Tier One to FLR(M) Success at Solihull PEO - 14th Jan

[john88]

Tier One to FLR(M) Success at Solihull PEO - 14th Jan - Savings Only

I've lurked on these and other forums for the best part of 7 months since we found out about the new family migration requirements shortly before they came into force. I'd like to thank everyone for their information and posts and return just a token gesture with some description of how we were successful, in case it can help others.

We were on a career break travelling around the world last year before our marriage - and we found out about the new financial requirements halfway through the trip. We had quit our jobs to travel, so despite having earned well over the requirement in previous years (and my wife starting a new job well over the requirement last month) that meant nothing! We were lucky in that I had a good proportion of the savings already and some generous family who were willing to help make up the difference so we could get £62,500 in a savings account for 6 months. That balance was present from 9th July, then in November we went through the late nights trying to get a PEO appointment for same-day decision (essential as my wife needs to travel alot for work) - and secured the appointment for 14th Jan. Our marriage was in December and my wife's existing Tier One General Migrant visa runs out in March, so the timescales were all very tight.

Overall the experience at Solihull PEO was very good and efficient and the process was completed in 3.5 hours. Here are the most useful points of advice for anyone in a similar situation to us:
- Application on the basis of savings only was very straightforward. It wasn't clear from earlier notes that this was an OK way to proceed, but the Annex FM notes released in December make it explicitly clear that you can apply on the basis of savings only and no earnings - if you have £62,500 in an account in one of your names for 6 months.
- I had a very tight timescale to get statements from my bank as there were only two working days between the end of the 6 month window and the appointment. My bank (RBS) make things very difficult - it takes 2 weeks to get statements sent and I no longer receive these as a matter of course through the post. They told me on the phone that they could print out 6 months of statements on headed paper in the branch - which would meet the UKBA requirements. However when I got there, the statement report they could produce on headed paper only went back about 4 months. They could produce a plain-paper transaction summary showing running balance for 12 months, but they refused to print this on bank stationary (so technically it does not meet the requirement). I had they stamp and sign both of these - and also printed a statement from my online banking in the branch in front of the manager and had them stamp and sign this too (they initially refused to do this until I came up with the suggestion of printing it in front of them). I provided all three options with the application.
- I expected the plain-paper transaction summary to be rejected as it wasn't on bank stationary - but in fact this was the one that the lady at the appointment took and said "oh this is fine as it's been stamped and signed by the bank"
- I put together a huge application pack with relationship evidence and accommodation evidence - all structured and numbered in order with a three page cover letter describing everything and referencing items in the rules and guidance notes that justified our application and evidence (particularly an explanation regarding the bank statements). When we went to the first lodging-of-application window she only asked to see the bank statements, marriage certificate and first page of a tenancy agreement - all the rest wasn't needed. We expected that this was just a pre-check and that we would have a proper meeting with a caseworker later - but as it turned out that was our only conversation with anyone at the PEO about our application - and it lasted less than 10 minutes. I would recommend that if anyone has put together so much evidence and really feel that it's necessary they see it all, that you hand your whole application pack to them at the first opportunity.
- We had also photocopied everything - but in the end she only wanted a photocopy of passports and bank statements
- The letter we got didn't explicitly say that the visa was approved - just "your BRP will be sent to you" and some other notes which strangely said that "these notes don't convey that any visa has been granted", but we raised this with them and they said that's the letter they give to everyone - the visa is approved - it's only written explicitly on there for ILR approvals. Bear this in mind if you are thinking to use a PEO letter for proof to an employer that a visa has been granted - as if I was an employer I would not accept that letter as proof!
- I felt like there was really not much scrutiny put into our application in the end. I've heard that they do some "profiling" at these centers and maybe it helps that I am white British and my wife is white American - all the other couples we saw were either half or both another ethnic background. Not the way it should be, but I kind of felt like we deserved a break so I'll take what we can get!

So now we're approved for 30 more months I just have to contain my anger at the fact that ILR is now 5 years (clock starts again now my wife is in this visa category, I understand) instead of 3 - so it will take even longer until we can both have the same passport. Who knows how much worse the rules will get in the meantime - and what risk in the future of us being split up or face more uncertainty such as we have felt recently? I am glad of the outcome this week but still very disillusioned with the government and what I see as their attempt to exile me from my own country. I feel terrible for people in a similar situation to us who might not have been able to pull that much savings together and would have no choice but to leave. Our backup plan if we were rejected was to move to another european country for 9-12 months while I had a green card application in process - in which case Britain would never have seen another tax pound from me again!

Best of luck to everyone planning or in the process of their applications!

- John