10 years long residence applications

[sticagus]

I'm sure this will not be an issue (assuming you have received a confirmation letter from HO and have a copy of your previous visa - as it will be valid until the decision has been made). If prospective employer wants to hire you - they can always check/confirm your status with the HO

[kiwigirl25]

PLEASE ADVISE. I'am still awaiting my ILR decision, which means I do not have my passport with me. However, as I'm completing my PhD this September and desperately need a job, am concerned employers would hesitate giving me a job without sighting the visa which allows me to live and work in the UK. Are you (or do you know anyone) awaiting ILR decision in the same/similar situation?

Students can usually work legally 3 months after they have completed their studies. Though unless you have certified copies of both your passport and current visa you may find potential employers will be wary of employing you. You can try using your NI number and acknowledgement letter as evidence but yet again depends on who the employer is they might want to see the actual visa.

As per the previous advice you can ask potential employers to check your status with UKBA but I've heard of cases whereby this has taken up to 3 even 6 months.

How long have you been waiting for your ILR? If you are nearing 6 months there is a possibility you will hear back by September.

[ILR-2010]

Are we students (entire duration of stay in the UK under student visa category) applying under 10 year continuous legal stay ILR category children of a lesser God that we are, perhaps, accorded such step motherly treatment by the UKBA? When it comes to processing ILR aplications, we are, it appears, always relegated to being the last in the 'queue' (in the category of applicants applying under legal stay ILR in the UK).

What have we done to deserve being kept on tenterhooks for months on end?

Have we not paid thousands of pounds in tuition fees? According to 'Immigration and asylum statistics released - UKBA (August 2009)', International students contribute nearly £2.5 billion by way of tuition fees alone and their overall contribution to the UK economy may be to the tune of £8.5 billion.

10 years of continuous legal stay in the UK only to be then asked to wait endlessly after applying for ILR. In the eyes of the UKBA it appears 'all ILR applicants may be equal but some categories of ILR applicants may be more equal than the others'.

Would there be no hope of an early light at the end of the tunnel in the days to come?

As an international student myself been paying premium fees over the last 11 yrs, I also think is unfair how HO treated our ILR applications, the significant financial contribution to UK's education sector alone should give us some merit in settling here. we are the main source for UK education institutions funding.

But I guess the education sector only contribute to a minor percentage of the whole economy, correct me if I'm wrong,I've been told the tuition fees are exempt from tax,probably that's why HO doesn't value much of our financial contribution to the real economy.

[ILR-2010]

PLEASE ADVISE. I'am still awaiting my ILR decision, which means I do not have my passport with me. However, as I'm completing my PhD this September and desperately need a job, am concerned employers would hesitate giving me a job without sighting the visa which allows me to live and work in the UK. Are you (or do you know anyone) awaiting ILR decision in the same/similar situation?

In my experience,it depends on the size/origin of the firm, bigger firms seem to be more tolerable to visa issues, smaller firms tend to be less tolerable. Also American firms are more flexible on the visa thing,as long as you are the best candidate for the job,they will sort out everything for you disregard your nationality, British/EU firms are less flexible on the visa issues.
In your case,u are getting phd in this september, so I don't think visa going to be a huge obstacle here,secure a job offer is more important at this point. Best of luck,God bless us!!!

[banda]

Hi everyone,

I aplied for my ilr on 9th feb on the basis of long residence (10 years student). Today i called Home office and the lady replied that my application is not yet completed. Does it mean my application is in a queue waiting for a caseworker or is it under process?

[kiwigirl25]

PLEASE ADVISE. I'am still awaiting my ILR decision, which means I do not have my passport with me. However, as I'm completing my PhD this September and desperately need a job, am concerned employers would hesitate giving me a job without sighting the visa which allows me to live and work in the UK. Are you (or do you know anyone) awaiting ILR decision in the same/similar situation?

