Got my ILR at Croydon PEO

[sophieteh]

I got my ILR yesterday at Croydon PEO! Here’s my experience:

I booked my in-person/premium appointment exactly 6 weeks before the day I was 28 days from completing 5 years as a WP holder. I started dialling at 9:00am and got through on the first try (although I had to hold for a long time) and was given a 9:00am appointment together with an appointment reference number. The officer asked the date stated on my leave to remain to calculate if I’m applying at the right time.

I had 2 employers over the 5 year period and do not have any dependants. Being quite obsessive–compulsive by nature, plus reading some awful experiences, I started planning my application about 4-5 months before I was due to submit – changing the frequency of my bank statements, looking for my old P60s etc.

Documents I submitted:
SET O
Current passport and previous passport
Separate Excel sheet detailing absences and pages where stamps were found, giving total number of days away over the 5 years (97 in total, no single absences of over 3months)
KOL pass results (I took this early in Jan 09)
3 month’s current account bank statement (7 May to 7 August)
3 months’ savings account bank statement (11 May to 10 August)
3 months’ payslips (May, June, July)
6 P60s (My first year in the UK was as a working holidaymaker, followed by 5 years under a work permit)
2 sets of employer’s offer letters
1 P45 from my previous employer
Letter from my current employer stating I’m still needed (dated 1 week before)
Letter from my previous employer confirming my employment dates with them (dated 2 weeks before)
2 sets of work permit approval letters
2 sets of FLR approval letters
2 passport photos (taken a few days before)
Letter from employer stating my odd salary payment for May 09

What I was slightly concerned as ‘imperfections’ in my documentation:
1. My salary for May 09 was deposited into my account in 2 payments because there was a mistake and I was underpaid by about £400 the first round. I had a letter from our accounts manager to explain the mistake.
2. My older (Malaysian) passport was ‘state of the art’ so there were no stamps when I entered Malaysian customs. On my absences sheet, I noted there was no stamp on those trips because it was electronically scanned.
3. To be on the safe side (I said I was obsessive-compulsive), I ordered current account statements on 21 Aug to show up-to-date information of my finances, but they didn’t arrive so I had to go without. My bank also refused to stamp/sign statements which I printed out at the branch statement machine.

The UKBA sent me a text the day before my appointment - the sender ID was strangely ‘eRapide’.
I arrived at Lunar House just before 8:30am and they started allowing people in at 8:30am. The guard will request to see your appointment reference before allowing you in. The security staff were friendly and ready to assist if required. I read that only the applicant may enter but was told that this was an old rule and so my boyfriend can accompany me.

Then comes the 3 stages – first stage, the initial checks. From the queue I was called to a counter and gave the officer my appointment reference number. My form and documents were arranged in separate clear folders (one for KOL, one for bank statements, one for payslips, one for employers’ letters, etc) She asked me to hand them all over without taking them out of the folders. She went through my form and asked me where my separate sheet for absences was and when I showed her she stapled it to the SETO form. She made sure that the required documents were all there, but didn’t look at the information in too much detail. I was also told my KOL score and was advised to keep the test result for when I apply for naturalisation. (Nice lady. How did she know I was going to apply to become a British citizen next year?)

I saw that she stamped valid on some of the paperwork and returned all the documents to me, plus 2 other forms, one which she filled-out and one printout. The printout had my reference number (alphabet followed by 2 digits) and was to be kept with me until the point I get my passport back with the ILR sticker.

I’m then instructed to go upstairs for the very exciting second stage of parting with £1020. The queue was quite long and it took quite a while.

After paying this with my credit card (I brought along an blank extra cheque just in case, as adviced), I was sent up another floor to the complete the final stage – detailed document checking.

My number was called immediately when I got upstairs. The lady asked me to hand over all my documents, apart from my photos. These were still in their folders and I sat in front of the counter as she took them out to look over. She took all the documents I handed her and returned my empty folders, said to wait for her to call me later, then she pulled down the blinds over the glass. About 15 minutes later, she rolled up the blinds and called me over to submit my photos. After that, again, she lowered the blinds.

I could still some of what she was doing at the counter because the blinds didn’t go all the way down. I followed the advice of some forum members and put sticky notes on my documents to note what they are, e.g. ‘current account statement, May 09, 1st of 3’. The officer peeled this off one by one as she perused the documents.

It took about 30 minutes before she called me over and told me there was nothing wrong with my application and asked me to come back in 1-1.5 hours to collect my passport with the ILR stamp on the 1st floor.

My boyfriend and I went shopping at the shopping centre across the road and came back at about 11:45am. I still needed to show security my printout with the reference number to get back in. My number was probably called before I got back. I was told by the floor staff to press the buzzer at the counter I’m supposed to collect my passport from if I don’t see anyone sitting behind it. I did and an office came round, took my printout and gave me my passport with my ILR stamp with all the documents I submitted.

I felt so relieved to have got it finally. I think if one has all the required documents and organises their paperwork well, things should go smoothly. I did bring extra documents like all my payslips from my past 5 years etc with me just in case.

Also, I found the PEO staff professional, helpful, respectful and friendly (especially the floor staff and security). It is after all a ‘premium’ service and I get the feeling the HO has been conscious to improve their operations to avoid criticism. I’ve heard my fair share of stories from close friends about how they were treated rudely just less than a year ago but my experience yesterday was pleasant. The atmosphere at the PEO was calm on the day I went and quite relaxed.

Finally, thanks to all who posted their experience on this forum. I learnt a lot from reading them prior to making my application. I hope I’ve contributed some useful information here for others intending to apply in the near future.

[xumh]

Congratulation Sophie, nice one!