UK Home Office

I now know why all the commonwealth countries have such a high rate of corruption and bureaucracy. We have all learnt it from the British during their long years of occupation. I know that it’s too late to moan about things. But truly, when things are happening to you, you sort of put two and two together.

On Friday, I had an appointment with the Home office. Reason – to extend my two year UK spouse visa. And because I have not yet completed the stipulated two years, I am supposed to ask for a renewal and am not eligible to apply for a permanent resident visa. So far so good as all the information has been learnt right from the Home Office website.

Go to the counter at Croydon and what do you hear? No you should not apply for an extension, ‘cause you are now eligible to apply for PR. Now why didn’t the lady on the phone, the one who took my appointment date not inform me of all this? Why is it that I have to travel so far to get proper information? Why does the site provide all wrong information?

And that’s not all. In order to apply for a PR I have to get a passed certificate of Life In The UK test. And just to rub salt on the wound – I can apply for a PR on September 29th which is 9 days after my current visa expires. So what sort of a person am I during those 9 days? An illegal immigrant?

On an ordinary day, I would not have been so depressed. But it seems that my company was planning to send me to Geneva and Cannes and now I can’t go on both these trips. And this is sad, really sad…..