I am currently on tier 2 (General) visa.
I got the visa on 15-sept-2013 and valid up to 30-sept-2016.(3 years) I renewed it in august 2016 and got bio metric card from 1-oct-2016 to 31-sept 2019.(3 more years)
The continuous periods table assuming application for ILR is made on 15-Sep-18 is as below,
Questions:year number | Start | End | days outside UK
year 1 | 16-Sep-17 | 15-Sep-18 | 0 (in the future and will be less then 180 days)
year 2 | 16-Sep-16 | 15-Sep-17 | 50+ (in the future and will be less then 180 days)
year 3 | 16-Sep-15 | 15-Sep-16 | 25
year 4 | 16-Sep-14 | 15-Sep-15 | 62
year 5 | 16-Sep-13 | 15-Sep-14 | 138
The following questions concern me and am worried if I have invalidated my ILR eligibility.
1. I joined job on 7-Jan-2014. I did a 3 weeks trip to the UK to meet new colleagues in oct 2013 and joined actually (my contract starts) in Jan 2014 even though I got the visa in Sept 2013.
a. Have I done anything wrong by joining about 3 months after getting the visa?
b. Will I be to apply for ILR on 15 sept 2018 when my visa started or should I apply on 07 Jan 2018 when my job started?
2. Do I have to show any reasons (as proofs) for my absence when though it is below 180 limit per year?
3. I got the extended visa card to hand in Aug 2016. I went out of UK on 18 Sept 2016 (old visa still valid but had new visa also starting from 1 Oct 2016) and returned back to UK on 06-Nov-2016 (on my new visa and old visa expired in 31-Sept-2016 while in India). The time I spent in India after my visa expired is 31 days. I am confused if I can do this or not and will this gap be any problem to me when applying ILR? (I see a 28 day limit for entry into UK after visa expiry. Will it hold true for my case also i.e. already have the extended visa at hand)
Answers to these questions are very important for me to plan my future travels and make other plans.
Many Thanks.