relocation freakout
September 1, 2009 1:37 PM Subscribe
Got a job in London. Great! My start date was two weeks ago and Im still in Oakland. Not so great.
My 'tentative start date' was Monday 8/17. I gave my notice to the old job and set it up so my last day was the previous thursday. All I wanted in between was a three day weekend. I filled out some Visa papers sent by my future employer and thought I was all done with paperwork before my last day of the old job. During my 3 day weekend they email me with a lot more Visa paperwork. Then an appointment for biometrics test (the following week!) and instructions to mail my passport and biometrics results to the British Consulate in LA. (Shouldnt they have had me do this 2 months ago when I landed the job?) So currently my passport and other materials are down in LA awaiting approval so they can be shipped back to me. And I wait...
All the while Im living out of my suitcase, sleeping on a friend's floor because I moved out of my apartment, going stir crazy and my bank account is emptying and I have no idea when I'll get my passport back. I dont want to start off on the wrong foot, demanding compensation from these people but I mean, what the hell?
So the questions are:
1) Had experience with this sort of situation? Is this typical? Is it just my boredom from unemployment making the weeks seem longer and I should just take a chill pill?
2) Would I be out of line asking for money due to the delay if it continues?
3) How exactly should I word such a request?
My 'tentative start date' was Monday 8/17. I gave my notice to the old job and set it up so my last day was the previous thursday. All I wanted in between was a three day weekend. I filled out some Visa papers sent by my future employer and thought I was all done with paperwork before my last day of the old job. During my 3 day weekend they email me with a lot more Visa paperwork. Then an appointment for biometrics test (the following week!) and instructions to mail my passport and biometrics results to the British Consulate in LA. (Shouldnt they have had me do this 2 months ago when I landed the job?) So currently my passport and other materials are down in LA awaiting approval so they can be shipped back to me. And I wait...
All the while Im living out of my suitcase, sleeping on a friend's floor because I moved out of my apartment, going stir crazy and my bank account is emptying and I have no idea when I'll get my passport back. I dont want to start off on the wrong foot, demanding compensation from these people but I mean, what the hell?
So the questions are:
1) Had experience with this sort of situation? Is this typical? Is it just my boredom from unemployment making the weeks seem longer and I should just take a chill pill?
2) Would I be out of line asking for money due to the delay if it continues?
3) How exactly should I word such a request?
Best answer: Just went back and looked at it again and it says September 1st.
posted by ElmerFishpaw at 1:45 PM on September 1, 2009
posted by ElmerFishpaw at 1:45 PM on September 1, 2009
Best answer: Welcome to the world of dealing with British bureaucracy (even within a company). As an expat living in London for years, I never got used to it. This is not atypical - I've had friends go through worse after getting a job offer and then actually trying to get into the UK.
You can calmly ask your company why this wasn't sorted out much earlier as you're now homeless. If your contract states September 1st (and does not indicate anywhere else in the contract that this start date is determinate upon your presence in the UK....a common loophole for companies), you should be getting paid as of today.
Depending on what Tier your visa is, it's probably not too long of a wait at the LA office. See here.
posted by meerkatty at 1:54 PM on September 1, 2009 [1 favorite]
You can calmly ask your company why this wasn't sorted out much earlier as you're now homeless. If your contract states September 1st (and does not indicate anywhere else in the contract that this start date is determinate upon your presence in the UK....a common loophole for companies), you should be getting paid as of today.
Depending on what Tier your visa is, it's probably not too long of a wait at the LA office. See here.
posted by meerkatty at 1:54 PM on September 1, 2009 [1 favorite]
So what's the question here? Your start date is September 1, you quit your job two weeks early...and, what?
Visa applications always take time. Perhaps the company could have been more clear about the process and all the paperwork involved, but perhaps they have been told of new requirements by the British government that they were not aware of previously.
Any time you move from one country from another you need to assume that things will go wrong and take longer than initially expected. This is bureaucracy. Your failure to plan for this doesn't indict the company that hired you.
posted by dfriedman at 1:54 PM on September 1, 2009
Visa applications always take time. Perhaps the company could have been more clear about the process and all the paperwork involved, but perhaps they have been told of new requirements by the British government that they were not aware of previously.
