Indefinite leave to Remain

[Belmontboy]

Hi

My wife and I applied for Indefinite leave to remain over a month ago and we JUST received our paperwork back today, telling us that the application was Invalid due to the payment being rejected....I always made sure my credit card was topped up with funds but don't know why the payment wasn't accepted.

With the paperwork, there was a letter telling us to re-apply and what to do to ensure that the payment is accepted so this time, we will use a cheque payment.

The problem is, however, that my wife's FLR expired last week and we are very worried that our next application will be regarded as an "after stay application" and will be rejected. I phoned UK Border Agency today and spoke to two people who gave contrasting information :
The first person said that it would be a new application, after the expiry date, would be rejected and your wife should return home immediately.

The second person I spoke to said that we have been given written confirmation to re-apply and the application is therefore still "in progress" and her status is secure.

Whilst we want to believe the second conversation, the words spoken by the 1st person were very cold and almost sinister and we are just wondering if anybody else has been in a similar situation.

Finally, we applied for the ILRM Well within the 28 day time period and did everything "by the book"

Many thanks.

[Terpe]

Sorry to hear your experience. I can imagine how frustrating and worrying it must be.

Under normal circumstances it's often tricky if they will accept "out of time" applications, and in principle it is entirely discretionary.

However your case is different in that your application remains 'in-process' and you have been told to re-apply.
You applied correctly and until such time as any decision is taken about the granting of ILR then FLR status remains in place.

Just remain calm, there is no chance that anyone will have to leave UK

[Terpe]

Sorry to hear your experience. I can imagine how frustrating and worrying it must be.

Under normal circumstances it's often tricky if they will accept "out of time" applications, and in principle it is entirely discretionary.

However your case is different in that your application remains 'in-process' and you have been told to re-apply.
You applied correctly and until such time as any decision is taken about the granting of ILR then FLR status remains in place.

Just remain calm, there is no chance that anyone will have to leave UK

Just to add that most '"out of time" applications' are actually resolved with a good outcome.

[joebloggs]

why was the money not paid , did you find out why, was it the banks fault, yours or UKBA's fault ?
the reason why could help you, and didnt you check that the money went from your account ?

but as terpe has said if your quick you could be ok.

[Belmontboy]

I don't know why the money wasn't paid. It was a credit card payment and my available funds were always in excess of £1000 and I checked the details on the payment page and I'd written down everything correctly, Card number, exp date, 3 digit code etc. I phoned the credit card company prior to the application to alert them to the fact that a £972 transaction was coming out, and I phoned them yesterday to find out what had happened. They told me that failed transactions occur for any number of reasons and only appear on an account for two days. If it was a failed transaction then they had no record of it.

[gWaPito]

More than likely the payment request flagged up a security alert.

Nothing unusual in that. It happened to me a couple of times while in ph the first time. They are just looking after your money.

Its the downside of applying by post using a credit/debit card as payment.

What I can't understand, why ukba didn't contact you straight away...a call from you to your credit supplier would of cleared it up.

Good luck.

Btw...when making new application enclose a copy of the letter from them telling you to reapply.

[lastlid]

I agree. They should have and could have given you a quick phone call......

[Belmontboy]

Btw...when making new application enclose a copy of the letter from them telling you to reapply.[/QUOTE]

Thats exactly what the gentelman on the phone said when I called yesterday. Include the letter and re-submit

Thanks for all the re-assurances :-)

[Belmontboy]

Fresh application has now been sent of with a cheque payment and the letter they sent us, along with a covering letter............fingers crossed...................

[Belmontboy]

Its been 6 weeks and no sign of ILR Visa. They sent us acknowledgement dated 7th December but nothing since then....I appreciate the offices would have closed down over Christmas and New year, but my wife just spoke to a friend who received hers within 4 weeks....

The stress of waiting is taking its toll....

[lastlid]

Sorry to hear about your wait. Its easy for me to say but I bet your application will be successful. I watch your case with interest as we will be applying for ILR (unless they change the rules which is a strong possibility) in the future. I notice that one can cut out the waiting time by submitting directly in person, but thats all very well and good as it is quite a lot more expensive....

