Final checks to post Child benefit form

[gentlejuke]

Hi - can you please confirm is everything fine from below please? I am sending following documents.

1. Filled Application from online
2. Original (free) Birth certificate for UK born kid
3. Original birth certificate for India born kid
4. Copy of ILR visa page for India born kid.

Question 18 in CB form (on 'immigration control') answered as NO as I have got ILR on 19/07/2011 and posting form on 19/10/2011. pls confirm is that fine?

I have not included self addressed spl delivery envelop along with appl. Hope that would be fine

Thanks in advance.

[John]

Looks good, except you are also supplying a copy of your ILR?.

The only other query I have is about the Indian birth certificate. Is it is English? If not, you also need to supply a certified translation into English, as well as the Indian origin.

[gentlejuke]

Hi,

I have got a call from Washington today to validate following details.
1. Address
2. Date enter in UK
3. Date - Free from Immigration Control

I haven't expected a call, and at the end of the call realised that I have mentioned wrong date by mistake for 'Date enter UK' - Month&Year mentioned to her is correct but instead of 19th I said 26th I think...

Bit nervous does it effect the application processing

[need_a_tier1]

I think you will need to send the original passport for the Child born in India. They will not accept copies of the ILR page of the passport. On pg 6 of the online child benefit form, you will see this guidance note:

"If any child in this claim was born outside the UK we
also need to see their passport(s) or their travel documents used to enter the UK."

Another option (and better option IMO), is to call the child benefit helpline and book an appointment at your nearest HMRC office (near home or workplace) and take the filled-in child benefit form and all originals. The HMRC official will then take copies of all documents and stamp and verify it with the originals. They will also ask for the child benefit form and send everything all together. After verification they will retrun the originals back.

You can do the same of child born in the UK as well, so there will be no need to send the original birth certificate.

On the question of the Indian birth certificate being in English or not:
I specifically asked this question to the advisor on the child benefit helpline and the answer was that even if the certificate is not in English, please do send it with the form and we will process it accordingly. In my case the certificate has entries in both Hindi and English.

Some info from my experience:

- The child benefit helpline will simply put in a request for appointment at your local HMRC office. You will have to give your phone number at that time. After 1-2 days you will get a phone call to book the appointment from the local HMRC office.
- When you get the call for booking appointment, the person over the phone will have no idea what your appointment will be for. They will simply book an appointment for 'Document Verification'.
- When you attend the appointment, the person seeing you will also have no idea that what your appointment is actually about. They will simply see 'appointment for document verification' on their system. You will need to explain why you are there.
- It will be better if you keep photocopies of all documents required with the form. In my case the offical simply took the photocopies I had and verified them with the originals and stamped those.
- You will need to take two proof of IDs with you (atleast one with your present address) and also you NI number card with you. The original passport and UK driving licence will do a two proofs of ID. This is solely to identify you and copies of these will be sent along with the form. Without these they will not proceed with the appointment.

[need_a_tier1]

In all the excitement I did not notice that you have already posted the form. May be this info will be useful to someone else.

[gentlejuke]

Thanks John & need_a_tier1.

I have received CB.

Thanks for your support John

[John]

That is good. Unless the family income is nicely over £40000 pa, are you and your spouse also claiming Tax Credits?

[gentlejuke]

John - Thanks for letting me know on Tax Credit. Just now checked eligibility through Calculator in HMRC site and I am getting £0 towards TaxCredit as my salary is 40K.

May I ask, are we (on ILR) eligible for any other benefits to claim without affecting BC on May-12.

Thanks for your time.

[John]

are we (on ILR) eligible for any other benefits to claim without affecting BC on May-12.

You are now entitled to claim any benefits that your personal circumstances dictate that you are entitled to. Claiming those benefits will have no impact upon Citizenship applications.