ILR - Uploading Documents

Hi All,

My wife has just submitted her ILR application online and paid for the super priority service. We have booked an appointment for the end of Jan.

We are trying to figure out the document upload piece but when we log in it only has two mandatory document categories listed:


* Proof of Identity / Travel History

* Proof of Application

Then there are a bunch of optionaly categories but they don't seem to line up with the documents I feel I need to submit like Pay Slips and also minor criminal conviction paperwork from decades ago. Has anyone else done this? I'm not sure what we are supposed to do.

Thanks,

Here is a really great post by one of our members, Sivara, of their experience, which you should find helpful. 

.So I had my appointment today under the new system! Last night once I had all the information and documentation, I finished my online application and looked for appointments. Because of our crazy lives, we decided to pay the extra and go for an appointment the following morning (today). This will give us a little more breathing space and allow for a few glitches if there are any. Here’s a rundown of my experience as best as I can remember. Sorry it’s so long!!! I just know I was pretty information-hungry when I was trying to get ready, and there’s not much out there on the new system. I hope someone can find it useful!

Online Application
I was applying for ILR with SET(M) and found the online application mostly straightforward with a few quirks.
- The sections on family and friends and ties in one’s home country don’t accept any punctuation whatsoever in the boxes, so my answers turned out looking pretty ugly.
- I wasn’t sure what to answer for the question there about social networks etc. so I just answered that I’m not part of any official organisations there but I do attend an annual conference. I have no idea what they’re looking for.
- The section on Absences from the UK only accepts 30 entries (tedious!) and I made 40 trips abroad since entering the UK. I just typed the additional ones into a separate document and uploaded it under the ‘Other’ section.
- It also asks for evidence of monthly housing costs and council tax costs (but doesn’t mention Land Registry document). It says evidence of council tax costs is optional. I included all three documents anyway.

Appointment Booking with Sopra Steria
After paying and submitting the application, it gives you a page with ‘Further actions you must complete’. These are easy to do. You must attend an appointment within two months to submit your documents and biometrics. You have the option to download your application and document checklist.

You’re then taken to the Sopra Steria/UKVCAS website to book your appointment. They email you an access code, which you then enter on their website, and choose a password to set up an account with them.

There are three types of service points you can choose:
Core Service Point (6 in total, Birmingham, Manchester, Cardiff, Glasgow, Belfast, Croydon)
You don’t have to pay extra to get an appointment at these. Next day, Saturday, and early appointments (8:30 and 9:00) cost an additional £100. The latest appointments I saw were 12:00 noon. Birmingham had pretty good availability, with free appointments open as soon as the day after tomorrow.

Service Point (Libraries, etc. throughout the UK)
A lot of service points are fully booked. And you have to pay a minimum of extra £60 to book an appointment at these.

Premium Service Point (In London)
Appointments here cost an extra £260. The next available was 5 days later. They offer appointments earlier in the day (7:00 am is the earliest). Not sure what other perks there are, but it’s supposed to be a ‘personalised experience’. . .

Once I chose my appointment, it took me to a screen that said, ‘Extra Services: We offer extra services to help you prepare for your appointment and to make your visit easier.’ But it was blank - there weren’t any extra services to choose, I could only click the ‘Place Order’ button. Perhaps these will be coming later, like translation, and when you have to pay for document scanning. I got an email confirming my appointment and was prompted to self-upload documents if I wanted.

Document Upload
Files are to be uploaded in PDF, JPG and PNG format only, no larger than 6MB per file. Even if you scan and upload your documents yourself, you must bring the originals to the appointment. Supporting documents are supposed to be organised in the following categories as relevant. However, apart from this, there’s not much guidance.

