ILR success at Croydon w/ more than 700 days out of country

[vtp11321]

Hi Suchitra,

Did you have any single absences longer than 90 days ?

Regards,
vtp

[feigoronin]

I don't believe anything about my case was recorded at Solihull, they just advised me to apply by post.

Hi ,

Thanks for sharing your experience. I have a total absence of 210 days. In this the longest absence is of 74 days where I was sent to my home country for work. However I was not paid in UK currency for this period but in the local currency. This was between April to Jul 2009. I am trying to get a letter from my employer covering this absence. I no more work for this employer though. I also have my tenancy agreement for this period and the BT landline bills to support. Do you think I have enough documents for my case? I have managed to get an appointment at Solihull for 4th Apr.

Thanks.

[ramay]

Yes, I think the days out of the country made it 'complicated' which was why Solihull didn't want to deal with it. But when I asked them, they acted as if the same would be true in any PEO and didn't say anything about a senior caseworker not being present in Solihull. They gave some reason like - if I sent it by post, they would be able to spend more time over my submission - this is why it might stand a better chance. I got the idea this was because the caseworkers at Solihull were inexperienced and didn't want to exercise their discretion - whereas at Croydon the person was clearly experienced and knew exactly what he was looking for.


Based on what I was told at Solihull, I would be a bit careful about applying there if you have more than 225 days out of the country.

Suchitra In what window did you apply? I've heard in the second window case worker a very experience.

[chemicalengineer]

Congrats Suchitra. Happy to hear that your business absences were disregarded.

I had a different experience yesterday with 216 business absences (none above 90) and they have requested me to provide additional letter from my previous employer stating the need for travel and my role on business travel.

How detailed was the business trips employer letter that you submitted? What did the letter mention.

I will greatly appreciate if you can share the key points in the letter as I have to send this additional document within 14 days. I can request my previous employer to add any points I might have missed based on your inputs.

Or you could share the letter here on the board, removing any personal and confidential information.

Thanks a ton.

---> I've had a similar experience with ~400 days abroad (w/o exceeding 90 days at a stretch) whilst being on a site assignment. I had all the documents requested and an employers letter which also had a para explaining why I had to go to Qatar. Unfortunately, the case worker looked like a trouble maker....inspite of my explanations he asked me for a detailed letter for the explanation of the trips to Qatar and what was it that I was actually doing on these business trips. I prepared a nice 4 page letter with all the bla blas.....and still waiting for them to respond and return all of my originals (a month now). For paying a premium fee if this is what I get then I believe their services are ridiculous...I'm sure this isnt the first time they've dealt with such a case.....then why cant they make a decision in a couple of hours? In addition to this, there were a couple of colleagues who had 900 days absence and they got their ILR!!!!!

Anyways, I'm still waiting and hoping I get a decision sooner than 6 months!!! Anyone with a similar experience?

Regards.

[feigoronin]

---> I've had a similar experience with ~400 days abroad (w/o exceeding 90 days at a stretch) whilst being on a site assignment. I had all the documents requested and an employers letter which also had a para explaining why I had to go to Qatar. Unfortunately, the case worker looked like a trouble maker....inspite of my explanations he asked me for a detailed letter for the explanation of the trips to Qatar and what was it that I was actually doing on these business trips. I prepared a nice 4 page letter with all the bla blas.....and still waiting for them to respond and return all of my originals (a month now). For paying a premium fee if this is what I get then I believe their services are ridiculous...I'm sure this isnt the first time they've dealt with such a case.....then why cant they make a decision in a couple of hours? In addition to this, there were a couple of colleagues who had 900 days absence and they got their ILR!!!!!

Anyways, I'm still waiting and hoping I get a decision sooner than 6 months!!! Anyone with a similar experience?

Regards.

Hi chemicalengineer,

Which PEO did you go to for your application?

Regards.

