ancestry -> ILR questions

[nomad545]

Hi, I'm South African with a UK Ancestry visa soon to be applying for ILR and I have a few questions after scouring the board for info...

1. I've been with my current employer for 3 years, so their letter covers absences in this 3 yr period. How do I prove absences less than 180 days for the first 2 years?

2. I have a degree from the US, but I decided to do the English language test instead of getting the NARIC certificate. Will this be OK despite my application form stating that I should submit a transcript and NARIC certificate?

3. My 1st full day in the UK was 1 October 2013. Am I correct in understanding that I can apply in person from 3 September 2018 and bookings for these in-person slots are already open?

Many thanks for your help!

[CR001]

1. Are you able to get a letter from previous employers?? If not, write a letter yourself and your passport stamps should be sufficient

2. If you have selected the English test as the way you are meeting the English requirement and put the details in the form, then no need to state your degree too.

3. What was the visa start/issue date??

[FreshFromTheGrave]

With regards to number 3 if you plan on booking via premium service centre you should start attempting to book your appointment tonight! At midnight the earliest available bookings will be 28th September and each day that will advance closer to your expiry date. I didn't know this either and I got extremely lucky and managed to book the earliest available date, which was my visa's expiry date

*love all the SA flags in here lol

[nomad545]

Thanks Char and FreshFromTheGrave,

The visa start date was the day before my first full day, i.e., 30 September 2013.

Are you saying that the appointment slots begin 45 days from today's date, i.e., 29 September!!

[FreshFromTheGrave]

Are you saying that the appointment slots begin 45 days from today's date, i.e., 29 September!!

It's something like that yeah, these appointments are extremely hard to get and the booking website is very unstable. It's critical that you start attempting to book an appointment now! Try after midnight tonight if you can. Appointments will generally only display after midnight during the week for a few hours before disappearing.

[nomad545]

Thanks for the tip! I managed to get a slot on Sep 28 at the closest office to me, so it looks like I just made it! Booked after midnight, when the site started working.

[FreshFromTheGrave]

Thanks for the tip! I managed to get a slot on Sep 28 at the closest office to me, so it looks like I just made it! Booked after midnight, when the site started working.

Congrats! I feel like we're the really lucky ones. The people who found out late that these appointments are hard to get but managed to snag one just in time!

[nomad545]

Yes, lucky indeed! Thanks for the wake-up call, or I would have missed the window to make an appointment...