Hello
Guest

Sponsored Links


Topic: ILR(M) quick questions  (Read 4915 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

  • *
  • Posts: 65

  • Liked: 0
  • Joined: Oct 2018
ILR(M) quick questions
« on: April 03, 2024, 01:29:35 PM »
Hi all

My wife has six months until her FLR(M) visa expires on 4th September 2024 so we've started swotting up on what we need ahead of time.

Found some conflicting things online regarding the following so hoping this site can once again clarify things for us!

1. The Life in UK Test - can this be taken at any point from now and still be valid when we apply?

2. We have a family wedding to attend in the USA on 26th October 2024, does this mean we have to opt for the priority service to get a decision within a week to speed things up? I believe we won't be able to travel if the decision is still being processed/pending?

3. Cost - is it £2,885? Seems to be the figure that appears the most but have seen lesser amounts, perhaps on older sites.

4. Since our last application, we've had a child born in the UK. Does that change anything or open up any other options?

5. Pieces of correspondance - we have joint montly bank statements every momth we stash away, so what else and how much should we be looking to obtain in the next few months?

6. Once obtained, is there a limit on how long she can spend out of the UK in any given period on an ILR(M)?
« Last Edit: April 03, 2024, 01:33:59 PM by JonnyRogers »
Application submitted: 14 September 2018
Biometrics & Docs sent: 2 October 2018
Application received email: 2 November 2018
Decision made email: 6 December 2018
Visa arrived: 7 December - approved :)


  • *
  • *
  • *
  • Posts: 26886

  • Liked: 3600
  • Joined: Jan 2007
Re: ILR(M) quick questions
« Reply #1 on: April 03, 2024, 01:59:24 PM »
1. The Life in UK Test - can this be taken at any point from now and still be valid when we apply?

Yes, as the pass certificate never expires. She could have taken it at any time in the last 5 years if she'd wanted to.

Quote
2. We have a family wedding to attend in the USA on 26th October 2024, does this mean we have to opt for the priority service to get a decision within a week to speed things up? I believe we won't be able to travel if the decision is still being processed/pending?

The £800 Super Priority service will give a decision within 24 hours/end of next working day, and then it can take up to 10 days for the new BRP card to arrive in the post... so yes, if you want the visa before your trip in October, you'll need to use Super Priority.

Having said that, she can apply for ILR up to 28 days before she reaches 5 years on FLR(M). I see from your previous posts that her first FLR(M) was granted on 31st July 2019... which means she is eligible to apply for ILR 28 days before 31st July 2024.

Therefore, she can apply on any date between 3rd July and 4th September 2024.

Quote
3. Cost - is it £2,885? Seems to be the figure that appears the most but have seen lesser amounts, perhaps on older sites.

Yes, the current fee is £2,885. Plus, you will need to pay £800 for the Super Priority service, and £19.20 for the biometrics fee.

So, that comes to £3,704.20 in total (all paid at the same time when you apply online).

Quote
4. Since our last application, we've had a child born in the UK. Does that change anything or open up any other options?

It doesn't change anything as your child is a UK citizen, however, you will need to provide the following documents:
- your child's birth certificate
- your child's UK passport (if they have one)
- a letter dated in the last 3 months before applying confirming the child's address (i.e. letter from GP/hospital/school etc.)

Quote
5. Pieces of correspondance - we have joint montly bank statements every momth we stash away, so what else and how much should we be looking to obtain in the next few months?

You need documents dated every 5 months covering the 2.5 years prior to your application date. They must be from at least 3 different official sources.

Bank statements count as 1 source (even if from different banks), so you will also need 2 other sources, such as utility bills, council tax bills, phone/TV/internet bills, tenancy agreements, mortgage statements, letters from the NHS/DVLA/HMRC/DWP etc.

Quote
6. Once obtained, is there a limit on how long she can spend out of the UK in any given period on an ILR(M)?

ILR is indefinite, but it only remains valid if she continues to live permanently in the UK... if she were to live outside the UK for more than 2 years, her ILR would become invalid...  and in order to move back to the UK again, she would need to start over from scratch with the 5 years of visas.

The best way to avoid this from happening is for her to apply for UK citizenship once she has received her ILR. That way she will be free to come and go from the UK as she pleases for the rest of her life, without having to worry about not being able to return to live in the UK in the future.


  • *
  • Posts: 65

  • Liked: 0
  • Joined: Oct 2018
Re: ILR(M) quick questions
« Reply #2 on: April 04, 2024, 09:09:42 AM »
Thank you so much for your help! Very much appreciated.

On the correspondance, I seem to recall that we could also submit non-joint ones, but had to submit more of them or something?
Application submitted: 14 September 2018
Biometrics & Docs sent: 2 October 2018
Application received email: 2 November 2018
Decision made email: 6 December 2018
Visa arrived: 7 December - approved :)


  • *
  • *
  • *
  • Posts: 26886

  • Liked: 3600
  • Joined: Jan 2007
Re: ILR(M) quick questions
« Reply #3 on: April 04, 2024, 03:19:30 PM »
On the correspondance, I seem to recall that we could also submit non-joint ones, but had to submit more of them or something?

Yes, you can use either jointly-addressed, or individually-addressed documents... if they are individually addressed documents, you need 1 in each name for each period (so you have 6 in each name in total), and they should be dated as close to each other as possible (i.e. if you have one in your name from early February, you should also have one in your partner's name from early February, or as close to that as you can get)

So you could either have:
- 6 joint documents
or
- 12 individual documents (6 in each name)
or
- a combination of joint and individual documents, giving 6 items in each name (i.e. 3 joint and 6 individual, or 5 joint and 2 individual, or 4 joint and 4 individual etc.)


