HSMP extending questions!! Please help

[ethan]

Congratulation on the extension of your FLR so quick. My first year HSMP will expire in the middles of June. I am planning to appy for FLR in the middle of next month. However, I have some questions here. If possible, I would be grateful if you could help me.

1. Salary? Currently my salary is not very high £15k. I am married and have got a 6 months son (next month) and Living in London. Is it enough for extending?
2. We are from China and have to register to Police. My son was born here, does he need Police register?
3. It seems the processing time for both of you are short. However, it said it needs 12 or 13 weeks? I just worried about if fail, will they force us out in a limited days.
4. No contract for my current job? Does anyone have sample of appointment with terms and conditions?
5. Do you think I need to seek lawyer for help!
6. Currently, we share flat with the other couple. Because my wife sign the contract, my friends pay to us and finally we pay to the landlord. Therefore, how we explain this situation.
7. When should I send appliction for extension before first year expire? From the official webstie, the clue is 2 months before expire date. Could I applu one month earlier?

Thanks a lot!!!

BEST REGARDS

[slor]

In the nicest way possible - please, please stop wasting the board readers' time with worrying about getting rejected for an HSMP extension. You have a job. You are being paid OK money. Why you have a 15K job (yes, you are right, that isn't what politicans had in mind for an HSMP person) doesn't matter to the civil servants processing the application. Send it in as suggested, all will be well.

[ethan]

HI Slor

I will send my application to home office. However, everyone has his problem, I wish I can get help from here. I want to make more clear for my applicaiton. I really hope someone can give me suggestion on question 2, 4 6,7.

All my best to everyone.

thanks for great help in advance.

[zeke]

Dear Friends,

Please!

The process of applying for HSMP, entering a foreign country to make it a new home, understanding the multifarious requirements of a complex bureaucracy in that new country, all represent ample and very understandable opportunities for nervousness. My impression is that our friend ethan has followed the laws pertaining to HSMP and immigration, and that he wishes to continue to do so in good faith and simply wants to avoid inadvertently violating some obscure rules which may "trip him up" while he is, in fact, acting in good faith...

Please, please, let's treat each other with a bit of compassion-- this can be a nerve-wracking experience, even while we all hope that it will be one of hope and opportunity for us and our families!

ethan-- I am not an expert on FLR, or on British laws and culture, but here are my thoughts about your questions:

My understanding is that HSMP rules only stipulate that the FLR applicant show "economic activity" -- it does not specify or even address the matter of the amount of earnings during the first HSMP year. In fact, the Guidance Notes specifically do state that even if there hasn't been much "economic activity" but the FLR applicant can show good faith efforts to put business and/or employment plans into operation, then the applicant will likely qualify. I certainly think that you will be OK here. you may want to show evidence of looking for work in your profession which we hope will eventually pay better...

I doubt that an infant would be required to register with police. However, just ask the police authorities about this! You have nothing to hide, and I think that your question demonstrates a wish to follow the letter of the law.

Would your employer give you a letter or other document showing that you are, in fact, employed by him? Do you have tax documents or other documents that show an employment relationship with your employer?

It doesn't sound to me that your case is sufficiently complex for you to need the services of a lawyer...

I wouldn't think that you have anything to worry about in sharing the flat with another couple. The only thing that might be a concern is if the other couple is not paying something called "council tax", something I know very little about. Other than that, if you have a legal contract with the landlord, and you are paying your rent, I don't think you have any special worries. You might want to bring your rent receipts or a letter from the landlord which verifies that you have lived in the flat for _____ amount of time, etc.

The situation regarding exactly when to apply for FLR seems to change from time to time. I suggest that you go to the "Search" feature of this board and enter in "FLR"-- there have been some very recent posts which address this issue. I am sorry, I do not know much about FLR timeframes, etc.

Good luck ethan! Let us know about your progress. We all learn from each other on this board.

Moderators, other members, are there any other thoughts (or corrections to my ideas) out there for ethan??

[ethan]

zeke,

I would like to express my great appreciation to you for your detail explaination.

I will post my progress after i apply. Hope everything is going smooth.

Best regards,

ethan

[DeepThroat]

test

[Londonite]

Zeke is right, not a waste of time at all. It's always good to here how people have done once the've landed - even when it hasn't gone exactly according to plan.

Ethan, are you working in the same field you applied under? Do you have enough money to live on?

You will need to apply for your extension no later than one month before your EC date expires, and no sooner than two months before EC expiry.

Let us know how the extension goes.

Londonite