Need some HELP REGARDING MY NEXT STEP before my ILR Applica

[Druantia]

Hi there....first of all, great site for gettinginfo etc etc:)

I have been over here in the UK since July 09 on a spousal Visa, and have been working here for 6 mths now, I was intending to leave work and do some Unpaid Voluntary Work<Red Cross> therefore gaining community exposure and my First Aid Cert etc etc...and do some travelling around the region i am living in before going for my Life Test and then my ILR application next year.....I am at the moment in two minds as to which way to go....Would my above plan benefit my application for ILR or is it better if i continue to stay in employment and not go down the community envolvement side and travelling,of living in the UK???

Any advice about which way i should go to help my Life Test and ILR Application would be very helpful in helping me to decide....just want to get the most out of Life here in the UK out of the way before all the Immigration processes....

Thankyou in advance for all your advice........

[Casa]

If you have sufficient income to enable you to take up voluntary/charity work then this (according to the new Citizens Bill) will be an advantage when applying for British Citizenship later on. It should (according to the published regulations) reduce your 'probationary period' by 12 months.
i.e you would only have to wait 1 year after ILR (or the new Probationary Citizenship) instead of the intended extension of 2 years.
I'm sure others can explain this better than my attempt.
Remember with the Life in the UK test that you only need to study Chapters 2 to 6.

[Druantia]

If you have sufficient income to enable you to take up voluntary/charity work then this (according to the new Citizens Bill) will be an advantage when applying for British Citizenship later on. It should (according to the published regulations) reduce your 'probationary period' by 12 months.
i.e you would only have to wait 1 year after ILR (or the new Probationary Citizenship) instead of the intended extension of 2 years.
I'm sure others can explain this better than my attempt.
Remember with the Life in the UK test that you only need to study Chapters 2 to 6.

:)thankyou Casa for replying to me so quickly....My husband will be supporting me till i gain my ILR and then after that time i will be going back into the workforce .....so there is no worries about financial issues........and thankyou on clarafying the chapters needed for the Life Test as i was wondering also if i had to read the whole book or not...as it looks daunting to say the least...lol

[Casa]

The charity work won't benefit your ILR application (but won't adversely affect it either)...but it should put you in a good position for British Citizenship under the regulations due to be introduced in July 2011.
Buy the study books that accompany the official Home Office publication.
You can choose to listen to the questions through headphones during the test, while reading from the screen,

[Druantia]

The charity work won't benefit your ILR application (but won't adversely affect it either)...but it should put you in a good position for British Citizenship under the regulations due to be introduced in July 2011.
Buy the study books that accompany the official Home Office publication.
You can choose to listen to the questions through headphones during the test, while reading from the screen,

Thankyou Casa.......i now have a better understanding of what my next step is......your advice was greatly appreciated....again...thankyou:)

[Casa]

You're welcome. Good luck