In your case,u are getting phd in this september, so I don't think visa going to be a huge obstacle here,secure a job offer is more important at this point. Best of luck,God bless us!!!

I second that last point. My friend, who was a foreign student, searched for a job before the end of her studies. When she secured one with a huge multinational company, they were fine with her current status and gave her a time period (the 3 months valid working time permittable in student visa) in which she had to produce a valid work visa. It worked out okay for her and 3 years later she is applying for her ILR.

But she had her passport and original student visa.

There is no company that is tolerable to visa issues. You either have an valid visa or you don't, there is no inbetween. You may be fortune like my friend and get a time period in which to produce the necessary valid documentation but if you don't produce it you will lose your job and potentially be black-listed in that industry. I was only discussing this today with a fellow immigrant, how difficult it is these days to obtain a job without having a valid passport with that all important stamp in it - physically in your possession that is. This person is now a citizen but because it's obvious she is not British born she is asked to produce her passport when she commences a new job. It was easy 10 years ago but now rules have tighten and companies are extra cautious.

Forgetting the above, continue your job search because you may get lucky and find a company which will delay your start date until you have your ILR. But don't expect miracles. I don't know what your qualifications are but the job market is tough out there. So many qualified people unemployed. If you were an employer who would you employ; someone who has proof of their right to work in this country; or someone who says they can work here but is unable to produce the necessary documentation?

The lesson learnt from all this for new applicants is get a certified copy of your passport and current visa before sending your ILR application in. Solicitors charge £15 for this service but in the long run it's worth.

[kiwigirl25]

Hi everyone,

I aplied for my ilr on 9th feb on the basis of long residence (10 years student). Today i called Home office and the lady replied that my application is not yet completed. Does it mean my application is in a queue waiting for a caseworker or is it under process?

It means nothing. It means she's reached that excuse in her list of excuses

[ILR-2010]

PLEASE ADVISE. I'am still awaiting my ILR decision, which means I do not have my passport with me. However, as I'm completing my PhD this September and desperately need a job, am concerned employers would hesitate giving me a job without sighting the visa which allows me to live and work in the UK. Are you (or do you know anyone) awaiting ILR decision in the same/similar situation?

In your case,u are getting phd in this september, so I don't think visa going to be a huge obstacle here,secure a job offer is more important at this point. Best of luck,God bless us!!!

I second that last point. My friend, who was a foreign student, searched for a job before the end of her studies. When she secured one with a huge multinational company, they were fine with her current status and gave her a time period (the 3 months valid working time permittable in student visa) in which she had to produce a valid work visa. It worked out okay for her and 3 years later she is applying for her ILR.

But she had her passport and original student visa.

There is no company that is tolerable to visa issues. You either have an valid visa or you don't, there is no inbetween. You may be fortune like my friend and get a time period in which to produce the necessary valid documentation but if you don't produce it you will lose your job and potentially be black-listed in that industry. I was only discussing this today with a fellow immigrant, how difficult it is these days to obtain a job without having a valid passport with that all important stamp in it - physically in your possession that is. This person is now a citizen but because it's obvious she is not British born she is asked to produce her passport when she commences a new job. It was easy 10 years ago but now rules have tighten and companies are extra cautious.

Forgetting the above, continue your job search because you may get lucky and find a company which will delay your start date until you have your ILR. But don't expect miracles. I don't know what your qualifications are but the job market is tough out there. So many qualified people unemployed. If you were an employer who would you employ; someone who has proof of their right to work in this country; or someone who says they can work here but is unable to produce the necessary documentation?

The lesson learnt from all this for new applicants is get a certified copy of your passport and current visa before sending your ILR application in. Solicitors charge £15 for this service but in the long run it's worth.

