Maintenance fund, big predicament, suggestions kindly sought

[can i get approval?]

Hi everyone on the boards.

I have been a little bit slack on my extension to my HSMP! I thought a couple of months would be plenty of time to get everything sorted!
Not the case of course, as since my application for HSMP, I had not been aware of the 3month maintenance rule (yes my stupidity in not checking, I am quite good at leaving things until late, this time I thought a couple of months would be plenty of time!)

My recent trip to France was the spur to start getting everything organised.
Unfortunately with buying a new bike for the summer and the holiday, my funds have gone below £800!

Funds went up to the £800 minimum on April 20th as the 20th is my pay day.

The HSMP VISA in my passport expires on July 20th.

I rang the VISA help line, I will also seek further advice. The girl did say they are very strict on the 3mth maintenance rule.
I asked when the latest I could apply is and she said if I did a postal application, as long as the post mark was the day before expiry I believe ie. the 19th of July in my case, this would be accepted.

Checking the calendar though, unfortunately the 19th of July is a Sunday. So this would mean I could not get the bank to sign 3months of bank statements and get them sent in time.

Also, would April 20th until July 19th qualify for 3months full statements anyway? Just wondering if it must be April 20th-July 20th.

Is it possible to book an appointment for the Monday July 20th for an in person application? I would of course have to get the 3months bank statements signed by the bank that morning and then go to Croydon for hopefully a 11am appointment of something. Or would they refuse this because my VISA expires on the 20th?

Alternatively, could I do a postal application on my final day with a postal mark of July 20th?

(I would of course go for the in person application if this was the safer option!)

Any advice, much appreciated. I will do whatever it takes to try and squeeze the extension in as my sister gets married in the UK in October and I can just see things going a little pear shaped and missing her wedding and having to go home to my home country (NZ, 24 hrs in a plane!), sit around for 3 months, lose my job in London etc etc!

[can i get approval?]

Brief summary of the above as I realise I went on a bit!

Required Maintenance funds for HSMP extension to Tier 1 of 3mths.

Bank account statements over £800 only from payday on April 20th.
HSMP VISA expires July 20th.

This time period equates to exactly 3months.
Can I do an in person application on July 20th? etc.

Any suggestions as to what may be done?

Cheers.

[push]

Brief summary of the above as I realise I went on a bit!

Required Maintenance funds for HSMP extension to Tier 1 of 3mths.

Bank account statements over £800 only from payday on April 20th.
HSMP VISA expires July 20th.

This time period equates to exactly 3months.
Can I do an in person application on July 20th? etc.

Any suggestions as to what may be done?

Cheers.

April 20th to July 20th is 3 months+1 day. Taking an appointment for July 20th will be very tricky (You have to be very lucky for that) - The appointment will be available just for a few minutes on just one day. Take your bank statements on 20th July for last 3 months, apply by Royal Mail signed for/special delivery and you should be fine if the case is straight-forward otherwise.

[can i get approval?]

Ok, thanks for your advice on that, sounds a good idea!
I will call the VISA people on Monday just to confirm whether this will be possible. Everything else is in order. The only box I don't tick is the maintenance funds.
Does anyone know if its possible to get something like this confirmed in writing from the HO? I would be happy to have everything couriered to the HO on the 20th July but I just fear being told I applied too late etc.
I will continue to try and get advice on this so I can make sure all boxes are ticked.

[push]

Ok, thanks for your advice on that, sounds a good idea!
I will call the VISA people on Monday just to confirm whether this will be possible. Everything else is in order. The only box I don't tick is the maintenance funds.
Does anyone know if its possible to get something like this confirmed in writing from the HO? I would be happy to have everything couriered to the HO on the 20th July but I just fear being told I applied too late etc.
I will continue to try and get advice on this so I can make sure all boxes are ticked.

Well see below from [urlhttp://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/workinginthe ... y/#header1]UKBA website[/url]:

Application date by post
The date of postage is used as the date of application.
The date of an application made by post is decided by the postmark. The payment handling service attaches the original envelope with all postal applications. If the envelope in which the application was posted is missing, or if the postmark is illegible, the date of postage is taken as at least one day before its receipt. The day of receipt is normally the date the payment handling service processed the fee. If there is any uncertainty, you will be given the benefit of the doubt.

