It's official - I'm a UK resident until the end of January! Looking back, the process to extend my visa wasn't nearly as difficult as it was to get it in the first place but for a while I was sweating it out. The form you have to fill out is over 40 pages and everywhere on it they keep reminding you that if you make a mistake you will be REJECTED!
Bill's visa expires in early January - this was his original date since he was a tiny bit late (but we won't call that out too loudly here on line) but my visa expired in August and I needed to extend to January if I wanted to stay here through the end of Bill's assignment. And now I can.
When you extend your visa they don't put another page in your passport. Instead they give you a biometric resident permit. A card that has all of your data linked to it (finger prints etc). When I travel now I need to carry both.
Since I didn't want to show my personal details I had to cover the card up a bit but check out the picture. UGH. You can't use your good picture face on a visa - no smiling allowed and you have to make sure all the hair is off your face. It took 4 tries for the guy to get it because I kept laughing etc. Not my best look but a small price to pay to keep living the British dream here for another few months.
5 comments:
Congratulations!! So happy you passed with flying colors. At least you have practice with the no smiling. Last year when I renewed my driver's license, I had to take my glasses off (which makes no sense, but I went with it). And then she told me the next time I renew I will be wearing no glasses AND no smile! If I ever do get pulled over, hopefully they will recognize me! :-)
Yay!
wow, that was a quick turnaround from submitting the forms! Disappointed that the pretty dress you wore the day of the photograph being taken doesn't feature!
And congrats on being an honorary Subject to our Liz until January!
Excited to start the countdown till your return home!
That is great! I wonder if i can sneak in a long weekend....
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