Posted by
crj
18 yrs ago
Hi
I need to write a letter to Immigration to help a helper coming from the Philipines get their visa approved fast.
The reason is I have a 14 month old baby, am expecting baby #2 end of March, and my husband travels for work M-F, and I work full time as well (after my maternity leave is over).
I saw on a recent thread that someone did this and their helper was approved in 3 weeks.
Had anyone had success with this? If so, can you please post a copy of your letter here or send me a private message with a copy of the text?
Thank you so much!!
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crj
18 yrs ago
Green - thank you!
Miffy -thank you so much, sounds like we are in a similar situation. We too have tried to hire locally, but as posted on another thread (Which was deleted) I explained that we have had the worst luck, with helpers accepting then at the last minute their employers decide to resign their contracts and other such things. So this time we went for the right person, rather than only 'finished contract' which is what we were doing before. Good luck for you with your new helper!!
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Hi crj,
All you need to write in the letter to the Immigration Department is an explanation of the urgency (ie, the fact that you have no close relative in HK to help out with child care of your 14 months old and you are expecting another baby in 2 weeks and that your hubby is on business trip) - I read the other thread and remember your plight.
Please note however that the Immigration Department always recommend hiring maid who has finished contract when I call them. They said it takes much longer to process a maid who had not finished contract.
The fact that we made two applications for two different maids might have helped them to remember our case better - I am just guessing. All the best with the process.
I don't really know how to PM otherwise I would have send you a message.
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Hi Crj, Please see the letter below for your request urgent processing. Hope it will help you.
___________________________________
Date: 15/03/2007
To: Director of Immigration Department
6/F, No. 7 Gloucester Road
Wan Chai, Hong Kong
Letter is Support – Urgent Processing of Domestic helper Visa Required
Dear Sir/Madam,
Re: Application for Domestic helper visa
Mss. Angela
Passport No. P 1222220
I am applying for the above named as our Domestic Helper.
Her services are required urgently as we both are fulltime working.
In addition to that we have 14 months old baby which requires constant care, we expecting second baby by end of March.
We would be most grateful if you could process our application ASAP.
Should you have any require further information, please give me a call on 9888 8888.
Thank you for your kind attention.
Sincerely,
____________________________________
Employer Name
HKID: R123456 (2)
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crj
18 yrs ago
Vivianto -
Thank you so much, this is very helpful. Between your advice, Miffy and Green's letters I have drafted a new letter to immigration today to support the application as an urgent situation.
But I still understand that it is only partly up to immigration dept in HK, and that another part has to be processed in Phils. And that it is very hard to influence that part.
I have been trying to hire a 'finished contract' helper for 3 months now with no luck, so we figure even if this takes 6 weeks it might be faster than interviewing, offering jobs, having them be accepted, filling out the paperwork, and at the last minute having the helper withrdaw their application (4 times now!!!).
Thanks again, and you have a very impresive memory!
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crj
18 yrs ago
Mahatta - thanks again, as always your advice is spot on!
In your experience, what is the time frames you have seen recently? Anything better than 6-8 weeks??
I have been told by the agent that sometimes immigration ignores these letters, and other times they help a lot.
Is there anything else I can do?
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Hi Crj,
Immigration never ignored any letter. The Immigration officer normally will consider 3 to 4 weeks with reasonable letter, and if really in emergencies like your case they will release the visa less then that. And you can do both send urgently letter and also call directly to Immigration about your requested.
May be the agent who was told you, they didn’t do there job.
Good luck with your new helper.
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crj
18 yrs ago
Mahatta, I was told to send the second letter and call AFTER we get the VCA. Is this correct?
So our first supporting letter is marked URGENT and explains the situation, and we have prepared the second one alreay for post VCA.
Thank you so much again, you are so helpful!!
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Yes, it is correct.
You have to call them again after you get the VCA, then with the VCA number you will follow up to Immigration Dept.
Normally Immigration Dept. will send you notify letter with the VCA number after one week from the date that submitting your documents to Immigration Dept.
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crj
18 yrs ago
Thanks Mahatta, as usual you are a big help.
The papers have been submitted to the Phil Consulate, and should be submitted to Immigration Monday...
Once we get the VCA, we will send the follow up letter and start calling... probably from the maternity ward :)
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Hi Crj,for your information I never post a second letter or call with the VCA number, still got the visa processed in 3 weeks. Hopefully,it would not make too much of a difference just because your maid has not finished her contract. All the best.
BTW, I am just curious to know whether she has to go back to the Philipines first or just exiting to Macau would do the trick ?
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crj
18 yrs ago
Vivianto - was your maid a finished contract? If so, then 3 weeks is 'normal' in my experience.
Ours HAD to go back to the Phils, we looked into other options, but they were not possible. Because she also has to do some registration there as well. Luckily she has a 6 year finished contract from Taiwan, so she needn't take any training courses or anythhing like that.
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I had to wait 3 weeks from the issuance of the VCA to the visa approval. In between the processing, I followed up with a hand delivered letter and a phone call. Then I had to wait another 1.5 weeks before she arrived. My maid was a finished contract maid (2 completed contracts with the same employer) but she still had to undergo training. If your maid has to undergo training, make sure she's doing it right now while she's waiting for her visa approval.
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Hi crj,
just want to know if your helper worked in Hong kOng before? if so then she dont need to go through training as all domestic helper from abroad especially from hong kong is excepmted in training.
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crj
18 yrs ago
It was confirmed that our maid does NOT have to do the training because she has proof of a 6 year finish contract in Taiwan, so she is exempt.
We are still waiting for the VCA, and our newborn is already here!!! So we hope it comes soon and Immigration can process fast!
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