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I had my interview today and was worried about my days absent as none of mine are for work purposes (I just love travelling!), so thought I would share my experience. I was applying as HSPM under JR

I had an appointment for 9:30, arrived at 9am and went through security. I was direct to an area where I had to give my booking number. I had the print out from the website of my appointment but apparently my booking number was in a text they sent to me 2 days earlier. Once I looked it up I was through to the queue to get my application form checked and get my ticket number.

Once I got that I went upstairs to pay and after paying went to the waiting area. All that took about 10 mins. I was called to the window at about 9:35 and asked for my application form, passport and receipt.

After looking through the application form he asked for:
3 months bank statements
3 month payslips
letter from employer
I also gave my interim accounts for my company as I'm a contractor with a limited company but he didn't really need it.

I was surprised he didn't ask for any P60's/P45's or anything past the last 3 months.

Next he went through my list of absences. I had put them on a spreadsheet with the following headings:
Date Left UK
Date Returned to UK
Reason for Absence
Passport page(s) stamps were on
Days Absent

I hadn't given any overall totals so he added them up for each year. He then asked me to fill in the section on my application form with the dates of my longest absence for each year which he chose and marked for me. He ignored all the rest.

I have to admit I was really nervous about my345 days of absences given most people who had success here had lots of absences for work.

Once I filled in the absences on my application form he then said to wait to be called again. I waited about 40 mins and when I was called was given my passport back with my Indefinite Leave Visa :-D

I was so happy and I hope everyone else also has success with their applications.

One thing to add for anyone arriving from East Croydon Station, there's lots of signs directing you to the Home Office so there's no way to get lost as usually happens with me!

Please confirm the type of absenties you had.
Did they didnt ask for income details for past 5 months.

Nearly all my absences are for holidays. The only exceptions were 4 days for a work trip and a 2 week trip home to Australia for my Mum's funeral.

Most of my long trips were for approx 1 month with most of them to Australia. However there was also one to Africa for the World Cup and another trip to Europe, Egypt and Jordan at the end of a contract. My longest absence was for 33 days. There was 7 trips he concentrated on that ranged from 16-33 days long.

The remainder of my trips he ignored were mainly weekend or 7-10 day trips to Europe or Easter trips to the US.


He only asked for proof of income for the last 3 months. I was quite surprised by this as I thought I had to show economic activity for the past 5 years.

Anyway I hope my experience helps others with absences over 180 days.

Very good news and exercise of discretion by case worker.
From your narration it appears that initially in SET(O) you had not filled in absences rather they were detailed on a spread sheet attached and case worker desired to fill in SET(O) your one longest absence of each year.

Please confirm above.
If so it is a new thinking by case worker

Jami,

Yes that's correct. I had left the space blank I just wrote in the box please see the attached sheets. He looked at the sheets and then marked 6 or 7 of them I can't remember the exact number and asked me to write those ones onto the form.

hi

can you plz share what sort of company related documents you had taken?


I am also in the same position on limited company incorporated 8 months ago.

you said interim accounts. can you list them out please?

Thanks

Hi imbuser,

I only started my limited company in December. He only asked for an employer letter which I had asked my recruitment agency my contract is via to write, you could probably also get one from your accountant. He also asked for 3 months payslips which my accountant provides me.

I took all my business bank statements but he didn't want to see them. The interim accounts are the ones my accountant provides each quarter when I submit my accounts to him. They show what taxes I've paid, salaries, dividends, expenses, etc. You probably don't need them but I took them along as the bulk of my pay comes from my dividends.

Hope that helps you.