ILR postal applications (excluding 10/14 yr.)

ILR issued: 19 Nov 2009
ILR received: 24 Nov 2009
Good luck everyone here!

qingxu wrote:Timelines

Type: ILR SET(O) - work permit(Sept 04)
Filed: 27/08/2009
Delivered: 28/08/2009
Fee debited: 02/09/2009
Reference No.: 02/09/2009

Waiting patiently...

when is it ok to phone to check progress? after how many weeks?

which number is best to ring please?

RDB wrote:when is it ok to phone to check progress? after how many weeks?

which number is best to ring please?

Dont Bother if 14wks has not Elasped. if you are gonna call there is only one Number that will put you thru after being put on hold for Goodness know how long, which is a premium Number 0870 606 7766.

From what most of our experience, calling doesnt do anything besides confirm that they have your application. But I can understand if you still want to call and get some sort of contact cos 14wks is a long time to be in the dark.

When did you submit your application?

Applied for ILR SET(O) - 10 years long residence
Document send 24th July (Friday)
Document received by HO 27th July (Monday)
Ack letter received 28th July
Payment gone through 29th July
ILR issumed 19-Nov
Passports received 25-Nov

To Oluwa112,

Thank you for your kind words. Hope you will receive your ILR soon!

I posted my documents to UKBA in Durham, the Ack letter was from UKBA in Crydon (London), my ILR was issued in UKBA Sheffield. It seems there are many UKBA offices and each one has a special functionality. The Sheffield one might work as a "central processor unit" that makes the final decision.

haha wrote: To Oluwa112,

Thank you for your kind words. Hope you will receive your ILR soon!

I posted my documents to UKBA in Durham, the Ack letter was from UKBA in Crydon (London), my ILR was issued in UKBA Sheffield. It seems there are many UKBA offices and each one has a special functionality. The Sheffield one might work as a "central processor unit" that makes the final decision.

hmmm.. Interesting so this is my conlusion from your Post. If Sheffield are the Issuing UKBA Centre for ILR once Decision has been made, that means that the Fact that I was asked to send more information if I needed to, to Liverpool, means that they are still delibrating on my application *at best* and at worst *its seating on a pile somewhere all dusty*...

Really if one is not Careful, UKBA could really turn a perfectly sane Person mad! I got so much stuff going thru my head!

Thanx for your goodluck, will definitely be needing it as well as Divine intervention...

haha, did you have any gap at all within the 10 years?

taylondon, it depends on what you meant by "gap". One of my visa expired on 30Nov03 and at that time the university help me to extend my visa by post. The application was sent before 30Nov03 however the new visa was stamped on 16Dec03. Does this count as a gap?

no it does not count as a gap. Because you sent your application before your visa expired.

For example If you were to sent your application on the 12th of december then you would have had 12 days gap (from 30th of Nov until 12 Dec)

the date you post your application got to be before your visa expired.
so you did not have gap nd it was quite straightforward application .

Congratulations.

Hello,
I've applied for ILR on the 10 year basis.
Application recieved: 8th Sept 2009.
Got confirmation letter and money taken with in a week.

Just waiting now....

Hi

I applied on 20th Nov 2009 by post as available dates on line full upto 15th January 2010.
Money deducted on 23rd Nov 2009 . How long it takes in general to get a decision if applied by post?

Which method is faster ? Any idea according to time line of these two if there is no any problem in the application. it may be helpful for others to decide.

taylondon wrote:no it does not count as a gap. Because you sent your application before your visa expired.

For example If you were to sent your application on the 12th of december then you would have had 12 days gap (from 30th of Nov until 12 Dec)

the date you post your application got to be before your visa expired.
so you did not have gap nd it was quite straightforward application .

Congratulations.

Taylondon, I have two questions:
(1) the old visa expired on 30Nov03 and the new Visa started 16Dec03. How could HO find out the application was sent before 30Nov03? Do HO have a record in the system so that they can find out?

(2) If the old visa expired on 30Nov03 and the application was sent after this date, meaning that the person was living in the "gap period" illegally (right?). Would HO still process the application?

1) every application is sent by special or recorded delivery. I am sure you sent yours by special delivery, nobody wants to sent their passport by normal post. Somebody on the HO side has to sign when they receive the application. HO logs the receiving date and special delivery reference number on your file. That is HO sometimes might confirm whether your application is received or not through your special delivery reference number, because they got it on their system
Once you sent your application you got no control over HO internal decision - making system. HO could make a decision within weeks/months or somestimes years.
You have to make sure that you sent your application before your visa expires. you would than leave the rest to HO.

