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Please tell us your story…

I filled in the wrong form for visa extension

• It was time for me to extend my tier 2 visa. I filled in the “settlement form” as my family was coming over to join me from Kuwait. I paid more than £6000 for the 5 of us. The application was rejected and I lost the full amount. Only later did I realize that settlement application is only after 5 years on Tier 2 visa. Looks stupid now but when I filled in in after a night shift, I didn’t think I was doing anything wrong.
• Lessons
  • Take time to fill in application forms
  • Bounce ideas off your mentor or international lead
  • Once you make the payment, remember that the payment is for the assessment and the payment is not refunded irrespective of decision made. ( The visa officer would have realized in 15 seconds that this was the wrong application)

Childcare a major issue

• I have two children and both of them are less than 10 years of age. My husband had to go back to run his business. My mother had been denied a visa and hence I had to look for a nanny to look after my child. This meant that I could only do day on calls with some difficulty ( 13 hours is difficult -9AM – 9.30 PM). Night on calls would have been impossible.
  • It is not easy to get child support in the UK. A live in Nanny can set you back more than half your salary. They are only allowed to do a certain number of hours per week
  • In addition, you have to pay for nursery care.

I fell pregnant

• I became pregnant 6 months after I joined. We had been trying for a baby for several years and it happened as soon after I joined. I was able to avail of maternity leave as It would have started 12 months after I joined. However my husband had to take up a job to ensure there was enough money coming in. Maternity leave is at full pay for 6 months and then half pay. I had to pay for the additional expenses, including my parents  coming over to support me.
  • Lessons
    • Pregnancy should be an enjoyable time but the pressure can sometimes be high.
    • Planning pregnancy is important during this time particularly if you are the visa holder
    • Save up as there will be unexpected expenses

My father fell ill

• • My father fell ill and required a prolonged hospital admission and surgery. Being the only child, I had to go back to support him. I took all my annual leave and then loss of pay leave. When I was close to completing one month of loss of pay, I requested my visa be cancelled. However this caused some difficulties.
    • I had rented a flat for 12 months and I had to terminate my tenancy early
    • I could not enter the UK to clear my flat with all my personal belongings still there
    • I did not have sufficient local support to pack everything
  • Finally I was allowed to carry over some leave from the the following year and so I did not have to cancel my visa. I was able to return 5 weeks after I left and rejoined.

• I lost my passport
  • I am from India and my family and I went for a family holiday to Prague. My wife was looking after the children both of whom were very young. The passport was in a bag on top of the rest of the bags. I went to the toilet with the older child and by the time I returned the passport and money bag was missing. Alerted the police and i was nowhere to be found. There was no Indian Embassy in Prague and So with temporary papers we were deported to India at our expense. In India had to apply to Passport office for new passport. All the papers to support application was in the UK. So I had to get a friend to get a locksmith to open the door to get the papers and courier it over. Then reapplied for visa at UK embassy. Had to take 3 weeks loss of pay leave and lost about £10,000 in all. Travel insurance paid back about £1000.

• • • Lessons
      • Keep passport close to you at all times
      • Holiday in places where there is an embassy of your country of origin to issue a new passport