ILR success Croydon PEO Tier1 (General) Employed/Self Emp

[Janaan]

17th Sep

My ILR application was being successful today along with two dependants at Croydon PEO today. Thanks to all those I interacted with to clarify the confusions regarding the process.

Documents submitted:

Passports/Biometric Cards 
Payslips/Bank statements of salaried employment along with a covering letter. Case worker checked the bank statement/payslips and ticked the salary table of two salaried employments on my covering letter)
Life in UK Test certificates.
Previous few years of P60 (couple missing and I had five year summary of P60 from HMRC as back up but not submitted along with docs and the case worker did not ask for any additional docs)

Self Employment:
HMRC welcome letter
Accountant letter/Invoice summary (My accountant recommended by some one one on the forum done a remarkable job, the firm even checked the whole case and advised me to alter the clients letter a bit. I was very satisfied with their services. They addressed each and every concern or queries that I had in mind). 
Actual invoices raised during the self employment period (Case worker did check these for sure)
Client's letter confirming the work conduced and salary received (Original plus copy was retained)
Class2 NI deduction proof ( HMRC direct debit letter plus Bank statement, copies were retained)
SA203 (HMRC Confirming my income for the year 2012-13...copy retained)
Tax return 2012-13(Copy retained)
Email confirmation from HMRC that tax has been paid 

Cohabitation documents 
Previous two years of letters of myself and dependent (Electoral register registration confirmation-approx two years, tenancy agreements covering two years, main applicant's bank statements covering two years, joint bank statements covering last five months, marriage certificate, Wife NHS letters covering two years, Main applicant and dependant's provisional license plus counterpart, child birth certificate)

(Photocopies of all of the above were provided and all photocopies were kept)

Absents proof (holidays) payslips/employment contract etc) 
Looks like case worker was least interested in this file. All original letters plus copies were returned. 


Back up file (not submitted and was not asked)
Five years employment history letter from HMRC
National Insurance five years record
Self employment (Work samples, contract, appointment letter etc) 
More cohabitation documents
Self employed Work samples 


I arranged separate folders for the separate sections 

File 1) SET(O) form
Appointment letter, Life in UK Test, previous leave to remain UKBA letters (all photo copies kept except UKBA letters)

File 2. Salaried Employment 
Payslips were taken out of the Polly wallet and check against the bank statements.
(All photo copies were kept including payslips and employe letters)

File 3. Self Employment
(All photo copies kept except raised invoices which were taken out of the Polly wallet which means they were checked for sure. 

File 4. Cohabitation docs 
(All photo copies taken) 

File 5. Holidays (Total 171 in 5 years) 


Appointment time 8:30
Security/Payment/Biometric done by 9:30 

9:35 Bio metric verification 

9:40 Case under consideration 

11:20 Ready for collection.

Granted ILR 11:25 

So it took approximately 90 minutes for the case worker to decide our case. Though I was worried after reading the posts that self employment cases take longer than salaried employment and case worker can always retain the case requesting more docs. But I was quite lucky-;).  

I spent previous three months preparing my case. And my gut reaction from all that experience is that hard work and good presentation of your documents is the key. 

For self employed sole traders (applicants who do not operate through limited company) they definitely ask for contract letter/client's correspondence to establish that your self employment is genuine. So be prepared for that. Also provide every single letter from HMRC including copies of emails. That do strengthen the case and minimise any doubt that the case worker may have. 

My case was very genuine but after reading the posts here I still prepared client letters/my invoices etc which is not a mandatory requirement but if you submit it case worker is less likely to have any doubts about the case.

Last but surely not least. I researched quite a lot of ILR-Slef Employment and had consulted at least three lawyers to prepare my case. The key to your success is a good accountant. I had my regular accountant but only changed him for my ILR to avoid any risks that certainly paid off. 

Please let me know if any one has any queries, I will be happy to answer.

Best 

[sonub4ualt]

17th Sep

My ILR application was being successful today along with two dependants at Croydon PEO today. Thanks to all those I interacted with to clarify the confusions regarding the process.

Documents submitted:

Passports/Biometric Cards 
Payslips/Bank statements of salaried employment along with a covering letter. Case worker checked the bank statement/payslips and ticked the salary table of two salaried employments on my covering letter)
Life in UK Test certificates.
Previous few years of P60 (couple missing and I had five year summary of P60 from HMRC as back up but not submitted along with docs and the case worker did not ask for any additional docs)

Self Employment:
HMRC welcome letter
Accountant letter/Invoice summary (My accountant recommended by some one one on the forum done a remarkable job, the firm even checked the whole case and advised me to alter the clients letter a bit. I was very satisfied with their services. They addressed each and every concern or queries that I had in mind). 
Actual invoices raised during the self employment period (Case worker did check these for sure)
Client's letter confirming the work conduced and salary received (Original plus copy was retained)
Class2 NI deduction proof ( HMRC direct debit letter plus Bank statement, copies were retained)
SA203 (HMRC Confirming my income for the year 2012-13...copy retained)
Tax return 2012-13(Copy retained)
Email confirmation from HMRC that tax has been paid 

Cohabitation documents 
Previous two years of letters of myself and dependent (Electoral register registration confirmation-approx two years, tenancy agreements covering two years, main applicant's bank statements covering two years, joint bank statements covering last five months, marriage certificate, Wife NHS letters covering two years, Main applicant and dependant's provisional license plus counterpart, child birth certificate)

(Photocopies of all of the above were provided and all photocopies were kept)

Absents proof (holidays) payslips/employment contract etc) 
Looks like case worker was least interested in this file. All original letters plus copies were returned. 


Back up file (not submitted and was not asked)
Five years employment history letter from HMRC
National Insurance five years record
Self employment (Work samples, contract, appointment letter etc) 
More cohabitation documents
Self employed Work samples 


I arranged separate folders for the separate sections 

File 1) SET(O) form
Appointment letter, Life in UK Test, previous leave to remain UKBA letters (all photo copies kept except UKBA letters)

File 2. Salaried Employment 
Payslips were taken out of the Polly wallet and check against the bank statements.
(All photo copies were kept including payslips and employe letters)

File 3. Self Employment
(All photo copies kept except raised invoices which were taken out of the Polly wallet which means they were checked for sure. 

File 4. Cohabitation docs 
(All photo copies taken) 

File 5. Holidays (Total 171 in 5 years) 


Appointment time 8:30
Security/Payment/Biometric done by 9:30 

9:35 Bio metric verification 

9:40 Case under consideration 

11:20 Ready for collection.

Granted ILR 11:25 

So it took approximately 90 minutes for the case worker to decide our case. Though I was worried after reading the posts that self employment cases take longer than salaried employment and case worker can always retain the case requesting more docs. But I was quite lucky-;).  

I spent previous three months preparing my case. And my gut reaction from all that experience is that hard work and good presentation of your documents is the key. 

For self employed sole traders (applicants who do not operate through limited company) they definitely ask for contract letter/client's correspondence to establish that your self employment is genuine. So be prepared for that. Also provide every single letter from HMRC including copies of emails. That do strengthen the case and minimise any doubt that the case worker may have. 

My case was very genuine but after reading the posts here I still prepared client letters/my invoices etc which is not a mandatory requirement but if you submit it case worker is less likely to have any doubts about the case.

Last but surely not least. I researched quite a lot of ILR-Slef Employment and had consulted at least three lawyers to prepare my case. The key to your success is a good accountant. I had my regular accountant but only changed him for my ILR to avoid any risks that certainly paid off. 

Please let me know if any one has any queries, I will be happy to answer.

Best 

Congratulations, hard work pays!

[Janaan]

Indeed, thank you!