HSMP Extension Processing times.

rathnavadivel · Post by **rathnavadivel** » Fri Jan 04, 2008 2:38 pm

Hi,
My current HSMP visa issued for 2 years expires on Apr 19 so I have to apply for my HSMP Extn in March mid. Any ideas about the time it takes for getting the passports back as i would like to travel in end of April. Is 6 weeks long enough or should i not risk it.
Any information on this is appreciated!

herts · Post by **herts** » Fri Jan 04, 2008 7:40 pm

Hi der,
My visa also expires in april 08, but am planning to apply in jan end.
I asked HO and they said 3 months before is ok.

arun_v · Post by **arun_v** » Wed Jan 09, 2008 8:03 pm

Hi

Hope you guys doing well and getting ready to meet the challange.

Yes I am sailing in your boat, my hsmp visa expires in may 2008.Nice to hear that you are going to apply three months before your visa expires.
What reason you mentioned to home office for earlier application?Do you have any official information,regards till what date,FLR will be extended further?

pantaiema · Post by **pantaiema** » Wed Jan 09, 2008 8:59 pm

HI herts
How did you ask HO, phone, email, etc ??
I am asking U because appying 3 montah in advace is quite unsual.
But I have read on this forum that someone has mentioned, he has successfuylly applied 1 year before the expire dote of the LTR.

herts wrote:Hi der,
My visa also expires in april 08, but am planning to apply in jan end.
I asked HO and they said 3 months before is ok.

mna8 · Post by **mna8** » Wed Jan 09, 2008 10:25 pm

HI,

I rang HO and one of the agent told me that it is possible to apply early but when I send email they replied that it is not possible, we can only apply one month before the expiry of the existing leave to remain.

If we apply early and they reject then what will happen to the old leave to remain?

Thanks

pantaiema · Post by **pantaiema** » Thu Jan 10, 2008 6:17 pm

That is also what I have been told, also what it has been written in the guidance and what majority of peole in htis forum have confirmed. I think it is sensible because what is the most important thing is that they want to know your very last economics activities. Just to remember that you might be out of job within 3 months.

If they told you on the phone U can not use this as the basis, because they might deny it in the future. or U might have misunderstood what they have said. You need the email confirmation and attach this information together with your application in order to be absolutely sure.

But U raise the issue (before U receive the email from HO) that you happened to know that 3 months in advace is acceptable. As I mentioned before, someone in this forum have claimed that he has successfuly applied for LTR 1 years prior the the expire date of his Visa.

Just to make you aware in this forum (like in every forum), people could claim anything. Whether it is true or not, nobody knows except the claimant himselves. There are various motives of doing this, one posiibility is to make you try it ( to make you as trial case) and then they just learn from the result you have got to prevent mistakes. Please note that I am not saying that all people like that.

What I could say for sure 6 weeks in advance is absolutely fine. I myselves have seen several example of this. But U do not have to believe me just make your own judgement.

mna8 wrote:HI,

I rang HO and one of the agent told me that it is possible to apply early but when I send email they replied that it is not possible, we can only apply one month before the expiry of the existing leave to remain.

If we apply early and they reject then what will happen to the old leave to remain?

Thanks

herts · Post by **herts** » Thu Jan 10, 2008 6:42 pm

Hi,
I have an email from HO confirming that I can apply 3 months before my visa expires. I will attach the email with my application when I send in 2 weeks time. Why dont you as well send HO an email, ofcourse have some reason as to why you need to apply early.

pantaiema · Post by **pantaiema** » Thu Jan 10, 2008 7:01 pm

If U have got email confirmation (not by Phone) from the HO/HSMP team then I believe in your case you have a very strong basis to apply earlier. You just need to attach the email with your application.

I know also there is quite a few advatages (I did not see any disadvatages) if you could apply earlier which are:
- We already know that there might be significat chance in the near future with the introduction of the tier system which is more tougher. Once U get extension U r secure.
- If U already get enough point then better to apply now. Who knows you might be out of job next month.

But the question here why mna8 got different email response Because his reason is different, probably, I do not know.

In mna8 because s/he 1did not get email confirmation (the email even told him otherwise) then I believe in his case it is sensible not to apply earlier.

