Croydon ILR (wp) Success story 05-Jan-2012

[omerabdul]

First of all may I take this opportunity to thank all those who maintain and contribute to this wonderful forum.

Ref: SET (O) on work permit category (5 years with same employer) for myself and my wife.

(09:10) I arrived 10 minutes late for my appointment which I booked one month ago. Apologized and made my way in through the airport style security checks. The lady who let us in was very kind and said not to worry as the day was unusually chaotic, then put us in the none biometric queue.

After a few minutes my turn came up and went to counter 11 where the officer asked for my “application form and passport only”. (No please or thank you, didn’t surprise me.) He checked my application form and visa page for a while and asked if I am still working for the same employer. Then asked me if I had my latest payslip and how I will be paying. I answered all his questions, received my token and made my way up to make payment.

The place looked familiar as I went there once before to extend my student visa. (Irrelevant)

(09:47) I made the payment of £2025.00 and made my way to the waiting area to be called.

(10:50) My number was called and when to counter 17. A very pleasant lady asked my application form and passports. After a quick check she simply asked me to give her all the documents. As I was very prepared (thanks to this forum) I provided all my documents as follows.

1. Letter from my employer confirming my salary equal or above the SOC
2. Life in the UK pass certificates for me and my wife
3. Three months payslips
4. Three months bank statements
5. P60 for the last five years. (I lost my P60 for 2011, however I requested my employer to provide P11, the lady did not question)
6. Excel spreadsheet listing my absence from UK for the last 5 years. (mine was way below from the threshold)
7. Cohabit ion documents (last two years mortgage statement, land registry copy, Thames water bill and council tax, I provided all these as a set and the lady accepted it. But you just need only one.

(11:00) The lady officer reviewed my documents and asked me to wait until further call. I assumed that she is going to take photocopies of my documents and offered her the copies I already had. She was very pleased that I had those ready. Few minutes later after reviewing my documents she called me to confirm that everything is ok and I must collect my passport with the ILR endorsed at counter 22.

(12:30) my number was called and we received our passports endorsed with ILR visa. Very pleased!!!!!!!!!
Points to note:

• Book the earliest appointment possible
• Just give them the requested documents and have the extra documents ready as backup.
• All day car park behind the UKBA office opposite to Hilton
• Feel free to take some sandwich to munch in while waiting.
• I did not apply for my UK born baby boy for whom now I can apply for citizenship.

I hope my experience above will be useful. I wish you all the best and a happy New Year.

Kind regards,Omer