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Yesterday I obtained ILR from HSMP after 4.7 years in the UK. I was delayed because I only recently became got back into reasonably stable work. I had an appointment at 9:15am, I arrived at 8:30 and was admitted at 8:45 for an initial screening on the ground floor which lasted about 15 minutes. I went to the 1st floor at 9:00 to make the payment (less than 3 minutes) and then to the 2nd floor where I was seen by the caseworker at 9:30. This lasted about 20 minutes and then I was told to collect our passports in about 3 hours. I left for the City and came back 5 hours later and still had to wait about 30 minutes, but eventually got everything back about 4pm.
People with appointments have a special door in the back of the building where they are called in at 15 minute intervals 30 minutes before their appointment. They meet the people who don’t have appointments coming in from the front of the building, and everybody goes through the same metal detectors. But the people with appointments get to go to the front of the long queue waiting for the initial screen. Very helpful!
At the initial screen the caseworker asked for previous passports and work permits and the letter from my current client. He had access to the database, which apparently had a lot of history in my case. After I provided those documents, he stamped my application (he was a full fleged and probably senior IO) and said everything was in order. There is a flowchart on the wall of each booth which differentiates between people “who have all necessary documents” and those who don’t. Those who do get a special red check in the computer database. I asked him if I had everything he needed and he said yes.
The payment of the fees was quick with no queues. They staple a payment slip to the front of the form and stamp it. Credit card payment is the easiest.
On the second floor it was fairly quiet, but there were people there who had 9am and earlier appointments before me. So I had to wait an extra 15 minutes, no complaints here!
When my appointment number was called, the caseworker asked for my application, passports and letter from my employer/client – full stop. After working on the computer for a few minutes, he left with the passports for about 5 minutes and came back with copies of the latest FLR stamps. He then worked another 10 minutes (cutting up the photos and entering my dependents into the computer) and then told me to come back to pick up the passports. Frankly I was a bit disappointed that he didn’t ask to see some of the backup I had carefully prepared during most of the weekend (contracts, bank statements, house deed, tax returns) but I wisely kept my "disappointment" to myself.
My conclusion from this is that they must have a lot of data already in their system (probably from my HSMP renewal), which is why they didn’t ask me that much. Certainly the information from the caseworker on the ground floor influenced the caseworker on the 2nd floor. The company I currently (only since last month) consult with is well known to them, so that obviously helps. The letter I had them sign just confirms that I have a contract through the end of the year at an average monthly rate of XXX (matching the monthly income box on SET(O)) and that I have already submitted my first invoice for X amount. The caseworker didn’t even want to see the contract, nor did he want to see the previous work I had completed since April. He never asked for bank statements or proof of previous income or Class 2 NI payments.
I strongly recommend (if you can do it) going in the morning and then leaving and coming back in the afternoon. But make sure you get back before 4pm when they shut the door. When I returned at 3pm, I went to the customer service window #24 they told me there were some operational delays so they needed more time (probably it was because they had to find my file!). If I had stayed the whole time, it would have been a waste of time, so I’m glad I left did some work and came back.
Thanks to User for the suggestions a while back. You were right—it wasn’t a big deal!
Joseph
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. Best wishes for the future and hope the business goes well - telecoms market seems to be picking up somewhat as broadband comes to our homes.