Post
by laurasgarden » Wed Apr 24, 2013 5:54 pm
Hello everyone!
I've got one for all of you. I was just as confused about the 28 day thing as well. But I spoke with someone at the Settlement Checking Service in my borough (for a sort of reasonable fee they will check your docs before you send them to the UKBA) and they told me that you can apply more than 28 days before you are meant to apply for permanent leave to remain.
What I didn't ask him was how long before.
I entered June 14th, 2011. But my spousal visa says it good from June 1st, 2011 until Sept. 1st, 2013. I never use my current visa, especially since it's in a canceled passport. (Side note: I had to get my name changed to my new married name and didn't want to pay £250 just to have my valid visa in a valid passport when my visa still worked just as good in my old canceled passport.). I was paying more attention to the actual time I've been here and not to what was on my visa. My lawyer at the time of processing my temp residency clearly told my husband and I that the 24 month time clock to be able to apply for my permanent residency visa started ticking the day I first got my spousal entry visa stamped upon entering the UK.
So now i'm really confused. Am I missing something here? Do I go with the time frame of how long I've actually been here? Or apply later in July around the time my visa says it will expire. I really don't want to do the latter because I have planned my life, my summer and mypossible fall around not being able to leave. And of course had made definite plans to see my family in America whom I haven't seen in 2 years during the holidays.
And of course, UKBA is no help AND they just recently "advised" all employees of any Settlement Checking Service to not give any advice over the phone anymore. They are like robots now reciting that unhelpful UKBA 'hotline' number that never helps anybody.
Does anybody out there know how I should proceed? Any advice is very much appreciated!!
