PEO Experience- Solihull, Birmingham

[pranav]

Hi,

I had a successful application last week and before I give more details I'd like to thank all the members who answered my queries and all other members for sharing their experiences. Thanks everyone!!

1. Current vignette: Tier 1 (Gen)
2. Date of PEO Appointment : 19 April 2013
3. Date of expiry of current leave (visa) : August 2013
4. Date of expiry of the new visa : April 2016
5. Payment mode : Debit Card
6. Name of PEO Applied : Solihull, Birmingham
7. BRP Card received: Yes

Decision made on the same day.

I had my appointment at 9 am, so I booked a room in nearby Premier Inn for night before. The hotel is new (opened Oct-Nov 2012) and the hotel staff is very good too. The food at hotel is expensive (as expected).

I reached the PEO at 8:40, they checked my application and appointment confirmation e-mail and asked me take a sit. Later gave me a token number. I think there was a staff meeting on that day so it took a while for the process to start.

I was called by Case Worker (CW) at 9:30. Checked the payment details and my passport, processed the payment. Then checked my application form. Asked for evidence documents for previous earnings. This is where it gets a little complicated-

In last 12 months I worked with an employer, then I was made redundant. I started operating from my Ltd. company as Director (contracting) and then last month I landed a new permanent job. So my earning were from Employment + Ltd. Comp + Employment. During last 12 months I had taken dividend out of my Ltd. company. I had a summary letter for my previous earning where I had listed earning for each month, and the employer. I had also highlighted each month's salary on my bank statement.

It was very easy for the CW to verify payslips with the bank statement and CW was happy. Then I was asked for evidence for Maintenance Funds which was a Savings Bank statement.
Because I was made redundant last year, I was asked for a copy of compromise agreement with my previous employer.

In the beginning I told the CW that I've photocopies of all documents except bank statement and CW was very happy with that too. In the end I gave copy of my points based calculator, photocopies when asked and it was done.

I was told to wait outside for bio-metric. After bio-metric I and other applicants were asked to leave and come back after 2 hours. On return I was given the decision letter along with original documents.

The staff at Solihull PEO is brilliant!! They are very professional, polite and calm. I had a very good experience.

My suggestions-
1. Make set of all documents necessary. Do not keep all documents together. For example, keep earning evidence, maintenance evidence, educational certificates evidence etc. separately. So that you can take it out when CW asks for it.
2. Make photocopies of all documents including passport and current BRP and keep them as a separate set.
3. If possible draft a covering letter- it is not required and not mandatory but I think a covering letter makes the application look more professional.
4. I used clear plastic folders. Used them like- Red for all original document, Blue for all photocopies, Green for additional documents etc.
5. If you are giving accountant’s letter make sure his/her firm is registered, it will be checked
4. Do not go too early to PEO, definitely not more than 30 minutes earlier. They will ask you to leave and come back later.
5. Take something to read as you can’t use mobiles, tablets etc. Even kids are not allowed.

Documents submitted-
1. Points based calculator copy (from UKBA web site) showing points scored for each eligibility criteria
2. Past 12 months’ Payslips
3. Accountant’s letter showing gross and net pay (salary and dividend)
4. Past 12 months’ personal bank statement with covering letter from bank showing monthly salary credits
5. Past 3.5 months personal savings bank statement with covering letter from bank showing maintenance funds
6. Original certificate of merit and final marks statement of Master’s degree
7. Ltd. Company registration certificate

Additional documents I had but were not asked for
1. Invoice copies
2. Business Bank statement

All the best everyone!!

[megatop]

Thanks Pranav, for the wonderful write-up of your experience.

1. Did you submit any documents for dividend at all ?
2. For maintenance, I will be submitting bank statements. HSBC bank says as a bank protocol they do not give out letters stating the fund availability. Did the CW ask for the letter or just accept it since you gave one?

[pranav]

Dividend was mentioned on the accountant's letter.

Yes, that's correct. HSBC Bank no longer stamps bank statement. A covering letter is fine. I went to the branch 3 days before my appointment.

Give entire set inlcuding covering letter to CW. They check everything.

Thanks.

[megatop]

Pranav,

I learnt that HSBC do not stamp and sign statements and I can completely understand the reasons behind that.

But what I am told is that they cannot give out Bank Letters confirming my balances held in the account. This is what I cannot digest.

I argued that I know of branches that routinely give out such statements and this isn't really about the bank but maybe about the branch. The font desk agent was adamant to turn me off without allowing me to meet any of the desk officers.

If yours were HSBC as well, can you please let me know the branch where you managed to get the letter from. I can try my luck there if its closer.

[O_Relly]

Nice one Pranav. Congrats.

Megatop - Getting statements stamped and signed is completely a branch related thing in my experience. I'v had a branch say, as a protocol HSBC don't do it and won't be done even if I went to a different branch. They took a statement generation request and it meant 3 to 5 days for statement to reach me.

Then I went to HSBC branch in Croydon, and they said they do it and they understand why we need it. (Maybe coz, UKBA is also located in Croydon)

That said, I did not need them to sign and stamp, the paper statements I receive from them on a monthly basis. I needed a statement for first 15 days of the month and couldn't wait until my statement generation date.

In this case, bank generates this statement and signs and stamps it. This is not in HSBC letterhead format, with the usual logo etc.

I don't see a reason, why you require a letter from bank, confirming balances, if you have your monthly statements ?

[megatop]

I don't see a reason, why you require a letter from bank, confirming balances, if you have your monthly statements ?

Very valid question. Even I don't know why!! But I see lot of posts where the applicant had taken both the statement and the bank letter with them. That's why!!

For earnings I have most of the evidence that they can possibly ask for. It is another thing that I will submit only the bare basics to make life easier for the CW as well as me.

But when it comes to Maintenance, I have only the statements. I dont want to be surprised when the CW asks for some other evidence. (It might sound illogical but my personal circumstance requires me to be ready with everything so that I leave no room for the CW to delay the decision making!!)