Yesterday, I went to my appointment in Chester to have my passport and face scanned for my EU Settlement. Plain straightforward, the lady processing was a real gem, fun to deal with and as she said no worries. Scanned my details page on the passport, read the chip, married the two, then took a facial scan and after confirmation a link was sent to my main email address to continue with the application. Paid gladly £14 and went on my way. As soon as back home, I got online and completed the form via the link given, totally effortless. MY N.I. Number alone was guarantee enough that I have been in the UK well over the 5 years minimum requirement for settled status. And that was what, according to the message received, I will be considered for. My wife has already a Permanent Residence Permit, which won't expire for a few years, but as soon as I receive my card, I will apply for her as well, and the Permit she holds will be turned into a fully fledged I.L.R..... At the moment I feel quite relaxed. Small warning..... If anybody tries to turn this thread of mine into a political battleground, he/she better think twice, I won't stand for it.
ADDENDUM The £14 I paid was for the service provided by the Cheshire West registry office with the scanning and processing. I could have been able to do it for free, myself, if I had downloaded the Home Office app on my smart phone. After a few tries on Google Play and finding, even with the appropriate link, lots of fake apps, I decided to make an appointment and have it done somewhere else. Better safe than sorry. https://www.gov.uk/guidance/using-the-eu-exit-id-document-check-app It seems straightforward when one reads it, but being an unrepentant technophobe it is well over my capacities to have enough patience and understanding with it.
11.30 am received confirmation email of my full settled status... I need to click on a couple of links on said email for proof of something or the other, but I will wait until I get home and use my pc, as I don't trust the smartphone or the tablet a lot... Elated and happy that the artificial hurdle has been dealt with, now i have made an appointment for my wife...
