Croydon Service & Support Centre

I took the 11:59am train from Crawley to East Croydon. Then walked from the East Croydon station to Croydon SSC, which was a 6 minutes walk. I was there on Wednesday 10th of November. I had a biometrics appointment at 1:15pm and arrived at 12:50pm. I approached the security officer and was informed to return 5 minutes before my appointment. There were quite a few people waiting and people gathered all around the front of the building. I had my partner's Mum with me who is a pensioner and she struggled a bit with walking. However there we found a flat brick wall where she could sit down. However infront of the build there were wide open empty spaces where they could have easily placed multiple benches so that people could sit down. I approached the building at 1:10pm and the security officer checked his list then directed me to the receptionist who asked questions about covid-19 then informed me that I would be heading to the 3rd floor. Then shortly moved to their security check. After I passed security I was directed to the stairs, even though the lift was right there I had to use the stairs. It took me a minute and a half to get to the third floor and I had to catch my breath and shortly after I had waited to be called. I was called 30seconds within entering the 3rd floor the man at the counter asked for my passport and filled out a form. I wasn't asked for the appointment document or anything else. Once he was done he handed me my passport, the form he filled out with a number ticket in a clear plastic envelope. I was told to sit and wait in a red chair.I sat down for about five minutes and then my number was called. A woman had asked for my passport and she asked some questions she went over some things and had me read a piece of paper that explained the appointment and what will happen. She even mentioned that before covid-19 they would make people stay for hours, however because of COVId-19 the appointment have been shortened. After that I was told to sit down and I'd be called for my biometrics and photo to be done. I waited for about 20 minutes. Once I was called it took less than 10 minutes to get my biometrics and photo done. Then I was out at 2:11pm. The people who work there are nice and pleasant, however I found that the people who had appointments had difficulty speaking English, were a bit sketchy, rude, arrogant, angry, and some even seemed as if they were entitled. The building was clean and temperature was comfortable. There were plenty of comfortable seats inside. They also had a cafe and public toilets which were clean. There is a lift for disabled guests and people with prams.

Immigration officer Michelle in Croydon has to be the most unprofessional person I've ever dealt with. Not only was she huffing and puffing and threatening to hang up but she's provided an enormous amount of wrong information including sending me emails contrary to what she's stated. She advised it was a typo but a typo can't be something completely opposite of what she's advised. She also lied about sending emails she never sent. I prayed for her today because she doesn't understand humility!!!. I support the UK and all the leaders working to make legal immigration humanly possible!

I was in asylum application unit a few months ago and I couldn't not leave a review. I was scared to death to come there, my circumstances are not simple at all, it's a very hard time in my life and I would never imagine that during my lifetime I'll be forced to seek such protection, because of a high possibility to lose my life in a horrible way. The only person who knows those things about me, which I would never be able to share with anybody, because of great fear and shame, is my one and only relative. But in order to explain my situation I needed to tell about everything during the interviews. It was terribly hard, I still can't recover from stress caused by telling the story that I don't want to have in my life, but I want to say a big THANK YOU for every asylum unit worker for being so warm, understanding and supporting! I never believed that people can be like this, through my experiences it was always other way around, especially with authorities, I feared that I'll be yelled at, that nobody will listen to me or take me seriously, but people there - they did. And it gave me so much strength, it was a life changing experience. THANK YOU SO MUCH! Whatever will happen - you already gave me hope and support I had never had before when interacting with other people. Special thank you to the officer who conducted my last interview - Mr. Jim Shaw, I will never forget how kind you were even though I was so stressed out and I was crying so much. I wish you all the best in your life. After talking to you, I, for the first time, felt that my life has some value.

There are many negative views about the Home Office. So, we came with low expectation for their services & building until we are proven wrong!I was pleasantly surprised with the positive experience we had while visited the premium service for my spousal visa application.The staff are efficient yet friendly including security, reception and the counter staff. We got the decision for my application with 3 hours, the case workers know what they are doing & handled our paperwork efficiently.The waiting area is clean, spacious and bright. I'd highly recommend to bring phone charger, books or anything to keep you entertain during the long wait.Overall, it was a pleasant experience, but I'd give 5 stars if only securing the appointment for Premium Service is easier! So, please increase the availability of your staff, we paid a fortune to get this premium service.

