Positive I.L.R experience at Croydon

[ukbalaji]

My first post here.

Just wanted to narrate my positive I.L.R experience on 1st Feb this year. My work permit started on Mar 01 2002 so I was eligible to apply for PR on 1 Feb 2006. To make things a bit complicated my company was sending me abroad on a business trip on 4th Feb for the whole month of Feb so I had only 3 days in Feb to get my PR. When I called the Home Office in the last week of Jan to make an appointment for 1st Feb, they said I was not even eligible to make a phone call to schedule an apppointment until my 3 years and 11 months were up. When I explained on the phone that I was travelling abroad for a month, they asked me to show up without an appointment but with a proof of travel (confirmed tickets). And the lady wasn't exactly pleasant on the phone either.

So I showed up at the Home Office at Croydon on 1st Feb at 7:40 am, and there were already 30 people in front of me, without appointments I suppose. It was freezing as hell standing there, but the office promptly opened up at 8 AM and within 10 minutes we were all welcomed in. After going thru security, I must have stood there hardly a few minutes when a Roger Moore kind of voice announced on the mic "counter number 4 please". The officer at Counter 4 wasn't pleasant at all, and immediately said "nothing doing without appointments". I managed to convince him I was travelling abroad (letter from company, tickets) and then he agreed, looked at my filled SET(0) application form, last 6 months' paystubs, gave me a sort of ticket number, and asked me to proceed upstairs to the first floor, pay and wait right there to be called.

My case was pretty straightforward, altho I was an expat (from the U.S) here in the U.K for close to 3 years, getting paid out of the U.S office but I was still on valid work permit, and physically stayed in the U.K throughout so I wasn't that worried. I went upstairs and paid £500 by credit card, and within 10 mins, my number was called. The officer wanted to have a look at my SET(0) application form duly filled in, passport, company letter, last 6 months' paystubs, last 6 months' bank statements, current and previous work permits ( I had been with the same company forever, but my company kept getting me 1-year or 2-year work permits all along). I had also taken my utility bills, birth certificate, rental agreement etc but these were not needed. I even wrote a cover letter but no one even looked at it.

Now came the catch : I had been in the U.K from May 2001 to Feb 2002 on a business visit visa with a 15 day trip to India in Oct 2001. I was on business here from the U.S in those days, and due to whatever reason I ended up staying here longer than I ought to have, on a business visit visa. So I guess part of that stay was obviously illegal. This caused problems when we applied for a work permit in Dec 2001 but I finally got the work permit then. I wasn't that worried then as I had no plan to immigrate here, I was more concerned about getting my U.S green card. Long story short, I abandoned the US green card application at the 485 stage, and ended up staying here in the U.K longer than I thought I would.

The officer asked me quite a few questions about my visits in 2001, I did not tell the complete truth, basically didnt want to rake up the past, it took her a good 30 minutes to flip thru my passport and she went and consulted with some other officers but eventually after a total of 45 minutes, she said everything was okay and that I should come back in a couple of hours and collect everything. I decided to hang out right there. Went up to the 2nd floor and got myself a cup of coffee and immediately after an hour, my name was called again, this time to collect my I.L.R. The lady said : "You now have indefinite leave to remain in the U.K" - sure felt good.

Humorous incident : As I had a cup of coffee and croissant upstairs, the guy next to me had just a cup of coffee and asked for a paper napkin, the lady at the counter refused to give him a paper towel because "he didnt order any food". I thought it was ridiculous, the guy was asking for a paper towel for crying out loud, not a bar of gold !

All in all, great experience, very quick and professional service for someone who went in without an appt, much more so than the U.S where legal immigration is a total mess.

Oh and before I forget, my company letter simply said "<Name> has been working since Mar 1 2002 in the U.K offices of <company> on a full-time basis making <salary> per year. " The letter did not say anything about "will continue to work for us.", but I suppose that could not have hurt.

I dont peruse these forums regularly but have hung out occasionally. Thought I would narrate a positive experience. I am writing this from abroad with my U.K P.R at hand.

[raina]

Congrats on getting your ILR. It must be such a relief!!

Tell me something did you carry your original Work permits or did you carry a xerox copy?

Can one carry a xerox?

[ukbalaji]

Thanks Raina. I carried originals of all my work permits except my oldest one (2002). I could not find the original of my oldest work permit. To be on the safe side, it would be advisable to carry originals, at least your current work permit.