Application date by courier
If you send your application by courier, the date it is received at the payment handling service is used as the date of application.
The payment handling service attaches the original envelope with all postal applications. The payment handling service includes the date of delivery for all applications by courier.

Note sure what other confirmation you are looking for.

[can i get approval?]

Again, thank you very much for this advice.

Right, I think I am getting my head around things. I didn't think it was too clear on the website what option I had for an HSMP extension.

Can I ask for your advice on one more thing?

I am due to complete the first 2 years of my HSMP in a couple of months.
Am I right in thinking that I don't actually have to move to the Tier 1 General but could actually use the form FLR(IED) to extend my HSMP for another 3 years when I will hopefully be able to go for ILR?

I am just not too sure with the recent changes that have taken place and I took the advice from this website and link below but just want to make sure I am not getting old advice (just couldn't find the exact form on the UK border agency site).

http://www.hsmp-services.co.uk/hsmp_ext ... ation.html

I used this link below as well as I thought this would be the form I need but I think this may have changed as well? FLR tier 1 (HSMP)

http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/sitec ... tier1-hsmp

Thanks again in advance.

[can i get approval?]

With effect from today, version 07/2008 of the FLR tier 1 (HSMP) application form has also been replaced.

http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/sitec ... tier1-hsmp

It isn't clear though what it has been replaced with...

[push]

With effect from today, version 07/2008 of the FLR tier 1 (HSMP) application form has also been replaced.

http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/sitec ... tier1-hsmp

It isn't clear though what it has been replaced with...

oh oh oh.... you are really getting freaked out now. What you have pointed out to is a stale news. "Today" in the news means 03 April 2009.

[can i get approval?]

not totally freaked (a little freaked admittedly), just not sure what form I should be using

I would like to apply for FLR under HSMP.

Would you happen to have a current link for the appropriate form to do this?

[push]

Again, thank you very much for this advice.

Right, I think I am getting my head around things. I didn't think it was too clear on the website what option I had for an HSMP extension.

Can I ask for your advice on one more thing?

I am due to complete the first 2 years of my HSMP in a couple of months.
Am I right in thinking that I don't actually have to move to the Tier 1 General but could actually use the form FLR(IED) to extend my HSMP for another 3 years when I will hopefully be able to go for ILR?

I am just not too sure with the recent changes that have taken place and I took the advice from this website and link below but just want to make sure I am not getting old advice (just couldn't find the exact form on the UK border agency site).

http://www.hsmp-services.co.uk/hsmp_ext ... ation.html

I used this link below as well as I thought this would be the form I need but I think this may have changed as well? FLR tier 1 (HSMP)

http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/sitec ... tier1-hsmp

Thanks again in advance.

HSMP is dead now and has been replaced by Tier-1. You need to extend your current leave (under HSMP) under Tier-1 now.

You will find the latest forms on the right hand side of the UKBA webpage.

Instead of looking at other websites, research the UKBA website/consult members on this board/go through the Tier-1 Guidance note.

[push]

not totally freaked (a little freaked admittedly), just not sure what form I should be using

I would like to apply for FLR under HSMP.

Would you happen to have a current link for the appropriate form to do this?

Have already done so (see my post above). Its in fact good to be a bit nervous and extra-cautious when you are dealing with VISA matters, especially when HO keeps changing rules/forms etc.

Take your time/ have a good read of the guidance notes and ask questions. We all are here to help. Good luck.

[can i get approval?]

Nice! Thanks very much for that, I did have the wrong form.

This is the one I need, I can now go to the BBQ and B'day party that I was delaying while I tried to get my head around this, it has put my mind at rest, now I just have to worry about the bank statements thing!

Cheers, enjoy the rest of your weekend.

[push]

Nice! Thanks very much for that, I did have the wrong form.

This is the one I need, I can now go to the BBQ and B'day party that I was delaying while I tried to get my head around this, it has put my mind at rest, now I just have to worry about the bank statements thing!

Cheers, enjoy the rest of your weekend.

You too mate.