Today I got my IRL with my wife at the Croydon PEO and thought its worth sharing the experience.
Background
I was on work permit obtained in 2007 and expiring on the 19/09/2012. My wife joined me as a work permit dependent in the UK in January 2011. My main concern when applying for IRL was if the two year rule applied to her as she has been here for <2 years but thankfully from reading this forum (FAQs and some stories it was clear that under old work permit rules the 2 year rule did not apply but I was still nervous about this).
I have been with one employer and had absences of 175 days
10:00: Arrived for my 10 40 appointment at Croydon PEO
10:00-10:10 Clearing Security check
10:15-10:20: Initial check of the documents and I was asked to proceed to the first floor for payment and was given a token.
10:20-10:45- Making the payment on the first floor, got a bit stress as there was a que here and they were calling out my token number just before biometrics. My wife went to the counter and told the lady there that I was still in the que for the payment and the lady at the counter was helpful and said she is happy to wait.
10:45:10:55-Made the payment, got a payment slip and went to the counter calling out my token, and handed in my passport and application along with pictures. I was then asked to proceed to biometrics on the second floor.
11:00-12:00 I sat outside the biometrics enrolment waiting area and waited but my number was not being called. I noted people even with token number issues after mine were being called. Then it was announced that they were having IT issues and I got worried. I then went inside when one of the booths was empty and told the person sitting there the situation. He asked me to go to one of the counters, knock and tell them. I did that and they sent me back and I requested that they do it manually i.e. without announcing my token. I got these done and then was asked to wait for the CW.
12:00:14:30- This is were things got quite stressful as on one hand there was issue with them receiving biometrics and the other worry I had was that my token number was not called for biometrics so it could happen again. I went to the customer service counter and checked with them and verified that I was on the right floor (I would recommend doing this just to be sure). Again I waited and waited while they announced delays and other tokens even after mine. I went to the customer desk two more times and the third time he noted my number and circled it and said let me check.
Finally at 14:30 my token number was called.
14:30-15:15: The CW called me and asked for my passport and application form. Then she asked to give her the supporting documents and I handed these to her with a covering check list. I also asked her if she wanted photocopies and she said yes. Then she asked me to come back in an hour. I waited and in 10-15 minutes she called me to ask a question on my job experience which I answered. I got a bit worried in the middle when she was showing my passport to her supervisor. Anyways got called at 15:15, she asked me to call my wife as well and then smiled and told us that is has been approved and that we will get the permits within 7 days and that we are free to go.
Everyone was quite friendly and helpful including the customer service counter guy who I bothered about 2-3 times but I was really worried.
Documents list
Folder-A
1) Covering checklist
2) Set O and passports
3) Employer letter
4) Life in the uk (for my wife and myself)
5) 3 months payslip
6) last three months bank statements
7)Cohabitation (2 council tax bills, NHS letter and wife's bank statements (3 months))
P60's 5 years9) Work permit letter
10) Photographs
11) Schedule of absences and visa stamps
Folder-B
Photocopy of the above. I submitted this as well.
Folder-C, this was my backup folder and the only additional important documents I had was my tenancy agreement and bank statements of when my wife's account was opened for further proof of cohabitation. None of these were requested.
Please let me know if you have any questions.
