Conspiracy Theory - ILR?

[try-one]

Hello,
I have been calling the home office for a week, every day I call one or two minutes before 9.00 to book an appointment for my ILR in person applucation (PEO); however, very conviniently, all appointments are gone....it looks like the HO is assigning only a very small number of appointments.
Could it be just another attempt to reduce the number of people gaining ILR? first they add one year to the wait, then they add the life in the UK test, then they reduce the availability of in person appointments and delay the approvals by post (now serving July 07).....

[maveli62]

May be there are other crazy minds like you called HO and booked all slots.

What is wrong with you ?

[nonothing]

myself and a few of my friends came through exactly the same situation.

the truth is the HO only allocates 4-5 appointment slots for the applicants with dependants in each office every day. they save considerable time for those applicants coming through "designated" solicitors. aparently those guys are "happily" charged by both the HO (in person rate, currently £950) and the solicitors (£200 or so, i've heard). i fail to understand why this dirty trick exists in such a "fair" country, but sadly it does exist.

so you can imagine how easy you could lose out the about 20 appointments slots nationwide, when hundreds of applicatns call the same number everyday all at around 9.00am.

whilst we can't change anything, all i can suggest is that you use as many phones as possible, ask as many your colleagues/friends as possible to dial the same number tirelessly from 8.55am, then you might be lucky enough to get through.

another tip is monday seems the busiest day for booking an appointment, then from tuesday it gets a little bit easier. the reason for that probably is those are eligible to apply on saturday/sunday according to the 28 days rule can only actually apply on monday the earliest.

i do feel the multi-dialing trick is not very applaudable nor is it fair to some other guys. but that is forced by the HO's dirty trick in the first place. they're the ones to blame.

[VictoriaS]

Is there any reason why you can't do it by post?

Victoria

[try-one]

By post takes more time....undetermined time and my family is traveling in November.....that's why we are trying in person.

[VictoriaS]

Fair enough. Though it usually take about 4 weeks, it is cutting it fine.

I think the lines open from 8.30am. Or you can try to find a courier firm who have one of the slots. Be prapared to pay though. I can give a number of the firm we use if you are interested.


Victoria

[try-one]

Victoria,
I would be very grateful if you could provide their phone number (PM if you want)
thanks

[nonothing]

there're always plenty reasons that people want to spend half a day and a couple of hundreds quids more to get an instant decision, with getting passports back quickly and safely and not being able to bear the up-to-2-months uncertainty being two of the most popular reasons.

one of my friend's dependant (husband) can only stay in the UK for 3 weeks due to his hectic schedule, so she has no choice.

another friend of mine would soon change job and address at the time. she didn't want to leave the chance for the HO to mess up.

almost all my friends who have already got the ILR told me "if you don't care about the £200 and half a day off too much, go to the PEO office and get an instant decision. and that's what i'm ganna do.

[vin123]

goodness £900 ! - I doubt there is a better cash cow for government though its a struggle for them to cope up with foot n mouth out break.
To me it suggests that they will soon start issuing licenses to organisations for ILR accreditations.

Hello,
Could it be just another attempt to reduce the number of people gaining ILR? first they add one year to the wait, then they add the life in the UK test, then they reduce the availability of in person appointments and delay the approvals by post (now serving July 07).....

[navdeep4321]

I am also facing the problem of getting appointment.

Can some one mail me at navdeep4321@yahoo.com some numbers of courier agencies who have the slots booked.

I want to go to Liverpool PEO as it is just 1 hour away from my place. If it is not possible then I can travel to any PEO.

[try-one]

Navdeep4321;

My conclusions after wasting several calls to the home office are:
- There are approximatelly 4 appointments per PEO per day, these are released every day; however they will be available approximatelly 23 days from now.
- You must call from different phone lines to the HO number, and call between 8:55 am onwards; if you haven't been connected by 9:05 then forget it and continue with your day.
- I got connected at 9:00 am; several times by 9:02 and 9:01 there were no appointments.
- Prepare a script for when you are talking with the HO person; tell him you are going to apply for ILR using SET(O) based on 5 years residence on WP and that you have been here for more than 5 years, tell them you already passed the life in the UK test (tell them when) and that any appointment at any time would work....if you waste time letting them ask you those things one by one you would never get the appointment...
- Courriers do not act on behalf of the public; they only provide the service to specific solicitors or advisors
- Each solicitor or advisor would have a different fee; I was quoted £800, £900 from a few and £600 from others; they would "review your application and provide advise"....it doesn't matter if you dont need advise or if you don't want them to review the application, the fee is the same.
- From what I learned, you have three options:
a. Keep calling until you get one of the 4 daily appointments
b. Send a postal application
c. Contact a solicitor/advisor who would charge you the £100 approx courrier cost only plus a small overhead. (try contacting the advisors on this forum).

In any case; this is clearly an artificial situation created by the HO policies; assigning only 4 appointments a day to ensure that courriers can deliver a higher number of more expensive applications is absurd.....additionally, the applicant is not present.....

[ismangil]

This is the downside of trying to get an appointment. In the week or so you've been trying you'll already get some way into postal consideration...

Forget the inaccurate "Now processing xxx" on the website: My straightforward (5-yrs HSMP, one employer, no gaps) SET(O) was received 20 Aug and I received them back 5 Sep.

And if you're really worried about Nov traveling, then apply after you come back.

BTW, the reason I went postal route is I called PEO and they said at the time they didn't deal with HSMP SET(O). Now I know that seemed wrong info.

But, other than the delay, I am £200 better off! Although I am saving that for ID cards next year

[ismangil]

goodness £900 ! - I doubt there is a better cash cow for government though its a struggle for them to cope up with foot n mouth out break.

It's £950, to be exact...

[William Blake]

Well I actually think there is some merit in that conspiracy theory. All these obstacles make it harder for people to get ILR. HO clearly knows this. They have the money to fix this considering the amnt of the fees but they clearly don't see this as a priority.

[Fairtrade]

Yes I agee there is a cospiracy theory going on. The government knows there is a Big demand for British residency so the price for ILR goes up. Supply and demand!

On the other hand, you can also see it as a test, the Uk government want people that can contribute to the country and not sponge of it so the high fees are there to make sure only the right "sort" of applicants apply.

I think if people can't afford the £950 for ILR they should rather not be here. The Uk should not be a free for all like the press make it out to be but should be there for the people who want to contribute to this country and are willing to work hard and obey the rules.

[William Blake]

And yet your name is fairtrade. I think if people can't afford the fees they should be eligible for grants or be given leave to work for the fee.

[William Blake]

I gest but at any rate you are right. Other than the explicit criteria to be met there clearly are others to meet on the way to making an application.

[VictoriaS]

Yes I agee there is a cospiracy theory going on. The government knows there is a Big demand for British residency so the price for ILR goes up. Supply and demand!

On the other hand, you can also see it as a test, the Uk government want people that can contribute to the country and not sponge of it so the high fees are there to make sure only the right "sort" of applicants apply.

I think if people can't afford the £950 for ILR they should rather not be here. The Uk should not be a free for all like the press make it out to be but should be there for the people who want to contribute to this country and are willing to work hard and obey the rules.

So rich people are more deserving than pooor people - even poor people who don't claim benefits? An Englishman with 5 kids to whom £950 is a hug amount doesn't deserve to get ILR for his wife? A university professor on a low income because he is in an academic profession doesn't deserve it? Someone who has been in the UK for 10 years, since he was a schoolboy, and can't work because he was in an accident, shouldbe shipped home?

Until you hear the stories of how this money affects people, please don't make such sweeping statements.

Victoria