I had a straight forward case for ILR set(o) and FLR(M) as below
(1) 5 years period completed under WP (6 months) + HSMP (2 yr) + Tier 1 ( 2 yr 6 mnth) with same employer for 4.5 yrs
(2) Wife falling short of 2 years period to apply as dependant hence FLR(M) for her
I booked an appointment for set(o) at 08:00 and FLR(M) at 15:30 for 29/02/2012 because that was the earliest avalable. I did not realise at the time of booking that the new BRP rules for ILR comes into force from that day.
On the day of appointment, reached croydon office at 07:15. there were few people already outside the office. Slowly when more people came around they started falling into a random queue.
I thought as I have an appointment i do not necessarily have to be in queue. But i was wrong. At 07:30 office door opened and people started entring the office as per the queue only.
So the people who were in front of us in the queue (although they came late) reched the token counters before us after the security check and hence got the earleir token number. We got number 10.
(1) After getting the token number , went for payment and paid by credit card.
(2) Waited in the seating area on 1st floor untill our number was called.
(3) The person on the other side of the counter asked for application form and passport. He entered details on the system and asked to go back and wait for biometrics to be taken.
(4) After sometime our number called for the biometrics counter. gave my biometrics details and again back in the waiting area.
(5) our number called again. When I went to counter I was told that due to change in the systems, they are experiencing issues and the process will be delayed.
They asked me to handover all my documents to them and check back after several hours. The person who collecetd my doc said that she is not my case worker and she will pass on my file to a case worker.In the meantime I can either wait their or go outside and come back later.
I chose to saty there.
(6) After three hours they called my number and was given back my documents with a letter saying that ILR is approved and I will get a BRP card in post after 10 or so working days.
I asked the person whether i would be able to use this letter with my wife's FLR (M) application to prove my ILR status. She said she did not know and will ask someone and confirm.She confirmed after sometime that yes I can use it.
our FLR(M) appointment was for 15:30 and it was only 12:00 now. So rather than waiting , we went straight to the same place where we queued for token number earlier. The lady monitoring the queue did ask us why we are going that way , but I told her that we have another appointment and so she let us queue for the tokan number.
(1) The lady at the counter ask for our appointment reference and without questioning the timing of appointment gave us the payment token number.
(2) Went to first floor for payment. Again used the same credit card and the payment was done ok.
(3) waited in the seating area for our number to be called.
(4) When our number was called , the lady at the counter enetered our details in the system and sent us back to wait for biometrics call.
(5) Number called again for the biometrics counter. biometrics taken and sent back to waiting area to wait for case worker call.
(6) case worker called us and took our documents. looked through them and said that he needed to verify the english test result on their system so asked us to wait in the waiting area untill called again.
(7) we had used Pearson academic test. it includes a print out of the score report and sending the score to UKBA. which we have already done 2 weeks ago.
We were called again , only to be told that their result checking system is down and hence he can't verify the results , as a result he will keep our documents with them to decide on results when their system is back to normal.
As a result although our application was ok we could not get back our documents because of their system error.
Now we are waiting for our original documents and ILR BRP to arrive in post. Don't now how long that might take.
if anyone's application was withheld for same reason, can they tell me how long it took for their application to be decided and the documents to be returned.
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