Any time you move from one country from another you need to assume that things will go wrong and take longer than initially expected. This is bureaucracy. Your failure to plan for this doesn't indict the company that hired you.
posted by dfriedman at 1:54 PM on September 1, 2009
Best answer: You should definitely get on the phone to the human resources (personnel) department of your new employer. (I really, really hope that you've kept your new boss informed of the situation, but that's another matter.) Ask if you're on their payroll as of September 1st. If not (and I'd guess that the answer is "no"), then ask them if you can be retroactively added to the payroll as of that date. If they say "no", then ask when is the soonest that you can be added. If they say that you have to be present to be paid, ask them if it's possible to make temporary arrangements otherwise - perhaps you could telecommute (of sorts) until then.
The other possibility that comes to mind is simply to fly there as soon as you get your passport back; the U.K. does admit tourists, after all. Perhaps your company is willing to have you start working there while the paperwork catches up to you; again, this is something that HR might help with. (If HR says "no", perhaps your boss could persuade them to be more flexible.)
Do keep in mind that the company went through the trouble of hiring an American (you), so they do think that you've got something special to offer. And it's in both your and their best interests to get you working there as soon as possible.
posted by WestCoaster at 1:58 PM on September 1, 2009
The other possibility that comes to mind is simply to fly there as soon as you get your passport back; the U.K. does admit tourists, after all. Perhaps your company is willing to have you start working there while the paperwork catches up to you; again, this is something that HR might help with. (If HR says "no", perhaps your boss could persuade them to be more flexible.)
Do keep in mind that the company went through the trouble of hiring an American (you), so they do think that you've got something special to offer. And it's in both your and their best interests to get you working there as soon as possible.
posted by WestCoaster at 1:58 PM on September 1, 2009
Best answer: Your start day being today means the past two weeks were a vacation. Hope you enjoyed it!
You may want to ring up your job and see what you can do between now - your official first day - and when you get to England. Talk with HR (The British equivalent? I don't know what it's like there) and tell them why you're delayed. They should compensate you, especially if Sept. 1 was on your offer letter and set by the company.
In any case, you really should get in touch with them first thing.
posted by caveat at 2:01 PM on September 1, 2009
You may want to ring up your job and see what you can do between now - your official first day - and when you get to England. Talk with HR (The British equivalent? I don't know what it's like there) and tell them why you're delayed. They should compensate you, especially if Sept. 1 was on your offer letter and set by the company.
In any case, you really should get in touch with them first thing.
posted by caveat at 2:01 PM on September 1, 2009
Best answer: This wasn't my experience at all - I've been living in London for about thirteen years, originally on a work permit but in 2002 I received Indefinite Leave to Remain - and I do know that recently they've tightened up the rules, and not a little - no, apparently a great deal (but they sorta do this every recession).
Bad news: I seriously doubt if you're on this firm's payroll as of September 1st; after all, you don't have a legal right to work in the UK! No legal right to work in the UK means no NI number (not even a temporary) no paycheque. And it doesn't sound like you're dealing with a multinational whom could pay you while you're physically located in the United States (that takes paperwork on their side as well).
So, yeh, tough position to be in. Be proactive but not aggressive. Suggest you manage it to protect your interests first and foremost. Advise upthread to ask "what happened?" is spot on, downplay compensation - if necessary bring it up after the fact, but I'd move to protect myself now and this is probably something you don't want to be hearing - but I'd suggest if you aren't liquid and may be short of cash then you start looking for work domestically, ASAP.
You're gonna feel pretty silly if come a month from now the paperwork is still pending, or if your new firm gets a "no go" from The Home Office.
You can get better answers to this question from the UK Yankee forum, but apparently (and I'm by no means an expert in this material) six months ago the Home Office had tightened requirements, absurdly, to the point where they no longer accepted US taught Masters for Tier 1 visas.
I've heard second hand about several folks whose paperwork had been submitted just after these changes and got rejected.
Maybe your firm got an unexpected surprise from Home Office?
Sorry to hear about this and best of luck.
posted by Mutant at 3:07 PM on September 1, 2009 [1 favorite]
Bad news: I seriously doubt if you're on this firm's payroll as of September 1st; after all, you don't have a legal right to work in the UK! No legal right to work in the UK means no NI number (not even a temporary) no paycheque. And it doesn't sound like you're dealing with a multinational whom could pay you while you're physically located in the United States (that takes paperwork on their side as well).
So, yeh, tough position to be in. Be proactive but not aggressive. Suggest you manage it to protect your interests first and foremost. Advise upthread to ask "what happened?" is spot on, downplay compensation - if necessary bring it up after the fact, but I'd move to protect myself now and this is probably something you don't want to be hearing - but I'd suggest if you aren't liquid and may be short of cash then you start looking for work domestically, ASAP.