Mandatory
Proof of Identity / Travel History
Proof of Application

Optional
Other
Residence in the UK
Finances
Proof of Business
Life Events
Medical Information
Sponsors / Employment
Educational

I was left guessing what to put where, and left some categories empty. Uploading was fast enough. I think I got it mostly right. The document checklist varies depending on what type of application you’re making, obviously, but for SET(M) it was slightly different than what we’ve been used to seeing. Employer letter, payslips, bank statements, LITUK pass lettter, etc. are all the same as usual. You do need to download the partner declaration and have it signed. I didn’t need to sign anything myself. Also, no need for any photos.

For evidence of cohabitation, it just says 6 letters/documents addressed to you and your partner at the same address over the past 2.5 years. Doesn’t specify 3 sources or evenly spaced—but I did it anyway!

Appointment
The Birmingham Core Service Point is near the airport. It was nice not to have to go into the city. Plus, parking was free! The location and place in the building was easy to find.

11:00 am - Arrived just on time for my appointment (was rushing to get my last mini statement from the bank right before - should have planned better!) There was no fancy security, metal detectors, etc. like the PSC had. A guy sitting by the door just asked to see my QR code and passport, gave me a number, and sent me four feet away to the check in desk. This was just someone standing behind a podium and directing everyone. She asked me if I had scanned my documents and had me sit down. Not quite enough chairs to accommodate everyone waiting comfortably. The room looked a little thrown together—I mean, almost still temporary. Maybe this will change.

11:30 am - Got called to ‘check in’ with a lady in a fairly open cubicle. She took my QR code and passport then asked if I had uploaded everything. She scanned and uploaded my bank statements since I ran out of time for that. Maybe this is the scanning service that you’ll have to pay for in the future if you have a free appointment?

12:00 pm - Got called to submit my biometrics at one of two self-service kiosks. Again, you have to scan your QR code and passport, then the machine takes a photo, your fingerprints, and signature. Although it took quite a few tries to get a photo that was approved, it was pretty easy. I didn’t see it until later, but I got an email at 12:05 from UKVI with the subject line ‘Home Office application’. It says ‘Thank you for your application to the Home Office. Your application has been received and is being processed.’ It goes on to say that it may take up to 6 months to get a decision and they’ll let me know ASAP if it will take longer. Generic email I suppose, but nice to know it’s been received!

12:40 pm - Got called to have my final check (I think there were two stations doing this). She again took QR code and passport, then she scanned all the pages of my passport (well, almost all…I think she got to page 40 and gave up, even though there are stamps on following pages).
- She asked for my council tax statement. I had scanned and uploaded it under the ‘Finances’ section, but she put it under the ‘Residence in the UK’ section. She said they can’t delete or move anything I had submitted.
- She asked for my bank statements. I told her the other lady had scanned them already, but she said it was for her to verify them. She scanned them again as well. Even though all mine were straight from the bank through the post plus the last transactions printed in-branch, I asked if downloaded online statements were acceptable now. She said she couldn’t answer that; it would be a question I’d have to ask UKVI.
- She took photos (?) of my passport and BRP with a special flip up light camera thing.
- Lastly, she said that was everything and she turned the screen to me and said, ‘This is you, and I’m going to submit it now, here where it says "Submit immediately”. You have Super Priority Service, so you should hear back from UKVI in 24 hours…it’s 1:00 now, so by 1 pm tomorrow you should have heard from them.’
Throughout the check, she was pleasant and even chatty, except when she needed to concentrate.

1:10 pm - Checked out with the lady at the podium and I was on my way.

I do miss the PSC same-day-decision, but hopefully this won’t be too much more painful! I’ll post an update when I have one.

https://talk.uk-yankee.com/index.php?topic=95321.msg1261889#msg1261889

Thanks,

This is a big help. One more question:

Since our last application for FLR we have had a baby. We have completed the online application and submitted it but there were not many questions about the baby. Is that correct? Do we need to upload any documents in relation to the baby?

Thanks,

Thanks,

This is a big help. One more question:

Since our last application for FLR we have had a baby. We have completed the online application and submitted it but there were not many questions about the baby. Is that correct? Do we need to upload any documents in relation to the baby?

