Faith in UKVI returned. ILR approved

[seasky]

I delayed my ILR for a few months because of the RTI-FPS issue. I decided to pull the trigger APR 3rd to beat the expected fee raise (after figuring where I am on this issue is the best I can be, no magic solution is to be found)

Biometrics 11th APR
Approved 24th APR

What I did for RTI-FPS was a long explanation in cover letter that:

a. my SW is HMRC approved and acknowledged that it is not to HO guidance format. I read that some port data to other SW packages and I am not comfortable with the authenticity of doing that
b. I called HO hotline (twice) and both times they told me not to port to other SW but to explain in cover letter
c. I offered a lot of alternative evidence (including 6 employees who were approved at extension and so are still with me and that hence there would be no start date in my latest period of leave)

-without this forum I would not have even known that the FPS-RTI format is an issue- yes it is mentioned in passing in the guidance, but I might have not noticed that detail.

I will say again there is no evidence the HO is OK with porting data to another SW, the fact they have approved it may be just they don't know. Call the HO and ask as I have.

I also wrote a long (but actually succinct) cover letter spelling out what my company has done since extension (I am a big believer that CWs are human and helping them understand the 'big picture' is useful)

In cover letter I covered issues of additional stuff including investments, awards won, patents applied and granted, the reasons of my extensive travel, an acquisition we made, production plans for next few years, the fact I am called upon by the UK government for expertise in my field, the importance of our technology to UK economy, grants we won and conferences I have spoken at etc (I did not bring 'evidence' for all of this as it is beyond guidance, I did insert some scans into the cover letter e.g. patents granted and photos of awards, links to grants we won a few government documents I contributed to. I also showed that 12 pay is HMRC approved)

I also asked for letters of support from those I thought would be useful (e.g. well known customers, people in government I work with)

I addressed upfront in cover letter every issue that could be a concern. For example I did not know 5 years ago I would need to show travels for ILR. So I did not keep a perfect record and I explained where i got all the data in my travel logs. It took me a long time to piece together all my travels and there were a few stamps on my passport that are ineligible (saying that I don't think I missed anything and if I did it would be a few days so immaterial.

I also once received a speeding violation in a hire care, declared it as myself on the form the hire car sent me and never heard back (it was minor speed offence). Preferred to declare it than find out that there is an issue 'floating around' in the void of the police database.

I asked my contacts in DIT to push for a faster decision, the number one problem with T1e is removing an entrepreneurs ability to travel (would have paid for premium decision, but that option is not available, IMO because of all the fraud and low quality applications we see)

I did not praise God/allah/Jesus/Budha/Jehova because while I am a huge believer in freedom of religion it has nothing to do with immigration.

Lastly, I believe in giving back to the forum that I gained from, and believe that I do so even though it takes quite a lot of my limited time. I may be opinionated but there really is a problem in T1e. It seems the moderators do not appreciate my input (I think here and there I may have even saved the day with ideas) and also maybe like this forum not to focus on 'tech startups' but rather simpler businesses. And as such after answering any questions I will be leaving this forum. If you want me to stick around, notify a moderator.

[live4pride]

damn.. look at you boy.. smashed it! congratulations..

[Kai2015]

Hello Seasky,

First of all, congratulations and we wish you all the best.

We know that you are extremely busy, but we will really appreciate it if you can share with us a list of the documents that you sent with your application.

Thank you very much in advance

[marcnath]

Congratulations !!

Is this a record time for ILR approvals.

Still keeping my fingers crossed since my submission end of Feb.

[seasky]

Congratulations !!

Is this a record time for ILR approvals.

Still keeping my fingers crossed since my submission end of Feb.

It is not a record at all. I see on the ILR forum people getting their ILR on the day. That is how T1e -should- be or OK, a week because there is a little more to check. How long do you think a CW actually spends on a case when the actually get to the file? (it could cost £500 more for premium etc...)

But these caseworkers keep getting case after case of min wage businesses that are calculated to be -exactly- the min hours in uninspiring (=doesn't actually bring real value to the UK) businesses and hence have lost the plot of how t1e should be.

t1e bureaucracy should not limit the business from advancing and the amount of time it worked on and especially limiting travel is business killer

[Dangerous Dragon]

Congrats , all the best for ur future.

[zimba]

Congratulations on your ILR It shows that HO reserves the right to apply discretion on a case by case basis.

You are more than welcome to stay on the forum and contribute if you wish. We are all to some extent opinionated but most migrants here are not exceptionally successful and connected individuals and do not have the luxury of getting extra discretion from HO. That is why it is quite important that advice given here remains impartial and impersonal as much as possible and interactions with members are kept friendly and civil.
Also advice given here on the forum strictly remains generic and within the boundaries of the immigration rules and to the best of our knowledge. It will also remains applicable to all Tier 1E migrants, no matter the size or type of the business the pursue.
If you intend to leave the forum, I wish you best of luck and success in future.

[jafersadeq]

Congrat. and we are happy for you,

Please tell us more what you did about FPS, Was it containing start/leave dates? I remember that you argued about that issue.
Thanks

[Camel555]

congrats, hope you stay on here....some including myself are just beginning the long journey you just finished

[sm12]

Congratulations!

This is the only case I've seen on the forum in which approval was granted within a month for a postal application.

Did you send company accounts for the extension period?

[tm231]

Congratulation on your successful ILR application.
Your contribution has been immense on this platform and I personally would appreciate if you can continue to be part of this forum.
I will be due for ILR by Sept 2018 and have absences that have exceeded 180 days in 5,4,3 consecutive 12 month periods of the continuous period. My reasons are business trips, conferences, technical workshops and committee meetings to facilitate development of Standards as I do engineering consultancy business.
Per HO guidance document reasons has to be given when absences exceed 180 days.
Pls did your absences exceed 180 days per consecutive 12 month periods? If yes, did you provide evidence besides reasons given for such absences.

[samaygrg]

Congratulations!!!!!very well done.

[businessmen aces]

Congrats and all the best for your future

[chiibe]

Congratulations