Niruv's successful application to get his/her Tier 1 visa for three years, switching from HSMP.

 

Date application made: 14th April 2009.

Application Details: Extension (Switching from HSMP to Tier1) NOT JR

Appointment Details: (Inperson/Premium service) Called HO on 05/03/2009 and got the appointment slot for 14/04/2009

Appointment Time: 09:00 AM

Visa Center: East Croydon

Fee Paid: £1020.00

 

 

My Experiences on 14/04/2009

08:00 AM Reached Visa center 
There is a seperate Queue for premium applicants and there are not many people in the queue through out the day, may be because it is because of appointment based. 

08:10 AM Security allowed us into the visa center. Had undergone airport type security checks and ended up in another queue. 

08:15 AM I was asked to show my application form in the queue to confirm that I am applying for Tier 1. 

08:20 AM Each one of us in the queue were called to the counter where the staff will categorize the visa type and will be given the reference number. Now it is my turn and I went to the counter. 

At this counter I was asked the following questions:

a) Purpose of visit? 
b) Do you have an appointment? 
c) Appointment reference number?

Handed over my application and passport. 
Verified and stamped on application.

d) Do you have any dependents? 
e) Are you Single or Married? 
f) I was asked to read paragraph shown at the counter. This paragraph is to verbally confirm that once the fee paid cannot be withdrawn. 

Now I get ticket (reference number). This ticket is very important which you need to show at different counters. 

08:40 AM I was guided to first floor by the security staff to pay the applicaiton fee. 

08:42 AM Went to first floor. At the payment counter I gave my application and Ticket. Verified and paid the amount £1020.00 thru debit card. Then the she (staff) striked off my payment details in the application. Then I was to asked to sit in the ticket calling area. It is in the same floor. Just opposite to the payment counter.

09:10 AM Call for my ticket number and I went to the counter. 

The lady here asked my ticket and application at first. 
As the staff are very new these type of appliations so they were not fully aware of rules. She (Counter staff) said to me that it is the first application they are dealing with. 

Conversation went like this:

Staff: Are you extending you visa. 
Me: Yes 

Staff: Are you switching from Student/Poststudy to Tier 1 
Me: No. I am switching from HSMP to Tier 1 

Staff: Does your application come under Transitional arrangements? 
Me: No. 
Here another lady (staff) came and said to the main staff that my application fall under Transitional arrangements. 
Me: I explained that my current leave expires in next month and i am switching from HSMP to Tier 1 General visa. 

Staff: Oh is it!! We are new to the rules. 
Me: Just gave a smile
She had a sheet which says go to Page 9 for applicant details. 

Staff: She asked me she couldn't find page 9 
Me: It is page 10 and there is no number for page 9 as it is just an info for the applicants saying "If you are producing a double-sided copy...." 
She carried on looking into my application from Page 10. Referring to section 3A... 

Staff: Are you claiming points for age? 
Me: Yes
She was about to tick the Age seciton in section 3A 
Me: The section you are referring does not applicable to me. My details are found from Section 3C 

Staff: So you don't need to fill these pages? 
Me: Yes 

Staff: We are new and we are learning them. 
Then she started looking from section 3C and had a glance at the rest of the pages. She called another staff to asist her in entering the details into their system. Looking at my appliation form, While entering the details....

Staff: Can I have your educational certificates? 
Me: Sure. 
Gave my Master's certificate and Degree certificate with the english langauge letter. (Though these documents are not necessary, still i took them just to be on the safer side) 

Staff: Can I have your bank statements and Payslips?
Me: Sure 
Gave my bank statements, pay slips and P60. She started entering all my details into the system to calculate the points. Looks somewhat similar to points based calculator. 

Staff: In which state did you study your masters? 
Me: Tamilnadu 

Staff: How long was that course? 
Me: 3 Years 

Staff: Shall I select 3 or less than 4? 
Me: Yes 

Staff: Are you sure is your masters a 3 year course? 
Me: Yes. It is 3 years 

Staff (Who is asisting her): No masters is 3 year long. 
Me: In india MCA is 3 year long. 
Staff: Ok. With strange expression on the face 

Staff: When did you enter UK? 
Me: June 2007 

Staff: You have given payslips from June 2008, then where are your payslips from June 2007? 
Me: Because I am claiming points from June 2008. It is not necessary to submit more than 12 months payslips. As per the guidence I can only claim for any 12 month period 15 months prior to my application. 

Staff: Is it? 
Looked at each other. 
Staff: Wait let me find out. 
Me: ok 
She called to someone and enquired over phone. 
Came back and counted and started looking into my payslips 

Staff: There are only 10 months payslips where are the other two months payslips? 
Me: I am claiming only for 10 months and it is not necessary to claim for the whole period. I explained her in detail saying, as per guidance notes, as long as I meet the required earnings points I am eligible for extension.... 

Staff: Why are you just claiming for 10 months? Were you not working before? 
Me: These 10 months payslips are from my current employer and now I dont have proper proof to show the earnings from my previous employer. 

