As I related in a post in another thread, my partner and I decided that rather than queue at Croydon, we'd travel to the IND office in Solihull to get his ILR. While we were unsuccessful (because of a bureaucratic *bleep*-up, not because they refused his application), I thought that some of those here might benefit from a description of how to go about it.
The IND office in "Birmingham" is really in Solihull, on the SE outskirts of Birmingham. There is a railway connection from Marylebone that's really convenient, although long. You can call the office there two weeks before you need the appointment and make it--the number's readily available in the instructions that come with most of the IND application forms on their website.
We got there Thursday night and had booked a hotel room at the Ramada Jarvis hotel, which shares most of a postcode with the IND office. It was quite pleasant, the food was good, and we got a good night's sleep. The next day it had snowed, so we got a taxi and ended up at the IND office about 9:10 for a 9 am appointment. That wasn't a problem, really. The office is quite small and nondescript. Bags are searched and there is a metal detector. Once you get in, you get a number (ours was 005) and you wait in the area until called. It took about 3/4 hour for them to get to number 005. The office is within walking distance of the railway station and we walked back there (missing a train by minutes) and were home in London by 2 pm.
The downside is that we spent about £230 on the trip and now have to go again, along with paying (next time) the IND fee.
However, if you don't fancy queueing at Lunar House, Solihull is a good bet. Just don't do it until we've gotten our next appointment over with so that there isn't a crush.
Chris Hansen
http://www.hansenhome.demon.co.uk
