My case happened to be straight forward and so was the interview/appointment. The only question I was asked to specify what I do at my job as it was not specific enough in my employer's letter and other docs. I think she wanted to know that to establish if my job responsibilities actually correspond to the SOC code.
Mine being a straightforward case I am not sure how much of a help my experience will prove to be to you guys here.
I think I have nice employer's letter that I would like to share soon.
I will be adding the overall PEO experience soon, I am sure some of you will have a few questions when I'm done with that. I'd be happy and feel honored to be of any help. Been a hectic day. Really need to get some rest tonight.
It's a good feeling to be graduating from ILR section of the forum to Citizenship one. I will soon begin my stalkings there
Peace!
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Here's the experience as promised above. Sorry, I took my time; there had been some urgent issues to take care of.
If you live in East London and planning to attend your ILR appointment at Croydon PEO, the overground (previously East London Line) will be a very convenient, economical and quick option to consider. West Croydon happens to be the last southbound destination on this line.
Tip: Once you are out of the train station, turn left and look for signs or ask for Home Office. I asked for UKBA but both people and signs said Home Office.
My appointment was due at 11:15am. I am not an early bird and didn't want to get there all groggy at 8 in morning. One is expected to turn up 30 minutes ahead of the given time. I also got an email the night before from someone at their office to come an hour earlier so we could finish early. I assumed maybe some earlier slots were cancelled. We turned up about 45 mintues before our time, and were told we were early and will have to wait. I told them about the email, and they were like wait.. ok.. go sit there. About 5-10 mins' wait before we went through security checks.
Some 5-10 people must have jumped the queue and got ahead of me. I was with a child and wife, so I had to be patient and thought 'whatever!'.
More queueing for documents-checking after the security check, another 10 people jumped and got ahead of me. But in 5 minutes I was at one of the many windows. They asked if I brought the main required docs one by one and quickly went through the form (to make sure it was the latest version) and passports etc.
I was given a slip with a number or something and sent to 1st floor to make the payment. A little bit of more queueing. I paid with my VISA Credit card. It IS accepted as against to what's on form/guidance notes. I had brought with me my checkbook and debit card just in case. Checks are NOT accepted, again against what is mentioned in the notes/form.
Then I was told to go to the area (on 1st floor only) where the case workers sit behind windowed counters to wait for our number to be called.
It was a decent space. A lot of seats for the applicants to sit down and wait. It didn't look like a bad idea any more to bring wife and child. There is a baby changing room and separate toilets for men and women. There's a fountain type water cooler, and a Coke vending machine for your caffeine supply. There's a small tuck shop on 2nd floor selling coffee, muffins, soft drinks, the works.
I quite liked the seating area, the red furniture. The numbers are displayed on huge screens so you can't miss them.
At one of the counters I noticed a girl (probably and Indian) losing her temper, and giving the case worker the attitude. I overheard (well, it got really loud) that she had finished her 5 years stay in the UK and that should automatically make her eligible for ILR. It seemed she didn't fulfill many other requirements out of ignorance. She probably never stumbled on this forum. It was sad to see her. She did shake off her attitude soon though. I doubt if she had a successful application.
We must have waited about 45-60 minutes before our number was called. There are 2-3 seats side to side for applicants and their family etc to sit in front of every counter. My wife sat next to me through out and we were told we could park the baby buggy on our side. Incidentally, the baby went for a nap just before we were called and woke up just when were finished and were getting up to leave.
OK, finally about the actual process of the interview.. or whatever we call it here.. I was asked to take out all our documents. I took out the main folder in which I had placed the mandatory docs. The case worker did not take it. Instead asked for the listed docs one by one. It could not have been any simpler. She took a long time though. About an hour and a half. I kept handing her document by document as she asked. The only 'question' she asked was about my precise job title and the nature of it, as it probably was not clear enough on my employer's letter.
Throughout the interview she was looking at her screen cross checking and filling details I assume. Very little eye contact. But a huge security camera behind her near the ceiling, I am sure was reading each of our expressions.
Having skipped my breakfast and morning tea, I couldn't stop yawning throughout, and with my body sugar on the low I was getting very concerned about how silly I might be looking, maybe give wrong ideas with my body language.
Eventually, she said our documents were fine and she's granting us the ILR, and told us to collect our passports at window 22 in about 45-60 mins. She returned all our documents barring the passport. And kept the photocopies of all the main listed documents which I had brought. She did appreciate the fact that I had brought the photocopies.
We jumped to go get something to eat, as we were both starving by now. And had our little celebration stuffing our faces with stuff bought at the tuck shop above.
I noticed the elevator had buttons going up to 19th floor at least. I wonder if many of these floors have applicants waiting and processing areas. If that's the case, they have massive capacity and queues moved much faster than I had assumed.
I couldn't be bothered to go check for the passports every few minutes, so we took our time eating the stuff from the tuck shop, and calling and texting friends, families and co-workers, using toilets, filling suggestions form and most importantly our baby socializing with other kids. The passports were ready when I went to check at the window. I was asked to check the details and make sure names and other details were alright on the vignette sticker.
And soon after we were out of the building and on our way back home.
Hope this was helpful, useful and a bit uplifting. Please don't hesitate to ask any questions, or any important detail I missed.
Best luck all. And thanks to this forum again.