I assume he/she must be looking for specialist highly skilled job with the phd,not just ordinary office position in small firm. obviously,luck always play an important role here,but if he/she got the skill that other british/european candidates don't possess,then he/she will have no problem with getting a work permit or watever, like your friend company will give them several months to sort out visa or even help he/she to harass HO to speed up their application, especially multinational firms, they got real power in sorting this kind of issues. so i think job wise really depend on how highly sought after they are.
Of course, no company can be tolerable to anyone who hasn't got any valid/lawful immigration status,what I meant tolerable was that firms will give candidate time and even help you with immigration matters when they really desire you.
obviously,we have to have copies of our pspt/visa etc, if you don't,then you only have yourself to blame for. I just got a job 2wks ago,I told them about my current ILR issue, they told me as long as my status in the UK is legal they don't have any problem with me,I only showed them my passport/visa photocopy,not even certified or anything, they also offer to get me the work permit if I like.

[kiwigirl25]

I assume he/she must be looking for specialist highly skilled job with the phd,not just ordinary office position in small firm. obviously,luck always play an important role here,but if he/she got the skill that other british/european candidates don't possess,then he/she will have no problem with getting a work permit or watever, like your friend company will give them several months to sort out visa or even help he/she to harass HO to speed up their application, especially multinational firms, they got real power in sorting this kind of issues. so i think job wise really depend on how highly sought after they are.
Of course, no company can be tolerable to anyone who hasn't got any valid/lawful immigration status,what I meant tolerable was that firms will give candidate time and even help you with immigration matters when they really desire you.
obviously,we have to have copies of our pspt/visa etc, if you don't,then you only have yourself to blame for. I just got a job 2wks ago,I told them about my current ILR issue, they told me as long as my status in the UK is legal they don't have any problem with me,I only showed them my passport/visa photocopy,not even certified or anything, they also offer to get me the work permit if I like.

I wasn't talking about office work. I was talking about highly skilled, qualified, degree...masters...phd professionals. I work in that type of sector and 200 university educated (all levels) have recently lost their jobs. To assume that because you have an unversity education you can walk straight into a job without any experience is unrealistic. You are competing with people educated to the same level as you but with experience. I know of students who got 1st and a year later are still working in B&Q simply because their sector is saturated with highly qualified and skilled professionals.

Multi-national companies do not have any power over the UKBA. The multi-national company I worked for were audited by UKBA last year as a result they were told reduce the number of non-EU workers as they were in danger of being in breach of immigration laws. The policy regarding Indian IT workers was amended maybe not as a direct result but rumour has it that the findings in this company influenced it. However I agree with your point that if an individual is highly sought after then the company will bend over backwards to get them. They won't let a little thing like immigration laws get in their way

However I know very little about Devonian; it could be that their PhD is in a field that is uneffected by the recession. I sincerely hope they are in a field which isn't saturated. All going well they can, I hope, find employment with ease and quickly.

You, on the otherhand, were extremely lucky. If your employers are audited by UKBA they may find themselves having to explain why they employed an immigrant without either seeing original or certified copies of your visa; or didn't contact UKBA to ascertain your status (assuming they haven't).

My advice to Devonian is to phone UKBA to gain advice from them as to what they can lawfully do. Or alternatively seek advice from an immigration solicitor.[/b]

[Beige]

Hi everyone,

I aplied for my ilr on 9th feb on the basis of long residence (10 years student). Today i called Home office and the lady replied that my application is not yet completed. Does it mean my application is in a queue waiting for a caseworker or is it under process?

Someone posted this a while ago. So your guess is as good as mine!

The way HO works:
1) All applications are received in a center room and get diverted to 'initial consideration unit'.

2) If the caseworker at ICU makes the decision at this stage then you get your documants back within 2 weeks normally

3) If the caseworker cannot make the decision at this stage he/she forwards the case to the 'further consideration unit' or the case management unit.

4) Now the main waiting period starts at this point. Here at the FCU or CMU the junior case worker first looks at the case and he/she consults his/her possible decision with the senior caseworker or the team leader. Especially if the decision is refusal then they have to consult it to their team leader before post it back to applicant.

