I moved to the UK from Cananda in the 70s as a young child when my father got a job here and have lived here ever since. My father and mother each have a letter from the home office naming them and giving them ILR, but my sister and I are not mentioned on those letters. We were 4 and 6 years old at the time and listed as dependents on my mother's passport. When I got my first passport (at about 12?), it was stamped with an ILR stamp the first time I came back into the UK. Each time I've gotten a new passport, I've showed the old one too the first time I use it, and it's been stamped with an ILR stamp.
BUT: A mortgage advisor told me yesterday that the stamp in my passport is not what he is used to seeing when he checks passports for proof of residency status - he said it's usually a big sticker/visa thing with the person's name written on it etc. As he put it, what I have in my passport could be a stamp I made myself!
A few years ago my sister on returning from a holiday was told at immigration that she couldn't just get a new stamp, and would have to write to the home office for a letter demonstrating her ILR. She did this with the help of her MP with no problem (and at no cost).
So... as far as I know I DO have ILR status and have had since the 70s, (on the basis of being a dependent...?) but PROVING this to the mortgage lender may be harder than whipping out my passport? I'm also married to a British citizen and have been for over 10 years; I've lived here continuously for over 30 years... but i really don't want to apply anew for IRL on any basis (and especially don't want to have to take and pay the extortionate fee for a Life in the UK test!)
So I welcome any suggestions for the QUICKEST way to find proof, beyond the existing stamp in my passport, of ILR? I'm worried that contacting the home office will mean getting asked to apply again or something
Thanks and sorry this post is so long!