Windrush day – what really happens at Home Office appointments?

We recently attended an appointment at the Home Office with one of our Windrush clients who has been considerably affected by the Government’s immigration policy. We have been supporting this client for a number of years, whilst he tackled job loss and homelessness, after losing his passport with his Indefinite Leave to Remain stamp.

The Windrush campaign, along with the Government announcing a new Windrush Task Force to deal with these applications gave us a new avenue to secure our client’s Indefinite Leave to Remain. If you or a relative are going through a similar process and have an appointment organised with the Home Office, we have summarised our experience to demystify the experience for you.

Stage 1 – Reception

The aim is to process your application on the same day. The information sheet gives you details about the stages of your appointment. It hasn’t been updated to reflect Windrush claims, so don’t be alarmed that it asks for a fee and a passport. Windrush applicants don’t need this.

Stage 2 – Case Registration

We gave in all of the documents – the completed Home Office application form and a covering letter. You are not required to have a covering letter, but we felt that there wasn’t enough space for us to explain our client’s 50-year history in the UK in a small box. You want to be as comprehensive as possible when completing the form!

Stage 3 – Biometric Enrolment

The biometric data has to be verified against immigration and police databases. This can take some time so be prepared to wait.

Stage 4 – Case Allocation and Consideration

There are two stages of the process, “awaiting consideration” and “under consideration”.  So we waited some more. 

Stage 5 – Return of Documents

Our client was given a letter confirming his “Indefinite Leave to Remain” status in the UK.  We were told that his biometric card should follow in approximately three to five working days. And the good news is that he has received his card!

Since our client was able to prove that he had been living in the UK before 1973, he was informed he was entitled to British Citizenship without having to pay the usual £1,330 fee.  This is the next stage in the process and is dealt with by another Home Office department based in Liverpool.

We understand how daunting the Windrush process can be, but we’re thrilled that we could secure a positive outcome for our client. If you have any questions, please contact our Immigration Department on 020 3818 5433 or alternatively by email at immigration@mooreblatch.com.


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