ILR: bank statements

Hi everyone,
It's been a few years since I've posted on here but I'm now nearly ready to apply for my ILR- can't believe how quickly time flew! Sorry in advance if my questions have been asked before, I have tried going back to old threads for answers.

I entered the UK on 24 Feb 2017. I was planning on applying for my ILR on the 29th Jan as I believe that's just about 28 days before the 5 years. Do we still need to get bank statements stamped by our banks or how do we go about this now that all documents are scanned in? Also, as I am applying on 29 Jan, can the bank statements and payslips only cover June - December 2020? Or will I need to wait until at least after the January pay has been deposited? I'm worried about having to include January pay as it can take a while to get official statements from the bank and I truly cannot delay in applying for my ILR. I have plans to see my family in the US end of March and need to expedite my application. I know I'm cutting it close but I'm hoping it'll be okay (it's been 3 years already and I don't want to delay unless absolutely necessary).  I suppose that's another question, does anyone know if the situation for appointments has improved?

Thanks!!

Welcome back .

I entered the UK on 24 Feb 2017. I was planning on applying for my ILR on the 29th Jan as I believe that's just about 28 days before the 5 years

Yep, 28 days before is 27th Jan, so applying on the 29th is fine .

Do we still need to get bank statements stamped by our banks or how do we go about this now that all documents are scanned in?

If your bank statements have been issued online, then they must be printed and either stamped by the bank on every page or accompanied by a letter from the bank confirming their authenticity. You then scan each printed/stamped statement and upload them to UKVCAS.

If your bank statements have been received in the post or printed by the bank in-branch, then you simply scan each one and upload.

Also, as I am applying on 29 Jan, can the bank statements and payslips only cover June - December 2020? Or will I need to wait until at least after the January pay has been deposited?

Your most recent payslip and bank statement MUST be dated within 28 days of the date you apply online.

So if you apply online on Jan 29th, your latest payslip and bank statement (and the employer letter) must be dated no earlier than 1st January 2022.

You do not need an official statement from the bank for January's payslip... on the day you get paid, you can just go into the bank and ask them to print a partial statement showing the January payslip deposit.

I have plans to see my family in the US end of March and need to expedite my application. I know I'm cutting it close but I'm hoping it'll be okay (it's been 3 years already and I don't want to delay unless absolutely necessary).  I suppose that's another question, does anyone know if the situation for appointments has improved?

I'm assuming you are planning to use the £800 Super Priority Service to get a decision within 24 hours of biometrics? Otherwise the processing time for ILR is 6 months.

Be aware though that they are only offering something like 50 Super Priority slots to applicants each day, so if it is not given as an option when you submit your online application, that means all the slots are gone for that day so you will need to try again on another day.

In regards to getting a biometrics appointment, I think most people are managing to book one within 2-3 weeks of applying online, but it's likely you will need to pay for one (up to £130) as free appointments are very scarce and there may be several weeks for one, if there are any available at all.

I'm so sorry, I was sure I had responded to this 

Thanks so much for your response and help.

Next steps wise --- if I submit my application tomorrow morning then I'll still need to wait for a registration code for the UKVCAS website to upload my scanned documents, is that right? The last time I did this I had to upload my scanned documents as part of the application. We've been able to source copies of the bank statements from the bank but will need to wait until Monday to request they print/stamp the Jan statement for us (to include the Jan pay). Is it okay to wait until Monday to scan our documents and this last statement be stamped with Monday's date instead of tomorrow's date? What I'm getting at here is that I'm afraid of waiting until Monday to submit my application if it take a while to be sent the registration code. As my husband's letter from his employer is dated 5th Jan we'd be cutting it very close if I have to wait until Tuesday to upload my docs and it could take a while for HR to provide us another.

To answer your other question yes I am hoping to get the super priority service but that's my next question. I could not see this option  The last page of the application just says " Your are paying 2408.20 GBP. ... once you select 'continue to worldpay' you will not be able to return and edit your application." There's no option for super priority. When I go to the next page there's no option there either and I don't want to continue to worldpay.  Have I done something wrong?

Thanks again!

Next steps wise --- if I submit my application tomorrow morning then I'll still need to wait for a registration code for the UKVCAS website to upload my scanned documents, is that right?

That's correct. I believe the registration code should come through within a few minutes of applying online.

