ILE/ILR, what's it good for?

OK, my husband and I were clever enough to get my status straight before we got here (only just, having to spend 2 days at the consulate in LA in the last two weeks before moving, with subsequent rearranging of all sorts of other long scheduled appointments and tasks did not please me.  And I blame him, because he originally said I didn't need anything, but I digress.)

So, yes, we got it, and since I arrived pregnant, we have taken advantage of NHS from day one so I understand that I get medical care.  And I understand about the being allowed to stay pretty much until I'm ready to go, Indefinate, yep, got it.

But what about working?  I can work?  What do I need to show my employer, and what do I need to say if the answer to that is 'passport page with ILE on it' and they don't seem to understand?

What about what I don't even know to ask about?

Thanks guys.

you can work as you please (just show your visa to employers, that's enough), you can stay as long as you like, you can claim public funds, you can pretty much do whatever you want except vote.  ILE/ILR is permanent residency with all the rights and privileges thereof. congratulations. (and congrats on the baby too!)

How did you get this without getting a spouse visa first?

Or is it that you were both settled in the US for a while and then moved here?

How did you get this without getting a spouse visa first?

Or is it that you were both settled in the US for a while and then moved here?

You can apply for ILE if you have been married to a British citizen for at least 4 years and have passed the Life in the UK test.

You can apply for ILE if you have been married to a British citizen for at least 4 years and have passed the Life in the UK test.

we've been married almost 16 years.  there wasn't a test though, at least not last March.

we've been married almost 16 years.  there wasn't a test though, at least not last March.

The test requirement came in during April 2007, so you were one of the last ones to benefit under the old rules.

The test requirement came in during April 2007, so you were one of the last ones to benefit under the old rules.

Yay me!  thank goodness.  we almost didn't apply (hubby thought should be done from here) when I found that wasn't the case, we ended up applying for the wrong thing, and therefore had the wrong documentation with us when we drove to LA.  So, we had to go home and start over, but at least they bypassed the online appointment system, and got us in the next week. If I'd had to take a test, it wouldv'e never worked out.

And did I mention he'd let his british passport lapse?  so that had to be sorted as well.  I mean, he'd handled all the researching and processing and scheduling whenever we had to deal with US immigration, I just signed and went along when asked.  I assumed he'd take that ball when coming here.  But, man, he dropped it big time. from what I can tell, we seem to have been quite lucky to work it all out so quickly.  (though I guess the 16 years marriage vs. fiance situation plays a large part in that.  the US had already given us all that grief way back.)