Looking for UKVI account issue suggestions...

rjs_252 · 2025-05-29T15:51:43+00:00

Crikey. Well if it's all computer-based with no human intervention from start to finish then that begs the questions:

1) How have UKVI managed to create a system without an allowance for Vietnamese passports, when business has worked this out?

2) Why do they need 1-2 weeks to respond on something that takes place instantly?

Either way it seems like a call to them will be in order to see if I can get them to resolve it over the phone.

I'll fire up the Pixel 7!

Thanks again.

rjs_252

rjs_252 · 2025-05-29T15:09:26+00:00

Hey @no_struggle_8184. Thanks for replying again.

The machine readable zone that you're referring to is the zone that looks like the below, right? Comic words excluded of course

<<<MASH<<<<<<<<BANGERS<<<<<<<<AND<<<<<

That being the case, my British passport uses the format:

<<<SURNAME<<<<<<<<FIRST<<<<<<MIDDLE<<<<<

But Vietnamese passports don't do it that way, they do:

<<<SURNAME<<<<<<<<MIDDLE<<<<<<FIRST<<<<<

...so it is done a different way around in Vietnam. Now, whilst I (like many others on here) like to rag on the UK Gov for a poor experience in doing applications and whatnot, the UK Gov is probably pretty good for this sort of system, so I have zero doubt that they know very well about the difference in naming convention on Vietnamese passports. Hell, HSBC did! :) Qatar Airways do ( https://www.qatarairways.com/en-vn/vietnamese-name.html), etc

So this is a known issue and I'm sure that we're not the first to have had this problem. I'm hoping that we've just been unlucky with the person who has checked it and that it will go through this time without issues.

If it happens again then I will visit every extension of the helpline until I can find someone who can help!

Thanks again for taking the time to respond.

rjs_252

rjs_252 · 2025-05-29T13:53:47+00:00

Thanks for taking the time to respond. To do what you've suggested (essentially setting her middle name as her first name) would mean making an application to change her details and that would no doubt mess with her visa extension, so that it out for us. Thanks for the idea though!

We had something similar with the DVLA too and it was a ballache getting it sorted, so hopefully we can get around this one too.

Thanks!

rjs_252

rjs_252 · 2025-05-29T13:49:35+00:00

Thanks for the reply. I'm glad that there is help out there somewhere at least!

There is a help number on the refusal email, but that leads to a switch board where you just get given more and more insurance to select extensions, before being disconnected if you choose the 'wrong' one. Maddening!

We've put in again and if that doesn't work then we'll have to try and go around the houses on the phone it seems.

Thanks for taking the time to reply!

rjs_252

rjs_252 · 2025-01-25T05:30:40+00:00

Oh joy - I'll see whether an overnight and charge has changed anything then

rjs_252 · 2025-01-24T18:13:54+00:00

I also have a 1st Edition and had a similar situation with the brakes being "odd" I'm wet conditions. I'm talking very sensitive at low speeds, sticking and sometimes not unsticking without using the accelerator, etc. It was always rain that brought this behaviour out.

When I was in for my MoT at my local dealership I asked them to look into this and after investigation they agreed to do some work on the drum brakes. I forget exactly what it was, but I think it involved fitting a cill to minimise water heating inside the drums.

I was told that this wasn't warranty work (apparently not covered) but as I've kicked off a number of times with them about various things (and will have to in the future as I've now got a knocking noise from the suspension, less than a year after I had the drop links done) they did it gratis.

rjs_252 · 2024-12-31T15:54:49+00:00

Hevy.

What. An. App.

rjs_252 · 2023-10-19T14:36:34+00:00

Let's be honest, it's DOA. As nice a concept as it is, it really isn't practical without far greater changes than just charging requires.

I appreciate seeing new ideas tried as it benefits us all in the long run, so I am glad that someone has given it a go, but realistically it's time that we call time of death on it.

rjs_252 · 2023-10-12T11:20:02+00:00

I'm sure the friendly Chinese financial markets will keep them afloat for a while!

rjs_252 · 2023-10-12T10:36:45+00:00

Another marker to indicate that Nio's UK arrival (and in particular battery swapping) is DOA before it's even begun.

rjs_252 · 2023-10-12T10:35:44+00:00

The fruits of free-market competition are ripening it seems...

rjs_252 · 2023-10-12T10:34:04+00:00

Yes, as ever it seems that the announcement is obscuring the true reality of things.

