Dear members,
When I first started my ILR process I was not fully confident whether I will be able do it on my own without a consultant/solicitor’s help. But, after going through the questions frequently asked and success stories posted, I gained confidence to try it on my own and I’m very pleased to share that I, along with my family got our ILR successful. I can’t thank enough to this forum and the people/team who actually manage this forum. Thank you very very much on behalf of my entire family.
Now, here is my success story. I booked my appointment for 06-Aug-2013 at 13:20. I started from home and reached Lunar House, Croydon at 12:15. The security let me enter the building after I showed them the letter. This is the letter I received through post after paying 300£ (1 main + 2 dependent) pounds for the appointment. For ILR aspirants going for a Premium Service, I would strongly recommend to call and pay the 100£ per applicant appointment fee. There are some posts in this forum sharing occasions where they were let with just appointment e-mail confirmation and without a letter (through post) from Home Office confirming the appointment. I just didn’t want to take any chance and hence paid the appointment fee and received a letter confirming the appointment through post. The letter was showing application type as “FS” which is normal and not to be concerned.
After entering the building I was suggested to wait for security checks for 5 minutes. Once security check(similar to the one in airport) was complete, I was routed to a front desk where a lady asked me to give the application. She gave me a ticket number and told to go 3rd floor cafeteria. After reaching 3rd floor, within 5 minutes my ticket number was called. I went to the counter mentioned and the lady in the counter verified the token number and application form and took payment. I paid through debit card and the payment went successfully and was given the receipt of the payment. She told me to wait and after waiting for 5 minutes, the monitor flashed my ticket number and suggested the counter I should visit. I went there and submitted my application. The gentleman at the counter was polite and asked me to give passports and BRP cards first along with SET(O) application. He took around 10 to 15 minutes to verify the passports, BRP cards and the photographs. I was bit curious but he asked me to relax and feel comfortable. After verifying passport, BRP cards and passport, he asked me to give all the supporting documents. This is the time when I handed over all the supporting documents. I asked him whether photocopies are required, he said it would be great if I can give photocopies as well and it will certainly help the case worker very much. I handed the photocopies as well. He then told me to wait for Biometrics.
I waited for 10 minutes and my ticket number as called. The lady at the Biometric counter was very jovial and was chatting my with my 3 year old son throughout the process. The Biometric details were taken and told me that it is going to take around 2 hours and asked whether we would want to wait or would prefer to go out and come back. If we prefer to go out she wanted to give her our contact number. We preferred to wait in the building rather than going out. The waiting game starts here. It took 4 and a half hours for us (13:30 to 17:00).
Here are the stages
1. Verifying Biometric Information
2. Awaiting Consideration
3. Under Consideration
4. Ready For Collection
At 3 “Under Consideration” my ticket number was announced on speaker to go to a counter. This is because I didn’t sign”Declaration” in page 47. This was because in the application at page 47 number 15, says if you select “Yes”, go to next section and as I selected it yes, I thought I should go directly to next section which is “section 11”. Not sure whether I misread the application or understood it wrongly but anyways, I went to the desk and signed it. The lady who took signature said all looks good so far there are couple of more checks to do and asked me to go back and wait. She also shared her compliments that the documents for the application/case is very well organized and thanked for the same.
After a good 30 minutes, my ticket number reached “Ready for Collection”. My ticket number waited for another 30 minutes before being called to go to a counter. When I went to the counter, I was told that I along with my family have been granted ILR and the gentleman gave me the approval letters. He said BRP cards will reach in next 7 to 10 days. Overall, we went at 12:15 and came out at 17:15.
Some highlights about my case.
Category : Tier 1 (General)
Applicants : 1 main applicant and 2 dependents
List of supporting documents I submitted with my application along with a covering letter
1. Proof of Identity
• Biometric Residence Permit of Main Applicant(Ref: XXXXXXXX)
• Biometric Residence Permit of Dependent 1(Ref:XXXXXXXXX)
• Biometric Residence Permit of Dependent 2 (Ref:XXXXXXXXX)
• Current Passport of Main Applicant(Ref:XXXXXXXX)
• Previous Passport of Main Applicant(Ref:XXXXXXXXX)
• Passport of Dependent 1(Ref: XXXXXXXX)
• Passport of Dependent 2 (Ref: XXXXXXXXX)
2. Accommodation Proof
• Tenancy Agreement
• Virgin Media Bill for TV, Telephone and Broadband
3. Proof of Earnings
• Pay slips for last 12 months
• Bank Statements for last 12 months
4. Proof of Employment in UK (UK Experience)
• P60 for the year 2007-2008
• 5 Years Employment History Letter (2008 Till 2013) from HM Revenue & Customs
• Letter from current employer
• Letters (Experience/Exit) from previous employers
5. Life in the UK Test
• Pass Notification Letter of Main Applicant
• Pass Notification Letter of Dependent 1
6. Proof of Cohabitation
• Letter from GP confirming family registration
• Son’s (Dependent 2’s) School offer letter carrying parent’s names
• Council Tax Bill for the year 2013-2014
• Letter from Electoral Services Office
• Joint Savings Account Statement from Bank
• Poll cards of Main Applicant and Dependent 1
• Council Tax Bill for the year 2012-2013
• Family Health Insurance Membership Statement
• Council Tax Bill issued on February 2012
• Tier 1 General Renewal Approval Letter from UK Border Agency to Main Applicant
• Tier 1 General Renewal Approval Letter from UK Border Agency to Dependent 1
• NHS Medical Card for Main Applicant
• NHS Medical Card for Dependent 1
6. Absences from UK
• Letter Explaining Main Applicant’s Absences from UK and Dependents Travel/UK Stay History
Getting a letter of “Employment History” is a straight forward process if you don’t have all the P60s. I would suggest to make this call to HM&Revenue office at least 4 weeks before your appointment date and ask for “Employment History” letter for the duration you need.
As I didn’t had any letter of absences from employers (which personally didn’t make any sense in my case as I was in Tier 1 and my absences were 86 days only for last 6 years), I included a letter explaining my travel history.
Sorry if this is just too much of information and very good to luck to ILR aspirants.
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