FLR(M) success from Tier 4- PSC Sheffield experience

[marleyjgama]

First of all I want to thank everyone for being so incredibly helpful in answering my questions and for all of the wealth of knowledge available on these message boards (saved me 1,500 in solicitor fees lol)!

I thought I would share my experience of switching from a Tier 4 student visa (due to expire 12/07/18) to LLR 2 year partner route as I found reading previous experiences very helpful!

I also had a few discrepancies, missing/ non original documents in my application due to certain circumstances so I thought it might be helpful for anyone is in a similar situation as me.

PSC Experience

- As we had an early morning appointment in Sheffield and were travelling via train from the West Midlands, we decided to arrive the evening before and stay in a Travelodge that is about an 8 minute walk from the PSC.
- Arrived at the PSC on 8/06/18 at 8:20AM for our 8:50AM appointment. Security took about 5 minutes.
- Sat in the waiting room for about 15 minutes before we were called up at 8:35 AM for registration and to have our documents checked - roughly about 15 minutes. We were asked to provide any copies which we had taken of everything. I was then handed a number and told to wait until I was called for my biometrics to be taken.
- Was called about 10 minutes later to take biometrics which was about a five minute process then gave our phone number so we could leave and grab a bite to eat. Left the building at around 9:05 AM.
- Found a nearby spoons, ordered some food and as soon as we got our food I received a call at 9:28 letting us know that our application had been processed and that I needed to make my way back to the centre as there was an issue with my biometrics and I had to take them again. Immediately I thought my application must have been refused as I read that it usually takes a couple of hours to process applications.
- Arrived back at the PSC at about 9:40 (after quickly shovelling my food down) got my biometrics re done and went to sit back in the waiting area.
- Was called up at 9:55 where I was told that my application had been successful, had all my original documents returned to me except my original BRP and told that my new BRP would arrive in 7 days.
- We were out of the PSC by 10:05AM. I was shocked at how the entire process took less than 2 hours. I would also like to mention that every person we met at the PSC Sheffield was so incredibly kind!

Documents provided:
Passports (mine and my husbands)
Current BRP card
Passport sized photos (2 of me 1 of my husband)

Financial Proof
We met Category A by combining my income with my husbands. We had some issued providing all the proof required.

My husbands most recent payslip had been misplaced and we weren’t able to get a duplicate payslip as the accountant was out of the office until the day of our appointment. In addition, there were a few discrepancies in the payslips to what were on his bank statements. One month payslip was dated a different day to when the direct deposit had gone through to my husbands account (due to be being processed on a bank holiday Friday). Another payslip was off by £1.03 to what was paid into my husbands account. In my husbands employment letter, all the discrepancies were highlighted by his employer with an explanation. In addition to his payslips, bank statements and his employment letter, we included his P60.

I provided 7 month of payslips from my place of work and 6 months of bank statements. My June payday was for the 8th of June- the same day as my appointment. I was able to provide a copy of my June payslip as these are released the day before payday, but was not able to get a bank statement showing the deposit in my account before my appointment. All my payslips are done digitally as well as my letter of employment (nothing was signed by hand) Due to my works strict policy, this was all they could provide me with. I outlined everything in my covering letter and both my employment letter and my covering letter provided a contact number for my employer should the need to confirm the authenticity of the documents provided.

Correspondance

This was arguably the most difficult section for us to provide evidence. My husband didn't move into the flat I had been living in until April 21st 2018. We weren’t able to get any utility bills in both our names, all we had was a copy of our tenancy agreement (letting agency would not let us have the original) in both our names. My husbands bank statements were addressed to where we currently live and I had provided 8 pieces of mail addressed to me at our current location. Again I explained why I didn't have the required evidence in my covering letter.

Relationship

Marriage certificate

Text messages covering May 2015 (when our relationship began) to April 2018 (when my husband and I moved in together).

4 photographs from throughout our relationship including one from the wedding.

Old trip itineraries from holidays we went on together.

My biggest piece of advise is start preparing everything as early as possible! Trying to balance writing a dissertation, exam revision and preparing an application all at once is NOT fun! I will have to do this process all over again in 30 months time. I’ve made sure that all bills are in both our names and switched from paperless statements to getting them mailed to us (sorry earth). Also use these message boards! Initially I thought I needed a solicitor to help me but I’m so glad I found this place instead!