We finally received our ILRs this morning. I haven't really shared the whole story on here, but we applied for ILR when our visas expired on the 23rd June. We had Vicky do the document check earlier but because of test dates for the Life in the UK and a medical emergency it was not until the last minute that we sent it off.
I included a check for the fees expecting the funds to be available because my salary was due soon. I had calculated the time for it to arrive, be deposited and clear and knew exactly when it would come out. I did this because DH did not want to go further into debt by increasing our overdraft. Except that the award winning charity I worked for did not pay me on time...because a rich trustee was too busy to hit the buttons on the computer to authorise the bank transfer. They did not even tell me that I was not going to be paid on time. So I could not increase that overdraft until it was too late. My cheque was returned unpaid. I spoke to the bank, Vicky, the HO, everyone.
But the HO sent the applications back. Because our visas has expired when we re-submitted the paperwork, I and my adult daughter were no longer eligible to work in the UK...and because the apps were out of time we were told by the HO and our MP that they would not be processed until next year.
The past 3 months have been a complete nightmare with me unable to work and help out and feeling so down...worrying that the applications would actually be refused for some reason.
Well, today out of the blue our postman knocks on the door. I was not expecting anything. Then I noticed the HUGE package with the Croydon return address. I was shaking as I signed for it. When I opened it, there were no letters on the top so I had to ruffle through each of the passports to find the visas, but we were all granted ILR; even my adult daughter whose case was even in Vicky's word less than certain. Our nightmare is over at last...except for now needing to file a law suit for breech of contract against my former employer.
But from this experience here is some advice:
1) USE VICKY. She has been a god-send, my life-line and the absolute best. I would not have survived all of this uncertainty if not for her patience. She always returned my emails and calls...and her advice was spot on. It is money well spent.
2) Send Postal Orders...not only does it completely eliminate any chance of a mix-up, but I found out in one of my calls to the HO that those apps are sent directly to caseworkers.
3) Never use the UKBA helpline. Not only are they rude, but they give out wrong information. I called immediately to find out if I was allowed to continue to work. The person said since the original application had been in time I would be. When I called back about something else a couple of weeks later, the supervisor informed me this was not correct.
4) Your MP has limited ability to help out, but it is still worth the effort. While it is not like the US where congress people and senators can push these things through, our MP can get more accurate information out of UKBA than you can through the hotline. So for that reason alone, get them involved if anything goes wrong.
5)...did I mention...USE VICKY!!!
Good luck...I hope no one else here ever has to go through this living h$!!.
