Been in UK for 10 years legally, but can't prove it!

[dmytro]

Hello everyone! I came to Uk in september 1996 on a student visa. I went to prep school, boarding school,did first university degree and now Im finishing masters. All my visas (entry clearances) were issued by british embassy in kiev, ukraine. However under ukraine law, whenever you get a new passport, the old one must be destroyed. So I do not have my old passports and cant prove that I stayed here from 1996. I have letters from school, gcse, a-level, degree results etc. How can I prove that Ive been here for all this time - I will apply for ILR soon. Does HO keep records of people entering the country? If yes, then how can I get this in paper form to present as PEO? Thanks for all you help!

[dmytro]

I forgot to add. I have one page cut out from old passport with visa on it that covers me from sep 98 till sep 2000. Police registration certificate has information that I have visa from sep 2000 till sep 2006. So I only need to prove my stay from 1996 till sep 1998. I am just worried that because they will not have my absence from UK information, they might use it against me. Does the fact that I went to a famous traditional british school put me at any advantage regarding strong ties with britain? Any thoughts on my situation?

[badboyz]

You can ask for your immigration history under the data protection act, it will cost you about 10 pounds, and you must ask for the request in writing it will take about 2 weeks.

[dmytro]

Thanks for your reply. Whom exactly do I ask? And do I make a payment in cheque, cash??? Thanks alot!!

[Jeff Albright]

Badboyz referred to the procedure called Subject Access or Disclosure under the Freedom of Information Act. You can make a request for this information to the IND. Information on how to do it can be found on the IND website - just type search in Google and it will bring up the information you need.
However, I do not think it will help you, because this the information the IND already have and you do not need to prove them that. What you need is the payslips and utility bills that confirm that you lived at the UK address continuously from 1996 until 1998.
Also you need to bear in mind that you must not have been absent from the UK for X number of days (cannot remember exactly how many - refer to the IND website on that)

[Rogerio]

Send your request (with a £10 cheque/postal order) to this address, and request your immigration history under the Data Protection Act.

Immigration and Nationality Directorate (IND)
Subject Access Bureau (SAB)
10th Floor
Sunley House
Bedford Park
Croydon
CR0 2AP

[jes2jes]

I think you can also ask your embassy to give you a record of all passport renewals and dates in the UK and and your home country.
Also get all letters of enrolments from Universities and colleges to ascertain this. You can check a tread on this page on Long residency for a similar case.

A word of advise to all: Anytime you get a new passport and visa, please make photocopies of this. You never know. I had a situation some time ago whilst my passport got lost in the post from the HO and luckily I had a photocopy of it to prove a few things in both the US and Canadian embassies.
Good luck every one.

[dmytro]

Thank you for your advice guys. I have written to Subject Access Bureau, and will keep you informed of my progress. I am also getting all invoices from school, NHS records and bank statements in my struggle to prove 10 years continous residence.

[ppron747]

Good luck, dmytro. Although Jeff thought that a subject access request wouldn't help, I think it might, as it will enable you to see whether there are any gaps in IND records, which you would have to concentrate on filling...