ILR success @ Solihull with almost 225 days away(09/05/2012)

[niteshj]

First the facts:

HSMP given from: 29/04/2007
Entered UK on: 06/06/2007
Tier-1 extension granted: 7/04/2009
Tier-1 extension expiry: 06/06/2012 (when applying for extension I requested to give me extension for 3 yrs and 2 months to make-up for the gap- no problems)

ILR appointment: 09/05/2012 @10am
arrival at PEO: 9:20am
seen by caseworker: 9:45am
interview over and asked to pay: 9:55am
Biometrics taken: 11:15am (long wait!)
Approval letter given: 1:20pm
BPR received: 14/05/2012

Solihull was an absolute delight to visit. The staff are SO friendly and accommodating. I had a slight mix up with my payslips. As I have decided to go leave without pay from part of february, I wanted to give payslips from Feb 2011 to Jan 2012. Unfortunately, since we are already 9 days into May, the case worker said they can't accept the Feb 2011 payslip. I had enough salary amount with 11 payslips but just to be compliant I produced the February 2012 payslip to make it 12 payslips. He commented on why it was lower than the other 11 months and I told him about leave without pay.

As was always my biggest stress - being out of the country for almost 225 days. Eventhough this was all paid leave OR working out of the country or paid day-in-lieu. My employer had provided me with a letter, I had provided a covering letter also summarising this details (just date out of the country, date back in the country and total number of WHOLE days in-between. The cover letter I wrote also included a summary of my monthly gross pay each month, and some other supporting statements. He was not interested in the cover letter.

He didn't ask any questions as to why I have been away for almost 225 days nor any evidence to prove it was paid leave. He did not even ask for any letter from the employer.

So in summary the only things he wanted were:
- Set(O) application
- life in the UK test pass certificate
- 12 payslips
- 12 bank statements

That's it.

I was so stressed - usually I am a very calm person - but ILR was on my mind 24/7 for last 8-9 months. I am elated and thanks to this website for all the info that is invaluable (e.g. in the 20 mins I was waiting atleast 4-5 people turned up with the OLD forms and were asked to come back with the correct forms before their appointment slot expires).

Another point is that the ILR letter ADVISES not to travel but I asked the caseworker and she said its OK to travel if you have to - so those people that have to do it .. you have the option. Just remember that the correct person has to be home to receive and sign the bio-metric card.

[linkers]

Congrats niteshj and thanks for sharing your success story !

[ITGraduate]

Hi Nitesh,

Congrats on your success!!!

Please could you let me know how many days were you outside UK exactly?

I know you mentioned almost 225? does it mean they were between 220-230 days?

Plenty of people in this forum have suggested not to go Solihull as they dont deal with any absences more than 225 days?

Thanks,

[Monasheikh]

Congratulations Niteshj.

Thank you for sharing your experience at Solihull PEO.

My question is same as ITGraduate's re absences >225.

It would be helpful if you share some more information about this, specially did the person who checked your application for validity, did he/she comment on this?

Mona

[niteshj]

Congratulations Niteshj.

Thank you for sharing your experience at Solihull PEO.

My question is same as ITGraduate's re absences >225.

It would be helpful if you share some more information about this, specially did the person who checked your application for validity, did he/she comment on this?

Mona

221 days
The caseworker didn't care at all. Didn't even ask for employer's letter to justify the days away.

I own my apartment, don't know if that helped to further prove my commitment to make UK home

[niteshj]

just received my BPR card - that was again soo fast. just 2 full working days?!?
was just about to leave the apartment for a gym session and the courier knocked on the door

[linkers]

Congrats again niteshj !

[singhmohit]

Congrats niteshj
What kind of letter did you got from your employer regarding the absence from UK.
If it was only reagrding personal holidays, was it detailed i.e. tabular explaining where you were and all holidays were paid.
Or was it just a simple statement saying "all holidays you took during your employement were paid"

If possible could you share your draft (esp if it was personal holidays) please?

[niteshj]

Congrats niteshj
What kind of letter did you got from your employer regarding the absence from UK.
If it was only reagrding personal holidays, was it detailed i.e. tabular explaining where you were and all holidays were paid.
Or was it just a simple statement saying "all holidays you took during your employement were paid"

If possible could you share your draft (esp if it was personal holidays) please?

thanks

there were just two sections for the holidays part of the letter.

the first one said

niteshj has had to be overseas while working on the following dates:

Date left .... date returned

and the second section said, niteshj has travelled overseas while on paid annual leave or days-in-lieu (paid leave):

date left .. date returned


no mention was made of where I Went, etc. Even the ILR application doesn't ask that. The employers did not mention 'total number of days'. I did that myself in my cover letter (again, the cover letter was not even requested by case-worker - infact he refused it pretty much)

[ab2012]

Congratulations Niteshj.

Thank you for sharing your experience at Solihull PEO.

My question is same as ITGraduate's re absences >225.

It would be helpful if you share some more information about this, specially did the person who checked your application for validity, did he/she comment on this?

Mona

221 days
The caseworker didn't care at all. Didn't even ask for employers letter to justify the days away

I own my apartment, don't know if that helped to further proove my commitment to make uk home

Congrats niteshj,

could you please give a breakdown of your absences, how many days were annual paid leave, and how many days were for business trips?

I have the same problem of exceeding more than 180 days over the last five years (but no single trip was more than 90 days) and I am a bit worried.

[GG2011]

Strange issue with your Feb 11 slip - the guidance states they count calendar months (i.e. 14 Jan - 13 Feb), so unless you're paid in the beginning of the month, February pay slip should've been okay (it still falls into 15 months immediately prior to application)?

[innocentdevil]

Strange issue with your Feb 11 slip - the guidance states they count calendar months (i.e. 14 Jan - 13 Feb), so unless you're paid in the beginning of the month, February pay slip should've been okay (it still falls into 15 months immediately prior to application)?

i was gonna say. they should have accepted any consecutive 12 months payslips out of last 15 months.

[niteshj]

could you please give a breakdown of your absences, how many days were annual paid leave, and how many days were for business trips?

@ab2012 - how many days overseas total are you now?

i was 109 days workingoverseas (working remotely) and 112 paid leave (mix of annual (65 days) and days-in-lieu (47 days)). In the employer letter, when they stated all my days away, I asked them to specifically indicate which ones where for work, annual leave, and days-in-lieu. In case the caseworker did not accept the days-in-lieu as valid paid leave then it would not affect the other two types of leave.

Also note, while my gross salary is ok .. my net salary is VERY low as I salary sacrifice and also make voluntary pension contributions. This was fine as they are only interested in gross salary.