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I am applying for ILR as spouse of a UK citizen and my spouse visa is due to expire on 8th of July.
Unfortunately we couldnt find an appointment which suited my wife's work schedules and we decided to pay money to an agent for an appointment.
For some odd reason he called up few days ago to cancel that appointment and now we have no appointment!

We checked millions of times on UKBA website but couldnt find an appointment.

Does anybody know a reliable solicitor who could find us an urgent appointment?
Also we are told that both husband and wife should be there for the ILR appointment -is this true?

I have just 20days left on my visa.

All our papers are accurate and it is straightforward application but we can't afford to let our passports go for 6months due to work related issues.Whats probably the best solution?

susan2012 wrote:I am applying for ILR as spouse of a UK citizen and my spouse visa is due to expire on 8th of July.
Unfortunately we couldnt find an appointment which suited my wife's work schedules and we decided to pay money to an agent for an appointment.
For some odd reason he called up few days ago to cancel that appointment and now we have no appointment!

We checked millions of times on UKBA website but couldnt find an appointment.

Does anybody know a reliable solicitor who could find us an urgent appointment?
Also we are told that both husband and wife should be there for the ILR appointment -is this true?

I have just 20days left on my visa.

All our papers are accurate and it is straightforward application but we can't afford to let our passports go for 6months due to work related issues.Whats probably the best solution?

The British spouse should attend the appt but if he or she is unable to s/he should provide a letter explaining why s/he is unable to attend.

If you can't get an appt by 8th July then your only alternative is to apply by post on or before that date as otherwise you will overstay and lose your entitlement to work. If British spouse will need the passport to travel then you could send a certified copy explaining why you have not provided the original.

DO what Im doing, pay an extra £80 and go via the 'Settlement Checking Service' to any 1 of ur local authorities that do it, man even if you have to travel for an hour or so to another station ...so what. this way u will be able to keep ur passport, i think the applicant would still need to submit theirs though.
u get to keep all ur original documents as well.

don't go to solicitors, they are expensive and its just a robbing system, i have learnt the hard way.

if not - keep calling everyday at the UKBA (once in the morning, once in aftrenoon) to check for any cancellations u got get in.

worst come to worst just post it off - YOU ARE HEAVILY advised to include the passports, if not u do risk loosing all that money and landing in square 1, but if its mperitive that im sure u can produce a covering letter to hwy u cant submit a passport (making it VERY convincing) and submit authenticated copies as a substitute leave the option open that if it is despratly required , for the caseworker to call and see if you are able to submit at that point in time (u gotta be incredibly lucky if he does call u though as it is concrete that the owner ship is on the applicant to satisfy the caseworker - they will not run around people, but there is a slight room for flexibility on their side)

good luck

Thanks for your answers.

Nationality checking office do not entertain ILR applications for checking am I right? Our councils website says that they only check citizenship applications.
We are in West Midlands.

Also they don't touch an application if it is within the last 28days.

go on http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/visas ... 8m%29/scs/

its the registry section within council (birth, death, marriage) - they've added this on as well - and its not difficult as its just admin stuff for ILR (is the form signed, evenly spaced out letters over 2 yrs)... good luck