ILR application - expert opinion requested

[bhaskaragashe]

Hello everyone,
I need some help on my wife's ILR application - detail below.
ILR is applied for on the basis of long residence by the way. student visa + 2 work permits aka "Tier" VISA - sorry I am not an expert in this field.
Applied on 24 FEB to Croydon centre in person.
Biometrics completed etc the same day.
Application was done through the usual solicitor we have used since 2007, and his expertise is not in question at all.
Wife was asked why her salary was increased and she replied as she has taken on additional work.
Her employer was mailed the same day to ask for more detail.
Employer replied on the last day to the UKBA / home office.
Now it is exactly one month since her employer has replied to the UKBA and we have not had any update.
Solicitor told us this will be issued, and should this not be the case, he will file an appeal.
However - what I feel odd is - every VISA we have applied for in person or in the post earlier was always a maximum of a 5 calendar day affair.
Why is this delay with the ILR application?
Can my wife request her
a) Driving license OR
b) Passport back from the office pending processing?
I hear and read messages which indicate the UKBA is taking 6 months to process, which is rather worrying.
This considering they charge a premium for a same day service and take their own time.
Please advise - I am happy to swap solicitors if required.
This is because this is causing extreme mental trauma to my wife.
Peace be upon all, and God bless.

[CR001]

a) Why did she submit her drivers license??

b) Probably no.

How big was the salary increase and how soon before applying for ILR did she get this increase?

Hopefully her employer updated the SMS system to indicate the additional duties and salary increase. However, if her role changed to what her visa was issued for, I believe that RLMT would likely have been required.

[bhaskaragashe]

Thank you for the quick reply.

a) She submitted her driver's license as a matter of habit - in hindsight should not have done so!

b) The salary raise was £3000 or so.

c) The employer updated SMS the next day and my wife was given a copy of this.
When my wife went to drop the application about 10 days later - the home office girl told her the system was not updated - which threw the equation out of balance.

Is the UKBA doing this to simply delay processing times?

[CR001]

Is the UKBA doing this to simply delay processing times?

HO (not UKBA) has a duty to check that a long residence applicant has met the requirements for each visa they have held in the qualifying period.

[bhaskaragashe]

Allright - thank you.