Hi! Got our visas today and just want to share our experience. My husband and I submitted our applications online under his account on July 13, printing them out the next day, and then submitted our documents (by appointment) to vfs global on July 16, Thursday. Documents list: Passports going back to 1993 (even though that goes back further than the 10 years that UK.gov requires, our last UK visa -back in 1996-- appears on the oldest passport, kasi), one ID photo each (no need to sign/date on the back, and VFS has plenty of glue to attach it to the application form, haha), certificate of employment, certificate of leave of absence, a bunch of bank certificates and statements, marriage certificate (we weren't sure if this was needed), documents pertaining to the house we own and live in. Although the current rules discourage submission of notarial certificates, we had the certificates of employment and of absence notarized anyway).
Special warning: when finishing your online application, you will have to double-check that the mobile phone number registered to your credit card account is your current mobile phone. After paying online, a verification SMS is sent to that number, and you have to key in the verification online for the transaction to complete, and the payment to transfer.
An email confirmation of our online application was received same day, July 13.
Our appointment was at 9:10 am but we went there super early at 7 am, because we werent sure about the parking situation there. When we got there marami pang vacant slots (2nd floor parking), but by around 8, puno na. Buti na lang bukas na yung bakeshop ("Staple and Perk") sa ground floor so we just waited there.
You can actually enter VFS directly from the parking area as long as its within 15 minutes of your scheduled appointment, and that's what we did: we didn't have
to line up at the other VFS entrance and went straight to the counter (although there wasn't much of a line outside anyway).
We brought ONLY our application documents, in a clear plastic envelope.
We left all other stuff: cellphones, etc, in the car. There is a baggage check in VFS, but you have to pay, of course.
Since my husband and I are travelling together, we got just one number at the counter, and proceeded into the waiting area, which served UK and Australian visa applicants. After about 5 minutes, our number was called. Although we supplied photocopies of our old passports, VFS collected the originals as well, stapling them together, cover to cover. While my husband was at the counter, we opted (and paid) for the option of email and SMS updates, as well as courier service, a total of PhP 1300.00. The person at the desk seemed to expect more documentation, but when we asked if more would have been better, he said "not necessarily".
After we had submitted all documents at the desk, we were sent to an adjacent waiting area and told to listen very carefully to the PA for our names being called (the audio there is simply horrible, lots of echo from the noise of other applicants). This second waiting area faces glass doors --behind one of which someone will ask you a few questions, make you give a digital thumbprint (make sure you place your fingers on the glass plate, not the tablet for signatures, hehe), sign digitally on a tablet and sign in ink on a document. You are asked to look at a webcam, for a digital photo, and also to look up at a cctv camera
mounted in the ceiling corner. That's it.
We received SMS update July 16: "The visa application for <<visa application no.>> was forwarded to UKVI on 7/16/2015"
We received email update July 25: "A decision has been made"
The passports with UK visas (as well as the old passports) were delivered via courier service July 28.
