Dear Friends,
I was granted ILR @ CROYDON today (01.05.2012) using SET(O) Tier 1 route with 1 dependant.
Below is the detailed information about my ILR. I hope this help someone inline to ILR.
Preparation Stage:
2 months back: I have started looking for appointment bookings and reading different stories and cases on this forum.
Booked the appointment 40 days in advance which was not easy as I thought. It took 5-6 nights to look for appointment at exactly 00:00 hrs. Made a list of possibly required docuemnts using people's experiences here and assessed if I can get all in time or not. There was just one P60 which I remember I had requested to previous employer so he could take 1 month for that otherwise else I left for APRIL.
1 months back: Started actual preparations. Collected all documents. Started dumping all in a bag. Documents were -
- 1. Form Set(O)
2. Photos
3. Bank Statements - 12Months
4. Payslips - 12Months
5. P60 - 4 years
Matched 3 4 5 with each other
6. Passports [Me Mywife + any expired pp]
7. LIUK results
8. Tier1/Tier2/WP letters
9. Letter from Employer [Just to add some weight - was not necessary for Tier1]
10. Degree Certificates [Masters and Bachelor]
11. Absence Spreadsheet [Downloaded from sticky notes of this forum - thanks again]
12. UKBA Appointment letter
13. Self Assessment Points Calculator Printout
14. Previous Employer - Few Communication Letters [Appraisal/Resignation/Joining]
15. New Employer - Few Communication Letters - [joining/Contract]
16. Tenancy Agreement - Latest + Old
17. Utility Bills [New Address + Old Address] - as Latest possible
18. DVLA Paper license
19. Bunch of Cohabitation documents consisting -- Cohabitation Documents :-
2012
NHS Prescription [1]
Bank Statements [3-4]
Electricity Bill [2]
Council Tax Bill [1]
Tenancy Agreement [1]
2011
NHS Registration Letters and Other Letters [4]
Bank Statements [4-5]
Council Tax Bill [1]
Electricity Bill [2]
Water Bill [2]
NI Letter of Wife [1]
2010 and 2009
NHS Patient History 2009-2010 [1]
NHS Letters [3]
Bank Statements [3]
Travel Insurance [1]
Electricity Bill [2]
Water Bill [1]
Birth Certificate of son [1]
Other
Marriage Certificate [1]
UKBA Letters for Tier1 and Tier2 [2]
- Cohabitation Documents :-
Prepared one "Personal folder" for everything else like UKBA letter [WP/T1/T2 etc], my NI Letter, my degrees, UKBA appointment, Company Letters, Extra Photos, DVLA Paper License
Last Night:
- Rechecked everything through out.
2 days back I had already checked if SET(O) form version is changed or not!
Cut paper post-its in strips and sticked on VISA Pages on both passorts for immiiate attention on WP/T2/T1 [and same for dependant].
I had already highlighted Salary on each statment for quick attention.
Prepared a Bag and placed all the five folders as above (inc Personal Folder) and all passports in another pocket.
Noted Down post-code for Croydon PEO, WhiteGift CarPark (£10 a day) and Dingwell CarPark (£6 a day). Also noted down train timings and train stations (to and from) - just in case for car issues
I aimed to reach at PEO atleast 1 hour in advance.
Checked the car and Naviator in morning - if everything all right or not.
Prepared a bag with Kid's Toys, Veg Sandwitches, Fruits, Crisps, Water, Jumpers, Medicines for Kid
A lot of traffic has eaten up 30 minutes from the buffer. I was running just on time. My Tom-Tom did not recognise post-code for either of Car-Park so I have keyed in PEO's code. On my way I missed WhiteGift Car park and turned towards PEO (due to TOM-TOM) then I saw road sign to DingWell car park and hence I reached to the cheaper one by luck. I was in car park at 10:10 and my appointment was at 10:40 (I should have to be there 30 min before but what could be done)
Came out of car park asked to someone for Lunar House. A lady said left. Reconfirmed with a worker there, he said right. I used my instinct as I was coming from same road and picked what lady said and reconfirm again with someone on the way. Now time starts here -
10:30 Entrance Reached to Lunar house Entrance on Ground Floor with big sign boards of UKBA. Door person checked appointment letter and asked us to sit on right side of the room adjacent to entrance. It was a sitting queue where queue wa moving clockwise. We were shifting to chairs to our left. We were for 30 min in that room.