Staff: Is this all your 10 months bank statements? 
Me: Yes 

Staff: We just need to your last 3 months bank statements. 
And she gave me the rest. 
I was wondered about what they are doing. 
But I just kept quit. 
she asking to another guy (staff), I couldn't listen properly what she was asking, and then she replied to that guy 'Yes he is economically active' 
And I was told to wait for a while. 

Then after sometime she again called someone over phone (probably senior officer). 
She came back and took all my bank statements again and pinned along with my payslips and P60. 
Oh god bit relief for me. 
She entered all the possible applicaiton details into the system 

Staff: It is much paper work involved in these applicaitons 
Me: Smiled. 

After spending two hours answering above questions...

Staff: It is all done by me. I have done all the stuff what I could do. Now I need to send it to my supervisor and she will 
verify my work and if everything goes fine you will get your visa extended till May 2012. This might take around 1 hour to 1.30 hours. 
Sit here somewhere near where I could see you. Once I get the decision I will call you. By that time if you want you can go out and come. 

Me: Ok Thank you. May I know what has been done till now? Did you just register my case or did you actually consider my case? 
What is the next stage called? 
Staff:I have done initial verificaiton here it looks ok for me and my supervisor has to decide. So your case is still under consideraiton. 
Me: Ok thank you. 
They are so polite to answer all my questions and through out the day, all the staff are happy to assist. 
I just saw the clock and it was around 11:30 AM
I came back at around 12:30 PM. And sat on the bench opposite to her counter and saw and noded her head. 
She was looking into another tier 1 case. This time she is better in dealing. As I could see she was not asking that many silly questions. 

Around 12:45 PM she called me 
Staff: I havn't heard anything about your case. You may have to wait for some more time. 
Me: Ya sure. 
Thought, What else I could do. It is anyway better than postal. 

Around 01:15 PM she completed with current case and went to his superrior to handover that case and came back. 
She Called me 
Staff: They are considering your case. So you will come to know. 
Me: Ok 

She went for lunch and came back around 02:00 PM and started dealing with other cases 

03:00 PM When she was not dealing with anyone, I went and asked her about my case whether did she get any info on that. 
Staff: I still didn't get any info, but Wait let me find out for you. 
She came back
Staff: They are still considering your case. 
Me: So long?
Staff: They were considering your case and were half way thru then they took a break for lunch, and now they started looking into your case. 
Me: ok 

04:15 PM: She saw me and went to find out about my case 
Staff: They are still looking. 
Me: Oh is it! Are they finding difficult? Do they need more extra info on my case? 
Staff: No no it is nothing to do with you. There are only four case workers working on all tier 1,2,3 and 4 applications 
and there are more cases today, so it is workload for them. 
Me: Will I get the decision today? 
Staff: Ya sure by the end of the day you should get it. 

Around 04:50 PM She got my papers. I could see them. I was bit tensed. Waited for 5 minutes. she was entering all the 
details and looks stressed. She didn't call me. Then I went I asked her 

Around 05:00 PM
Me: Is everything OK? 
Staff: Ya all the paper work is done. Dont worry it is all done. I have some details to enter into my system for the records. 

After a while around 10 mins she called me and started saying "I am really sorry to tell you...." before finishing her words my thougts went somewhere, she 

was about to say "sorry to keep you waiting" 
Thank god I didn't hear anything bad!! 

Me: Is my case decided? 
Staff: Ya your visa is approved and we need to stamp your visa and it might take around an hour. 
And she handed over me some letter.
I read it, Whow I am so happy to read "YOUR APPLICATION IS APPROVED!!!!!!!))))))" 
Usually this approal letter will be given along with the passport. 
But she just gave me I dont know why. 

Staff: Handed over all my documents and told me wait at help desk counter. 
I waited for around 45 Mins and around 06:00 PM I was called to counter and they handed over my passport 
Me: Thank yOu with a BIG SMILE 

Help desk Staff: Called my ticket number. 
Me: Shown my ticket 
Help desk Staff: Your stay in United Kingdom has been extended until 2012 and please check your name and other details on the visa. 
I Checked all the details. 
Me: All the details are fine. Thank You 
************************************************* 
Other stuff that might be useful to know. 
-> Total time I spent 08 AM to 06 PM. 
-> This might not be same with all. As the person who dealt my case was new, it took so long time. 
Two of my friends have booked appointment in liverpool and one got at visa at 02:00 PM and the other 03:30 PM appointments are 09:00AM and 10:00 AM respectively. 
-> Seems in croydon might take more time than the other centers. 
-> My friend's leave expires in Feb 2010 but he got 3 years extension from Feb 2010 and not from the current date. 
-> To book an appointment best time is 09:00 AM 
Call on 08706067766 
-> It is better to carry all the necessary documents. No harm in that. 
Though i explained them my masters, bachelors degree and english language letter are not nessary, as I have proved all of them in the initial hsmp, still they asked me. So I gave it. 
-> Carry your appointment reference number also.