I think the main point here if you want to apply earlier send them email if you get email confirmation mention that U can and go ahead.

herts wrote:Hi,
I have an email from HO confirming that I can apply 3 months before my visa expires. I will attach the email with my application when I send in 2 weeks time. Why dont you as well send HO an email, ofcourse have some reason as to why you need to apply early.

herts · Post by **herts** » Thu Jan 10, 2008 7:23 pm

Well just wondering if you apply some mths before for flr, you might get stamped from the date the application was submitted could be 3 months before. Would that really make any difference. Not many ppl will be eligible for 4 yrs 11 mth for ILR (2+3 category). Anyway they have to get it extended 2 times for flr. And flr is always given for 3 years, what can HO do just return your docs back or may give you one year flr instead of 3 year flr. any comments on this mate.

pantaiema · Post by **pantaiema** » Thu Jan 10, 2008 7:46 pm

If memory serve well, the person who have reported have applied 1 year in advance, mentioned that, it is the 3 years from date they issue you FLR not the date of your FLR expire.

Try to spend sometimes to find that post. Please note, you need to judge and decide yourselves (taking risk your selves certainly) whether what have been claimead by people in this froum is true or not.

herts wrote:Well just wondering if you apply some mths before for flr, you might get stamped from the date the application was submitted could be 3 months before. Would that really make any difference. Not many ppl will be eligible for 4 yrs 11 mth for ILR (2+3 category). Anyway they have to get it extended 2 times for flr. And flr is always given for 3 years, what can HO do just return your docs back or may give you one year flr instead of 3 year flr. any comments on this mate.

herts · Post by **herts** » Thu Jan 10, 2008 7:55 pm

If they issue flr for 3 years from anytime as for me it doesn't matter, but if they issue flr for 1 year then I am on problem. Actually one of my friends did speak to flr team in HO regarding appying earlier and they said they would stamp it from the date flr is given not flr expiry date.

kck9 · Post by **kck9** » Fri Jan 11, 2008 10:48 am

herts wrote:If they issue flr for 3 years from anytime as for me it doesn't matter, but if they issue flr for 1 year then I am on problem. Actually one of my friends did speak to flr team in HO regarding appying earlier and they said they would stamp it from the date flr is given not flr expiry date.

http://www.immigrationboards.com/viewtopic.php?t=21741

is this the post you are trying to search???

i suggest thast you need to have a valid reason and corresponding proofs for it...go thru the post...good luck

hari15 · Post by **hari15** » Fri Jan 11, 2008 11:08 am

kck9 wrote:
herts wrote:If they issue flr for 3 years from anytime as for me it doesn't matter, but if they issue flr for 1 year then I am on problem. Actually one of my friends did speak to flr team in HO regarding appying earlier and they said they would stamp it from the date flr is given not flr expiry date.
http://www.immigrationboards.com/viewtopic.php?t=21741

is this the post you are trying to search???

i suggest thast you need to have a valid reason and corresponding proofs for it...go thru the post...good luck

Hi kck9,
I also wanted to apply for extension soon as I qualify it for now. My present hsmp actually expires on Nov 2008

But I dont want to inform my employer about this now. Because if it is got rejected for premature application I may get bad name with my employer (though it wont affect my current hsmp status)

my doubt is For earning proof Is Salary slip and bankstatements are enough? Or do I need any letter from employer?

Salary slip is in green conventional UK salary slip. It wont have employer seal or sign. I hope it is accepted for UK based application as per caseworker guidelines.

Please let me know what you have submitted for earning proof.

If employer's letter is necessary then I can apply only on Nov 2008 and cant try this now

herts · Post by **herts** » Fri Jan 11, 2008 11:47 am

hari, are you in 1+3 category or 2+3 category. If you apply for flr in nov 08, then can you apply for ILR at the end of 4yrs 11months. If you are in 1+3 category then you can surely apply anytime and this would be your last flr to be filed. But if you are in 2+3 category then have a check whether applying in nov 08 would complete 4yrs 11 months of your stay, if not then why to apply now.

hari15 · Post by **hari15** » Fri Jan 11, 2008 1:43 pm

herts wrote:hari, are you in 1+3 category or 2+3 category. If you apply for flr in nov 08, then can you apply for ILR at the end of 4yrs 11months. If you are in 1+3 category then you can surely apply anytime and this would be your last flr to be filed. But if you are in 2+3 category then have a check whether applying in nov 08 would complete 4yrs 11 months of your stay, if not then why to apply now.

