Hi,
Today my ILR was approved. It was on the basis of long residence.
I went to Croydon PEO. The appointment was for 12pm. I arrived at 10:45am and was told to come back at 11:45am. There are 2 doors, the left one had a queue, the right one had not. For Premium service you want to go through the one on the right.
I returned at 11:40am, and was allowed in. I went through airport style security, then was told to take the stairs to the 3rd floor.
Once I have reached the 3rd floor I went to the reception. The staff asked to see the application form and passports. He checked it, made sure there was a payment receipt (I paid when I booked the appointment, I booked the appointment on 6/7/2015 by the way), and gave me a token with a number on it and told me there were only a few people before me (on the first stage!). I was then told to go to the coffee/waiting area and wait for my number to be called.
Sorry to disappoint any of you who are Starbucks fans, its a Costa.
First stage - Case registration (Wait time ~5 minutes, processing time ~5 minutes)
When my number was called, I went to the counter I was called to. The staff there asked for the application form, photos, all passports for the application, and BRP if any. He confirmed my address with me and asked if I would like the new BRP to be posted there if the application was approved. He then presented me with a clear plastic sleeve to place supporting documents into. For me, my supporting document pile was thicker than an A4 brick of paper, so he simply rubber banded everything together into a bundle. He handed me the bundle and asked me to wait need the counter to be called for the second stage (Biometric Verification).
Second stage - Biometric Verification (Wait time ~5 minutes, processing time ~5 minutes)
For this stage you wait need the counters. When my number was called, I proceeded to the second counter. This set of counters are in a section behind a glass door. The counter has a fingerprint scanner and a wallmounted camera. At this stage you give your biometric information and handover your application + supporting documents.
Third Stage - Awaiting Consideration (Wait time ~ 2hrs 20 min)
At this stage you wait in the waiting area. The waiting area has screens everywhere showing the numbers in different stages.
Fourth Stage - Under consideration (Wait time ~ 1hr)
At this stage you wait in the waiting area and hope that you don't get called. If you do, I guess you will have to submit additional documents/explain discrepancies. Luckily I didn't get called, but I have seen numbers being called and documents returned at this stage.
Fifth Stage - Ready for collection (Wait time ~ 1hr)
At this stage you wait in the waiting area for your number to be called. I guess when you number enters this stage the decision would have been made but more general processing, e.g. printing approval letter, still needed to happen. When my number was called, I went to the counter and was given the decision and all my documents back. There is a piece of paper for you to sign to confirm that the info they are going to use for the new BRP is correct.
When I was there, there were people with lawyers and there were lawyers with people. At the beginning I was wondering why some people were so smartly dressed, then I realised that they were lawyers.
Anyway, to my application:
I included:
-A cover letter stating my permit history, and what documents are included. It also explains why I had a permit rejected before (missing docs) and that it was granted when I reapplied 1 week later.
-A SET(LR) form, filled in.
-2 x identical photographs
-Life in the UK Test Pass Notification Letter
-Degree Certification (from a UK university, for English Language requirement)
-2 x passports
-1 x Tier 2 General BRP
-Photocopies of all passport pages that are not empty.
-Photocopies of BRP, back and front.
-Photocopy of Life in the UK Test Pass Notification Letter
-Photocopy of Degree Certification
Additional documents (these may not all be necessary and depends on your circumstances):
-All 200 pages of bank statements covering the 10 years period (with a few lost pages)
-Letter from school stating I was a full time boarding student for year 1.
-Letter from university stating that I was doing my degree full time there for years 2,3,4
-Bills for each term at uni
-Contract for my first job
-all payslips, P60s and P45 of my first job covering years 5-8.5
-Contract for my second job
-all payslips and P60s of my second job covering years 8.5-10
-National Insurance card to match my payslips with my name (the morons at payroll used my informal English name on the payslips -and the moron that is me failed to correct them).
Total days away in the last 10 years was a few days less than 540. I have included a list of absences with exit dates, return dates, full days count, on which passport which page, and reason for absence. I put the sheet of paper with the list right before section D in the form.
Question 3.2 was answered as "I wish to settle in the UK on grounds of long residence to continue life in the UK", as suggested by Amber in another thread:
Amber wrote:You wish to settle in the UK on grounds of long residence to continue life in the UK. I think that would suffice.
I hope it helps.