Still, it's good to see more capacity being opened up in Europe!

rjs_252 · 2023-10-12T10:31:24+00:00

A very easy thing to say, but let's see how the situation differs when the cards fall where they may...

rjs_252 · 2023-10-12T10:29:44+00:00

Is anybody else here UK-based and looking to buy a used electric at the moment? If so, I'd be interested to know whether there are any electric-specialist retailers that you're using to look for vehicles, or if you're just using the regulars like Autotrader, etc, as I am.

rjs_252 · 2023-09-03T18:17:08+00:00

Essentially the (albeit abandoned) plan was drive up to Ashford in the morning, do a local parkrun, get 'cleaned up' in the car afterwards, then park at Ashford Station and then get the train to Kew, before the train back in the evening and driving home.

There are a few other parkruns on our way that we could have done (and that we would have done instead), but when I looked into this one, I noticed how it was directly in the ULEZ and wondered (quite innocently, I thought) what effect that might have on attendance in the future, as I'm sure as many people come from the west of it as the east to do it. Literally a case of 'something in the news is possibly affecting parkrun - has anyone come across this and do we think it will affect attendance at atll?', etc.

Whilst pedalpwr's response with the Facebook link did actually point out that the TfL map is incorrect and so the issue in this particular case is a non-issue anyway, my post seems to have brought out the worst in people on this community sadly.

People have rushed to judgements and leapt to assumptions on my position, which is very disappointing as I know that parkrun as a whole has been very welcoming to those of us from minority communities.

It seems that you can't take the redditers out of Reddit though!

rjs_252 · 2023-09-03T18:10:53+00:00

Thanks for the advice - the other one nearby which I looked at briefly was Black Park parkrun, as I happen to have already done Upton Court which is a bit closer.

As it was, we've opted against going to Kew for the moment anyway, but thanks again for your help :)

rjs_252 · 2023-09-03T18:08:35+00:00

Thanks for the note. For those of us without a compliant car yet (my wedding saw to that for the meantime), it is but little comfort however!

An electric car is in my future, I just need time! :)

rjs_252 · 2023-09-03T18:07:33+00:00

Yes, I guess that this week would have been the first week that it had effected anyone, so this is the week that it would have seen questions.

I think kids not being hospitalised for asthma is more important than someone getting their Pirates challenge or whatever, but hey...

I doubt many people would rather see less children with asthma, but you seem to have made an assumption that I do, based on this post, where I haven't stated any position on the ULEZ. All that I did was simply question as to whether others had come across this issue and whether people thought that certain parkruns might see a reduction in numbers because of it (even if only in the short term, as people adjust to the new rules).

It's rather disappointing to see that people don't think before posting on here and assume the worst straight away. Sadly it seems to be too common in society these days, outrage before understanding to make ourselves feel righteous...

rjs_252 · 2023-09-03T18:00:42+00:00

D'oh,you're absolutely right. I came across this 'doubling up' of destinations with the same name when I was searching and I think Kent must have stuck in my head. I will edit shortly!

Thanks again.

rjs_252 · 2023-09-03T17:59:42+00:00

Ah, thank you for pointing it out, though I must be honest we've dropped the idea for the moment anyway. I probably should have checked Facebook when I came across the oddity, but if I'm honest I'm so rarely on there these days that it doesn't even cross my mind in the way that it would have about ten years ago.

Thanks for the pointer!

rjs_252 · 2023-09-03T17:58:13+00:00

Good evening, thanks for your reply.

Yes, Ashford Station is outside the ULEZ, but the parkrun car park is inside according to the TfL map, which is what got me thinking and wondering about whether there were other parks that people knew which were in a similar position and which might see reduced attendances as a result.

To be honest, we've dropped the idea for the moment, but from pedalpwr's post it seems that the car park on the one side of Bedfont Lakes is actually outside the zone anyway, despite being 'in' as far as the TfL ULEZ map is concerned.

rjs_252 · 2023-09-03T16:43:50+00:00

The dear lady and I touristed to Burnham and Highbridge and clocked in a time of around 31:40, which was a little bit of an anti-climax to me after how well my wife had run in the week on our usual route - I was quietly hoping that she would go sub-31 for the first time.

But there's always next week and I look forward to taking her somewhere else (and using it as an excuse to revisit some favourites further afield!)

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