Advice: ILR maintenance and early application

Hi,

My Tier 1: General Visa expires 6th Feb 2015 (was my second extension) and I will have been living in the UK since Dec 2009 - putting me just over 5 years in residence.

My questions are:

1. Do I still need to qualify under the points calculator for the ILR, mail in my passport, and have a maintenance fee? I have seen some articles which say yes, and others which say no.

2. If there is a maintenance fee, with a 3 month requirement, what happens if you have only hit it for 2 months? I have access to funds, credit cards, overdrafts, etc but dipped below the old maintenance amount for a week in the 3rd month. Will automatically be denied?

3. How long does it take to get a same day appointment - should I apply for this now? I would love to get my ILR before the actual expiration date of my visa - some time in early Jan. But not sure how far in advance I need to get started..?

4. the 180 days you are allowed out of the country during the 5 years - is that in a single trip or is that total over the course of the 5 years? How are you meant to prove this, copy every trip in your passport? And what if these are work trips? Are you required to provide a letter from your company stating all the dates you were travelling for work?

Thanks for the help!
Joy

1. No Maintenance required for ILR

2. N/A

3. You can only apply for ILR after you have completed 4yrs 11months 2 days, so you can start booking for appointment anytime after the days required have passed.

4. You need to provide a spreadsheet with all out-of country absenses with reasons, with a cover letter from employer confirming either Paid Holidays or Work Visa Visits. it really doesnt matter even if it is work oriented but can be challeneged i guess if you are econimically active in UK during those days.

1. No Maintenance required for ILR

2. N/A

3. You can only apply for ILR after you have completed 4yrs 11months 2 days, so you can start booking for appointment anytime after the days required have passed.

4. You need to provide a spreadsheet with all out-of country absenses with reasons, with a cover letter from employer confirming either Paid Holidays or Work Visa Visits. it really doesnt matter even if it is work oriented but can be challeneged i guess if you are econimically active in UK during those days.

JustJoyDean wrote:Hi,

My Tier 1: General Visa expires 6th Feb 2015 (was my second extension) and I will have been living in the UK since Dec 2009 - putting me just over 5 years in residence.

My questions are:

1. Do I still need to qualify under the points calculator for the ILR, mail in my passport, and have a maintenance fee? I have seen some articles which say yes, and others which say no.

2. If there is a maintenance fee, with a 3 month requirement, what happens if you have only hit it for 2 months? I have access to funds, credit cards, overdrafts, etc but dipped below the old maintenance amount for a week in the 3rd month. Will automatically be denied?

3. How long does it take to get a same day appointment - should I apply for this now? I would love to get my ILR before the actual expiration date of my visa - some time in early Jan. But not sure how far in advance I need to get started..?

4. the 180 days you are allowed out of the country during the 5 years - is that in a single trip or is that total over the course of the 5 years? How are you meant to prove this, copy every trip in your passport? And what if these are work trips? Are you required to provide a letter from your company stating all the dates you were travelling for work?

Thanks for the help!
Joy

1. points calculator yes, passport yes, maintenance funds - no
2. no maintenance funds for ilr
3. generally lately you are usually able to get one within a week, especially if you are flexible as to location and do not have dependants
4. neither, it is up to 180 days in each of the 5 most recent 12-month periods counting backwards from the date of your application for ILR
you generally provide a table with list of trips and brief explanation of them
they do not have to all be for work, they can be personal -- so long as your economic activity remains in the uk and you are not employed abroad during this time, generally