We've been able to source copies of the bank statements from the bank but will need to wait until Monday to request they print/stamp the Jan statement for us (to include the Jan pay). Is it okay to wait until Monday to scan our documents and this last statement be stamped with Monday's date instead of tomorrow's date?

There's no rush... you have until about 2 days before your biometrics appointment to upload all the documents. Or alternatively, if you decide to pay for document scanning, you don't upload anything and you just take all the documents to your appointment.

First thing you need to do when you have registered on the UKVCAS website is book your biometrics appointment. Then the uploading can be done at any time after that.

What I'm getting at here is that I'm afraid of waiting until Monday to submit my application if it take a while to be sent the registration code. As my husband's letter from his employer is dated 5th Jan we'd be cutting it very close if I have to wait until Tuesday to upload my docs and it could take a while for HR to provide us another.

There really is no rush regarding the registration code and uploading documents - the only date that matters for the employer letter is the date you submit the online application and pay for the visa.

If the letter is dated 5th January, you have until Wednesday 2nd Feb to submit the online application and pay for the visa.

Nothing else has to be done by that date.

To answer your other question yes I am hoping to get the super priority service but that's my next question. I could not see this option  The last page of the application just says " Your are paying 2408.20 GBP. ... once you select 'continue to worldpay' you will not be able to return and edit your application." There's no option for super priority. When I go to the next page there's no option there either and I don't want to continue to worldpay.  Have I done something wrong?

Due to Covid, UKVI have put a limit on the number of applicants who can purchase Super Priority each day... I believe it's about 50 slots per day.

So, if there is no option to purchase it when you submit the application, it means that all the slots have been taken for the day... so you just have to keep trying at different times/days until the Super Priority option appears for you.

I believe they release the new slots for Super Priority at midnight each night, so you may have better luck trying tonight.

A timeline for your application:

- submit the online application and pay for the visa by Wed 2nd Feb at the latest... this is your official application date and is the only date that matters when it comes to the 28-day requirement for the financial documents

- Wait for registration code for UKVCAS (should arrive quickly)

- Register with UKVCAS

- Book a biometrics appointment... I believe you have about 2 months or so to attend the appointment

- While you are waiting for the appointment date, upload all your documents to the UKVCAS website

- Attend biometrics

- Wait for an email to say your application has been processed (for Super Priority, this often comes through 4-5 hours after the appointment)

- Wait for BRP to arrive in the mail

Thanks again for your help. I was able to successfully pay for the super priority service at midnight last night. As you mentioned, it was quite difficult to actually book a UKVCAS appointment as hardly any slots were available but I have scheduled one on 23rd Feb. Hopefully all will go well, my application will be approved and my BRP will arrive before 30th March. It's more than 4 weeks after the fact but I know how slow things can be sometimes.

What I can say is for anyone that will be applying soon, I feel that this was not the most intuitive process (or perhaps that's just me?). Once I paid for the super priority - which again thanks for helping me understand I need to wait until midnight for new appointments to appear- and registered using my access code I looked for an appointment near me. There were some appointments available late in Feb for £125 but no information as to what the charge was for. Luckily I was able find and book one which was free. At that point I'd felt I'd given away too much of my savings to also then pay £125 for an appointment. Unbelievable how much money they steal from people  .

Next thing to start thinking about is my citizenship application... at least the end is near.

Thanks again for your help. I was able to successfully pay for the super priority service at midnight last night. As you mentioned, it was quite difficult to actually book a UKVCAS appointment as hardly any slots were available but I have scheduled one on 23rd Feb. Hopefully all will go well, my application will be approved and my BRP will arrive before 30th March. It's more than 4 weeks after the fact but I know how slow things can be sometimes.

Great news on the super priority service .

You should receive your visa decision within 4 or 5 hours of the biometrics appointment… it can take 24 hours but most people have found it’s faster than that. Someone even got their approval within 2.5 hours of biometrics last week.

Once the decision has been made, your BRP will be delivered within 10 working days, though usually it only takes about 4 days or so… so I imagine you’d have it by end of Feb or early March at the latest.

There were some appointments available late in Feb for £125 but no information as to what the charge was for. Luckily I was able find and book one which was free. At that point I'd felt I'd given away too much of my savings to also then pay £125 for an appointment. Unbelievable how much money they steal from people  .

The charge is for an ‘out of hours’/next day/same day appointment…. Which almost everyone has had to pay for in the last 1.5 years, as there have been almost no free appointments available at all… I’m surprised you managed to find one actually.


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