2) if you do not submit further application to extend your visa, you have got no right to stay in the country from the date your visa is expired. That means you stay illegaly. in order to submit ILR application on the basis of 10 years long residence category you should be in the country legally and continously 10 years. If you were illegal at any point within last 10 years that means your application would be refused.

however if you got 10 days single gap HO might use discretionary and approve your application. The caseworker has to consult the discretionary with his/her senior caseworker.

if your visa expired on the 30th of Nov and if you sent your application on the 10th of December and if you were ill at the hospital from 29th of November until 8th of December than your application might be approved if you can provide them a report from hospital orif u can proof them your hospital stay.

oluwa112 wrote: Rajj - Applied 10th July - still waiting
Haha - Appied 24th July. ILR Issued 19 Nov, Passport Received 25th Nov... *Misery Over *
Sheng - 5th August - Still waiting
Oluwa112 - 10th August - Still waiting
Taylondon - 11 Sept - Still waiting

Hi,

came to this post when I try to search other applications under 10 years policy. Nice to know you guys here.

Just would like to add my PR application under 10 years policy details here:

Case created in HO: 17 August 2009
Acknowledge Letter: 20 August 2009

It has been 15 weeks and I have to keep waiting.

When I called the Home Office this week and last week, the answer is "Not Yet Completed".

Hi Croydon Welcome!

I understand that Feeling, trust me which is why i have complied the List. so at least we can relate to each other as we are such a small group.

I see that the 10yrs applicants appplued so closely together. I guess here is to hoping and praying that we all get our feedback before the End of 2009.

But in the meantime here is to patiently waiting. I guess not completed yet has now become a standard response now. 2wks ago was the 1st time I heard and Read about UKBA using that Phrase...
was hoping it meant something, but clearly that is not the case

Croydon wrote:

oluwa112 wrote: Rajj - Applied 10th July - still waiting
Haha - Appied 24th July. ILR Issued 19 Nov, Passport Received 25th Nov... *Misery Over *
Sheng - 5th August - Still waiting
Oluwa112 - 10th August - Still waiting
Taylondon - 11 Sept - Still waiting

Hi,

came to this post when I try to search other applications under 10 years policy. Nice to know you guys here.

Just would like to add my PR application under 10 years policy details here:

Case created in HO: 17 August 2009
Acknowledge Letter: 20 August 2009

It has been 15 weeks and I have to keep waiting.

When I called the Home Office this week and last week, the answer is "Not Yet Completed".

Hello,

You may add me as well - 10 years long residency application for SET (O) ILR.

Application sent: 26 Aug 09
HO received: 27 Aug 09
Payment debited: 28 Aug 09
Acknowledged: within a week

Into week 14 now and still waiting.

Will give UKBA a call end of next week on the application progress.

See what they will say.

Fingers crossed.

I applied for ILR Set(O) on the 1st April, I cannot recall when the funds had been deducted (it was more than 2 months later). It's now been almost 32 weeks and still nothing...

Application sent: 1 April 09
HO received: 2 April 09
Payment debited: ??? (At least 2 months after HO received date)
Acknowledged: within a week of payment being debited

Hi CLS and Terriblefish welcome to you too..

I have now updated the List to include and also keep us posted when you make that call. Not sure you will get much anyways but I think just making the call will be more self satisfactory for just making that contact after 14wks of nothing.

Rajj - Applied 10th July - still waiting
Haha - Applied 24th July. ILR Issued 19 Nov, Passport Received 25th Nov... *Misery Over Smile*
Sheng - Applied 5th August - Still waiting
Oluwa112 - Applied 10th August - Still waiting
Croydon - Applied 17th August - Still waiting
CLS - Applied 26th August - still waiting
Terriblefish - Applied 8th September - sitill waiting
Taylondon - 11 Sept - Still waiting

Dear wcc
did you apply by 10 year rule. do you have any gaps at all. did you call the HO and what do they say. 8 months is a long time to wait.

Hi rajj,

By "gaps" if you're referring to anytime being spent outside of the country the answer is "no", I've never left the UK.

Nor do I have a criminal record.

I've sent multiple letters to them through my MP and have had responses but it's clearly not doing much to help my situation.

I'm currently here looking for a direct way of contacting them through the telephone, or even meeting someone in person.

Hi WCC,

can please let us know which SET O application that you made, cos 8 months is a really long time to wait!!!:

Form and guide SET(O) - indefinite leave to remain in one of the categories listed below
Indefinite leave to remain in one of the following categories:
• Work permit holder
• Highly skilled migrant
• Representative of an overseas newspaper, news agency or broadcasting organisation
• Private servant in a diplomatic household
• Domestic worker in a private household
• Overseas government employee
• Minister of religion, missionary or member of a religious order
• Member of the operational ground staff of an overseas-owned airline
• Person with United Kingdom ancestry
• Writer, composer or artist
• Long residence in the UK - 10 years
• Long residence in the UK - 14 Years
• Foreign or Commonwealth citizen discharged from HM Forces
• Other purposes/reasons not covered by other application forms

oluwa112 wrote: • Long residence in the UK - 14 Years

It was under this one.

