ILR postal applications (excluding 10/14 yr.)

[Chanty_b]

Hi All,

I am starting to panic a bit as I sent off my postal application of ILR SET O (on Ancestry grounds), on the 10th October 2012 and received my a letter on the 17th October 2012.

I have read a lot of people saying their documents are taking pretty much at least 6 months to be returned.

The problem that I have is that I have a family wedding to attend (which I have been asked to be bridesmaid for) abroad and have booked flights for the 29th of March 2013.

This calculates to be about 2.5 weeks short of 6 months when I have to fly out and I am really concerned that my passport will not arrive on time. I also have concerns that over Christmas, things will also slow down at the Home Office like most places do.

I have included a letter to the Home Office explaining the situation, however I suppose they will not consider my letter as it does say in their documentation that no travel plans should be made until everything is received back.

Does anyone know, if you have posted your application off is it possible to pay extra for it to be fast tracked while the paperwork is away at the Home Office?

[Scanner]

Hi All,

I am starting to panic a bit as I sent off my postal application of ILR SET O (on Ancestry grounds), on the 10th October 2012 and received my a letter on the 17th October 2012.

I have read a lot of people saying their documents are taking pretty much at least 6 months to be returned.

The problem that I have is that I have a family wedding to attend (which I have been asked to be bridesmaid for) abroad and have booked flights for the 29th of March 2013.

This calculates to be about 2.5 weeks short of 6 months when I have to fly out and I am really concerned that my passport will not arrive on time. I also have concerns that over Christmas, things will also slow down at the Home Office like most places do.

I have included a letter to the Home Office explaining the situation, however I suppose they will not consider my letter as it does say in their documentation that no travel plans should be made until everything is received back.

Does anyone know, if you have posted your application off is it possible to pay extra for it to be fast tracked while the paperwork is away at the Home Office?

You can not pay to fast track the process, unless of course you want to withdraw your application and apply for an in person application. Depending on how long you have left on your current visa, both course of actions would require time. It could take up to two weeks for your documents to be returned and could take months to be able to secure an appointment for PEO.

And honestly I appreciate the fact that a wedding is taking place and you have an important role to play in it, but in the scheme of things, I do not think it would move Home office one bit, such that they would fast track your application. sorry to be blunt but that is the honest truth.

[NewtownDesi]

What??!!!

I feel sorry for you mate, but you are not the only case.

I thought you recieved your acknowledgement letter. Did you not quote them your reference number on the acknowledgement letter?

To all the people who have applied with 5 yr work permit basis before October 2012,

Did you send your work permit with your postal app?

I was not told to include this by my legal adviser, but my friend who applied in person in October was.

My bio invite is taking too long and I began wondering that is because I didn't include this? To make it a bit more complicated, my permit contains a different name (my employer applied with my married name, which was never a legal name.)

Anyway, if anyone who applied pre Oct could advise that'd be great

Thanks!

Hi Baxx,

Yes, I included my old work permit and a certificate of sponsorship.

I also applied on a 5 year work permit SET(O) like you. I have submitted the letter that I got from HO 5 years back allowing me to work for 60 months in UK, my old passport with the 5years work permit residance permit stamp and a photo copy of both.

I have done biometric enrolement on the 25th of october.

I suggest you call HO again tell them that you still haven't recieved your biometric enrolement letter. If they tell you not to contact them for 6 months just call them again next day. Once in a while you will get a sensible person on the phone who will tell you what actually is going on.

Best of luck!

I have just called them and the responce was: Your application is not in the system.

What can I say........bloody bureaucrats!


Did you apply yourself or via an agent?

[Justiceseeker]

Yes, I did receive my acknowledgement letter and I have reference number. However, lady on the phone said that this was the payment acknowledgement ref number. She just said that case was not in the system. I know sounds ridiculous, but that is the reality of the process. ))))))))))))
To be honest, I’m not worried at all as I do not have plans to travel and my case was checked by an immigration adviser. It is only the fact that HO practice is absolutely inefficient and ineffective. Government day and night talks about efficiency and effectiveness, but in reality it is all a bucket of rubbish, especial when you realize that application fee is an AVARAGE MONTHLY salary in the UK.

Anyway, we’ll get there eventually. ))))))))

What??!!!

I feel sorry for you mate, but you are not the only case.

I thought you recieved your acknowledgement letter. Did you not quote them your reference number on the acknowledgement letter?

Hi Baxx,

Yes, I included my old work permit and a certificate of sponsorship.

I also applied on a 5 year work permit SET(O) like you. I have submitted the letter that I got from HO 5 years back allowing me to work for 60 months in UK, my old passport with the 5years work permit residance permit stamp and a photo copy of both.

