Post
by happy_IRL » Wed Aug 08, 2012 7:40 pm
Guys,
I would like to thank you all for your advices on this website and God bless whoever created internet. This is much better than hiring a lawyer. I would specially like to thank xyz123 and sushdmehta for the FAQs for IRL threads. This was sooooo useful that I decided to give back by sharing my experience.
Here is my story:
Got my initial HSMP stamp on the 05/09/2007
Got extended under Tier 1 until 05/09/2012
Applied for ILR exactly 28 days before which is today
Got my appointment 42 days ago
Absences: 185 holidays+ 16 work trips + 6 unpaid holidays while switching employment
I submitted
All passports (2),
2 Photographs,
Completed SET(O) form,
3 employer letters ( for work absences from UK, personal annual leave confirmation, salary confirmation )
P60(5 years),
Copies of Salary slips(12 months) on company header and signed by HR as my company recently move to an online system,
Bank statements only for last 12 months,
Life in UK letter
HSMP and Tier 1 approval letters
My appointment was at 8.10! Got there at 7.20 and they opened the door at 7.25. I was allowed in and by 7.35 I had passed the security checks. They sent me to window 12 where my application form , passports (I had 2) and appointment reference number was requested. The lady asked me if I had an absence of more than 90days in one go and I said no. She then registered me and gave me a number(002). I then went to the 1st floor to pay. Payment made by credit card and it all went fine. All was done by 7.48. I was then sent to wait on the red seats on the opposite to be called for biometrics. They started working at 8AM. My number was called at 8.04 and I went to counter 8. She looked at my application form, registered me and send me to enrol my biometrics. By 8.24 all the biometrics were done and I proceeded to the 2nd floor.
On that floor they started calling people at 8.55 and my number was called at 9.05! It was a lovely old Asian man. He went through my docs and by 9.40 asked me if I had given everything. I had a nice spreadsheet with all the absences and he said he would go through the docs. He proposed for me to go out and come back but I said I would wait. I sat right in front of him and he started his work. As he left his window open I saw him going away a number of time, discuss my case with other colleagues and also a senior CW. At 11.30 he called me and showed me a paper with my name, DOB, address and asked to confirm if they were correct. He then said he’s granted me the IRL… Can’t explain how relieved I felt after months of sleepless nights and hours on internet!
Once again big thanks to all the contributors and any questions please let me know. Btw I might not be always online but I will try to answer as soon as I can...Good luck to all of you