# ILR - Set (M) - Croydon Premium Service



## Victoriaelaine (Mar 22, 2013)

Dear all,
On 27.03.2018 I attended an appointment at Croydon to apply for ILR - Form Set (M).
2 quick notes:
1. Book your LIUK test as soon as possible, don't leave it until the last 2 months like I did, appointments were suddenly scarce! It was super stressful trying to do two things at once. Study until you're confident, book it, and then you are free to focus on your application. There are other threads on LIUK so that's all I'm going to say about it.

2. Booking the appointment you want (up to 28 days before visa expiry).
Create an account and get used to the website booking system, for me it had changed since my last booking 2.5 years ago.
6 weeks before the date you want, log on at midnight and the appointments will have just been released. Select when you want and pay, the confirmation is e-mailed to you.
There is the booking checklist to print & take with you to your appointment, take care to follow any instructions on the booking page/s.

The form was easy enough to fill in, due to the fact I had a copy made of my previous application. DO make a copy of any form you fill up for future reference, as it will save you looking up all the information again, and reminds you what documents you supplied, etc. Disclaimer: each form is different, you still need to take care to check what is required!

My husband & I arrived at Croydon well before appointment at 10am to a bit of a hold up at security while asylum seekers went through. By the time we got through security, and walked up the stairs (lifts are available but on this day not to us) it was around 10.30am. We queued again to check in (required booking checklist, passport, glance at form) and were given a number & a sheet of paper with basic info. That day the screens were down so we were told to go to the waiting area & listen out for our number 

Our number was called around 11.30am to a desk where we needed to submit our form & documents. This officer requests the documents from you in sections exactly how they want it, and enters your details into the system.

From this experience, some tips on presenting your docs:
Form - Original form only, in 1 stack, they place it in one plastic folder (make a copy to keep for yourself but do not submit it!)
Passports - make 2 piles of yours & partners, most recent at top
Supporting Docs - In sensible order, plain stack, with copies in the same order underneath, they place it in another plastic folder along with passports

These 2 folders were bundled together and secured with a rubber band & handed back. As I had seen, there is an officer wandering nearby, I let know I was ready to go to Biometrics, they ticked something on their form & I was asked to take a seat (right there) and wait for my number.

I got called for Biometrics and handed over my bundle, kept the number + sheet that you got in the first queue!
I was told I could go out but first asked to write a mobile number on a sticker on the bundle. I asked how long it would be & was told the average wait time from that point is 2 hours.
It was a little before 12 but we headed out for lunch (Wagamama!) and were just settling up at 12.45 when I got a call asking if I was "outside the building" and to come back anytime before 4.30pm as my "decision was waiting for collection at Desk Number #"
I went to the desk and there was a mini queue of people waiting there, each being told their application was successful, at that point we knew we'd got it.
We were told as such, by a friendly officer, asking me to check the docs were all there & explaining my BRP wouldn't be returned as a new one would be sent out.
We had been through Croydon twice before & this was by far the quickest and most satisfying, but we probably have got thick skins after all these years.

I am happy to clarify anything I've (hastily) written by the way :typing:
I'm still pretty emotional about it all, even though it's been a few weeks.
I feel like I've won a prize, being able to stay with my husband (and home, and furbaby).

Big thanks to all mods & all those who went before me, leaving a trail of golden crumbs we follow and ultimately achieve success.

Next step could be Naturalisation... :fingerscrossed:


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## Whatshouldwedo (Sep 29, 2013)

That is really helpful! Congratulations! It does seem that the procedure has changed very slightly from when we went at the end of 2016 for FLR(M) and may change again before next year but I am going to bookmark this page.


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## elizaryan (Jul 20, 2017)

Very helpful post. I am gearing up to apply for ILR this year and will likely do it in person at Cardiff. Thanks for the tips.


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## reneeclaire (Jan 3, 2013)

Nice to hear you were all successful! Congrats! 
All going to plan in about a month I will be out the other side like you! If only I didn't have baby brain and had remembered how scarce appts were here in London, we wouldn't be travelling to Sheffield! oops!


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## Victoriaelaine (Mar 22, 2013)

I hope they sort it out as it's crazy having to book so far in advance for Premium Service. Even the LIUK test was a couple of weeks and that caught me off guard!


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## londoner007 (Feb 13, 2017)

Good job nicely organised.


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## fb2009 (Mar 10, 2016)

Victoriaelaine said:


> Dear all,
> On 27.03.2018 I attended an appointment at Croydon to apply for ILR - Form Set (M).
> 2 quick notes:
> 1. Book your LIUK test as soon as possible, don't leave it until the last 2 months like I did, appointments were suddenly scarce! It was super stressful trying to do two things at once. Study until you're confident, book it, and then you are free to focus on your application. There are other threads on LIUK so that's all I'm going to say about it.
> ...



Wish you best of luck for your future!


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