My bittersweet experience at PEO Croydon -SET (M)

[christabel]

I had a 3pm appointment at the PEO in Croydon. Got there at 2.30pm as advised. Waited to get to security for about 10 minutes. Went through security in about 5-7 minutes. Then waited, for about 15 minutes, in a queue to see the person who checks to see if your application is valid.

All was ok and so we headed up to the first floor to make the payment. Again, waited in a queue for about 15 minutes. In my head at this point I am thinking, 'wow, this is not looking too bad.' That was until I turned to see the sea of people who were still waiting to be seen!! The entire floor was filled and noone seemed to be moving.

We got to the waiting area at about 3.30pm, and were only seen at 6.20pm. We left the building at about 7.15pm (even though we were given the option of leaving our applications with them to process the next morning - needless to say, that was not an option for us!) They did say they were running 3.5 hrs behind schedule, so I am guessing we may have just been unlucky, and ended up with an appointment on one of the worst days.

In the end we ended up with a very pleasant young man (even though he didnt smile much). He asked us to pick a couple of documents from our 'big pile' for him to use. Clickity-click, and we were told all was ok and to go back downstairs to wait for the passport.

So it was a very, very, very long day but we got the result we wanted in the end - I got my ILR!!

I have to say a big thank you to everyone who has shared their experiences, and who has given advice on this board. It has worked for me each time I have had to put in an application.

[juliajules1979]

Hiya

Congratulations. Puts you at ease now I'm sure.

My husbands is due Jan 2011. I wondered if you would be able to tell me what kind of documents you submitted.

I also have a huge pile! Which documents did you select when asked?

Many thanks and again well done.

Julia

[christabel]

Thanks, Julie. We were asked to hand over documents we felt would support our application most. We chose:-

6 months bank statements
our payslips covering various points over the past two years
P60's
Utility bills
Various letters (e.g. Letter from employer, British red Cross, home insurance e.t.c.)
Council tax bill
TV Licence

Some of the letters were addressed to us individually and some to both of us. We had lived at 3 different addresses and he asked for more of the documents to cover the most recent address and just a couple from the previous two addresses.

[juliajules1979]

Many thanks for your reply. i will take everything I have and then i cant go wrong! Or it could as they may think we have too many!

Can i just ask did you photocopy all of your documents and take them with you?

Thankyou.

[christabel]

We were actually told that we had too many documents for that type of application! I would rather have more than not enough any day.

We didn't photocopy any of our documents. The gentleman who processed our application photocopied the documents he needed.

[juliajules1979]

Hiya

You are right always best to have too many.

Thanks very much for your help.

[lkpone]

Thanks for this topic, I'm having to apply for my ILR and naturalisation at the beginning of December.

I think you've answered my question, but I just wanted to find out - we went with a massive lever arch file full of 2 years' worth of documents for my current visa (unmarried partner, although we're now married) and so I've been wondering whether I need to take as much for the ILR when we're still at the same address and we're now married? They asked for loads of examples the last time (relatively, I guess, because I have no idea how much evidence other people are asked for, but I guess we were asked for at least 20 or so). So is the concensus that I should just take absolutely everything I have? OH, and also, more importantly, do I need to take everything that I took before PLUS the last 2 years, or just the last 2 years since I got the previous visa?

Thanks!