Its that time again- ILR!

Hi everyone,

I just wanted to put forward and run through my ILR timeline and documents.
So I entered the UK on 7 June 2017 so the 28 days before would be the 10th of May.

Ive got mail from :
May 2020- British Gas Both names
Nov 2020- British Gas Both names
March 2021-NHs letter Sponsor/Credit card statement applicant
August 2021-Ovo Energy Both names
Jan 2021- Joint TSB bank statement
April/May 2022-TBD

Application Documents
- Applicant's US passport
- Any other passports held since moving to the UK
- Signed sponsor's declaration (part of online application)
- Applicant's BRP card

Proof of Identity/Travel History
- Sponsor's UK passport


Finances
Im planning on applying with a savings account Ive had in the US from October. Theres currently ~38,000 poounds in the account and it hasnt changed.
October Statement
November Statement
December Statement
January Statement
February Statement
March Statement
April Statement
May Statement-maybe depending on when I apply
Decliration where funds came from.

Residence in the UK:
Morgtguage statement
Council tax bill


Other
- Marriage certificate
If you have any children under 18 living in the UK:
- each child's passport
- each child's birth certificate
- a letter dated in the last 3 months confirming each child's address (i.e. from GP or school)

Appreaciate all the help I can get!
p.s. Is medivisas still reccomended by the forum? Laura Devine prices seem astronomical. Just asking because I like having a few pairs of different eyes looking over things as well.

Ive got mail from :
May 2020- British Gas Both names
Nov 2020- British Gas Both names
March 2021-NHs letter Sponsor/Credit card statement applicant
August 2021-Ovo Energy Both names
Jan 2021- Joint TSB bank statement
April/May 2022-TBD

You don’t have the right mail dates there for ILR.

The mail needs to cover 2.5 years and be dated every 5 months.

So you need mail from the following months:
October 2019
March 2020
August 2020
January 2021
June 2021
November 2021
April 2022


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p.s. Is medivisas still reccomended by the forum? Laura Devine prices seem astronomical. Just asking because I like having a few pairs of different eyes looking over things as well.

Unless you have a complicated application involving illegal overstays, illegal working, previous refused visas, or criminal convictions that could potentially cause a visa refusal, there is no need to pay a lawyer to look over your documents.


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Hi everyone,

I just wanted to put forward and run through my ILR timeline and documents.
So I entered the UK on 7 June 2017 so the 28 days before would be the 10th of May.

Ive got mail from :
May 2020- British Gas Both names
Nov 2020- British Gas Both names
March 2021-NHs letter Sponsor/Credit card statement applicant
August 2021-Ovo Energy Both names
Jan 2021- Joint TSB bank statement
April/May 2022-TBD

Application Documents
- Applicant's US passport
- Any other passports held since moving to the UK
- Signed sponsor's declaration (part of online application)
- Applicant's BRP card

Proof of Identity/Travel History
- Sponsor's UK passport


Finances
Im planning on applying with a savings account Ive had in the US from October. Theres currently ~38,000 poounds in the account and it hasnt changed.
October Statement
November Statement
December Statement
January Statement
February Statement
March Statement
April Statement
May Statement-maybe depending on when I apply
Decliration where funds came from.

Residence in the UK:
Morgtguage statement
Council tax bill


Other
- Marriage certificate
If you have any children under 18 living in the UK:
- each child's passport
- each child's birth certificate
- a letter dated in the last 3 months confirming each child's address (i.e. from GP or school)

Appreaciate all the help I can get!
p.s. Is medivisas still reccomended by the forum? Laura Devine prices seem astronomical. Just asking because I like having a few pairs of different eyes looking over things as well.

You need the a pass in the Life in the UK test for ILR.

Is your money in the US in pounds or dollars? If dollars, just be careful that when you apply, the exchange rate works out for you.

While £38,000 in savings definitely passes the test (£34,600 for ILR), just be sure that the USD/GBP exchange rate has worked for the entire duration you are relying upon.  It's just that wee bit tight where I'd ensure you didn't dip below the requirement on any day.

Medivisas runs a document checking service, but it seems like your application is really straight forward.  Savings is such an easy way to qualify.  Really no point in spending the money if not necessary.  It'd be better to try for 24 hour processing with that money, but those appointments are a bit harder to come by since the influx of applications of refugees from Ukraine.

You don’t have the right mail dates there for ILR.

The mail needs to cover 2.5 years and be dated every 5 months.

So you need mail from the following months:
October 2019
March 2020
August 2020
January 2021
June 2021
November 2021
April 2022


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Thanks Ksand , Ill have a look at what Ive got and get back on that!

Unless you have a complicated application involving illegal overstays, illegal working, previous refused visas, or criminal convictions that could potentially cause a visa refusal, there is no need to pay a lawyer to look over your documents.

Its not necessairly complicated as such, but my sponsor has kids that live with an ex so its just making sure that all the bases are covered.

You need the a pass in the Life in the UK test for ILR.

Is your money in the US in pounds or dollars? If dollars, just be careful that when you apply, the exchange rate works out for you.

Hey Larrabee,
Ive passed my life in the UK test and uploaded my reference number for that.The money is in USD in a US account. I have just sold property in the US, as of last week thats part of a family business. It more than covers the 34,600. Could I just deposit some of that sale into the account and state that the asset was held for more than 6 months?

While £38,000 in savings definitely passes the test (£34,600 for ILR), just be sure that the USD/GBP exchange rate has worked for the entire duration you are relying upon.  It's just that wee bit tight where I'd ensure you didn't dip below the requirement on any day.

