unspent convictions.

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/656598/CERTIFICATES_OF_GOOD_CONDUCT_IN_THE_UK.pdf

You would think they would be the same, but they require both.

I am pasting the relevent section from the Embassy website.

 

>>>>   Original and three (3) photocopies of a “Certificate of Good Moral Character” from the applicant’s character reference (e.g., employer/former employer, civil or religious authority or any person of good standing in the community)

Original and three (3) photocopies of Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) report.              <<<<

I am retired since 2008 and my employer went bust in 2017. I have no religious affiliation and the only person of good standing that I know is my doctor, who will be doing my medical check. So I guess he will have to do.

[Huggybearman]

3 hours ago, hk blues said:

I applied in Hong Kong so cannot help with the UK requirements, but aren't the requirements the same regardless of which country you are applying in?  I would be surprised if the UK had different rules to other countries for those applying for the 13A - I thought the requirements would be centrally decided rather than locally.  

I would think that they are the same regardless of where you make the application. Did you not have to provide them in Hong Kong?

If you scroll down to 'Non-Quota Immigrant Visa' the requirements are there.

https://londonpe.dfa.gov.ph/82-visa

 

I guess what I am trying to find out is how straightforward is it in reality to complete the 13A process. I have a months vacation in the UK but if it seems unlikely that I can complete the process in four weeks, then I won't even start, preferring instead to do here the Philippines. Has anyone completed it in that time frame?

 

Edited November 12, 2019 by Huggybearman

[Gary D]

The problem shouldn't be the embassy but you getting all of the required documents together in the time frame. I can't remember how long my crb took but must have been a couple of weeks.

[Jollygoodfellow]

1 hour ago, Huggybearman said:

I am retired since 2008 and my employer went bust in 2017. I have no religious affiliation and the only person of good standing that I know is my doctor, who will be doing my medical check. So I guess he will have to do.

It does say anyone with good standing in the community so I would think a doctor would be fine.

[hk blues]

1 hour ago, Huggybearman said:

I would think that they are the same regardless of where you make the application. Did you not have to provide them in Hong Kong?

If you scroll down to 'Non-Quota Immigrant Visa' the requirements are there.

https://londonpe.dfa.gov.ph/82-visa

 

I guess what I am trying to find out is how straightforward is it in reality to complete the 13A process. I have a months vacation in the UK but if it seems unlikely that I can complete the process in four weeks, then I won't even start, preferring instead to do here the Philippines. Has anyone completed it in that time frame?

 

I looked at the list - there are a couple of additional requirements i.e. the certificate of good character and the GMC verification of the doctor's crudentials - i didn't provide them in Hong Kong.  All others seem to be the same.  To be fair, it was 5 years ago so they may well have tightened up everywhere.  

Certainly, the process once here looks new - i was given a 13A valid for one single entry within a year of the visa being issued - but Permanent from day 1 - no requirement to report for 3 consecutive years and then move to permanent,  Of course, I still do the Annual Report as we all have to. 

[Huggybearman]

4 hours ago, Gary D said:

The problem shouldn't be the embassy but you getting all of the required documents together in the time frame. I can't remember how long my crb took but must have been a couple of weeks.

Thanks Gary. The CRB check can be ordered online and they can send it as a PDF file. The UK Legalisation Service is also an online service and will accept the CRB PDF file and having 'legalised' it send it to my UK address in 2 days. So I can order it and have it legalised even before I leave the Philippines. A really good service, I think.

So hopefully I may be able to complete the whole 13A process within 4 weeks then? I really don't want to waste my four week vacation running around trying to do it if it turns out its not possible any way.

How long did your 13A process take from start to finish? Did you do it in London?

 

[Gary D]

9 hours ago, Huggybearman said:

Thanks Gary. The CRB check can be ordered online and they can send it as a PDF file. The UK Legalisation Service is also an online service and will accept the CRB PDF file and having 'legalised' it send it to my UK address in 2 days. So I can order it and have it legalised even before I leave the Philippines. A really good service, I think.

So hopefully I may be able to complete the whole 13A process within 4 weeks then? I really don't want to waste my four week vacation running around trying to do it if it turns out its not possible any way.

How long did your 13A process take from start to finish? Did you do it in London?

 

I haven't done the 13a as we are snowbirding on a BB. I have a CRB as part of being a martial arts instructor.

[hk blues]

10 hours ago, Huggybearman said:

How long did your 13A process take from start to finish? Did you do it in London?

 

Obviously each location will be different, but from memory I got my visa about 2 weeks after submitting all the requirements - this was in Hong Kong 5 years ago. Strangely, there was no interview - the staff simply confirmed all requirements were there and then i had to pay, show the receipt for payment to her and told to come back in 2 weeks to get the visa - they had to affix to my passport, they insisted on that.