Thank you to everyone on here who has provided such informative answers, I have used your experiences/knowledge copiously!
I have a quick question that hopefully shouldn't be too difficult to answer:
My BRP expires on 12 Oct 2023, before which I will apply for FLR(M). To my understanding, I can apply up to 28 days beforehand, which I figure to be 15 Sept 2023 (at the very earliest).
1. I have a quick trip to Spain planned on 20 October and was wondering if there is any chance at all I can make it (it's for my husband's family member's wedding, so would really like to make it if possible), either by hoping for a quick normal approval turnaround, or buying priority service if it is available, although I would prefer not. Does anyone think it would be possible or should I not even consider it? Are they still issuing BRPs, so I would also have to wait for it in the post before I left? Or would they have it in their system? Will I be without my passport?
2. That being said, the more important thing is to make sure I don't undershoot the 5-year minimum for ILR. Primary Question: Do they tack on the extra 30 months to the end of the previous 30 months (eg 12 Oct onwards), no matter when they process it? Or does the next FLR(M) visa count exactly 30 months from the day they process it, no matter when that may be? (I apologise if this is a silly question). As I do not know if it is purely by coincidence or intended to be that my BRP expiration date is exactly 2 years (6 month Fiancé + 30 month FLR(M) from my (fiancé visa) entry into the UK, so I could speculate that they would still aim to process my next one on 12 Oct.
I'm not sure if my calculations are exactly right, but for example, if my FLR(M) was processed/granted on 15 Sept 2023 (wishful thinking) then 30 months later would be 15 March 2026, and the earliest date I could apply for ILR would be 16 March 2026, exactly 28 days before 12 April 2026 (5 years from my original approval) which would seem I would have exactly the one day/or no overlapping days to apply. Could this make for some problems further down the line, or would there be a few days of wiggle room? Can anyone foresee any snags that would help me? Or is it most likely and they will still only process it at the earliest on 12 Oct (unless I use super priority - and if so, what is the expiry date that will printed on it?).
Here are my details for reference:
14 July 2020 - online application for Fiancé Visa in USA
7 Aug 2020 - appointment with USCIS for US based biometrics
28 Sept 2020 - received passport with Fiancé Visa approval with expiry 24 Mar 2021
12 Oct 2020 - arrival in UK
8 Jan 2021 - married in UK
4 Mar 2021 - application FLR(M)
31 Mar 2021 - Sopra Steria appointment for biometrics
12 APRIL 2021 - application for FLR(M) APPROVED, granted 30-month stay until 12 Oct 2023
12 October 2023 - Current BRP expiry date
Thank you very much for any assistance/advice you can provide!