This home office reporting thing cause me depression and anxiety as I am doing for 7 years,now this lunar house staffs behaviour made me worst feel like why I am still exist,I used to go for reporting Beckett house London Bridge after covid they moved to lunar house Croydon ,they sent me letter to attend lunar house in 6 months every month by phone call as my case in court waiting for decision,when I went first time to lunar house I gave them update my mobile number but they never try to reach in my number so I went every month as they keep sending me letter in my house address that I have to attend personally as I didn’t pick my call that is joke as they never try to reach in my mobile,I felt like staffs even don’t care so I have to attend every month rather than in 6 months ,recently when I went for reporting ,explain Asian look staff that I never get call in my number but he seems quite not helpful and don’t want to listen in fact he said that’s doesn’t make any sense , in his computer screen it’s still shows my old number and new number I told him they might always try to reach in my old mobile number in fact he is not ready to listen anything and hand me letter to come every 2 weeks,in this long time I have experienced lot some staffs being hostile n treating like wild animal ,there is some compulsion and situations behind you feel necessitation to stay here.

Unfortunately they don't understand the difficulties of an immigrant. We only face the security officers who are least helpful.The helpline is completely useless if miraculously you get someone across the only answer the only know is Sorry they can't do anything if you have any complaint email which they don't respond for more than 6 weeksThe government need to build a better system than this.

Please teach your staff to be respectful. I was there for an appointment with my family and one lady spoke rudely. To top it all up, everyone was acting like they are doing us a favor. Very unwelcoming environment!We pay for these services and I believe your staff do not work for free either so let everyone do there part.

These places are always going to divide opinion. You pay a huge additional amount to (hopefully) cut the dreadful application wait times (currently 6 months!). Better government service for those who can afford it, and some who probably can’t. Not a nice thought.That said, we found the centre itself to be clean, fairly efficient, and set up to handle long wait times and frustrated applicants.First things first, they won’t let you into the building more than 15 minutes in advance of your appointment, so don’t get there early in the hope. You then go through airport style security (water, food etc is allowed), and go to your floor. For our ILR application we went to the third floor, and whilst the lifts were roped off, we were told they were available for those who needed them.You sign in and take a ticket and wait for your number. First time it’s called you submit your paperwork (40 min wait for us). We had ours organised in a small binder with all the supporting documentation, but were asked to take it out and put it into their plastic wallets. Second time your number is called to take your biometrics (almost immediately after the first call), and finally they call you when your application has been reviewed. It was a sunny day and we were relieved when the biometrics worker said we could leave the building for 2 hours and come back (although on that hot day we didn’t find the building too hot or too cold). We left for the full two hours and about 15 minutes after we got back our number was called. I believe they will call your mobile if there are any problems or you are not in the building when they call your number. Everyone was polite, but understandably not too friendly.In terms of facilities the toilets were clean and there were baby changing facilities and a kids’ area in the waiting lounge (with a tv with cartoons and some toys). There was a small cafe for drinks, sandwiches and snacks. There is also a passport photo machine in case you need it. Like other reviewers I’d advise taking plenty of food and drink with you, and something to keep you entertained. I was glad for headphones because the waiting area was a little noisy once it got busy (around 10.30).Plenty of people seemed to have personal representatives/lawyers with them, but most did not. Partners/family seemed welcome at the counters with the applicants, you don’t have to go on your own. Some people were dressed smartly, others more casually, it didn’t seem to matter.Hope that’s helpful to someone, good luck with it.

I am an exchange student from Sciences Po, Paris to King’s College London (KCL) from for fall semester 2022. I was advised by KCL to apply for Standard Visitor Visa for less than 6 months study and stay, which both the UKVI official website and KCL service personnel say should take maximum 3 weeks of process time. I submitted my documents and biometrics on 9th of August, and 10 weeks later I am still waiting. I called and emailed UKVI almost every second day since week 5 and was only informed that application has been assigned to a case worker since August and does not miss documents, but decision has not yet made, and nothing can be done. Due to this unbelievable inefficiency, irresponsibility and enormous discrepancy between information online and practice in reality, I am living under great uncertainty with huge financial burdens and mental distress - I have to find temporary housing solution in Paris, I lost my student residence in London, I’m losing 4 weeks of mandatory classes, I changed my train tickets 4 times. And if I don’t receive a response tomorrow, I will be no longer able to enroll at KCL, and will lose my semester both in terms of time and enormous tuition, and won’t be able to graduate on time. This is extremely unfair to a young person who strives to earn every penny through part time jobs to cover her tuition and living costs. Absolutely no empathy, rationale nor accountability is shown through the practices of this office.