Urgent enquiry ILR SET (O)

I plan to apply for ILR SET(O) with 5 years WP working for a same employer. I have all the documents P60, bank statements, employer letter etc except for the Life in the UK certificate, which I will sit for this coming Saturday.

But my current WP expires on 26-Oct. I missed the fact that I can't book for a LITUK test within 7 days of booking. If I pass the test then I can post my application on the same day (Saturday) and will reach them on the following Monday (31-Oct), which is 4 days after my WP expires. What should I do?

The latest you can apply for settlement is 23:59:59 hours on 26-Oct. After that you will be an overstayer and therefore ineligible for settlement as a WP migrant.

If you apply before the deadline without the LITUK certificate and send it later (as soon as you have it), your application will be refused because you wouldn't have met the requirements on the day of the application.

Why on earth have you left the test so late? After all you could have taken it months ago!

I think you have created a problem for yourself. I am not sure whether there is a good solution.

Thanks for your reply.

So does that mean I have no way of applying for SET(O)?

Is it possible, or has anyone done it before, to sit for the LITUK test earlier than 7 days? I tried calling the five nearest test centres but they are closed on weekends.

Life in the UK Test website wrote:The earliest test you can take is 7 days from today.

Hearsay, so don't take my word for it - The day I took the test, there was a man pleading with the counsellor at the centre to allow him to take the test earlier than the mandated 7 days. He must have spent at least 45 minutes pleading but was repeatedly told that it cannot be done under any circumstances.