SET M query

[Daryl.mendosa]

You can apply from 28 days before you've completed 2 years in the UK with spouse leave, if you were a PBS dep before being granted leave as a partner, this may also be counted.

Thank you Amber, much appreciated.

regards
Daryl

[Daryl.mendosa]

Thank for the prompt reply, really appreciated.

What shall I answer in the SET M form question 9.11, How long you have stayed in the UK. I arrived in the UK in 2007 on student visa and left in 2009 for 9 months then came back again in 2010 and stayed here since then. Shall I answer from 2007 or 2012 when I was granted the FLR M visa.

2010 would be fine, they will know your immigration history so it shouldn't be an issue. The important factor is the 2 year probationary period.

Hello there,

I am extremely sorry to bring this question regarding section 9.11 again, It is doing my heading and making me nervous as well. I would like to know, what shall I put, staying in the UK since 2007 and denote my absence for 9 months saying voluntarily left the UK and came back on Post Study Work visa, or ignore my 2009-2010 (9 months) absence and leave the absence section empty. Your advice will be really helpful.
Regards- Daryl

[Amber]

Just include the absence as it shouldn't have any affect.

[Daryl.mendosa]

Just include the absence as it shouldn't have any affect.

Thank you very much Amber, for the prompt reply, I really appreciate your guidance. I will include my absence years from 2009-2010 (9 Months) and in the reason, I will mention, left the UK voluntarily and returned on Post Study Work Visa. Hope this will be OK.

Regards
Daryl

[Daryl.mendosa]

Hello guys and all the GURUS,

First of all we would like to thank Amber from our bottom of our hearts for her advice which was very helpful, so a BIG THANK YOU and HUGS to AMBER for the advice, much appreciated.

We used Settlement Checking Service (SCS) at Enfield Civic Centre, 2 weeks before our appointment and found it very useful, although the lady officer at Enfield said we don't need photocopies of the documents. We decided to photocopy all our documents which were selected by her and carry them along with us. She also gave us a letter saying that we have used SCS along with a form listing the two years worth of COHAB documents (It took me almost 6-7 months to sort all the COHAB documents, and I personally found it very stressful to gather each and every document, but at the SCS very few documents were selected, the Officer even said lesser is better for the caseworker) and counter signed it. We had PEO appointment at CROYDON booked on 6th Feb 2014 at 08:30 am (its the best time to go because, very few people were present in the building, may be because of Planned Industrial Tube strike, but earlier you go better it is, every worker is fresh in the office)

We reached the Croydon Office, early at 07:45 and were made to wait 15 mins outside the building as the Security Officer didn't allow us to go inside the building. At 08:00, we were allowed to enter the building along with the people who had 08:00 appointment. We entered the building and showed our appointment papers to the Security Officer, who allowed us to enter the waiting corridor at the ground floor, the lady Security Officer said as our appointment is at 08:30, we have to wait in the waiting corridor and at 08:15 (applicants for 08:00 appointment went straight) we will be allowed for case registration.

At 08:15 am after going through the Airport Style Security check, we were asked to go straight to the 3rd floor (Croydon lifts were not working ) climbing the stairwell we went to 3rd floor (huffing and puffing) where we were asked to present payment receipt and our passports. The lady gave us token number, as she issued the token number, simultaneously our number was called for case registration, we straight went to the desk where an officer registered our case, he first asked our passports, (please carry all passports, including the expired ones, as they will need it, British partners don't need to carry old ones just the latest will suffice), afterwards he asked our photographs and application form. After going through the details he said please keep all the supporting documents in the transparent file (which he provided) I asked him, do you need the photocopies as well, he said if you have it, then please put them along with originals. I also asked do you need our original Marriage Certificates, to this he said they already have it as you have provided it with your FLR (M). I placed all the documents which were selected with the SCS + photocopies with SCS letter into the plastic transparent folder and gave it to him. Few moments later, he kept the Application form along with photographs and passports in the same folder and said our case has been register, you will be called for Biometrics in some time. As soon as we got up to leave the desk our number was called for Biometrics. I went in for the Biometrics and this guy at the Biometrics informed me what they will be doing today and after Biometrics I will be assigned a Case worker. He also informed me that as they have quite less applicants in the building at the moment we may get the result early and by 10:00-10:30 we may be out of the building. At 08:45 we already had Biometrics done and now waiting in the Croydon Coffee Shop on the same floor (we were given an option to leave the building or stay in the Coffee Shop situated on the same floor, we decided to wait in the Coffee shop as it was quite cold). Now the wait started, 09:00, 09:15, 09:30, 09:45, 10:00 every minute was like an hour, we was so tired waiting and listening to the automated machine calling token numbers. At 10:05 I saw our token number have reached in the category of 'READY FOR COLLECTION' and finally the moment arrived and our token number was called at 10:15. We went in to the desk to collect our paper work, my legs were trembling not due to fear but due to sitting over an hour , when I reached the desk the Case Worker gave the set of originals to me and said did you have a BRP earlier, I answered 'YES', he said you will receive a new one within 7 days. YAY Hooray. I was so relaxed all my pressure suddenly dropped, I thanked Jesus Christ and we came out of the building at 10:30. The Whole experience took 2.5 hours to complete and was a friendly one with NO QUESTIONS ASKED.

Now I am waiting for the new BRP to arrive

Overall I will give 10/10 to Croydon, the service was quite professional and friendly. I would recommend London applicants to go Croydon.

Once again Many Thanks to AMBER for the inputs she provided during the preparation of the application. This is a lovely forum and I have learned quite a lot of things.

Kind regards,
Daryl Mendosa