You're gonna feel pretty silly if come a month from now the paperwork is still pending, or if your new firm gets a "no go" from The Home Office.
You can get better answers to this question from the UK Yankee forum, but apparently (and I'm by no means an expert in this material) six months ago the Home Office had tightened requirements, absurdly, to the point where they no longer accepted US taught Masters for Tier 1 visas.
I've heard second hand about several folks whose paperwork had been submitted just after these changes and got rejected.
Maybe your firm got an unexpected surprise from Home Office?
Sorry to hear about this and best of luck.
posted by Mutant at 3:07 PM on September 1, 2009 [1 favorite]
Best answer: This is similar to what happened with me earlier this year (and a few years ago moving from NYC to Paris), only it was further complicated that I was an American moving from Paris to London. These kinds of nail-biting delays are par for the course and are usually caused by a bureaucratic backlog. The hiring company is probably used to these kinds of delays as well.
If I were you I would take the chill pill and live frugally until it's all said and done. As stated above, you're not on the payroll until the day you show up for your first day of work. One thing I should note, though, is that even though the British consulate told me it could take 10 working days to get my passport back, it mercifully only took two.
All in all, I find the bureaucracy not so bad in the UK, compared to France.
Good luck, and welcome to London (eventually)!
posted by DefendBrooklyn at 4:34 PM on September 1, 2009
If I were you I would take the chill pill and live frugally until it's all said and done. As stated above, you're not on the payroll until the day you show up for your first day of work. One thing I should note, though, is that even though the British consulate told me it could take 10 working days to get my passport back, it mercifully only took two.
All in all, I find the bureaucracy not so bad in the UK, compared to France.
Good luck, and welcome to London (eventually)!
posted by DefendBrooklyn at 4:34 PM on September 1, 2009
Best answer: If you do what WestCoaster suggests and go as a tourist, be aware that you will need to return to the 'States to get your visa. They will not issue it in the UK.
posted by cosmac at 4:40 PM on September 1, 2009 [1 favorite]
posted by cosmac at 4:40 PM on September 1, 2009 [1 favorite]
Best answer: Expanding on what cosmac said: I live in Colorado, but spent 9 months in London in 2006 on a visiting academic position. There were delays in processing the visa, and the university in London told me to come without the visa while it was sorted out. I was allowed into the country (though immigration wasn't pleased, and said they were in their rights to send me and my family back to the USA). In the end I had to fly back to LA to get the visa. British visas for Colorado residents are only handled in LA.
posted by lukemeister at 9:19 PM on September 1, 2009
posted by lukemeister at 9:19 PM on September 1, 2009
Best answer: This is an excellent introduction to the UK because you're going to be doing this a lot during your stay there. Accomplishing any task involving customer service, especially if it involves a government body, requires ceaseless effort and vigilance on the part of you the customer. You can't just hand your shit over to someone else and assume the ball is now in their court. If they can drop it, chances are they will. Do not assume your case is being advanced if you're hearing nothing back.
Hassle the consulate as often and as sternly as you dare. Phone up a lot -- it gets you farther with Brits than emailing or writing for some reason. If nobody answers, phone again (and again and again and again). Speak with people as high up the chain of command as you can. And always, always keep it polite.
Congratulations on your job and good luck to you. On the bright side, there's a good chance your UK employer will be understanding about your predicament -- bureaucratic delay, like Tube or traffic chaos, is a universally acceptable London excuse for tardiness.
posted by stuck on an island at 12:55 AM on September 2, 2009
Hassle the consulate as often and as sternly as you dare. Phone up a lot -- it gets you farther with Brits than emailing or writing for some reason. If nobody answers, phone again (and again and again and again). Speak with people as high up the chain of command as you can. And always, always keep it polite.
Congratulations on your job and good luck to you. On the bright side, there's a good chance your UK employer will be understanding about your predicament -- bureaucratic delay, like Tube or traffic chaos, is a universally acceptable London excuse for tardiness.
posted by stuck on an island at 12:55 AM on September 2, 2009
Best answer: I checked the UK Consulate website for information on processing times, it led me to this, which suggests that you're probably looking at between 10-15 working days to process your visa (you're probably on the PBS Tier 1 visa, but should check this).
