Musings on FLR(M) postal applications

We did the biometics on Saturday at the post office, so that's all done now.

An interesting thing happened at my wife's work today.

Her area manager came up to her and asked about her visa as her current one expires today. He wanted to check she had reapplied because, if not, she wouldn't be able to work tomorrow.

So she had to take in the letters we received from the home office and the receipt of payment for her biometrics as proof.

Worth bearing in mind. Had we waited until the last moment to send everything off, we wouldn't have received those letters yet and she wouldn't have been able to work tomorrow.

You're right Maharg, these issues can easily cause employer anxiety and worse. It has happened.

It may not make any difference but then on the other hand it may help with timing if the section 14 of FLR(M) guidance is shown to the employer:-

quote
14.Your status while your application is being considered If you and any children under 18 apply before the end of your permitted stay in the UK, your/ their existing immigration status, including any permission to work, will continue until your/their application(s) is/are decided.
unquote

Of course it would still be needed to show proof of application and payment I'd guess.

BRP arrived today in the post.

That's just 17 days after the other expired, which I thought was pretty good.

The employer asking for proof on the day of expiration or don't bother coming in work the day after! Once I wafted it in his face id be looking for employment elsewhere.

Why?

Do you not think the working status of immigrants should be checked?

Checks need to be made of course but it was the fact they were willing to tell her not to bother come in the following day if she couldn't prove her status. I think it was discourteous to your good lady that they didnt make her aware weeks if not months before. On the day doesn't seem fair to me nor responsible.

Maybe, but it's no big deal really.

It seems fair enough to me that they wanted proof that she had reapplied, because if she hadn't she would gave been working illegally.

Ok, so maybe they could have told her before that they wanted to see proof that she had reapplied but I don't see it as a big deal. All she had to do was show them the letter from the Home Office.

No biggie, although, as I said earlier, had she applied at the last minute she might not have received it yet and might have had to take a couple of days off.

(Although, knowing her, it's quite possible they did tell her before anyway but she took no notice.)

The returned documents arrived this morning. I've just signed for them! Pretty efficient all round from UKVI, I have to say.

So, for a visa that expired on 30 November, this is our timeline.

10 November - Sent off application
17 November - cheque was cashed
24 November - Received letter to go to a Post Office to give biometrics
28 November - Did Biometrics
17 December - BRP arrived
18 December - Documents returned.

For something that's meant to take 8-10 weeks, and I was warned could take up to 10 months, that ain't bad. Clearly a better option than paying an extra £400 to do it on the day as long as you don't need it in a hurry.

Great news

Congratulations and well done.
Onwards and upwards.

The FLR(M) process has improved greatly in recent years as you have discovered.

The dark days of FLR waiting for 10 months or more are long gone. Thank goodness.

Just my personal opinion, but I've always felt that if you have the budget a same day premium is worth it.
Only if the application is straightforward though, with absolutely zero need to back office investigations.

I would certainly go for same day service on the first FLR as there are the benefits of being able to work straight away and, perhaps, getting yourself secure straight away.

Will probably go for same day option on ILR too, just to get it all done. But this is just kind of "in the middle" so for me I didn't see much benefit in doing it on this occasion and we opted for postal.

It was straight forward with no complications, so maybe that's why it was done quickly.

Hi Maharg! Thank u for sharing ur experience here for the application of FLRM. Would u mind sharing also what are the documents u have submitted together with the form? Your reply will be much appreciated. Thank u so much.

I am self employed, so the bulk of it was documents about that.

For my prrof of earnings I submitted:
2 years of Tax Returns
2 years of accountant's statements of earnings - plus a further statement about what I earned from April to Octber 2015
2 years of my own accounts spreadsheets - plus extra from April 2015 to October 2015
National Insurance Statement going back to 1990 when I became self employed
Business Bank Statements back to April 2014 (to ensure a whole financial year was covered) - with payments in and National Insurance payments highlighted.
Letter from the comapny that I regulalry work for about the work I do.
Cover latter stating that NI is now taken annually, so no more Direct Debits from May 2015 (I think it was May)

Accomodation:
Mortgage Statement
Land Registry
Deeds
Estate Agent's original documentation on the house from when we bought it.


6 items of correspondence in joint names over the last 2 years.
Cover letters from each of us.
Her passport
Photo copy of mine (not certified but with all pages copied)
English test certificate (not sure it was needed, but sent it anyway)
My divorce certificate

I'm sure there was other stuff, but that's what I can remember

Thank u for the kind reply. So, I reckon this is her 2nd FLR right? Anyways, did the home office sent her a letter in the post few days after u sent her application confirming that they have received her application? stating that they will decide their application within eight weeks? I am just worried as I have received just now and they stated also in their letter what could be the possible reasons of it's delays or reasons that will affect their decision making. I maybe just worrying too much. I hope to hear from u soon again as it really bothers me...

Don't worry. I'm sure it's a standard letter.

Yeah, this was our second FLR. Dont worry. I reckon it would take a lot for them to refuse this. The hard part is getting here in the first place.

You should get a letter, plus a barcode letter which you take to a participating Post Office to register biometrics for the BRP.

Make sure you check the Post Office website for Post Offices that do this, as not all of them do. In our case the nearest one was about 15 miles away.

Oh thank u so much for the reply...I feel better now knowing that this is just a standard letter that everyone applying is receiving such letter apart from the one for biometric. Have a good day!