5) The case might wait in a queue on the team leader desk for a while

6) After the decision is made and consulted with the team leader the case goes to implemented queue in the post room where the paperwork is getting ready for post

7) A case might also wait in the post room for a while, that is why we see the visa date 1 month before the date we received the passport. because it got stucked in a queue in the post room.

When we call the home office the telephone agents are instructed to say one of the 3 things if we enquiry about the progress of our application:

1) The case is still not completed or still in process ( it might be anywhere between 1 to 5 above)

2) The case is in the queue waiting to be seen ( it might be anywhere between 1 to 5 above)

3) We have posted to you something this date ( the decision is made but they do not tell u the decision on the phone)

The telephone agents do not say anything else apart from these 3 template sentence, they keep repeating them like robots, lol. The telephone enquiry is just a waste of time unless you are calling them to ask for your passport to be sent back.

[coolboyuk]

beige, "2) If the caseworker at ICU makes the decision at this stage then you get your documants back within 2 weeks normally"

i do not think this point is for 10 year long residence applicants ??????

[Beige]

beige, "2) If the caseworker at ICU makes the decision at this stage then you get your documants back within 2 weeks normally"

i do not think this point is for 10 year long residence applicants ??????

I don't know what is true and what is not true. As I said, someone posted that a while ago. Considering that some people have supposedly received their ILR's in 2 weeks, nothing is impossible.

[kiwigirl25]

beige, "2) If the caseworker at ICU makes the decision at this stage then you get your documants back within 2 weeks normally"

i do not think this point is for 10 year long residence applicants ??????

I don't know what is true and what is not true. As I said, someone posted that a while ago. Considering that some people have supposedly received their ILR's in 2 weeks, nothing is impossible.

Agreed, it would explain the sudden influx of 2 week ILRs

[optimist_eternal]

kiwigirl25 wrote:

get a time period in which to produce the necessary valid documentation but if you don't produce it you will lose your job and potentially be black-listed in that industry.

Reference/source?

[Beige]

Optimist_eternal, may I just ask if you've also applied under the 10 year category? When did you send off your application?

[durian]

Since all our application forms get sent to Durham, does it mean that the Initial Considering Unit is based there? If the applications are allocated to various offices around the country - would this refer to Further Consideration Units?

It sounds completely random. Just like how one office may be slightly more efficent/has different dynamics from another, couldn't it mean that one office would approach one application slightly differently from another?

I won't be surprised if different HO offices do things slightly differently especially on the cases where discretion need to be applied.

[optimist_eternal]

Beige, yes I have also applied under 10 year continuous legal stay ILR and my application was sent on 10th March 2010.

[bilalsco]

Hello,

I am a newbie and just sent my application. Please could you add me to the list.

10 year time line: 8 years Student + 2 years Post Study Visa

Application Sent:15th June 2010.

Thanks

[Beige]

Hello,

I am a newbie and just sent my application. Please could you add me to the list.

10 year time line: 8 years Student + 2 years Post Study Visa

Application Sent:15th June 2010.

Thanks

Hi Bilalsco, welcome to the forum! I will add you to the list when I update it tomorrow.

[Beige]

RECEIVED APPLICATIONS (2010 Applicants):
london101 applied 8/01/10 received 15/04/10 WAITED FOR 13.6 weeks [7 year student + 3 years Work permit/Tier 1]
Sa applied 04/02/10 received 06/05/10 WAITED FOR 13 weeks [10 year Work permit + HSMP]
Osteophytes applied 27/04/10 recieved 08/06/10 WAITED FOR 6 weeks [7yr PFT + 2 yr WP + 1yr Tier 1]


STILL PENDING: under 10 years lawful SET(O)category

August 2009

sr applied 17/08/09 and is still waiting now: 43 weeks

December 2009

Cloudstar applied 18/12/2009 and is still waiting now: 26.4 weeks [10 year student]