Medivisas runs a document checking service, but it seems like your application is really straight forward.  Savings is such an easy way to qualify.  Really no point in spending the money if not necessary.  It'd be better to try for 24 hour processing with that money, but those appointments are a bit harder to come by since the influx of applications of refugees from Ukraine.

Hey KFdancer,

Thanks for this! I have spoken to Chris at medivisas in the past I believe.

Im worried that theres the potential the 38,000 gbp has dipped below the value over the past 6 months due to the exchange rate. As mentioned above to Larabee, is it possible to deposit money from the sale of the property that happened a week ago into the account just in case.

I can always use my income from the UK in order to satisfy the financial reqirement but just figure the savings route is easier.

Again, thank you all for coming back to me with this help.

See if the value dropped below the £34,600. If it didn’t, no need to add in the house sale.

At the same time, if the house sale covers the full £34,600, just use that. 

And using salary isn’t a big deal, just a add in payslips and an employment letter.  Still have bank statements.

Sounds like you meet the requirements many ways, so really just a matter of which you feel most comfortable with.

There is often anxiety around kids with a past partner. Just remember that you can always explain in a letter why you don’t have things (saying that the other parent will not provide documentation due to a strained relationship is perfectly acceptable).

You can be refused for not meeting the financial requirements.  They can’t refuse you because you don’t have a letter with your step child’s address. But I understand it’s far easier for me to write that than it is to accept that.

You don’t have the right mail dates there for ILR.

The mail needs to cover 2.5 years and be dated every 5 months.

So you need mail from the following months:
October 2019
March 2020
August 2020
January 2021
June 2021
November 2021
April 2022


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 
So, just had a rejig of my correspondance.
October 2019- Mortgage documents individual names
March 2020 British Gas Joint

August 2020- So this is the difficult one. I have a letter from British Gas that says "my name & others". Like they spelled out my full name but not my partners. Then I have another one from November that says both our names. Its the same account number so I might just put that in a cover letter and explain. I just dont have anything close to that date that I can find.

January 2021 HMRC individual/HMRC individual
June 2021-HMRC and OVO energy/VW car finance
November 2021- TSB joint
April 2022- Most likely TSB joint

See if the value dropped below the £34,600. If it didn’t, no need to add in the house sale.

At the same time, if the house sale covers the full £34,600, just use that. 

And using salary isn’t a big deal, just a add in payslips and an employment letter.  Still have bank statements.

Sounds like you meet the requirements many ways, so really just a matter of which you feel most comfortable with.

There is often anxiety around kids with a past partner. Just remember that you can always explain in a letter why you don’t have things (saying that the other parent will not provide documentation due to a strained relationship is perfectly acceptable).

You can be refused for not meeting the financial requirements.  They can’t refuse you because you don’t have a letter with your step child’s address. But I understand it’s far easier for me to write that than it is to accept that.

I agree it can be a bit difficult to accept that. But also at the same time I think just put it in the cover letter. As the forum always says dont give more evidence than is actually needed! Also on that note I might just use the sale of the business in order to meet the requirement. Is there any requirement to add documentation that confirms the asset has been held for at least 6 months? Or is it just self confirmation? Just trying to figure out if I would need to get any of that documentation.

Hi fellow June 2017er. Just signing in to start my lurking and learning for my ILR too. Let’s keep in touch. I am hoping to feel more calm this time! Glad to see all the familiar names still here! Hello everyone- hope you’ve all been good 😊

Hi all, heres my final document checklist. Could you please have a look over it? Thanks!

Correspondence:
October 2019: Mortgage docs- individual names
March 2020: British Gas- joint names
August 2020: British Gas- addrest jointly however this is stated as " and others" so Ive included a cover letter explaining we swithced energy tarrifs and this is how they sent the first bill or two, and included Nov 2020 with full joint names to make up for it.
Jan 2021: HMRC tax docs in individual names
June 2021: VW financing document in my name and HMRC tax letter in spouses name.
November 2021: TSB Joint statement
April 2022: TSB Joint statement

Financial
Declaration of cash savings. Some of which was from the sale of a business that was held for greater than 6 months.
Bank statments from October to May.
Letter from bank showing  they merged with another bank.

Others:
Council tax
Mortgage statement
Marriage cert
My passport and old passport
Spouses passport
Spouses signed declaration

As always al lyour help is much appreaciated

Declaration of cash savings. Some of which was from the sale of a business that was held for greater than 6 months.

Did you sell the business within the 6 months prior to the date of application?

Yes. Its slightly complicated. So part of the funds are from inheritance, this covers the 34,600 and has been there for a full 6 months. I wasnt sure if the amount dropped below the threshold during those 6 months due to currency conversion so deposited some of the proceeds of the sale into the account in April just to cover my bases. The business has been in the family  for longer than 6 months so should be accepted by the HO just like the sale of a house or other asset?

I think it only matters what the exchange rate is on the day you actually apply for the visa.

As long as the money is worth at least £34,600 on the day you apply, it shouldn’t matter if the exchange rate conversion dipped below £34,600 during the 6 months… provided all of the money you are using remained in the account for the full 6 months.

The official guidance (Appendix FM-SE) simply states:

(f) Income or cash savings in a foreign currency will be converted to pounds sterling using the closing spot exchange rate which appears on www.oanda.com* on the date of application.

I think it only matters what the exchange rate is on the day you actually apply for the visa.

As long as the money is worth at least £34,600 on the day you apply, it shouldn’t matter if the exchange rate conversion dipped below £34,600 during the 6 months… provided all of the money you are using remained in the account for the full 6 months.

The official guidance (Appendix FM-SE) simply states:

(f) Income or cash savings in a foreign currency will be converted to pounds sterling using the closing spot exchange rate which appears on www.oanda.com* on the date of application.

Thanks Ksand, other than that, does the rest look ok?