Eligibility criteria: 5 + 1 year (I applied as an employed and self-employed person, even though I was a student for 4 years.)
Language criteria met : CAE, CPE, IELTS (9.0 overall), Oxbridge University Degree, Life in the UK test
Current nationality: New EU country
Method of application: MAGNE & Co Immigration Lawyers
Council name if NCS used: N/A
Date of application: 21/03/2014
Payment method : Credit Card
Date of receipt by UKBA: 23/03/2014
Date of acknowledgment: 25/03/2014
Date of debit or clearance of fees: 27/03/2014
Date approval received: 01/05/2014
Date of ceremony: 22/05/2014
My application has been approved very quickly (about 4 weeks).
Do your application with a lawyer, preferably with a lawyer who has a British name and went to a good uni (Ox or Cam). Home Office will take you more seriously if you do so.
http://www.immigration-help.co.uk/
I submitted a very detailed application with a top immigration lawyer who really argued my case. I proved my economic activity (self-employed, sometimes employed) with different types of documents for the past 6 years (invoices I gave, invoices I received, list of transactions to my business accounts, my ads in newspapers, tax returns, tax calculations, NI contributions, letter from accountant, pay slips from work, work contracts). Same with proof of residence in Britain (bank statements for each month for the past 6 years- I have 3 bank accounts with different banks, letters from various councils which confirm that I was registered there on the electoral roll, rconfirmation letters from my university, accommodation contracts, letters from GP about appointments with my address on them etc). Prove everything for every month with at least 3-4 documents. Don't rely on just one type of proof.
I had 7 referees instead of 2. All of them highly educated, British with respectable professional jobs. Included their photos and photocopies of their passports to make my application stronger and more convincing.
I created a directory guide sheet for my documents (which stated which months are covered by what) to make it easier for the case worker to go through my application. Documents were in chronological order going backwards in time.
I have never claimed any benefits, tax credits, housing benefit, job seekers allowance etc. in the past 10 years while I was here in the UK, not even when I was eligible for them. This was emphasised throughout my application.
