ILR paper vignette and NTL application

[buglet67]

Hope all is well with everyone. I have a October 2008 ILR paper vignette in an expired American passport and travelled with this and my new passport for years. I have lived and worked continuously in the UK since then…the longest I was out of the UK was two months in 2017. I held two jobs during my time here and will be retiring in a couple months, and due to some recent health issues, any travel I do will only be in the UK. I own my own home having paid off my mortgage a few years ago, so don’t need rental checks, and I don’t drive.

I see there is a new evisa system (and I did read the pinned posts), so I looked into the NTL application which requires documentation to prove I have been here since 2008. I can get a letter from my previous employer saying I worked from September 2009 to December 2012, and another saying I worked from April 2013 until now. The problem is that there is a gap of a year from October 2008 to September 2009 where I worked as an independent contractor and did self assessment taxes, and another gap from January to March 2013 when I was between jobs. Although I’ve had the same British bank account since 2008, my bank only has records the past 6 years. Any ideas on how I can fill these gaps so I can apply for NTL? If I am not travelling or working, do I need an e-visa?

Thanks for your help.

[zimba]

There are no specific requirements so you can provide whatever you have. Note that the NTL application gives you a BRP, however all BRPs are being abolished soon and replaced with eVisa. Unless you need to prove your right to work, you do NOT need to apply for a BRP application anymore. Just wait until eVisa system is rolled out this summer

[buglet67]

Hi Zimba

Thank you so very much for your speedy reply which has put my mind at ease. To be fair, when I received ILR I thought I was done with applications unless I wanted citizenship. I really appreciate your help and have a good rest of the day.

[Dial]

Hello everyone one
I submitted my biometric last month the 25/4/2024 for transfer my ilr vignettes to BRP application. I want to know the time scale if anyone here knew how long it takes please

[zimba]

Hello everyone one
I submitted my biometric last month the 25/4/2024 for transfer my ilr vignettes to BRP application. I want to know the time scale if anyone here knew how long it takes please

Up to 6 months. Applying for a BRP is not a good idea anymore: Information on eVisas as all BPRs will be phased out from 1st Jan 2025

[buglet67]

Hi Zimba. Hope all is well. I have a question for you. I got a generic email from the Home office about the e-visa system yesterday, literally as I was getting ready to submit my naturalisation application. I have a paper ILR and meet the requirements. The email did not include any specific application numbers to me and said I had a BRP that was expiring (I don't I have a paper ILR). I thus submitted a NTL/BRP application and booked the biometrics appointment. I was able to find documents from all the years I was here after a lot of searching.

I'm eligible to apply for naturalisation, and I'd still like to do this. Do I have to wait for the BRP now and do the evisa, or can I submit the application for naturalisation as well? Will this confuse the Home Office, or? If so, is it better to withdraw the BRP application and cancel the biometrics for it and then just apply for naturalisation?

[zimba]

Hi Zimba. Hope all is well. I have a question for you. I got a generic email from the Home office about the e-visa system yesterday, literally as I was getting ready to submit my naturalisation application. I have a paper ILR and meet the requirements. The email did not include any specific application numbers to me and said I had a BRP that was expiring (I don't I have a paper ILR). I thus submitted a NTL/BRP application and booked the biometrics appointment. I was able to find documents from all the years I was here after a lot of searching.

I'm eligible to apply for naturalisation, and I'd still like to do this. Do I have to wait for the BRP now and do the evisa, or can I submit the application for naturalisation as well? Will this confuse the Home Office, or? If so, is it better to withdraw the BRP application and cancel the biometrics for it and then just apply for naturalisation?

Naturalisation does NOT require a BRP. They only care about your ILR status which they can verify on their systems.