[chemicalengineer]

---> I've had a similar experience with ~400 days abroad (w/o exceeding 90 days at a stretch) whilst being on a site assignment. I had all the documents requested and an employers letter which also had a para explaining why I had to go to Qatar. Unfortunately, the case worker looked like a trouble maker....inspite of my explanations he asked me for a detailed letter for the explanation of the trips to Qatar and what was it that I was actually doing on these business trips. I prepared a nice 4 page letter with all the bla blas.....and still waiting for them to respond and return all of my originals (a month now). For paying a premium fee if this is what I get then I believe their services are ridiculous...I'm sure this isnt the first time they've dealt with such a case.....then why cant they make a decision in a couple of hours? In addition to this, there were a couple of colleagues who had 900 days absence and they got their ILR!!!!!

Anyways, I'm still waiting and hoping I get a decision sooner than 6 months!!! Anyone with a similar experience?

Regards.

Hi chemicalengineer,

Which PEO did you go to for your application?

Regards.

It was Croydon.

[feigoronin]

Got my ILR approved today(26-04-2012) at Solihull (Birmingham) PEO. Had my appointment at 1 pm. Went in at 12:30pm. All the staff members were very cordial. Was sent to a case workers counter 5 mins before my scheduled time. 1st sent to a wrong window by one of the staff members but this was quickly corrected and was immediately sent to the right case worker (don't forget to ask for your token number receipt soon after security check if you are not issued with one at this centre). 

The lady caseworker(I think this PEO has mostly female case workers) was very cordial. 1st asked for application form, passport and BRP only. Made few checks on her PC while taking some notes on a form at the same time. After few mins she asked for last 12 months payslips and bank statements. Lastly she asked for Life in UK Test pass certificate. She verified these and then went away for few mins with the passport and BRP to conduct some checks. All finished in less than 10 mins I guess. Not a single question asked about anything. No photocopies of any documents asked. The lady informed me that she is happy to grant me ILR.  She returned my passport and kept the original payslips and bank statements with her.

Was asked to pay the visa fee at counter 6 and then wait for biometrics. The lady at payment counter was nice too. Spoke about weather . Payment done, I was called for biometrics in next 5 mins. Here again very warm treatment and it was all done in 5 mins. The lady told me to either wait at the centre or I can go out for a coffee or some food as it would take about 1.5 hours to conduct the checks against the biometrics.

I popped out, had some food and took a round of Solihull shopping centre and was back at 3:10. My documents were not ready yet and was asked to wait. I got my original payslips, bank statements, Life in UK Test pass certificate with my approval letter at 3:30. Was told that I will get my BRP card in post in next 7-10 days. 

I had 208 days of absence with largest absence of 74 days in last 5 years. Nothing asked regarding this. I entered UK on WP and then switched to Tier-1. Overall I had a very good experience at Solihull PEO (as against Croydon PEO where I had been last year for my Tier 1 extension and had to wait for 4 hours just for my biometrics).

I noticed that their IT system was responding slow to bimetric checks today. They conducted biometrics for some people twice to "push for a faster turnaround than wait for results of previous one". Thanks to all the members for their feedback and help.

[linkers]

Congrats feigoronin. I also went to Solihull on 24th and had very similar experience.

My case was approved by the case worker and was asked to pay fee and get the biometrics done and then I left PEO. BUT when I went back to collect the documents, they gave me all the documents back and said due to an IT ISSUE they couldn’t issues the approval letter and will send it by post.

I still haven’t received anything in post

[feigoronin]

Hi linkers, I saw a similar case today while I was waiting for my turn. An applicant was told that they haven't got the results on his biometric checks back so they will be sending him the approval letter in post and BRP card in another post. But as soon as the guy left the exit door his results came and the lady at the reception quickly asked the security officer to check if the guy was still around. Luckily the guy was still outside and the security office managed to wave him and get him back. He collected his approval letter and other documents and then left. A little more wait and patience will get you good news. Have faith.

[linkers]

Thanks for your quick reply feigoronin.

I also asked them if I can wait a bit longer, but they said none of the applicants were getting approval letters that day (24th April).

I even met few Tier-1 extension applicants there and they also had their applications approved and Biometrics done, but they were told that due to IT ISSUES, their letters will be sent by post.

Hopefully I will receive the letter tomorrow.