Uk Ilr Personal Appointment

[ged]

The wife had an appointment at the Liverpool office, we booked it nearly 2 mths before.

When we got there we were told they had no record of us making an appointment and that the reference number that we had was for someone else.

Ok, I said , just fit us in today and no problem.

I am sorry the guy says we have no appointments for 2 mths.

You can imagine how we felt , my wife was distaught.

They said there was nothing they could do and we should apply by post.

WE got the train home and I called Croydon and told them what happened, they said it must have been a technical hitch after we made an appointment.

Do you want another appointment in Liverpool? yes

We do not have any

Can you go to Bimingham ?, yes

We do not have any

Can you go to Sheffield? yes

We do not have any

Can you go to Croydon, YES IF I HAVE TO

We do not have any, what a surprise

I must mention these appointments were needed before my wifes spouse visa expired.

Wait she says , I may have one, yes 0815 in Croydon the next day.

You have to be there 30 mins before the appointment .

I took it .

We drove through the night From Manchester to Croydon and finally got her ILR visa.

Even if we forget about the Liverpool fiasco I would reccomend that you send your application by post the process is not a pleasant experience.

2 days off work each, train fares , fuel cost, worry, stress etc etc

I am so happy that I do not have to deal with this system anymore , I do not blame the people that work at Immigration but I must say that not one of them looked happy at their work in fact they all looked downtrodden and stressed.

But now I would like to give you guys a BIG thank you.

You have helped the missus and I so much, through Our marriage in LOS, tourist visa, spouse visa, ESOL , and of course ILR.

Keep up the good work .

Cheers ,Ged

[Mossfinn]

Well Done Ged, what a fiasco.

Just a quick question, did they never confirm the meeting in wring or was the reference number given over the phone?

Good Luck

Moss

[ged]

Well Done Ged, what a fiasco.

Just a quick question, did they never confirm the meeting in wring or was the reference number given over the phone?

Good Luck

Moss

Thanks Mossfinn, no they did not confirm it in print they tell you the number then send you a text message and I called back a month before just to confirm the appointment.

I did ask if they recorded the phone calls, they said yes but it did not mean anything , they still had no way of giving me an appointment slot.

Not a pleasant experience.

Edited February 23, 2009 by ged

[Brigante7]

Hi all, I had the exact opposite experience, phoned Croydon to get an appointment at Glasgow and was asked how quickly I needed it, I said 1 week is fine, I was giving a reference number (Never needed it), turned up and was in and out in 90 minutes and the 3 people that dealt with my wifes ILR application couldn't have been more helpful, seems it's not just Thailand that experiences vary from office to office.

[ged]

Hi all, I had the exact opposite experience, phoned Croydon to get an appointment at Glasgow and was asked how quickly I needed it, I said 1 week is fine, I was giving a reference number (Never needed it), turned up and was in and out in 90 minutes and the 3 people that dealt with my wifes ILR application couldn't have been more helpful, seems it's not just Thailand that experiences vary from office to office.

I think you have missed the point.

[Brigante7]

Hi all, I had the exact opposite experience, phoned Croydon to get an appointment at Glasgow and was asked how quickly I needed it, I said 1 week is fine, I was giving a reference number (Never needed it), turned up and was in and out in 90 minutes and the 3 people that dealt with my wifes ILR application couldn't have been more helpful, seems it's not just Thailand that experiences vary from office to office.

I think you have missed the point.

So it seems, I'll get my coat.

[torrenova]

Sue them in the small claims court. Low cost and it will cost them more to defend their position than you are claiming so the bean counters should settle. Write them a letter stating your claim for compensation, detailing it with an hourly rate appropriate to your position (this is not your salaried hourly rate) and inform them that all future communication will incur costs of a minimum of one hour's rate. They will fob you off but they will settle or face the wrath of the courts and media (you can organise this).

Time consuming but don't let the buggers win through their incompetence.

[DC1066]

Well done on the visa.

You're not quite through the system yet though - that is if she wants to go for citizenship

Anyway, enjoy this one, I know its a great feeling when you get the ILR. It does make up for the the pains you have to go through to get to that stage.

[ged]

torrenova, I wish I could , but my Missus just wants to forget the whole thing, the experience really upset her.

DC , Yep, I will cross that bridge sometime in the near future ( I will be back here for info)

BTW Just a little story about when we were waiting at the Liverpool Office.

It is a dismal place , there were families with screaming children being escorted by the police to and fro,guys getting escorted away from the reception fro venting frustration , all sorts of desperate people waiting around.

Then this guy strolls up to the desk and just stands there with his hands out (like he was about to catch a fallling body )

He was dressed in camo gear and was very Black skinned , he looked like a jungle guerilla that you would see in the news on TV.

He just stood there for a few minutes until asked what he wanted, no reply , he was asked again repeatedly and still no reply.

One of the receptionists asks the other to get the translator down ,

"which one ?" he asked , "all of them"he replied.

Five translators appeared, each one spoke a different African language.

He was Somali.

I have nothing against this guy but it really pissed me off that I had an appointment and did not get seen and this chap steps off a ship (probably) and gets seen straight away

I have to laugh(now) but at the time theyhad to security to escort me out.

Maybe I was there on a bad day for all.