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Hi

How important is it to obtain employer reference letter for days when I was outside UK on annual leave? I am on Tier 1 Visa and I have been away for a total of 41 days in the last 3 years on annual leave. I have my contract of employment which clearly states 25 days of annual leave per year. Is that enough or do I need a separate letter from employer that I was on annual leave?

I changed jobs recently and so it is very difficult to get a letter from my previous employer to certify that I was on annual leave and away from UK as my employer doesn't really care where I am when on annual leave. Same with my current employer.

Is it going to be a big issue?

I do have all payslips, bank statements etc and the gross salary in my pay slip matches what is in the contract of employment which has the 25 days annual leave per year.

Thanks in advance

To be honest mate, its not a huge issue. I am in a similar situation and there is a solution.

For the last 5 years, I have changed 3 employers and used to go home on holidays every year using my paid annual leave. So it doesn't make any sense to chase up my previous employers and ask them to give me some sort of letter confirming I was on holidays. I know what their response will be ("We are too busy to entertain your request, besides you left us. hahaha").

Anyway, I phoned Home Office and asked them what in the world would I need to give you as an evidence of my holidays. They said, as long as these were not more than 180 days in any 12 months, you only need to send us a passport showing "entry" and "exit" stamps.

So I'd recommend you to send them your passport which shows all those entry/exit stamps. All stamps should have dates on them.

Well, some countries (e.g. UK) do not make exit stamps, and others (e.g. mine) do not make any stamps at all. So if, say, I went out of UK to my country on 1 June, and came back on 10 June, I will only have one entry stamp from the UK. In such cases, I think one can bring copies of electronic tickets, just in case Home Office wants to see them.

Hi folks

Thanks for your replies... Just to let you know, I just made a excel sheet with 3 columns - date left UK, date entered UK, passport page no with UK entry stamp

Guess what..... I got my ILR today.... they didn't even ask any question..... nice and smooth Glad the wait is over

Cheers