I have done biometric enrolement on the 25th of october.

I suggest you call HO again tell them that you still haven't recieved your biometric enrolement letter. If they tell you not to contact them for 6 months just call them again next day. Once in a while you will get a sensible person on the phone who will tell you what actually is going on.

Best of luck!

I have just called them and the responce was: Your application is not in the system.

What can I say........bloody bureaucrats!


Did you apply yourself or via an agent?

[londonererer]

SET(O) / ILR application
straightforward

2 yrs HSMP/ 3 years Tier 1 (General)
Expired Aug 6, 2012

Posted application: July 31, 2012
Date of App acknowledged letter: Aug 13, 2012
Biometric letter dated: Nov 4, 2012
Biometric letter received: Nov 7, 2012
Biometric completed: Nov 8, 2012
waiting on rest

Getting my MP to send a letter

[NewtownDesi]

I am in the same boat as you. I applied by post because couldn't get an appointment and didn't realise that its gonna take 6 months!!.
I need to go out of the country by the end of december. I don't think I will recieve my passport back by then. There is some info on the link below which you would like to know. I suggest not to widthdraw the application as you still have 5 1/2 month.If you receive your biometrics invitation letter in time (2 months usually) your visa should be done in 2-3 months (fingers crossed) after the biometric enrolement.

http://www.immigrationboards.com/viewto ... highlight=

Hi All,

I am starting to panic a bit as I sent off my postal application of ILR SET O (on Ancestry grounds), on the 10th October 2012 and received my a letter on the 17th October 2012.

I have read a lot of people saying their documents are taking pretty much at least 6 months to be returned.

The problem that I have is that I have a family wedding to attend (which I have been asked to be bridesmaid for) abroad and have booked flights for the 29th of March 2013.

This calculates to be about 2.5 weeks short of 6 months when I have to fly out and I am really concerned that my passport will not arrive on time. I also have concerns that over Christmas, things will also slow down at the Home Office like most places do.

I have included a letter to the Home Office explaining the situation, however I suppose they will not consider my letter as it does say in their documentation that no travel plans should be made until everything is received back.

Does anyone know, if you have posted your application off is it possible to pay extra for it to be fast tracked while the paperwork is away at the Home Office?

[Baxx]

Thanks for your replies, Justiceseeker, NewtownDesi,

I thought it was a bit strange that I wasn't asked for this...
Wonder if this is THE reason for my slow progress?? and no acknowledgement letter!!
I cannot call HO at the moment as my adviser is trying to get on the case for me, but I certainly suggest this to my adviser after he gets back to me with news (or no news!)

Justiceseeker,
That's a terrible news tho, maybe mine's lost somewhere, too!

Me, neither, I am not in any hurry, but wish they were more consistent and sufficient, with such a high price service!

Hi Baxx,

Yes, I included my old work permit and a certificate of sponsorship.

I also applied on a 5 year work permit SET(O) like you. I have submitted the letter that I got from HO 5 years back allowing me to work for 60 months in UK, my old passport with the 5years work permit residance permit stamp and a photo copy of both.

I have done biometric enrolement on the 25th of october.

I suggest you call HO again tell them that you still haven't recieved your biometric enrolement letter. If they tell you not to contact them for 6 months just call them again next day. Once in a while you will get a sensible person on the phone who will tell you what actually is going on.

Best of luck!

To all the people who have applied with 5 yr work permit basis before October 2012,

Did you send your work permit with your postal app?

I was not told to include this by my legal adviser, but my friend who applied in person in October was.

My bio invite is taking too long and I began wondering that is because I didn't include this? To make it a bit more complicated, my permit contains a different name (my employer applied with my married name, which was never a legal name.)

Anyway, if anyone who applied pre Oct could advise that'd be great

Thanks!

[Jm5573]

Update of my Timeline so far:

1. Current visa: TIER 1 GENERAL
2. Date of expiry of current leave: 30-10-2012
3. Application form used for ILR: SET (O)
4. Number of dependants applying at same time: 2
5. Date application posted: 11-07-2012
6. Date application received at UKBA: 13-07-2012
7. Date payment debited: 26-07-2012
8. Payment mode : CREDIT CARD
9. Acknowledgement letter received: 31-07-2012 (Letter dated 31-07-2012)
10. Biometric letter received: 07/11/2012 (Dated 04/11/2012 (Sunday))
11. Date of biometrics Enrollment: 08/11/2012
12. Date of approval: WAITING
13. Date of return of passport and other documents: WAITING
14. Date BRP ILR Received:WAITING

[Jm5573]

I'm not very qualified on this but looking at your timeline I don't think your application has been delayed to the point where you need your MP's intervention. In fact yours is probably among the top 10% in terms of the turn around time considering a lot of the people who applied in July (some even June) are still waiting for the Biometric letters.

