ILR Documentation Questions

Thought I would start a new topic as not to clutter the stickied one at the top of the thread.

I've spent the last couple of evenings getting my paperwork in order for ILR (not happening until October, but I have the time to do it now). I was a little nervous at first (my husband keeps a lot of his stuff still going to his parents house as he has moved around a lot in the last few years, and we'll be moving again soon), but when I put it all together last night, it seems that we have plenty of joint and individual documents.

One thing, however, is that I have absolutely nothing for the first month I was here. I arrived on October 28, 2006, and while I put my name on a number of accounts, none of those bills showed up until December/January. I do have items for my husband for that month. Should I include these, or will they not matter/count since I don't have anything in my own name. Also, I wasn't thinking this would be a huge problem (or even something I would need to explain on the application). Am I wrong?

One more thing--I think I've read elsewhere that this is ok, but on a couple of bills/accounts my first name is spelled incorrectly (I've since had them correct it), although it is clear that it is my name (there are a few ways to spell it). There is also some inconsistency amongst our post on whether or not the Flat number is included (or is correct). Probably I'm just being paranoid, but are any of these things to worry about?

Thanks in advance!

Don't worry.  Just apply in October, rather than the 28 days in advance, and they will count everything from November.

Vicky

Thanks, Vicky. Sorry, I don't think I was clear. I don't have anything for the month of November. My earliest item is 11 December 2006.

Can you write to the bank to ask for confirmation of when you first wrote to them about adding your name to the acocunt?  Did you not register with a doctor?

Vicky

I registered with the doctor in early December, although I didn't receive anything from them until my NHS card came in February.

We didn't get a bank account until January. Firstly because the 2 banks we tried in November ended up refusing to give us a joint account after weeks of back and forth (as I wasn't registered to vote or have a UK license) and very stupidly we did not save that letter, although to be honest, I think it was in my husband's name only. We finally got a joint account with RBS by early December, but there were some problems when it was opened (the woman who opened it didn't fill out the correct paperwork, and then left the bank before anyone realised what had happened, so we had to effectively start from scratch in January).

We phoned up the utilities in November to be added to the bills, but those didn't start coming until December and January.

Is this a bigger problem than I thought?

Are they really that picky about dates? I thought it was fine if you had 10 documents evenly spaced throughout each of the two years. Why would it be such a big deal if the OP didn't have anything in November??

It is a big deal because she needs to prove 24 months (well, 23 months) of cohabitation, and they will take this from the earliest document.  It won't matter if there is a month missing in the middle, but could be a problem if there is a month missing at the beginning.

What I am trying to get at about the doctor is can you get them to write a letter saying when you registered and what address you were registered at?

Vicky

What I am trying to get at about the doctor is can you get them to write a letter saying when you registered and what address you were registered at?

Vicky

I registered in early December, so I don't think that will help, unfortunately.

I have tons of documents for every other month, just not that one, and I really thought I was fine. I guess I always figured that they would understand that it takes a few weeks to get everything set up, but obviously with hindsight I guess I should have done things differently. Also, like Smootie, I just thought the the documents needed to be evenly spaced, not necessarily with a definitive beginning/end point.

Ok. Well since there is not a whole lot I can do about this at this point, I guess my only questions are:

1. Should I include the paperwork that shows my husband living at the address in November?

and

2. Is this a big enough deal that I can no longer apply in person? I was hoping to do this because of travel plans, but if I can't, I guess I can't.

Thanks for your help, Vicky.

Well, they give some leeway, which is why if you had docs from the second month of your stay you'd be okay.

It's a judgement call as to what to do now.  If you have nothing at all from November, then I am not sure how they will treat the application.


Vicky

Well, they give some leeway, which is why if you had docs from the second month of your stay you'd be okay


Vicky

Thanks once again, Vicky. By second month, do you mean December? Because I have few docs from then (both joint and individually addressed). Considering I arrived on the 28th of October, I would consider December my second month. I hope they agree!

Well, they give some leeway, which is why if you had docs from the second month of your stay you'd be okay.

But she does, doesn't she?  If she entered the UK on 26 October 2006 and her first item is 11 December 2006, that's within the second month of being resident here.

x-posted with kate mate!

Okay, let's see.

Entered on 28th October, so the latest you can apply is 28th October.  As you can apply 28 days before the qualification date, we can call move the date for you forward to 25rd November.  So, without docs from 25rd November, it's a risk.

Bottom line - what is the earliest dated document?

Vicky

The first item that I have is dated 11 December 2006. It's a jointly addressed BT bill.

I will keep searching for anything from November, but if I do find something, I'm reasonably certain it will be of the soft evidence variety. Here's to hoping I find something!

I think soft will do.

Vicky

i'm in the same boat.

my FLR expires on 13 may 08.

just started putting together a folder of documentation tonight and i literally have nothing for may (save the tenancy agreement from our flat) and june 06. i wasn't yet working, we were just starting to get my name put onto accounts, i was just finding my feet over here.

really fretting about this. feeling pretty confident about the rest of the documentation, but i'm really worried about not having enough for the first two months.