It started off on Monday night.. came home to a bird crapping on our door and my husband wanted to wash it away.. but I said "no it is good luck and we must keep it on till Thursday, our appointment"....
My friend picked us up in Nottingham at 8 am.
We got to Sheffield PEO at say 9:15 am
We went straight to security who were really pleasant, asking me when the baby was due (am 31 weeks pregnant).
One asked to drink my water to ensure it wasn't petrol - told me that a man brought in petrol the other week!. My husband and I also had to take the back off our mobile phones as the security guard also said that in other PEO some man had kept a razor blade in the back of his phone.. I would say the ONLY stressful thing of the whole episode of getting my husband's ILR was that my husband could not take the back off of mobile phone...
So after security which took 3 minutes, we went to a desk where a woman asked for our appointment number and name and she gave us a ticket.
5 minutes after that we were called to Window 5 where photos were checked. Life in the UK was asked for (husband got 20/24 right). Asked for our up to date 07/2010 Set M form. Told to listen out for our number (002) for a case worker to look at our file.
After say 15 minutes our number was called to Window number 7 and a case worker saw I had brought along a rather big file. Basically I had brought two years of our life, wage slips, letters, mortgage, everything. He said "no need to get up, I will come round the other side, take the folder and will look at it, call you in half an hour and let you know if you are successful".
I said thanks very much. I told him no need to copy anything as I had also provided copies in my tabulated folder for him. He said that was kind.
So we sat back in the waiting room and after 15!! minutes that case worker came, told us "all succesful, you are granted ILR and to wait 10 minutes where your passport will be ready with the stamp inside".
I cried.
Husband and I kissed.
After 10 minutes we collected husband's passport.
Got home at midday and boy did I sleep!. It was so nice to sleep and not wake without feeling anxious.
It was far easier and less stressful than I imagined but then again I always worry about something.
Any questions just ask but really if you are genuine and have all evidence and have not claimed Public Funds, how can they refuse.
Kind regards,
Jo.
better get my husband to wipe off that bird crap now...
So we