January 2010

Beige applied 11/01/2010 and is still waiting: now 23 weeks [10 Year Student]
pv applied 20/01/2010 and is still waiting: now 21.7 weeks
chiko14june applied 20/01/2010 and is still waiting: now 21.7 weeks
coolboyuk applied 22/01/10 and is still waiting: now 21.4 weeks[10 Year Student]


Febuary 2010

danny58 applied 02/02/10 and is still waiting: now 19.9 weeks [10 year student]
yeezhexiang applied 08/02/10 and is still waiting: now 19 weeks
graham834 applied 09/02/10 and is still waiting: now 18.9 weeks
ILR-2010 applied 09/02/10 and is still waiting: now 18.9 weeks[10 Year Student]
ppman applied 12/02/2010 and is still waiting: now 18.6 weeks
DA375 applied 18/02/10 and is still waiting: now 17.5 weeks
aman5 applied 25/02/10 and is still waiting: now 16.5 weeks


March 2010

Geostar2010 applied 09/03/10 and is still waiting: now 14.9 weeks [10 year STUDENT]
Powermatic applied 09/03/10 and is still waiting: now 14.9 weeks [10 year STUDENT/STUDENT dependent]
Optimist_eternal applied 10/03/10 and is still waiting: now 14.8 weeks
mala applied 29/03/2010 and is still waiting: now 12 weeks


April 2010

zeddie applied 05/04/10 and is still waiting: now 11 weeks [7 year STUDENT/ 3 year WP/Tier 1]
Devonian applied 22/04/10 and is still waiting: now 8.5 weeks


May 2010

Superstar applied 10/05/10 and is still waiting: now 6 weeks [10 year STUDENT]
sam_lam15 applied 11/05/10 and is still waiting now: 5.9 weeks
durian applied 29/05/10 and is still waiting now: 3.3 weeks [4 years student + 6 years various]

June 2010

Hrushiuk applied 01/06/2010 and is still waiting now: 2.9 weeks [6 year student/4 year WP]
Sticagus applied 07/06/2010 and is still waiting now: 2 weeks [9 year student + 1 year Tier 1 dependant]
Bilalsco applied 15/06/2010 and is still waiting now: 0.9 weeks [8 year student/2 year PSW]

[zeddie]

i guess theres no good news from anyone?

[coolboyuk]

no zeddie. still staring at the letter box....

[cloudstar]

[quote="coolboyuk"]no zeddie. still staring at the letter box.... [/quote]

You can say that again......

[DEVONIAN]

Thanks everyone: RE seeking job whilst my passport remains with the UKBA. My existing LTR expires in over two years time. So, I'm not worried about that. The main concern is whether or not prospective employers would take me up without sighting my visas. Unfortunately, while I do have the UKBA letter confirming my existing visas, I do not have copies of the actual visa page-- we learn everyday, don't we? I'm a school teacher (trained and qualified in the UK with a few years of UK teaching experience before returning to pursue my doctorate), and landing a job in my subject (mathematics) ostensibly poses no concerns whatsoever!

[kiwigirl25]

Thanks everyone: RE seeking job whilst my passport remains with the UKBA. My existing LTR expires in over two years time. So, I'm not worried about that. The main concern is whether or not prospective employers would take me up without sighting my visas. Unfortunately, while I do have the UKBA letter confirming my existing visas, I do not have copies of the actual visa page-- we learn everyday, don't we? I'm a school teacher (trained and qualified in the UK with a few years of UK teaching experience before returning to pursue my doctorate), and landing a job in my subject (mathematics) ostensibly poses no concerns whatsoever!

Hi Devonian

I think because you have a letter from UKBA confirming your current visa then you should be fine. Combined with your acknowledgement letter for your ILR application I don't see why any employer would doubt your eligibility to work here. Different story if you didn't have that letter.

Good luck with your job hunt