# When can I apply for the same day premium service?



## shellmarie (Jul 25, 2010)

I am currently here on a 27 month spouse visa. I will have lived here in th UK for 2 years on 9 September. I'm a bit unsure of when I am able to get my ILR or permanent residency. Do I have to wait until I reach exactly 2 years or can I apply 28 days prior to my 2 year mark?

Also, I am going to use the same day premium service and was wondering if that makes a difference in when I am able to apply.


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## AnAmericanInScotland (Feb 8, 2012)

shellmarie said:


> I am currently here on a 27 month spouse visa. I will have lived here in th UK for 2 years on 9 September. I'm a bit unsure of when I am able to get my ILR or permanent residency. Do I have to wait until I reach exactly 2 years or can I apply 28 days prior to my 2 year mark?
> 
> Also, I am going to use the same day premium service and was wondering if that makes a difference in when I am able to apply.


According to the Guidance Notes for the SET(M) form (version 4/2012) and which is the form you'll be using as you are under the rules that applied when you were granted your probationary visa (YEA!!!), you need to apply for the ILR 28 days before your 24 month period of residence is met (my bold and edited for formatting:



> ...You and any children under 18 who are applying with you *should apply before the end of your/their permitted stay in the UK when you are nearing completion of the 2-year qualifying period required by the Immigration Rules. *
> 
> Please do not apply more than 28 days before completing that period. If you apply earlier than that, your application may be refused.


(See the link on the right for the Guidance Notes download, scroll down in the Notes to page 4)

UK Border Agency | Settlement

So be sure to book your premium appointment according to the timing instructions


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## shellmarie (Jul 25, 2010)

AnAmericanInScotland said:


> According to the Guidance Notes for the SET(M) form (version 4/2012) and which is the form you'll be using as you are under the rules that applied when you were granted your probationary visa (YEA!!!), you need to apply for the ILR 28 days before your 24 month period of residence is met (my bold and edited for formatting:
> 
> (See the link on the right for the Guidance Notes download, scroll down in the Notes to page 4)
> 
> ...


Thank you that was a big help. For some reason I was thinking I had to wait until 2 years hits. I better get going then. I've only started studying my Life in the UK books a couple of weeks ago.


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## shellmarie (Jul 25, 2010)

Btw. I'm so relieved that I won't be applying under the new rules. What a stress that would have been. My husband kept telling me not to worry it would be fine. Lol. Oh to be so oblivious. I'm glad he was right though.


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## nyclon (Apr 3, 2011)

> you need to apply for the ILR 28 days before your 24 month period of residence is met


Just a minor clarification, it's not that you _need _to apply 28 days before, it's that you can apply _no sooner than_ 28 days before you hit your 2 year residency.


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## Joppa (Sep 7, 2009)

Appointment slots are released 6 weeks in advance, so your slots for early August appointments will be released soon. I suggest you book as soon as possible at
UK Border Agency | Booking an appointment for our premium service and book online on the right. You don't have to use the nearest office.


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## AnAmericanInScotland (Feb 8, 2012)

shellmarie said:


> Thank you that was a big help. For some reason I was thinking I had to wait until 2 years hits. I better get going then. I've only started studying my Life in the UK books a couple of weeks ago.


Make sure you sit the test (and pass it) at least three days (I'd give it more like two weeks or even a month) before your premium appointment to give the test results time to work through the computer system.

Also of extreme importance is to safeguard the letter of passing that the proctor will give you after the test and scoring-it can't be replaced from what I understand, and you must have the original at the premium appointment. 

Per Joppa's post, you can book that premium appointment soon-watch the timing carefully so that your test booking and premium ILR appointments are scheduled appropriately. 

Good luck with the test, let us know how it goes. I'm studying for it and will take it just as soon as I am confidant I can pass, hoping to take it sooner than later, lol, so I don't have to think about it anymore!


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## shellmarie (Jul 25, 2010)

I have just booked my test date for the 17 July. Since I know I will be off work that day. I'm thinking I will be able to pass it by then. I've already been studying the past few days and doing nothing else. Hopefully, I'll remember how to take a test. haha. 

I've already checked to see if I can get a premium appointment, but I'm too early. I'll just keep checking until I get the option for an appointment in mid August. I'll let you know how everything goes.


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## shellmarie (Jul 25, 2010)

I just wanted to say that I went for my premium appointment at the Glasgow PEO yesterday. I now have my settlement visa.  It was almost painless. It only took 15 minutes to go over our documents. The officer explained that we needed to show that we had to have £444 left each month after expenses and ask which banks accounts our 
pay goes into. He only wanted to see the past three months worth of statements and payslips and didn't bother with the others I had. 

He then sent us away to wait for my biometrics. We were told that we would only have to wait an hour for the decision. It took a bit over two hours. I was a bit worried that it had taken so long, but everything was fine.


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## modzy78 (Jan 15, 2010)

I'm in a similar situation. My arrival date was November 1, 2010, so, from what I understand, I can have my meeting on or after October 4 (4 weeks before). So I can schedule my appointment starting on August 23 (this Thursday)? 

I was on the site and see that I will have to register for an account to schedule the appointment. Do I need to complete my application, pay the premium fee, and/or get my bio-metrics done prior to scheduling this appointment? I wanted to verify because we are expecting our first child any day now (due date is actually the 23rd!), so we can't complete the application until after it is born. However, I would really like to get the appointment scheduled sooner rather than later if possible.

Any help on this would be appreciated! Thanks!


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## Joppa (Sep 7, 2009)

modzy78 said:


> I'm in a similar situation. My arrival date was November 1, 2010, so, from what I understand, I can have my meeting on or after October 4 (4 weeks before). So I can schedule my appointment starting on August 23 (this Thursday)?
> 
> I was on the site and see that I will have to register for an account to schedule the appointment. Do I need to complete my application, pay the premium fee, and/or get my bio-metrics done prior to scheduling this appointment? I wanted to verify because we are expecting our first child any day now (due date is actually the 23rd!), so we can't complete the application until after it is born. However, I would really like to get the appointment scheduled sooner rather than later if possible.


No, you don't have to do any of that - just register your details. PEO appointments go very quickly and to have a chance of getting one for the desired date, you have to stay up past midnight exactly 6 weeks before and grab one. With an imminent birth, it's difficult but you have to move fast to get a slot.


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## modzy78 (Jan 15, 2010)

Joppa said:


> No, you don't have to do any of that - just register your details. PEO appointments go very quickly and to have a chance of getting one for the desired date, you have to stay up past midnight exactly 6 weeks before and grab one. With an imminent birth, it's difficult but you have to move fast to get a slot.


Thanks! That's what I thought, and I'm relieved to know that I am correct. So long as I'm not in the hospital, I'll aim for staying up until after midnight on Wednesday to try for the Thursday slot. Luckily, my visa doesn't expire until January, so I do have some time if necessary.


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