Got Tier-1 extension for 3 years - My experience

[NishantJ]

Hi Everyone,

Last week got tier-1 general visa extension for 3 years, was converting from HSMP to Tier-1 general. I did it in person in the Croydon office. Here are some details which might help others:

1. Initially it was very difficult to get a appointment since it was always all booked. However one fine morning called exactly at 8:59 am and got a date after 6 weeks.

2. Prepared the application for myself and my wife (got a lot of help from this forum. thanks)

3. Appointment day, reached Croydon at 7:00 am (was travelling from Reading). Parked in Sainsbury parking in front of the Home office (across the road). Parking charges reasonable £5 for 5 hrs or so. Waited in the car park since my appointment was at 8:30 am, however now I think that I should have not wasted that time since when I reached the home office at 8:20am there was already a queue and they had already started processing, had to waste 30 mins (10 mins in the queue to get in, 20 mins in the queue to pay the fees) in the various queue even though I was just across the road from 7:00 am

4. My papers where checked first at a counter on the ground floor, she gave me a token number and told me where to go to pay my fees, After paying fees at the 1st floor waited in the waiting area on the 1st floor. Waited for 15 mins, my number was called, gave all my papers to the case worker.
Do not staple your applications, the case workers just remove all the staples, my application got badly torn since I had used heavy duty stapler to staple it. Instead just use a binding clip or something like it which can be easily removed.

5. The case worker did not ask me any questions, I think my application was quite simple one. I just submitted my payslips and bank statement for the last 12 months, my passport,2 photos. That's it! since I had given other proof in my initial HSMP application 2 years back.

6. I was asked to wait for 1-2 hrs, went out to sainsbury to eat something, came back in 1.5 hrs. My name was called with the passports. Got the visa. The person who handed me the passport asked me to check it before I leave.

IMPORTANT: I found that the visa which was granted had a error, the passport number printed in my visa was wrong, it had 1 incorrect digit. I just happened to see that, the mistake was corrected but had to wait for 1 more hour, phew....

that's it.
Thanks to all the members in the forum.
Keep up the good work.

Nishant

[mvent00]

Congratulations, yes it is always better to check visa particulars at the spot.

Hi Everyone,

Last week got tier-1 general visa extension for 3 years, was converting from HSMP to Tier-1 general. I did it in person in the Croydon office. Here are some details which might help others:

1. Initially it was very difficult to get a appointment since it was always all booked. However one fine morning called exactly at 8:59 am and got a date after 6 weeks.

2. Prepared the application for myself and my wife (got a lot of help from this forum. thanks)

3. Appointment day, reached Croydon at 7:00 am (was travelling from Reading). Parked in Sainsbury parking in front of the Home office (across the road). Parking charges reasonable £5 for 5 hrs or so. Waited in the car park since my appointment was at 8:30 am, however now I think that I should have not wasted that time since when I reached the home office at 8:20am there was already a queue and they had already started processing, had to waste 30 mins (10 mins in the queue to get in, 20 mins in the queue to pay the fees) in the various queue even though I was just across the road from 7:00 am

4. My papers where checked first at a counter on the ground floor, she gave me a token number and told me where to go to pay my fees, After paying fees at the 1st floor waited in the waiting area on the 1st floor. Waited for 15 mins, my number was called, gave all my papers to the case worker.
Do not staple your applications, the case workers just remove all the staples, my application got badly torn since I had used heavy duty stapler to staple it. Instead just use a binding clip or something like it which can be easily removed.

5. The case worker did not ask me any questions, I think my application was quite simple one. I just submitted my payslips and bank statement for the last 12 months, my passport,2 photos. That's it! since I had given other proof in my initial HSMP application 2 years back.

6. I was asked to wait for 1-2 hrs, went out to sainsbury to eat something, came back in 1.5 hrs. My name was called with the passports. Got the visa. The person who handed me the passport asked me to check it before I leave.

IMPORTANT: I found that the visa which was granted had a error, the passport number printed in my visa was wrong, it had 1 incorrect digit. I just happened to see that, the mistake was corrected but had to wait for 1 more hour, phew....

that's it.
Thanks to all the members in the forum.
Keep up the good work.

Nishant

[mustafa.hamdani]

Congrats NishantJ

Can you please tell me whether you got the extension for exactly 3 years or a bit more thean 3 years? I'm asking this because in order to apply for indefinite after 5 years you need to be present in the UK on the day dated back 5 years from the date you are filing your indefinite application (e.g., if someone is applying for indefinite LTR on Sep 5, 2010 then he/she needs to be present in UK on Sep 5, 2005).

Thanks,

[merci]

Hi,
Congratulations!

You mentioned about your wife. How did you extend her one?
Was she with you?
or did you just handed out her passport alongside your one to the case worker ?

Regards

[tvn_ramesh]

Congratulations Nishant..

Can you update you experience in the below link where others updated for helping each other..

http://www.immigrationboards.com/viewto ... 45a#295301

[mah]

Congrats NishantJ

Can you please tell me whether you got the extension for exactly 3 years or a bit more thean 3 years? I'm asking this because in order to apply for indefinite after 5 years you need to be present in the UK on the day dated back 5 years from the date you are filing your indefinite application (e.g., if someone is applying for indefinite LTR on Sep 5, 2010 then he/she needs to be present in UK on Sep 5, 2005).

Thanks,

Hi, Sorry but I have asked this question in different threads no one gives a documented answer.

Why do you say 5 years present from thr first entry, I remember UKBA says 5 years from the date of your visa.
And where does it say you can not be away from the UK more than 90 days in a year.

Regards,

mah

[NishantJ]

Congrats NishantJ

Can you please tell me whether you got the extension for exactly 3 years or a bit more thean 3 years? I'm asking this because in order to apply for indefinite after 5 years you need to be present in the UK on the day dated back 5 years from the date you are filing your indefinite application (e.g., if someone is applying for indefinite LTR on Sep 5, 2010 then he/she needs to be present in UK on Sep 5, 2005).

Thanks,

Yes I got extension for 3 years from Oct 31st 2009.

But i was not present in UK on Oct 31st 2007, I came her in UK 2 months after my visa got stamped.

[NishantJ]

Hi,
Congratulations!

You mentioned about your wife. How did you extend her one?
Was she with you?
or did you just handed out her passport alongside your one to the case worker ?

Regards

She was with me.
I submitted her application with my application, it costed me £50 for dependent application.

If I had applied for dependent visa for her at a later date it would have costed me around £450 (don't remember the exact figure now).

But I don't think dependants need to be present at the time of personal application.

[mubu]

5. The case worker did not ask me any questions, I think my application was quite simple one. I just submitted my payslips and bank statement for the last 12 months, my passport,2 photos. That's it! since I had given other proof in my initial HSMP application 2 years back.


Hey, for HSMP holders, do you just need payslips and bank statements? What about other things like points for age, UK experience etc etc?

[rasinrdj]

Congratulations Nishant,
I'm in the process of preparing my application along with dependant (wife), I thank you for posting your experience. I have few doubts can you please clarify:

- Have you used your own bank statement as maintenance funds for your dependant (spouse) or does she has her own a/c and used separate statement.
- What application type have you selected while making the online booking is it the FLR(M) or PBS Tier1 (a silly question but appreciate if you reply).

Thanks