Croydon PEO Experience: Approved With UK + Overseas Earnings

[kpr]

First and foremost, I would like to thank to this forum, its active members for helping. It is really helped me in filling my application correctly.
Also, Reading through the previous people PEO office experiences helped me in getting mistakes corrected in my approval letter which are made by my case worker.

Appointment Date Time: 13-Jul-2012, 10:15AM
Applied for : Leave to Remain
Current Visa expiry Date: 8-8-2012
BRP: Yet to be received.

09:45AM - Reached the Lunar House, Joined the Security Check queue
09:55AM - Security Cleared
Security check is same as in the airport
Note: Clear your pockets, watch, belt, take off the jacket/sweater. You have to put them in a box for security scan. If you keep them ready, you can move faster to the next queue.


10:00AM - Verified the Appointment reference number and sent to the
queue for Ticket Number

10:30AM - Verified the pass port, Application, stamped on two pages in the
application. Gave the ticket number . It just took 2min. Asked
me to go to payment counter 1st floor.
This queue took longer time as there is only one counter is open when I am in the queue.

Note: Please have your passport and Application ( No other documents ) ready in hand before reaching this counter. I have seen some people are standing at the counter and searching for passport and application. It is simply wasting the time of the Home Office workers and letting people in the queue to stand for longer.

One more important thing is, People in the queue speaking in regional languages (Malayalam, Tamil,... etc) over phone while standing in the queue. Better to avoid these habits at least on this day.
At least after coming to this country we should follow this country culture. You can listen to music, use your iPad, etc...(Every thing is allowed).

10:32AM: Made the payment by Bankers Draft. Counter is empty.
Just 2 min, done. Asked to go to waiting area
Note: Have the payments page (i.e. Page 7) in the application, payment (draft, card) ready in your hand before you reach the payment counter.

10:45AM: Called my ticket number. In this counter, a lady has verified the passport, application, payment slip. I have given my office address as correspondence address (B22 in page 13). She has asked to which address the documents to be sent. I have confirmed it as office address. She is nice. Entered some data into their system.
It is done in 5min.

10:50AM: Went to 2nd floor for Bio metrics waiting area.
11:15AM: Called my ticket number for Bio metrics.
Asked for Payment slip, passport
Taken finger prints and photo
Gave an application, she is reading out application, asked me to
fill my previous Bio Metric location (IND-India in my case), asked
for declaration sign.
Note: Wait for him/her to read out the each section of application, don't be rush on your own. Also sketch pen is given to fill in this application, we have to ensure our sign fits within the given box, should not touch or cross the edges of the box.

11:25AM: Waiting for my ticket number to be called by case worker.

11:40AM: Case worker called my ticket number.
Asked me, did I get the photo copies of supporting docs
As I have taken photo copies with me, I said yes

Asked employed or self employed.
Answered as 'Employed'
Collected the documents in the following sequence
Passport original and photo copy
Application
Payment slip, Ticket number slip
Earnings Proof: Payslips original and photo copy
Earnings Proof: Bank statements and photo copy
Qualification Proof: my original degree certificate and photo copy
(not required, but she has asked for it, she seem to be new)
Maintenance funds: Bank statements and photo copy
( I used different account for this)

She has started reviewing my application:
I have previous earnings from overseas (India) and UK.
Question 1) are you paid in Rupees or Pounds?
I have mixed earnings, few months in Rupees (Overseas) and few Months in Pounds (UK). Answered it.
Question 2) Did I total both earnings?
Answered yes and I said it is there at bottom of the page where I entered the total earnings
Question 3) you are employed, why did you select dividend vouchers in section J8 Page 37?
I answered, I did not select dividend vouchers.
Through out the application, check boxes are on the right hand side.
She is incorrectly reading it,
Payslips and Dividend vouchers are in the same line in the application.
She is considering left check box which is coming as dividend vochers for her.

During this processing, she is writing many things on the application, folding some pages for book marking.

She has returned the pages 1-6 and page 8 from my application.

This screening process took 15 min.

She has asked me come at 2:00PM and sit some where near to the counter where she can see me.

I have submitted PBS Calculator output and covering letter and left.

I went to whitgift center, It is big shopping mall.

1:45PM- I came back to Lunar house, sitting near my case worker counter.
she has closed window screen and processing
my application. Other case workers are processing applications
without closing window screens

2:00PM passed, still she is processing my application
she is new, that is for sure. I am doubting she may do mistakes which may affect my approval.

2:30PM: She called. Gave my original documents back and asked me to verify them. Again she took my passport back. I have verified and put them into my folder. She has also returned one photograph which I have submitted with application. She did not tell the result. She is moving here and there.
Yes, she made me bit tensed.
I have asked her, what is the result. She said, wait I will tell.

2:45PM: She said my application is successful, leave is granted till Aug-2014. Vignette is replaced with BRP card. I will get it in 4-7 working days. She gave me the approval letter and passport. Told me, go through it and ask if I have any questions. She went some where.
I am relieved
I was reading the approval letter, points for my age are empty.
She is back. I asked her about the points for my age. She said, don't worry your application is cleared. I have insisted for the points awarded for the age. She have taken approval letter back and printed another letter, signed and gave me.
Again I was reading the approval letter. Case Reference number is not provided. I have asked her for the case ref number. She said, not required , you can use your payment ref number. I have insisted for the case ref number. She said "Sir, that is all the information we give". I said ok.

I have come to one other person who has got approval letter, requested him to show me his approval letter. On his letter he has got case ref number. Then I went to customer service desk and asked for case ref number. He said ask the case worker, she will print for you. I said she is not providing. He asked is it ok to write( manual) case ref number on the approval letter, I said yes, he took my ref letter and went to my case worker got case ref number written on it.

I left lunar house at 3:15PM.

My application took longer time as my case worker seems to be new and not aware of all the things clear.

As per my observation, usual processing times are 1 to 1.5 hours per one application ( today there are no IT issues good)

Please let me know if any body has queries, I am happy to help for my best.

I would like to emphasize on documents submitted for my Earnings from Overseas and UK. I am employed.
1) Overseas Payslips
Overseas Bank statements only to the months for which payslips are submitted.
2) UK Payslips, Bank statements
Nothing else( No bank letter, No Employer letter, .... )
It may help others who fall in this situation

Once again, Many thanks to this forum.


Final Note: Be brave to question any body in the Home office as per the guidelines of the application. We are paying for it, we have the right to ask as long as we are following the application guidance correctly. I have seen one lady applicant boldly defending case worker regarding maintenance funds ( I think), case worker agreed finally. Case workers are employees just like us. People are made to make mistakes, Case workers are no exception to that. I would say British origin case workers are doing their job good and faster as per my observation for one day in Home Office.

[longshift]

Good Review.

I don't see why she was not providing you with the Case Reference Number. That is one of the most important detail on your approval/acknoledgement letter.

Say if you have to make dependants applications after yours. You would have needed that number to write in their application form.

I can't understand why she was trying to be so difficult.

Anyways, All's well that ends well.

Congratulations mate.

[kpr]

Thank you!!
You are right Case Reference Number is important
2) If we don't receive the BRP card, we need to quote this number in our followup
3) We need to provide this number in the application during next extension or PR, to link to the points awarded to age, proof of qualifications, proof of English language requirement.

[sujyo]

Fantastic review and I will definitely require a guidance from you as mine is a similar case like you.