Missing Entry Stamps in Passport - will this affect my ILR?

[kpj]

I am about to apply for ILR after 7 years on an ancestry visa with a 1 year break when I went home for a year.

I entered for the first time in August 2001, and received a stamp on my Visa at Heathrow. Up until 2005, the immigration officers never bothered stamping my entry into the UK, after which they must have changed their official policy and have every time since.

My problem is that I have 5 years continuous residence since 3rd July 2003, but have no stamp in my passport for that specific date of entry. I have an exit stamp from Australia for 2nd July, a transit stamp from Japan on 3rd July, but none from Heathrow. I have bank statements confirming regular withdrawals form my bank account from 4th July 2003 originating in London. Will this be enough evidence to convince them this was the date I entered?

Any advice appreciated - I have not kept any itineraries or similar info so I am panicking my £950 will go down the drain!

Thanks
katrina

[Christophe]

I wouldn't worry too much about the stamps. The UK immigration people (in their various guises) have changed their policy a number of times about stamping passports in, and out, of the UK. The Home Office ought (I think) to have records of all your arrivals anyway. Bank statements with regular withdrawals, pay slips, taxation records and/or NI payment records (the NI people will write you letter if necessary stating that you have been been paying national insurance) will suffice.

You don't need to supply all of these things, of course, and you might not need to supply any of them.

[kpj]

Looks like I have been stressing way too much. I keep reading horror stories online and it obviously made me very anxious!
Thanks for your advice.

I received my ILR (Ancestry) today via an appointment at the PEO. In the end they didn't request any of the documentation I had to show I was in the UK from the 3rd July.

The advice I wish I had had previously, which I now share with everyone else is:

- if you can afford it, pay the extra for the appointment. Save yourself the stress! It is so good being able to answer questions in person.
- the home office have little or no records of your absences apart from stamps in your passport. The case worker told me they have no proof of my absence from the UK apart from what the stamps specify.
- absences are not really an issue from what I could tell, I had roughly 220 days absent and it wasn't discussed.
- the nationality test is a breeze if you a) get the official book and read it and memorise key facts and figures and b) if you revise by doing the many online free tests. I managed to get 24 out of 24 questions right (they don't tell you this but my case worker informed me today) and I completed the exam in roughly 4 minutes.

I am off to celebrate!

[Christophe]

Well done, kpj! Hope the celebrations are fun! It sounds like a happy ending. Well, not quite an ending, perhaps: will you be planning to apply for naturalisation next year?