[scottishbride]

Its been 6 weeks and no sign of ILR Visa. They sent us acknowledgement dated 7th December but nothing since then....I appreciate the offices would have closed down over Christmas and New year, but my wife just spoke to a friend who received hers within 4 weeks....

The stress of waiting is taking its toll....

Sorry to hear that... When I applied for my ILR last year I have used Glasgow PEO. Everything is straight forward. I am sure your wife's application will be succesful.. You just need to be patient..

[Bluebirdjones]

Belmont Boy

We're in the same situation, awaiting ILR approval.
We submitted on 24th Oct, so it's now 3 months and it's impossible for us to make any plans.

Like you, we also know people (and others on this site) who got the ILR in 4-9weeks, so I guess it might be as simple as the efficiency and work ethic of the case worker who gets assigned your application.

... and it's virtually impossible to check on the status. All you get as a recorded message telling you that if submitted up to 6mnths previously, then you have to just sit and wait.

Rant over

[joebloggs]

ILR for a long time took around 4wks, delays with xmas and no doubt cut backs on staff and more paper work involved and changes have caused a backlog

i'm sure you will all get your ILR, as hardly anyone is refused

[PAT]

Sorry to hear about that Belmontboy....

[Belmontboy]

This waiting gets worse every day. It's the not knowing when she will get her ILR, IF she will even get her ILR and the fact that the UKBA have my passport is also an issue as well because I'm supposed to be going on a School trip to France in 8 weeks time.....not being able to attend will affect the trip's staffing ratios and I don't want to pull out incase the passport comes soon but I can't let the organisers down by pulling out at the last minute so I don't know what to do :-(

[rusty]

You could try to contact them to get your passport returned.

http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/ab...-of-documents/

To request the return of documents from any other application for permission to stay in the UK

Phone: 0870 606 7766 and select Option 2.
Textphone: 0800 389 8289 (the contact centre also accepts calls by text relay and other similar services)
The email address below is for applicants who are already in the UK and require general information about the Immigration Rules' requirements. For data protection reasons, we cannot answer questions about individual cases by email.
Email: UKBApublicenquiries@ukba.gsi.gov.uk
Address: UK Border Agency, Lunar House, 40 Wellesley Road, Croydon, Surrey CR9 2BY
Opening Hours: Monday to Thursday 09:00 to 16:45, Friday 09:00 to 16:30 (excluding public holidays).

[Belmontboy]

But returning the passport means the Application will be classed as Withdrawn....

[joebloggs]

i can't see you waiting another 2 months
you've been waiting nearly 3 months, when it is 3 months give them a call , as i think its 3 months b4 they will tell you anything

[Belmontboy]

JESSICA'S ILR ARRIVED !!!!!!!!!!!!!

wow what a RELIEF, considering all the problems we had earlier with the invalid application.

I feel like I'm dreaming and I'm going to wake up any moment !!!!!

Thank for all your support.

That was just over an 8 week wait

YAAAHHHHHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

[Terpe]

WoooHooo
That's wonderful news

Both ILR and FLR appear to still be subject to backlog.

Relax, be happy and go out for a nice celebration.

Thanks for taking the time to post your update and feedback. That's going to be a big help to lots of people here who are waiting.

[joebloggs]

your worries are over

[tone]

Great news! Congratulations.
Tone

[Moy]

[msmaganda]

congratulations!

[bigmarco]

Congratulations

[ybba]

wow thats great congatulations!

[scottishbride]

WoooHooo
That's wonderful news

Both ILR and FLR appear to still be subject to backlog.

Relax, be happy and go out for a nice celebration.

Thanks for taking the time to post your update and feedback. That's going to be a big help to lots of people here who are waiting.

Congrats!

[PAT]

Congratulations..

[Bluebirdjones]

An update....

So…….. a positive result in the end

After a 117 day wait (almost 17 weeks), this morning we received the ILR….. and it’s pretty obvious how or why the delay has occurred.

My wife’s got TWO Indefinite Leave to Remain visas in her passport !

One in her single name, which has three thick CANCELLED stamps across it, and one in her married name.

Oh what fun we’re going to have crossing international borders in the future.