Dear hertz,
My history is like this

I was in workpermit for initial 2.5 years

Then I switched to HSMP on 2006 Nov (Just before the new points based system is introduced)

So Now I have actually completed 3.5 years

By Nov 2008 my extension is Due, By that time I might have completed 4.5 years

So still I need to go through one HSMP extention before I can apply for ILR

I will qualify for ILR only on April 2009

My age of 30 is crossing By same Nov 2008. But even if I apply on Nov 2008 I will get same age points since I will post before my birthday

I am worried for premature application since chances of rejection is almost 50% and I need my employer's co-operation to apply (like giving letters). With employer's knowledge I dont want to get refused that will impact on me negatively. If I can apply without employer's letter and if it wont affect my future applications even if rejected I am ready to apply now

herts · Post by **herts** » Fri Jan 11, 2008 2:25 pm

hi hari,
so you only have to apply for flr once, thats good. Well as discussed yesterday for drjab's case, yours also looks the same, its upto you really if you wanna go ahead now or wait till nov. Could you have some reason like buying a property and so you need to have 3 years visa, or try to find out a 1 year course and say you wanna do that and you need 3 trs visa.

kck9 · Post by **kck9** » Fri Jan 11, 2008 2:49 pm

hari,

I understand your concern. but with similar reason there will so many others in this forum who will be actually looking to apply for FLR early. But this kind of excuses doesn't make any sense to case workers.

It is something like this, Suppose if you got a five year work permit and after 1.5 year if you go to case worker that I got 5 year anyway and I will be in the similar situation even after 5 years, can I apply for ILR now itself!!!! Because we dont know when the home office is gonna change the ILR rule from 5 years to 6 or 7 etc....

Do you think the case worker is gonna accept your case???? check your PM by the way

herts · Post by **herts** » Fri Jan 11, 2008 3:52 pm

hari, to make things clear in your mind, send an email to HO saying you have to buy a propety or attend college whichever is good for you, if you get a favourable reply then apply now otherwise wait. simple as that.

rathnavadivel · Post by **rathnavadivel** » Tue Jan 15, 2008 5:10 pm

Hi,
I asked my wife to call the HO and the person who answered said that we can apply whenever we want.. but then just to confirm again i called the HO and they clearly said 5 weeks

!! So i guess the call center folks answering the questions are not well informed. In which case, the emails too could be answered by a person who does not know the rules clearly.

I guess its advisable to wait for 6 weeks before expiry just to be on the safe side unless there is a good reason not to.

pantaiema · Post by **pantaiema** » Tue Jan 15, 2008 6:37 pm

Also just to make you aware, if people have claimed they apply earlier far before the expire date of their LTR, this message could be true could also be untrue. I am not here to make judgement, but the HMSP applicants need to make judgement themselves.

Just need to make you aware, that there is a possibility that they are in the same situation with you and they want you to try it first and then they will learn from your case/experience. Another possibility, because they want it that way and they are looking supports as many people as possible to raise that issue.

But of course, if you already qualify it is always a good thing to apply earlier but in this case you just need to make your own judgements, decision and of course risk.

rathnavadivel wrote:Hi,
I asked my wife to call the HO and the person who answered said that we can apply whenever we want.. but then just to confirm again i called the HO and they clearly said 5 weeks !! So i guess the call center folks answering the questions are not well informed. In which case, the emails too could be answered by a person who does not know the rules clearly.

I guess its advisable to wait for 6 weeks before expiry just to be on the safe side unless there is a good reason not to.

herts · Post by **herts** » Tue Jan 15, 2008 7:29 pm

We cannot check the people's passport and confirm that they have really got the extension early. I have been following this forum for 4 years now and quite believe what people say here.
If anyone knows about any posting anytime which they think is fraud please let us know.
If now we believe HO has given early flr's, What strong reason do they need for early flr application. People have said they can't take a mortgage because they don't have 5 year visa stamped, get a letter from the bank and HO issues them early flr, thats a very strong reason ? must be strong for HO, not for me. I have to attend my friends wedding after 5 months and shall be there for 2 months and I need to get visa extended early, will HO give me early flr, don't think so, the reason is not strong enough.
I just wanted to say if HO has made some rules stick to those rules, don't bend it, if they do bend the rules, then do it for everyone.
Sorry I am a bit frustrated on HO

hari15 · Post by **hari15** » Sun Jan 20, 2008 1:22 pm

I have studied a lot in this issue now. Also got a email reply back from HO

Atmost 5 weeks before expiry is the recommendation by HO and not a rule

If you see the Casework Guidelines on Validation & Refusal Scenarios. They cant invalidate or Refuse an application based on Early application

They can invalidate an application based on wrong / incomplete form, insufficient / wrong documents

They can refuse an application only based on points / english / evidences / forgeries

Hence if we apply early they cant invalidate / refuse it for that reason.

Only thing what might happen is they may issue the extension Visa from the date of application. Suppose if we apply 1 year before and got approval, they may give for 3 years from the date of application. In that case, he again need to apply for extension anyway

Early application is beneficial only to those who requires less than 2 years to get eligible for ILR

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HSMP Extension Processing times.

HSMP Extension Processing times.