u/SovietBlyatman

I was driving home from work today and applied my brakes to stop around the specified area, as a slow moving truck had come to a stop. I don't know if this is the exact spot where it happened, but it was near this general area.

I hit the brakes and completely lost traction, having to pull myself onto the side of the road and stop on the gravel. Looked as if there was something on the road, not sure if oil or something else.

For context, I've had my tyres replaced recently and brakes were done around the same time. I've had my car checked over and there's nothing wrong with it.

Scary near miss, nobody was hurt. Just thought I'd give everyone a heads up. To the person in the Subaru Outback in front of me who probably shat themselves, I'm really sorry.

Remove if not allowed. I know driving posts are usually restricted to Friday, but this pertains to actual current road conditions.

My original post got removed for being off topic, so I'm clarifying that this is part of the UK Visa process in Australia and many other countries. VFS is a global partner of UKVI for interviews and biometrics. If you apply for a UK visa in one of the countries VFS operates in, you may have the same experience as me.

**DISCLAIMER: I am not saying anything negative about VFS Global or its employees. I am simply outlining things you may need to know for the process. None of this is intended in a negative light. I have also changed the title of this slightly to reflect that intention.**

Firstly, Perth. I was going to my appointment in Perth, but they gave me the wrong address. Only one VFS office is listed on google maps, the other is an office space in St. Martin's tower on the 27th floor. If you are applying from Perth **DO NOT** go to the one on google maps. It's about a 10 minute walk from one building to the other, which leads me to my second point.

Secondly, even if they make a mistake, you will not be seen if you arrive late. As much as the website says there's a 15 minute allowance if you're running behind, they will usually just refuse to see you even if you arrive within that window. I explained my situation and they were very helpful and sympathetic, but told me rules were rules and I'd need to reschedule. This is pretty fair, despite my initial confusion. I'm not complaining by writing this.

Rescheduling, do not panic if your appointment gets bumped or you miss it/arrive late. Reschedule as soon as possible. If you reschedule within 5 days, you do not need to pay any fees again. It can be done through the VFS website, though it's a bit of a process to find what needs to be done.

Lastly, the premium document scanning option. Despite saying they will "scan your documents" which implies scanning copies of them, **this is not the case.** What they require are for **you** to scan your documents and print out A4 copies of whatever documents you need.

For me, this was:

- Every single page of my passport, including the blank pages.

- Bank statements to prove savings (Youth Mobility Visa requirement)

The scanning part is about scanning your copies of your documents into the UKVI's portal. They set up an account for you and get it all sorted. I'm sure this could be done independently, but it is part of the biometrics appointment you will have with VFS Global anyway, so it may be worth it if you are a first timer like me.

Lastly, I want to just say that the staff at VFS Global are very understanding, professional and helpful. If you have any questions? Ask!

Safe travels and good luck with all your applications!

This isn't going to be a post shitting on them at all, but a warning about things that may be misleading if you have to go through their services.

Disclaimer: I'm going to mention the Perth, Western Australia offices. I want to make it clear that the people I encountered here were all very polite and helpful, and what I'm saying here doesn't reflect badly on them at all.

Firstly, if you're in Perth and applying for a UK Visa of any kind, #do not go to the VFS office at 182 St. George's Terrace.

You will be told you're in the wrong building, despite it being listed as the only VFS office in Perth. The building you're looking for is St. Martin's tower, a fair walk down the road and then up to the 27th floor.

Secondly, when purchasing their "assisted scanning" service for documents, be warned! You are not purchasing the service of them scanning your documents at all. You are purchasing the scanning of pre-scanned photocopies of your documents... So a scan of a scan, that must be colour and A4 in size. This is sort of misleading, considering this is not mentioned in their added services menu. They also check the quality and validity of your scans, which is something at least.

If you're getting that little assistance with an assisted scan, I'd really hate to know what a self scan gets you.

Anyway, gripes aside, they were understanding and very helpful in rescheduling my appointment.