ILR (Tier 2 route) approved at Sheffield PEO on 14/10

[kmahere]

Hi, My ILR application (Tier 2 General + WP route) was approved at Sheffield PEO last week (14/10). I was a silent reader of this forum and providing the details below which may help other readers.

3 yrs Tier 2 General + 1 year Tier 2 ICT + 1 year WP (became eligible on 20/09 but applied only on 14/10, no specific reason for delay in applying!)

I filed through a solicitor. My case was not seriously complicated, but there were few hiccups because of which I preferred a solicitor.

Hiccups:
-15 days unpaid leave out of UK in a 12 month period (though never exceeded 180 days in any 12 month period)
- total employers: 3 (changed employment twice after first arriving in the UK of which one change was in home country, not UK)
- business visit for 2.5 months to home country branch of the employer (I however paid taxes in the UK for this period too)
- payslips: online payslips were printed on usual paper, NOT on company's letterhead and a separate authenticity letter from employer was not provided (as my employer will not provide this way and my solicitor was concerned these may not be accepted by UKBA)

Documents submitted:
- Passport, BRP & 2 latest photos
-Last 3 months payslips (though only one is mandatory; note that I didnt provide a separate authenticity letter from my employer; the payslips were printed on normal paper but signed & stamped by my employer; pasylip had my company name)
-Last 3 months bank statement with the last being less than 28 days of application date
(these statements were printed on bank's letterhead and stamped by the bank; one branch will not print on letterhead and my solicitor told it MAY not be accepted by UKBA, hence tried another branch and got printed on letterheads. Always try different branches as they dont have consistent practices)
-Current employer's reference letter
(which confirmed I'm required for further employment, SOC code, salary, leave details, etc.)
- Letter from last 2 employers (main purpose was for absence, however as these letters also stated my period of employment with the company, I didn't produce a separate letter for my WP period)
- 5 years P60 & P45 (though not mandatory, my solicitor suggested submitting as I had unpaid leave)
(also my last P60 had an amount lesser than that was quoted on my CoS, because it was not for a full 12 month period. I worked with them only for about 10 months. I was worried though, as caseworker may think otherwise and if addnl docs were asked, I may not get a same day decision; no questions were asked however, and am not even sure if they did have a look as the clip was not even removed)
-2 Medical certificates for unpaid leave (which was due to sickness)
- a copy of workpermit (I lost my original!, though this is not mandatory, my solicitor suggested submitting)

Other docs I had but didnt submit:
-Payslips for the absence period
-Indian salary & UK allowance letters provided by one of the employers (I paid tax in UK through registering for HMRC self-assessment )

PEO Experience:

Appnmt was at 9.50 am, reached at 9.20 and went through security checks. My solicitor had already collected the token from reception and was called to the registration desk in just about 5 minutes (exactly at 9.30 am). After submitting the docs, case was in registration status for next few minutes. Was called for biometric enrollment only after an hour (I was told they were short of staff and I was worried my decision may be delayed). However, after enrollment, case moved onto consideration state in about 15 minutes and finally decision was given exactly at 12.00.

Allow at least 2.5 hours, as it's the usual duration. Dont panic and try to carry books / tab so you can deviate your mind onto something else. Mobiles have to be switched off.

Any questions, please feel free to ask. Good luck to everyone!

[closer25]

congrats