Post
by timtom » Fri Dec 13, 2013 2:04 pm
Hello
Firstly many thanks to all for your invaluable advice and contributions. My ILR was approved today @ Croydon PEO. Just thought I'd write in to contribute my experience which I hope will be of some help.
My circumstances:
Work Permit: Entry Clearance (9 January 09)
Physically entered the UK (25 January 09)
Initial Tier 1 granted: 26 July 2009
Renewal: 18 Sept 2012 (exp Sept 2014)
Date of ILR application: 13 December 2013 (used 90 day concession rule)
Documents:
1 completed SET(O) form
Passports (current + previous) for my wife and I
LIUK pass test certificates (for wife and I)
Trinity Grade 5 GESE pass certificate (for both wife and I(
Schedule of absences from the UK (195 days in total)
Letters from previous employers confirming annual leave entitlement and employment dates
Letters from current employer confirming salary, annual leave and business trips
12 payslips + corresponding bank statements
P60s for the past 5 years
Evidence of cohabitation covering 2 years up to the date of ILR application- 25 documents comprising an assortment of bank statements, payslips, council tax letters, utility bills and marriage certificate
Photocopies of all the above (except for the Set(O) form). For the passports, I only photocopied the biodata pages and any that contained entry/exit stamps and foreign/uk visas.
The experience:
The office in Croydon looks fairly drab from the outside but the interior has been refurbished and looks quite slick. Security and staff were friendly and were on hand to guide us through the building. We had to walk up 3 flights of stairs to where we needed to be. So the chronology of events were as follows:
10:00am - Arrived for security screening
10:05am - Presented payment sheet, confirmation of appointment, passports and BRPs. Officer checked them, issued a number and instructed us to wait till for our number to be called.
10:30am - Number called. Were asked for payment sheet, passports, BRPs, form and all supporting documents to be placed in their clear folders. Was then told to wait for biometrics to be taken.
11:00am - Biometrics taken. We also handed over our forms, BRPs, passports and supporting documents. We were then told to go to the cafeteria and wait for a decision. We proceeded to the cafeteria and looked out for our number.
11:30am - Number shown as 'Ready for collection'. Proceeded to the counter. A gentleman informed us that our application was successful, returned all original documents and an approval letter. Were told that the BRPs would be delivered within 5 working days.
The process was smoother than I had expected. Breathed a huge sigh of relief as I left the building. Well thats it! Good luck to you all and feel free to ask if you have any questions (i'll do my best to answer).