11:00 Security Next adjacent Room was security check like airport. I was stopped once for belt and then for a bag in pushchair and then for tyre fix kit in pram. He took tyre fixing kit and asked to collect later.
11:15 Form Check Attendant waved us to move to next adjacent room [No idea why we were just moving like cattles]. Still on ground floor again standing in a queue. Some again waved to come forward and go to counter 11. I thought it is payment desk but NO, he asked for appt letter and SET(O) and checked something (May be appointment person count) and stamped SET(O) and gave me small ticket numered 133 [This number is actually attached to you now until you leave] and he requested me to go to 1st floor for Payments and Document Counter.
11:30 Payments Used Lift [Available on Request only] on Ground floor and came to 1st Floor. Lady standing here asked if I already did payment and direct me to payment on and till counters at left [Only one was working rest were closed]. She also told that after payment on left I must go to right side to a counter on announcement of my number. I did my payment after waiting there for 10min. In meantime I heard my ticket number was called twice but I can not be at two places.
11:50 General Counter I am not sure what this counter is for. But It was a huge waiting area on right side on this 1st floor and 10-15 windows like train ticket counter. My number was re-announced on another window. He checked SET(O) and passports after entering details on his computer. It seemed like he was doing nothing as he did not touch mouse and keyboard for 10-20 minutes. He was only looking at screen. Later he requested to go to one floor up [2nd] for Biometrics and CaseWorker.
12:20 Biometrics Again same lift and on 2nd floor right hand side, it was exactly same like 1st Floor, same kind counters and all. Though Bimetric room was at 1st floor too but he sent us on 2nd, may be due to rush. Here 15min wait and 5min biome. There were two announcements - Speakers were for CaseWorkers and Manually Biome person was speaking their calls. After Biome, Lady from Biome asked us to sit in middle of waiting area on same floor and keep listing to announcements from CW counter. It was time to relax - I slept for 15 min, had 2 sandwitches and juice and play around whole waiting area with my son. All case workers [20-25] were sitting in counters [like ticket counters].
14:00 CaseWorker Finally number was announced. She was keep calling until we reached there. Put my son over her counter - She was smiling so it was all fine. She asked for Set(O)+LIUK+Payment+Photos+AllDocuments+XROX [XROX specially asked]. I gave here all 5 nicely prepared labelled folders. She said you may now go to anywhere for 1.5hrs even out of building. I said no thanks I will prefer sitting in waiting area. I have asked if she need anything more let me know, I have another bag full of all redundent and rubbish paper. She smiled and said no thanks. I have picked the waiting seats just in front of her and keep playing with SON while she was doing her job.
15:00 ILR Grant It just took 1 hour for her to call our number again [ I was sitting just in front or her
]. She said congrates, here is your grant, we will deliver BRP in 7 days. Here are your documents. I said thanks and asked my son to say thanks too After ILR:
Checked all documents if she has returned all or not [Except XROX]. Confirmed name on confirmation letter. Checked my belongings. Came out of Builing and said YES - All done. Called MOM in india
. Had a nice dinner at indo-Bangladesi Restaurent.Best of luck to all who are inline and who are awaiting response back.
Please ask your queries I would try to answer if I can because my case was straight so I can only answer queries of similar case.
[Additional Notes Added Later]
- BRP recived on 03MAY2012 @ 11AM [Latency : 1 day Only]
FAQ
(i) Why I have added Birth certificate of my SON
This was not mandatory but I have added as a COHAB doc.
(ii) Was is mandate for my wife to attend appointment
YES becasue she was on SET(O)
(iii) Was it fine to bring my SON even if he was not in SET(O)
YES, No one there care who you are with.
(iv) Did I inform my Bank in advance for Debit Card Transaction
There is no need for that. I have called customercare of lloyds but they said do not worry. I have been into branch they again said - do not worry. Still I was ready with my wife's debit card and my credit card and bank's helpline number in mobile - just in case. But all went fine with my DCard.
More Updates::
28JUL2012:: MN1 completed :: http://www.immigrationboards.com/viewto ... c&start=80