  • *
  • Posts: 65

  • Liked: 0
  • Joined: Oct 2018
Re: ILR(M) quick questions
« Reply #4 on: July 08, 2024, 03:42:14 PM »
Hi there

I've been digging through paperwork - is this OK in terms of the correspondance addressed to ourselves?
BRP issued: 04/03/22
07/22 - bank statement (joint)
12/22 - bank statement (joint)
5/23 - letter from will writers (joint)
10/23 - internet bill (wife - this is an online statement, is that OK?), letter from doctor (me)
03/24 - council tax bill (joint, couldn't find anything from 02/24 jointly)
07/24 - water bill (joint)

In terms of the application, my wife is due to fly over the USA on Friday until the end of the month. Do we have to wait for her to return before we can submit the application and book an appointment, or can we get that booked in now and attend it once she returns?

We're looking at the option of the priority service (£500), which I believe will take around a week to process? Please correct me if I'm wrong!
« Last Edit: July 08, 2024, 03:50:11 PM by JonnyRogers »
Application submitted: 14 September 2018
Biometrics & Docs sent: 2 October 2018
Application received email: 2 November 2018
Decision made email: 6 December 2018
Visa arrived: 7 December - approved :)


  • *
  • Posts: 3936

  • Liked: 347
  • Joined: Sep 2014
Re: ILR(M) quick questions
« Reply #5 on: July 10, 2024, 09:58:06 PM »

In terms of the application, my wife is due to fly over the USA on Friday until the end of the month. Do we have to wait for her to return before we can submit the application and book an appointment, or can we get that booked in now and attend it once she returns?

34k of the Immigration rules states-

Quote
34K. Where a decision on an application for permission to stay has not been made and the applicant travels outside the common travel area their application will be treated as withdrawn on the date the applicant left the common travel area.
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/immigration-rules/immigration-rules-part-1-leave-to-enter-or-stay-in-the-uk#pt1validappLTRinUK




  • *
  • Posts: 65

  • Liked: 0
  • Joined: Oct 2018
Re: ILR(M) quick questions
« Reply #6 on: July 12, 2024, 10:00:36 AM »
Ahh nice, thanks for that. We'll wait until she's abck in the country then to start the process.

Do you have any idea on current waiting times once you get the option to book a visa document appointment?

Also, any idea if my list of documents looks OK, and if there is a £500 "priority" processing option?

Thanks in advance!
Application submitted: 14 September 2018
Biometrics & Docs sent: 2 October 2018
Application received email: 2 November 2018
Decision made email: 6 December 2018
Visa arrived: 7 December - approved :)


  • *
  • Posts: 65

  • Liked: 0
  • Joined: Oct 2018
Re: ILR(M) quick questions
« Reply #7 on: July 28, 2024, 04:03:26 PM »
Sorry all, just bumping this to see if anyone can help with the above!
Application submitted: 14 September 2018
Biometrics & Docs sent: 2 October 2018
Application received email: 2 November 2018
Decision made email: 6 December 2018
Visa arrived: 7 December - approved :)


  • *
  • Posts: 65

  • Liked: 0
  • Joined: Oct 2018
Re: ILR(M) quick questions
« Reply #8 on: August 22, 2024, 10:09:14 PM »
Hi all

Got our ILR appointment in the first week of September - we've opted for the scanning service so are bringing all our documents to it.

I just wanted to run through the list of documents to check to see if I'm missing anything, or any errors? For the record my wife is applying based on my financial circumstances.

Appointment confirmation letter with QR code
Signed declaration for spouse
Wife's current and expired US passport
Wife's BRP
My current passport
Life in the UK pass confirmation email

7 months of payslips (latest is end of July 24)
7 months of corresponding bank statements (up to August 16 2024)
Letter from employer
Employment contract
P60s from last three years
Tenancy agreement
2024/25 council tax bill
2.5 years of correspondance, comprising:

July 22: HSBC statement (joint)
December 22: HSBC statement (joint)
May 23: Letter from will company (joint)
October 23: Letter from doctor (myself), Internet bill (wife)
February 24: water bill (joint)
July 24: water bill (joint)
(All of these are original documents, except the internet and water bills which have been printed off from an online bill).

Marriage certificate
Baby's birth certificate
Baby's passport
Letter from doctor confirming baby's address from July 24

Added the last bits in as suggested earlier in the thread by @ksand24 - think that's correct? We had a child last year but as she's a UK citizen it shouldn't change our application status.

Any help/advice gratefully received as always!
« Last Edit: August 22, 2024, 10:21:31 PM by JonnyRogers »
Application submitted: 14 September 2018
Biometrics & Docs sent: 2 October 2018
Application received email: 2 November 2018
Decision made email: 6 December 2018
Visa arrived: 7 December - approved :)


  • *
  • Posts: 65

  • Liked: 0
  • Joined: Oct 2018
Re: ILR(M) quick questions
« Reply #9 on: September 01, 2024, 09:26:48 PM »
Hey guys just bumping this as the appointment is on Tuesday - if anyone has any expertise and can help me out, it would be much appreciated!
Application submitted: 14 September 2018
Biometrics & Docs sent: 2 October 2018
Application received email: 2 November 2018
Decision made email: 6 December 2018
Visa arrived: 7 December - approved :)


Sponsored Links