Post
by happ_go_lucky » Fri Feb 17, 2012 6:03 pm
Hi,
I would like to thank this forum for the all the direct/indirect help I got through information on this forum. This has been the greatest resource and knowldge base for me.
I have been in the UK on a work permit. 2 months ago I started preparing for ILR application. I met all the criteria and my total absences were less than 180 but had one problem - I had one single absence of more than 90 days at a stretch which was a business trip but i was not paid in the UK for that period. I had a letter from the employer supporting the fact that it was an essential trip and that as per company policy i was paid in India for that duration. Having come across a lot of cases where the application was unsuccessful due to >90 absence, I was very worried and have spent a lot of sleepless nights thinking about my chances of getting the ILR.
I have explained the details of my appointment below.
1. Arrived at the PEO by 11 30 AM for my 12 PM appointment
2. went through security checks and waited in the waiting area
3. Our ticket number was called within 15 mins with the counter number that we were supposed to go to
4. We went to the counter. The case worker was a middle aged lady with short hair. She wasnt overly friendly, but was polite and very professional in her approach.
5. She asked me for the passport and application form. She went through the form for some time, came back to the page where absences were listed and asked me if I had a letter from my employer supporting the absences that I marked as a business trip. I said yes and handed over the letter to her. She went through the letter for some time and then started entering some details on her computer. She was putting a check mark against things (don’t know what it was) on a printed form like paper she had with her on her desk.
7. She then asked for the Employer’s letter confirming my salary and SOC code, Life in the UK test certificate, 3 months salary slip, and 3 months bank statements. She went through all those documents for some time.
8. She then asked us to excuse her and said she will be back soon. She then disappeared for some time. I think she went inside to consult a senior officer regarding my 97 days absence during that time, but don’t know if that was the case.
9. She came back in 10 mins and said the magic words “You will be granted your settlement today”! She then said “The next step will be to make the payment, however the card payment system is down today so you will have to pay by banker’s draft or postal order” and that there were banks and a post office nearby.
10. We went to Barclays bank which was 10 mins walk from the PEO and got the banker’s draft.
11. Went back to the PEO, completed the payment by submitting the banker’s draft. The lady who took the payment advised us to come back to the PEO in 2 hours to collect my passport.
12. Went back to the PEO after 2 hrs, collected my passport and left the PEO
Documents that were asked for:
1. Application form
2. Passport/Biometric card
3. Employers letter supporting the business trip of > 90 days
4. Employer’s letter confirming Salary & SOC
5. Life in the UK test certificate
6. 3 months payslips
7. 3 months bank statement
Originals of last 3 docs were returned to me along with the passport.
Last edited by
happ_go_lucky on Wed Feb 22, 2012 4:43 pm, edited 7 times in total.