ILR Blunders by PEO - Please Help

[ob40]

I received ILR for my family and myself from the Birmingham PEO on 6 July 2009 under the HSMP Judicial Review Judgment April 2009. The letter that I was handed at the Birmingham PEO backdating my ILR was only addressed to me. Later when I was studying the application forms for naturalisation, I realised that the names of all my dependants should have been included on that letter as all naturalisation applications are to be made on separate forms and I was required to attach a copy of this letter with all of the application forms.

I contacted the Immigration Enquiry Bureau who advised me write to Birmingham PEO requesting an amended copy of that letter. I posted a request along with the copy of the original letter to the Birmingham PEO on 8 August 2009. This request was delivered to Birmingham PEO on 11 August 2009. Since then I have not received any feedback. I am almost 6 weeks away from qualifying for naturalisation and I intended to make applications for naturalisation for my family and me at the same time. However, if I do not have the amended version of the letter backdating our ILR status, only I will be able to apply for naturalisation after 6 weeks and my family may have to wait a lot longer before they are considered eligible for naturalisation.

Yesterday, I contacted the Customer Services, UK Border Agency to enquire about the refund of the fee of 2nd Extension Application and I was told that although I was eligible for the refund but there were no notes on the case file to activate the refund. The gentleman answering the phone also noted the discrepancy in the letter and advised me to get in touch with Birmingham PEO and first get the letter amended and then apply for the refund.

When I told him that I have already written to them and there has been no response and that they dont even have a known phone number to contact and discuss the issue, he suggested that I drove down and see them in person. However, there was no assurance that I will be seen to.

I am getting crazy with this nonsense. Can someone help me please and tell me how to get this mess sorted. I dont mind driving a 100 miles to get it sorted if my visiting PEO personally is going to sort it. I shall be grateful for comments and suggestions.

[iyanu]

Hi ob40,

Sorry about all these mistakes! I will suggest that you go there personally as normally would for an appointment that is, as early as 9.00 a.m. to see for yourself what the outcome will be. It is said "there is much than meet the eyes".

Get the post office special delivery receipt you posted your complaint letter with, your passport and that of your dependants and find your way down to Birmingham PEO office to make your genuine complaint.

Your experience afterwards will give you good ground to either begin another process or be grateful that you had taken the step of getting a personal appearance before the people who did the error in the first place.

I wish u all the best!

[ob40]

Hello and many thanks for your kind reply. Fortunately the matter got resolved. Birmingham PEO managed to correct the letter and sent it out on Thursday for me to receive on Saturday.

Regards

OB

Hi ob40,

Sorry about all these mistakes! I will suggest that you go there personally as normally would for an appointment that is, as early as 9.00 a.m. to see for yourself what the outcome will be. It is said "there is much than meet the eyes".

Get the post office special delivery receipt you posted your complaint letter with, your passport and that of your dependants and find your way down to Birmingham PEO office to make your genuine complaint.

Your experience afterwards will give you good ground to either begin another process or be grateful that you had taken the step of getting a personal appearance before the people who did the error in the first place.

I wish u all the best!

[th]

How did you get hold with the Birmingham PEO?

[ob40]

Hi,

I wrote to them with copies of the original (incorrect) letter they had sent and those of our passports and residence permits. Their address was on the original letter and also on the UKBA website. It took them almost 5 weeks to reply with the corrections. I had almost given up.

I hope this helps.

Regards

OB.

How did you get hold with the Birmingham PEO?