knortyboy

WOW......Wife recieved her letter saying she had been granted citizenship on the 4th June '13, just 20 days after submission, one of which was a public holiday. It was actually dated the 1st June!!!

Ceremony booked for 5th July and then a well deserved holiday.

Thanks to everyone on the forum for their help and advice.

Submitted 15th May '13 via Nationality checking service - awaiting.

Also when ILR is given what is it? Like a sticker on passport page like before does it ever expiry/need renewing?

From the 29th February this year it is in the shape of a biometric residence permit - a credit card size item with holders photo etc. on it. Lasts for 10 years and I'd imagine most holders would have applied, and assuming they can meet the criteria, been given citizenship before it gets anywhere near expiring.

Hope that helps.

Be sure to use the new version of the form (version 04/2012) issued to reflect the increase in fees.

Be harsh of them to refuse or delay issue of your wifes visa due to using an old form, but why give them the chance.

Since the 29th February '12 when applying for ILR you must apply for a biometric residence permit at the same time.

If applying by post, after the UKBA receive your documents they send you a letter with your reference number on and you have 15 working days to make an appointment to have your boimetric data taken.

The nearest place to us to have this done is in Cardiff, we live in Cornwall, so rather than send off the documents, wait and then have to go to Cardiff, then wait again for the decision we've decided to just pay the extra and get it all sorted in one day.

My wife is coming up on the 2 year qualifying period, arrived in UK on 30/04/10 and is about to apply for ILR.

Now that there is a requirement to apply at the same time for a biometric residence permit, and where she needs to go to have the photo etc. taken is far away from where we live, we've decided that it's probably better to pay the extra and go the PEO route.

We're aware that she can apply up to 28 days prior to the 2 year anniversary and we've booked an appointment for the 18/04/12.

I'm just wondering if this will be ok as she won't have actually been in the UK for 2 years by that date. Is the 28 day rule only applicable for postal applications to allow for the slow processing times?

They'll require evidence which will be faxed off to the immigration authorities in the UAE and if approved there Emirates will provide the visa and issue a ticket.

You will need to pay the appropriate fee and show evidence of a confirmed hotel booking.

On the Emirates website it states that you must book the ticket before applying for the visa.

7BY7.

You're more knowledgeable than most on this forum including myself on these kind of matters, but this letter seems fine to me, concise whilst still managing to explain the situation.

My thoughts regarding the daughter are to not include that paragraph so as not to confuse matters.

IMHO, it is not wrong that immigrants have to learn this stuff; what's wrong is that British schoolchildren don't!

Well said that man.

Sounds to me like you have some kind of gripe with these visa agents.

Did you give them money to get a visa for someone you know and for whatever reason didn't get it?

I've never used one and I'm sure there are some bad ones out there as well as some excellent ones, but if someone wants to use an agent, pays their money then that's up to them.

if they wanted, they could just do a check on you on the passport Data and find out about your past trips.

That would involve different government departments liasing with each other .

If only they did.

From what you have said, the money is not staying with the in Laws, it is just for show.

When you are ready to leave the village, burn the money.

Tell them you have plenty more back in UK, and cant be bothered carrying it.

I'd advise against this.

There'll be enough members of the extended family with their hands out, and this will only lead to many more requests for financial help for many years to come.

For the UK it's 17/02/12 - Two years after the date she arrived.

Actually she can apply 28 days before this date.

7 - Oh yes, English test A-1

I will be trying to do all this in 2 weeks, as on holiday from work in the UK.

What do you all think ??? Is it possible ??? Any ideas are welcome.

Alan

Easily possible, but to save time why don't you ask your fiancee to do the English test prior to you arriving.

This is how easy it is to get details. Scary stuff.

http://www.wreg.com/videobeta/?watchId=8ba6f8fc-90a2-4711-90ea-1884ec348310

Can they, what some people say, skim a card by passing a reader over your wallet? I don't know?

Yes, not a conventional card reader but it can be done quite easily

You could try asking in some shoe shops as many better quality shoes have a pack in the box, which for a price they may let you have.

My wife recently applied and got her NI number and I was surprised at how easy it was.

Firstly she went to the job centre plus as per the instructions online and they knew nothing of what to do, but did, after discussing it amongst themselves for a few minutes give her a telephone number of the department to contact - 0845 600 0643.

I rang on her behalf, from memory it was Newcastle, and the man at the call centre took her detials, asked why she wanted a NI number, (in order to seek employment) and he said that they would send some forms which needed to be filled in and returned to an address on the Isle of Wight.

The forms arrived in 3 or 4 days, were fairly straight forward from what I remember, and she had to include copies of our marriage certificate, our passport biometric data pages and a copy of her visa. The forms were accompanied by a letter saying that they would contact her for an interview after recieving the forms back. They did give a timescale for an interview but I can't remember what it was. I know it wasn't long, maybe 4 weeks.

A few weeks later a letter arrived addressed to my wife and it was notification of her NI number and said that a card would follow in 6 to 8 weeks.

A card did arrive after about 9 weeks but was in her maiden name.

I called the helpline number included with the card and explained the problem. The lady at the call centre said that the problem must of been when she had her interview she never showed her marraige certificate. I explained that she was never asked to, or attended an interview. Her response was for my wife to return the NI number card and to fill in the form for a name change and include a copy of her marraige certificate.

She did this and 5 weeks later a new card was sent this time showing her married name.

All in all very easy and other than the mix up with the name, plain sailing. I was very surprised and impressed on both occassions I had to call as they were polite, efficient and mostly very knowledgable.

This law restricts the right to marry a lady of your choice.

Are you sure? That's certainly not my understanding of the new ruling.

Last time I checked on the MFA website they still listed visiting Pattaya but the site was well out of date so may be best to telephone and enquire.

Your g/f hands the bank draft over with all the other paperwork when she goes for her appointment at the VFS centre.

does it have to be bankers draft or check,can it be cash?

steve

No, they will not accept cash payment at the VFS office.

I was reading through the letter that the UKBA enclosed with my wifes settlement visa entitled 'Information for the holder of spouse/civil partnership visa', which I'm guessing is a standard letter sent to all successful applicants and was both surprised and disgusted to find an error.

Paragraph 4 is as follows - 'Please note that you visa has been issued to enable you to settle with the sponsor named in your visa only.'

We are always being told about the large number of children who leave school without even the most basic of English skills and I'm not really surprised if even the BA can't get it right. Maybe the staff at the embassy should be made to pass an ESOL course or the life in the UK test.

Has anyone else noticed this?

I love my wife, and i miss her terribly. If im being emotional, its because im really upset that we have to be apart and some civil servant says that our relationship is not a genuine subsisting one when everybody who knows me knows that we have a genuine loving relationship.

Unfortunately, as others have said the ECO doesn't know you or is able ask your friends.

I read something a long time ago which I think helped when we applied for a visa for my (now) wife, and that was to explain and back up with evidence everything you say in the application as if the ECO was a small child and you were trying to explain it to them. It sounds silly but if you make it as straight forward as possible then there is less chance of confusion or the ECO overlooking anything.

Best of luck with your appeal.

7by7, thanks for that. I wish I had known that before.

What I was thinking was that if I made a mistake and the embassy beleived 'intent' to deceive how would/could I prove that it was a genuine mistake.

Congratulations Mr & Mrs Knortyboy.

I bet you've been racking you brains for the last few days trying to figure out what was wrong.

Thankyou and Yes I have.

It's caused me some sleepless nights thinking whether I had made a big mistake on the application form that would of excluded her from applying for 10 years, as I was so sure we had covered everything required.