Background
I was granted Work Permit on November 2006 and subsequently converted it to Tier 1 (General) in February 2009 with my three dependants.
Booking Appointment
I booked an appointment and luckly got very early date on 1st November. Since there were a problem on the UKBA site so I had to call and book it. Since you can apply for ILR 28 days before you completed 5 years, so you need to clear when you book the appointment with the operator, "when the five year period started - On the day visa was issued or the date you came to UK. The operator will ask your name or any dependants.
Evidence Collected
Since I was on work permit and Tier 1 (General) so I had to collect lots of evidences atleast I thought so. They are following:
Covering Letter
Application form SAT (O)
New and old passports
2 photographs for each member with the name on the back
12 months recent pay slips (Original)
12 months recent bank statements (Original)
P60 2010-2011 (Original)
Life in the UK test pass notification for my wife and myself (Original)
All pay slips for the period of entire time on work permit
(Mostly original but some photocopies attested by my work place)
All bank statements for the period of entire time on work permit (Original)
P60s for last five years (All original except 2006-7 which was photocopy attested by my workplace)
Work Permit (Original)
Approval Letters for Tier 1 for me and my family (Original)
Cohabitation evidence (12 bank statements joint account, three NHS letters, two Utility bills and one optician letter - they were all addressed to my wife except the bank statements which were on my name but showed my wife name too as it was a joint account. I was bit unsure about this evidence though
)Two letters from the workplace (one salary increase letter for the last year, second letter was just normal salary confirmation)
Appointment Day
I had an appointment at 0900 hours and was supposed to be there half an hour early. But I was too eager to get the ILR so I came to Croydon PEO at 0800 hours. Security did not let us enter the buidling before 0830 hours. Anyway, later security asked us first why are we here and led us to the security check. once passed the security check, we went to one counter where the lady has asked my passport and application form. she checked it and stamped on it as valid. she gave us the number and advised to go to upstairs. I asked her whether the dependants have to be with me and she said NO. Though, I called Home office a day earlier to ask specifically about it and they said the dependants should be with you. I lived nearby so I my wife and both sons left and went upstairs alone. There were four counters to pay the fees. I used credit card but my payment was declined. I had to call bank and told them about it. Evantually, it was cleared and I was sent to the waiting area. Soon my number was called and I went to the counter. He asked me following documents:
ALL ORIGINALS
Application form SAT (O)
New and old passports
2 photographs for each member with the name on the back
12 months recent pay slips
12 months recent bank statements
Life in the UK test pass notification for my wife and myself
P60s for last five years
Work Permit
Cohabitation evidence
letters from the workplace
All the photocopies of the above documents.
He refused to take any other documents as he said that the above documents are enough. Though he specially asked P60 for five years. He also said that he needs just four or five letters as cohabitation proof as long as they cover last two years. Once he taken all the documents he asked me to sit in the waiting area and I did. After one and a half hour later he called me again and informed me that the ILR has been granted to me and my family. He said that it will take one hour to stamp your passport. I left the buidling and went to have a sandwitch and came back later to collect all the passports. I got the passports back from the counter number 22 and checked all the passports and happily left the building.