Oh, and by the way, the ukba has no straightforward applications!

SET(O) / ILR application
straightforward

2 yrs HSMP/ 3 years Tier 1 (General)
Expired Aug 6, 2012

Posted application: July 31, 2012
Date of App acknowledged letter: Aug 13, 2012
Biometric letter dated: Nov 4, 2012
Biometric letter received: Nov 7, 2012
Biometric completed: Nov 8, 2012
waiting on rest

Getting my MP to send a letter

[oakgreendub]

It is worth phoning just so they realise many people are unhappy, but you won't get any info from them. We applied in at the beginning of March, did biometrics four weeks later and are still waiting. It's 9 months now.

omg i can't believe it !! its been 9 months and still waiting ? what do you think they are waiting for ? i just want to say the service is REdIcilous!!!!!!

FINALLY my wife received her Passport back and her Biometric card today. 9 Months wait finally over!

The service has been ridiculous and perhaps it was made worse by the olympics. If you are under 6 months don't even think about it, just wait. As other people on here have said, if you have completed everything correctly and meet all the criteria then just sit tight and it will arrive eventually.

Thank god that wait is over my wife now has the option of going to Korea to deliver the baby which we had virtually given up on.

Good luck everyone.

congratulations its really nice hear good news like yours im still waiting and 7 months is over and no news !!!!! its getting so annoying i was going to travel to my country but its not posssible now !! did you get the paasport nad the permit card together by normal post ?

Both arrived on the same day, the passport by royal mail special delivery, and the Biometric by private courier 1 hour later! The private courier turned up in a normal car in plain clothes and my wife didn't want to open the door at first, so she opened it with the chain on and the guy had a strop and said i'm not delivering it now and got back in his car! When my wife realised she went out to the car and begged him to give her the package as she realised it must be the biometric. An awful end which really sums up the whole UKBA experience

At least it is over for us now.

[Justiceseeker]

Update of my Timeline so far:

1. Current visa: TIER 1 GENERAL
2. Date of expiry of current leave: 30-10-2012
3. Application form used for ILR: SET (O)
4. Number of dependants applying at same time: 2
5. Date application posted: 11-07-2012
6. Date application received at UKBA: 13-07-2012
7. Date payment debited: 26-07-2012
8. Payment mode : CREDIT CARD
9. Acknowledgement letter received: 31-07-2012 (Letter dated 31-07-2012)
10. Biometric letter received: 07/11/2012 (Dated 04/11/2012 (Sunday))
11. Date of biometrics Enrollment: 08/11/2012
12. Date of approval: WAITING
13. Date of return of passport and other documents: WAITING
14. Date BRP ILR Received:WAITING

Wow, it seems HO works around the clock if letters are issued on Sunday. I hope Theresa May is reading this thread and making notes. )))))

[londonererer]

Backlog!
http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2012/nov/0 ... CMP=twt_fd

[cathcarl528]

Hello All,
Had to share the good news, got my approval letter today. I was a July applicant. Below is my timeline.

1. Current visa: Spousal Visa (2 year one)
2. Date of expiry of current leave: 28-07-2012
3. Application form used for ILR: SET (M)
4. Number of dependants applying at same time: NONE
5. Date application posted: 02-07-2012
6. Date application received at UKBA: 03-07-2012
7. Date payment debited: 09-07-2012
8. Payment mode : DEBIT CARD
9. Acknowledgement letter received: 11-07-2012 (Letter dated 05-07-2012)
10. Biometric letter received: 30-08-2012 (Letter dated 22-08-12)
11. Date of biometrics Enrollment: 30-08-2012
12. Date of approval: 06-11-2012
13. Date of return of passport and other documents: within 7 days
14. Date BRP ILR Received:WAITING

Good luck to all those still waiting. It will come eventually!

[5a1mah]

Sent application: 29th June
Received Letter for biometrics: 19/08/2012
Bimoetrics completed:21 / 08/2012
Received Biometric card 08/11/2012

Still waiting for the rest of the documents, anybody know how long it takes. We were planning on taking a holiday this winter.

[sheford]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-20252160

UKBA case backlog
Current asylum cases 25,500
Asylum "controlled archive" 74,000
Current immigration cases: 3,500
Immigration "controlled archive": 21,000
Migration Refusal Pool 174,057
Former foreign prisoners: 3,954
Untraced former foreign prisoners: 53
Total: 302,064

The UKBA has pledged to close the controlled archives by the end of 2012, but MPs said they were not convinced final checks on each case could be done to an acceptable standard, given that only 149 staff were dealing with them.