And yes, bureaucratic nonsense is par for the course in this situation. I could give you any number of horror stories that would make what you are going through seem like a joyous experience [sample: having to get a letter from my university to prove that my degree in English literature from a New Zealand university was taught in English. Or an application being declined because Nationality was written as 'India' rather than 'Indian'.]
On the pay: they probably can't pay you till you are entitled to work, but you could try asking them to backdate it, maybe.
The other possibility that comes to mind is simply to fly there as soon as you get your passport back; the U.K. does admit tourists, after all. Perhaps your company is willing to have you start working there while the paperwork catches up to you; again, this is something that HR might help with. (If HR says "no", perhaps your boss could persuade them to be more flexible.)
Don't go to the UK on a tourist visa, you will not (legally) be able to work "while the paperwork catches up with you" - it does not work that way.
At any rate, as soon as you get your passport back you will have the correct visa and entry clearance, so you will be good to go.
I'm not sure about the advice to hassle the consulate either - the guidance I've read (on the UK consulate in New Zealand and on the Home Office website) says not to call them to request progress updates. I haven't tried it myself though, so can't comment.
posted by Infinite Jest at 2:56 AM on September 2, 2009
And yes, bureaucratic nonsense is par for the course in this situation. I could give you any number of horror stories that would make what you are going through seem like a joyous experience [sample: having to get a letter from my university to prove that my degree in English literature from a New Zealand university was taught in English. Or an application being declined because Nationality was written as 'India' rather than 'Indian'.]
On the pay: they probably can't pay you till you are entitled to work, but you could try asking them to backdate it, maybe.
The other possibility that comes to mind is simply to fly there as soon as you get your passport back; the U.K. does admit tourists, after all. Perhaps your company is willing to have you start working there while the paperwork catches up to you; again, this is something that HR might help with. (If HR says "no", perhaps your boss could persuade them to be more flexible.)
Don't go to the UK on a tourist visa, you will not (legally) be able to work "while the paperwork catches up with you" - it does not work that way.
At any rate, as soon as you get your passport back you will have the correct visa and entry clearance, so you will be good to go.
I'm not sure about the advice to hassle the consulate either - the guidance I've read (on the UK consulate in New Zealand and on the Home Office website) says not to call them to request progress updates. I haven't tried it myself though, so can't comment.
posted by Infinite Jest at 2:56 AM on September 2, 2009
Best answer: Peripherally related to the question, posted in case this helps anyone consulting this thread.
"Alan Johnson, the home secretary, will tomorrow unveil plans to restrict British jobs going to skilled workers from overseas amid concerns about the impact of the recession on attitudes towards immigration."
They seem to do this (tighten up sharply) every recession.
Hopefully OP either has or will shortly have a work permit.
"British visas for Colorado residents are only handled in LA."
This isn't true at all; all the Home Office cares is that you're NOT in the UK when they issue to work permit. Back when I need to renew mine, I'd go to Amsterdam. They'll issue a work permit pretty much anyplace in the world except the UK.
posted by Mutant at 4:32 AM on September 6, 2009
"Alan Johnson, the home secretary, will tomorrow unveil plans to restrict British jobs going to skilled workers from overseas amid concerns about the impact of the recession on attitudes towards immigration."
They seem to do this (tighten up sharply) every recession.
Hopefully OP either has or will shortly have a work permit.
"British visas for Colorado residents are only handled in LA."
This isn't true at all; all the Home Office cares is that you're NOT in the UK when they issue to work permit. Back when I need to renew mine, I'd go to Amsterdam. They'll issue a work permit pretty much anyplace in the world except the UK.
posted by Mutant at 4:32 AM on September 6, 2009
Best answer: Got my visa yesterday. Flying out on the 12th. About a month delay, could have been worse.
The British Consulate in LA was no help whatsoever in fact they made me more anxious by assuring me that they would most certainly email me as soon they opened my application as well as once it was approved. I never got any emails from them so I thought my application wasnt even being worked on yet. Then one day the visa just appears in the mail. Oh well. Im on my way! Thanks everyone!
posted by ElmerFishpaw at 1:52 PM on September 10, 2009
The British Consulate in LA was no help whatsoever in fact they made me more anxious by assuring me that they would most certainly email me as soon they opened my application as well as once it was approved. I never got any emails from them so I thought my application wasnt even being worked on yet. Then one day the visa just appears in the mail. Oh well. Im on my way! Thanks everyone!
posted by ElmerFishpaw at 1:52 PM on September 10, 2009
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by Houstonian at 1:42 PM on September 1, 2009