Thanks,

I was going to reply yesterday to say that other people have been having problems with the online form because it was asking TOO MANY questions about their children and requiring tons of documents (like birth certificates from the child and both parents, passports from the child and both parents, bills showing evidence of where each parent lived, even if the other parent lived in another country and was not involved in the child's life etc.).

So maybe it's the case that they have just updated the online form and taken all of that out now?

Here is a link to another thread where there was confusion about the information required for their stepdaughter. They've just posted this morning to say that all the questions about their stepdaughter have suddenly disappeared from the form (I've mentioned your post here in my latest reply):
https://talk.uk-yankee.com/index.php?topic=95597.msg1267043#new

I was going to reply yesterday to say that other people have been having problems with the online form because it was asking TOO MANY questions about their children and requiring tons of documents (like birth certificates from the child and both parents, passports from the child and both parents, bills showing evidence of where each parent lived, even if the other parent lived in another country and was not involved in the child's life etc.).

So maybe it's the case that they have just updated the online form and taken all of that out now?

Here is a link to another thread where there was confusion about the information required for their stepdaughter. They've just posted this morning to say that all the questions about their stepdaughter have suddenly disappeared from the form (I've mentioned your post here in my latest reply):
https://talk.uk-yankee.com/index.php?topic=95597.msg1267043#new

I can't seem to find that thread. Was the child a UK citizen or was the child also requiring sponsorship etc? I seem to remember the paper based form having many questions about the child but my wife has been filling in the online application since November and we have never seen any questions...

Sorry - It seems I posted a link to this thread, not the other one.

Hopefully this is the right one:
https://talk.uk-yankee.com/index.php?topic=95167.30


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Thanks - I read that thread and it appears as though the daughter had a parents not associated with the application. Perhaps that was why so many questions were coming up? My daughter was recently born but I don't think we even entered her name...

Thanks - I read that thread and it appears as though the daughter had a parents not associated with the application. Perhaps that was why so many questions were coming up? My daughter was recently born but I don't think we even entered her name...

Did you say on your application that you have a child together?

If not, that will likely be why the questions didn’t show up.

However, you MUST mention your daughter on the application form and give all the details about her date of birth, nationality, where she lives etc.- it could be considered deception if you don’t.

You will also need to supply:
- her birth certificate
- her UK passport if she has one
- evidence of where she lives, such as a letter from her GP


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I have just read through the printed out answers on the application and there is no mention of our daughter. There is NO question on there that I can see that asks if we have a daughter...Not sure what to do now. I feel this is not right. We have already submitted the application and paid. Appointment is setup for end of Jan.

I really don’t know - it sounds like there may have been a glitch in the application in the last 24 hours or so, where all the child questions disappeared and then reappeared again today, so your application could have been caught up in that.

As you are applying in person, I think maybe what you could do is gather the documents up for your daughter, and make sure you have all her personal details handy, and then explain at the appointment that you were not asked any questions about her on the form. And if they need the information after all, you’ll have it to hand.


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I just looked at this again. There is one question:

* Do you and your partner have any children together? - YES


* Do you have any children who's parent is not your partner? - NO


* Does your partner have any children living in the UK from a previous relationship? - NO


That is all there is. No other questions about children. They didn't ask for names or date of birth....Does that sound right?

I just looked at this again. There is one question:

* Do you and your partner have any children together? - YES


* Do you have any children who's parent is not your partner? - NO


* Does your partner have any children living in the UK from a previous relationship? - NO


That is all there is. No other questions about children. They didn't ask for names or date of birth....Does that sound right?

Interesting - those questions sounds right, but the paper form also required you to answer a whole table of questions about the child, regardless of whether it was your child together, or from a previous relationship.

Maybe they’ve changed the online form so you don’t have to anymore? I’m not sure though because this is all new to us.

So, best thing to do I think, is to just be prepared to explain that there were no questions about her, when you attend the appointment, and have her details available if needed.


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