[Baxx]

I got my Bio invite!!
Phew, such a huge relief, now I know my application was NOT forgotten in a pile somewhere but is being processed!

My application is SET (O) Work Permit 5 years
Application made via legal adviser.
Application sent off on 1/8/2012
Application received 3/8/2012
Acknowledgement Letter - NOT received (not by me nor adviser)
Payment taken from CC 21 or 22/8/2012
Biometrics Invitation Letter Received - 9/11/2012

[Klow]

Will this backlog affect those who applied in 2012?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-20252160

UKBA case backlog
Current asylum cases 25,500
Asylum "controlled archive" 74,000
Current immigration cases: 3,500
Immigration "controlled archive": 21,000
Migration Refusal Pool 174,057
Former foreign prisoners: 3,954
Untraced former foreign prisoners: 53
Total: 302,064

The UKBA has pledged to close the controlled archives by the end of 2012, but MPs said they were not convinced final checks on each case could be done to an acceptable standard, given that only 149 staff were dealing with them.

[SgtBellPepper]

Here is my updated status.

This is a SET(M) for Spouse of BC + 1 Child Dependant (combined application)

Submitted Application via SCS : 03 July 2012

Acknowledgement Letter Received : 12 July 2012

Payment Taken : 09 July 2012

Biometric Letter Received (child dependant) : 01 September 2012
Biometric Letter Received (spouse) : 24 September 2012

Biometrics Processed (child dependant) : 03 September 2012
Biometrics Processed (spouse) : 25 September 2012

Approval Letter (child dependant) : TBC
Approval Letter (spouse) : 10 November 2012

BRP Received (child dependant) : TBC
BRP Recieved (spouse) : TBC

So my wife has her ILR approved!!! Woohoo!!!

Thank you to everyone for their patient help, and assistance with loads of my questions.

Now we are just waiting for my daughter's letter. How weird though, that her biometric letter was submitted first and yet her approval letter is due after. Oh well, I'm just really happy. Am I safe in thinking if my wife has been approved, my daughter should have no problem?

Good luck everyone. It's a wait but worth it.

I will update with further details of the other approval letter and the BRP's as and when.

Take care.

[sn123]

Anyone not had even a biometry offer from July applications like me

Do you receive letter for biometry by normal post or recorded ? Coz post man in our neighbourhood has been dropping letters to wrong houses frequently so not sure if UKBA have already sent me the letter ,
Problem is tried ringing UKBA many times, very rude persons keep saying 6 months not yet, keep waiting !
Anyone has experience if if biometry request sent or not PLEASE HELP !!

MY TIME LINES
1. Current visa: TIER 1 GENERAL
2. Date of expiry of current leave: 01/08/2012
3. Application form used for ILR: SET (O)
4. Number of dependants applying at same time: 2
5. Date application posted: 25-07-2012
6. Date application received at UKBA: 26-07-2012
7. Date payment debited: 13/08/2012-2012
8. Payment mode : Debit card plus cheque(I had sent both cheque and card details in case card does not work, UKBA took payment by both method, took payment twice , I have not asked the money back as fear they might say Iam withdrawing my application back, so waiting untill decision made. )
9. Acknowledgement letter posted by UKBA: 10-08-2012 (received 13/08/2012)
10. Biometric letter waiting
11. Date of biometrics waiting
12. Date of approval: WAITING
13. Date of return of passport and other documents: WAITING
14. Date BRP ILR Received:WAITING :

[Klow]

Hi sn123,

I'm applying for SET(O) and I've received my biometry letter early September. My partner is applying for SET(M) and she hasn't received her yet. We applied the same time, 5th July.

If you look at July application post, few of them haven't received the letter either.

Pls read this for July application:
http://www.immigrationboards.com/viewto ... 0d8f70e618

[sn123]

Thanks a lot for info.

Do you get biometry request by normal post or recorded mail?

[apple2710]

I received 2 times a biometric invitation by normal post.

[Klow]

normal post for me as well

[tasawar]

Hi

Please is anybody help to make a list of documents for ILR for spouse visa i am going to give my Life in the uk test and then ILR so please tell me which documents i need for application.

[Kam123]

Hi Guys,

Just wondering if anyone has any updates from June 2012 applicants for ILR set O. If you do, kindly please post your timelines here:

http://www.immigrationboards.com/viewtopic.php?t=116672

This will help us in understanding the timelines a lot better for subsequent months as well. Thanks.