HSMP extention timelines?

[djbabyboom]

There are few premises as I understand the process of extending HSMP EC:
1) an applicant should send his/her passport along with other documents two months before his/her leave to remain as a Highly Skilled Migrant expires (source, scroll down to section #5)
2. The current processing time for Leave to Remain Applications - 13 weeks, the cases that are currently considered dated by 24th August (source)

13 weeks minus 2 months results... approximately 4.5 weeks of being illegal in the UK??

Someone, please unravel this equation?

My employer occasionally requires me to travel overseas. Having sent my passport for 13 weeks I will be unable to leave the UK and therefore to fulfil my job responsibilities.

Is there any way to overcome this?
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[MWazir]

Your stay beyond the expiry date of your 1 year HSMP visa will not be considered illegal because you have applied for further leave to remain in the country before the expiry of your visa. Read the guidelines in the FLR(IED) for more details.

Its unfortunate that FLR is taken 13 weeks. For people with urgent travel requirements (esp. business), another form call be sent to the FLR team, the "Urgent Treatment form"

http://www.workingintheuk.gov.uk/workin ... forms.html
Look at the Leave to Remain Section

[djbabyboom]

Its unfortunate that FLR is taken 13 weeks. For people with urgent travel requirements (esp. business), another form call be sent to the FLR team, the "Urgent Treatment form"

http://www.workingintheuk.gov.uk/workin ... forms.html
Look at the Leave to Remain Section

Thank you - but I noted this Urgent Treatment Form applies to those who "have received an acknowledgement letter from ATOS Cannock relating to your FLR(IED) application before 15 July 2004" which is obviously not a case as I am going to submit my application in the early January 2005?

Additionaly, there is an announcement:

Further Leave to Remain Applications: Return of Passports
14 June 2004

Work Permits (UK) are currently unable to process FLR (IED) applications on a expedited basis.

Should you require any passports or other supporting documents to be returned urgently, while your leave to remain application is under consideration, then the application must be withdrawn in its entirety.

[MWazir]

Applications before July 15 have been processed according to their website. The urgent treatment form though is still available on their website. Look for older topics, I saw someone who got his FLR processed with an Urgent Treatment request not long ago and his application was submitted after the 15th of July.

Another commonly debated point on the FLR is that the urgent queue itself is quite long these days