According to the UK Border Agency website (http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/ukres ... tingtimes/):

Waiting times

This page contains our service standards covering applications for settlement and for further permission to stay in the United Kingdom.
Service standards

Our service standards set out how quickly we aim to decide applications for settlement and for further permission to stay in the United Kingdom.

We will:
decide 95% of postal applications within six months; and
decide 90% of applications made in person at a public enquiry office within 24 hours

As of writing this post I'm looking for alternate means of contacting these people regarding the status of my application. As already mentioned there is nothing that I have done which should have held this process up any longer than the "norm" period of time. I understand that it's not a guaranteed waiting period but I've waited nearly 1/3 longer than the estimated time period.

* edit - The website for me doesn't provide a clear source of contact details in regards to getting an update on the status of my application.

* edit2 - I've found this info here: http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/conta ... ctcentres/ which suggests that as 14 weeks have passed I'm allowed to directly ask them on the status of my application.

It also states however that:

We are unable to advise you when your case might be decided.

You'd think that the damn people would just take 5 minutes to look at my application and say "OK he's fine". It's pissing me off to be frank. Has anyone benefited from contacting them through the provided channels?

I have now contacted my local MP and asked her to contact HO on behalf of me regarding with my outstanding application I submit 11 weeks ago on the basis of 10 years long residence.

I asked my MP to call HO because HO got a dedicated special phone line only for MPs and they get straight answer from there but she said to me the phone line is currently down. so she is going to write to them

by the time HO receives my MP's letter it would be 13-14 weeks which is the estimated target waiting time.

My current visa is going to expiry by 2012 therefore I got visa until 2012 regardless with anything else and I do not want HO keep my passport there unneccesarily for long time, they either refuse or approve it, no need to wait for months.
I could not go on holiday this christmas because they got my passport but I want to go on holiday in january or easter next year.

Lets see what my MP can do about it

WCC might like to put a formal complaint to:

The London and South East CSU can deal with complaints from customers living in the region or complaints about the service provided by the region.

Fax: 020 8760 8765

Email: LSECSU@homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk

Address: London and South East Region CSU, PO Box 1863, Croydon CR9 3UF

you should sent your MP's letters, responses your MP received and any other documants related with your case. Make it clear that 8 months waiting time is fell below the standards and plus no explanation is given regarding with 8 months huge delay.

just a word of advice WCC, putting complaint would not effect the progress of your case according to the HO but the caseworker(s) might always get irritated by getting interviewed regarding with the complaint about themselves, just make your decision well.

taylondon wrote:I have now contacted my local MP and asked her to contact HO on behalf of me regarding with my outstanding application I submit 11 weeks ago on the basis of 10 years long residence.

I asked my MP to call HO because HO got a dedicated special phone line only for MPs and they get straight answer from there but she said to me the phone line is currently down. so she is going to write to them

by the time HO receives my MP's letter it would be 13-14 weeks which is the estimated target waiting time.

My current visa is going to expiry by 2012 therefore I got visa until 2012 regardless with anything else and I do not want HO keep my passport there unneccesarily for long time, they either refuse or approve it, no need to wait for months.
I could not go on holiday this christmas because they got my passport but I want to go on holiday in january or easter next year.

Lets see what my MP can do about it

Hi taylondon, would it be possible to share some experience about how to contact local MP and ask them to handle the case for us?

How to find them? Did u write to them? Is there a email template for that?

Thanks

Hi WCC,

Please correct me if I am wrong, The Long Resisdence 14yrs Route is usally the selected path, if you applying based on residence in the UK that might have have been illegal, i.e: Overstayed a your Visa at some stage over the 14yr period, which is why there are 2 distinct Long Residence Routes:

10yrs Continuous Lawful Residence *i.e not overstayed and always renewed your Visa* OR 14 Years Continuous Residence as you noticed they Dropped off the Lawful for 14yrs.

If you are applying Based in 14 Years Continuous Residence I am sorry but you will have to wait longer as they are not treated as priority, but apparently they aim to clear the back log by 2011. I have read of 14yrs Long residence taking as long as 2-3yrs if not longer and there is absolutely nothing you can do to speeden up the process. If you read the SET O Application Guide, Under Processing time it states as follows:

Applications which are not straightforward and/or which
require further enquiries take longer to decide.These
include applications by people who have remained here
unlawfully after the expiry of their permitted stay.

http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/sitec ... to0409.pdf - Page 5

If you are not applying based on the Above Route and you have remained In status and always renewed your Visa over the 14yrs Period you applied based on, please ignore my comment and i will suggest that you definitely contact your MP or possibly seek Legal advise