Hurray - I survived Croydon and got my...

Hello friends!

Got my leave to remain in the United Kingdom for an indefinite period!  Spouse Visa.  Very excited.  

Day 1: Got there at 12pm, waited outside for 10 minutes, and inside for 4 hours then heard an announcement that they were not processing any more VISAs that day, so I left.  What a waste of a day.  But I know I arrived late so my own fault really.

Day 2: Got there at 9am, waited outside for 2 hours, waited inside for 4 hours and out of there by 3pm.  And I was happy with that!

Found out a few things that might be helpful to future Croydon visitors...  to avoid delays (well relatively speaking - haha!)

1. The best day of the week to go is Friday.  

2.  Don't go during school breaks because not as much staff working.

3.  Don't go during last week of month because many visas expire then and their busiest time of month.

4.  Don't go during a bank holiday week.

Anyway - I feel like it's really real that I'm here.  Very strange!  But sooooo glad it's over and done with!!  Hurray!

Congratulations on making it through Croydon, it's a hairy place!

Thank you - very hairy indeed!

It's a good feeling, innit?    The Indefinate Leave to Remain?  Got mine back in April and it felt sooooo good to know all the immigration stuff was 'done and dusted'.  Well, at least till it comes time for me to take citizenship.  

Saffron

Hi Brighton,

Congradulations.  Can you tell me how you got your spouse visa?  They turned me down.  Please any info would be great.

I am really happy you have your visa.  Nice to know not everyone gets turned down.  

Hmmm.  Well, I've been married to a Brit for 10 years and we moved to the UK a year ago.  It was pretty straight forward I guess - just a lot of paperwork and crap.  What was their reason for denying you?

Am going to Croydon on Friday.  Wish me luck :-/

Back from Croydon  And going on a Friday wasn't all that easy either :-/  We were in line 1.5 hours and then got upstairs to wait another 4.5 hours.  PURE CRAZINESS!!!!  Bring ALOT of reading material and make sure that you've got ALL of the paperwork!  There was this one lady that me and the hubby were PRAYING that we weren't going to get as she was rude to EVERY poor soul that had to sit in front of her window All that waiting and all you get is a sticker in your passport and a letter saying that you have the right to remain the country..blah..blah..blah.  But hey..what can I say..I got it and I'm ohhhhhh so happy

That is great great great!  What a borrrring day, eh?   But you survived Croydon.  Big congrats.

Congrats Calluna!  I know what you mean about the waiting!  We waited literally all day.  I guess we went at a bad time.  It was a Friday and right after the new year (something like the 3rd Jan).

Anyway, I do know how you feel and I was quite happy that I had my ILR and I felt like I could say that the "process" of being together was well and truly over.  Now citizenship..that will be a different ball of wax to deal with when the time comes...