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Just been informed my application for Indefinite Leave to Remain has been successful. So grateful.
Today, I have been informed by Home Office that my application for Indefinite Leave to Remain has been successful.
Tears filled my eyes, and words escape me to express the profound happiness I feel at this very moment.
15th of January, 2014, the day I first set foot upon this isle. Clutching a student visa, and carrying dreams of a new life, I sought to abandon all my past which I deemed as failure.
In my homeland, I had always been a good student. However, due to various factors, such as the insufferable bully and family issues, I underperformed in the decisive University Entrance Examinations and consequently found myself in a University that was far beneath both mine and my parents' expectations.
Time henceforth became a nightmare. Night after night, I questioned myself, and hope seemed but a distant star. After a year of relentless struggle, I made a bold decision to find a new life abroad, in a totally new country, where I could prove my worth once more.
Indeed, this was no trifling decision. Neither I nor my parents had any experience of living abroad. They failed to comprehend my determination to leave behind a degree in my home country, which they believed it would suffice for a peaceful and affluent life, thanks to their network.
Yet, I managed to persuade them to support me financially. I knew, not every person could have this fortunate and aware that I must make it worthwhile.
Desperate for change, I threw caution to the wind and utterly ignored all impending challenges. Life in Britain, initially, did not align with my expectations. My focus on reading and writing when I was in my home country left me with lamentable spoken and listening English skills, causing no small amount of trouble. The studies were more arduous than anticipated, and the living costs were considerably higher than in my home country. Money, which I once viewed as a fortune, was rapidly depleted.
Moreover, I was desperate to prove myself, a task only achievable by securing a good job and Indefinite Leave to Remain. This sounded like an insurmountable mission, as even the voices from the social media in my home country proclaimed, "Forget about it! Even the top students from Ox-Bridge struggle to find a job in the UK. The UK is not traditionally an immigration country!".
Fear returned, now intensified, and I felt like a burden to my parents, with no escape in sight. I cannot begin to convey the turmoil of those days; studying hard, day and night, was my only recourse. A welcome offer for a master's degree temporarily eased the pressure, but it was short-lived as failure after failure in job applications ensued.
Rejections piled up, and with the expiry date of my visa looming, despair set in. The fear of returning home, defeated and judged by my family, friends, and old classmates, weighed heavily on me.
However, after much torture, I finally received a job offer from a prestigious accounting firm for their graduate programme. Hope was rekindled, and life began to improve.
In the following 5-years, I passed all the ICAEW exams on the first attempt, qualified as a chartered accountant, and was promoted, I met the criteria and merely needed to wait until I am eligible to apply for the Indefinite Leave to Remain.
But life wasn't without its trials. A serious mistake at work, just a few months before I met the 5-year qualifying rule, led me to believe I would lose my job and, thus, all hope of remaining in the UK.
To my horror, I was dismissed and escorted out of the building by HR. But I did not surrender to despair. With only two months to find a new job, I began my search anew. It was an arduous journey, but eventually, I found employment with another prestigious accounting firm. The HR lady and the partner expressed empathy with my situation. Redemption was at hand.
Surprisingly, my appeal against dismissal succeeded, and I returned to my former position. Nobody knew what happened, except the HR, and My privacy was protected. it’s been also written in very clear details that how this incident would impact my career here. No vague words, I could have the second chance for improvements.
Feeling guilty for declining the offer from the new firm, I left a box of chocolates and a thank-you note, expressing my gratitude for their kindness.
From that time, my desire to stay in the UK strengthened, and it was no longer just to prove myself, but because I truly resonated with the value here.
I felt the kindness and empathy, from the HR Lady and the Partner who were willing to offer me a new job despite learning about the mistakes I made.
I felt the fairness, and respect for my rights, from the whole detailed and robust disciplinary and appeal process conducted by my current employer.
I was so desperate, to understand the reason for all of above, and the opportunity soon came.
To apply for Indefinite Leave, "Life in the UK" test is required.
Unlike many who only view it as a formality, I found it an enlightening experience, which made me understand the reason why I was treated in that way.
Queen Boudicca, Magna Carta, the religious reform, the struggles during the Stuart period, William of Orange and Queen Mary, the Industrial Revolution, the Suffragettes, Dunkirk, the Blitz Spirit, the Battle of Britain, Clement Attlee, and the Swinging 60s…
These historical events helped me understand the values that had shaped modern Britain, and I realised how they had saved me: the Rule of Law, Democracy, Freedom of Speech, Individual Rights, Redemption.
After the test, all that remained was to wait for the qualifying period to end.
I submitted my application, attended the biometric appointment, fingerprinted, and shortly after informed of my success.
Thus begins a new chapter in my life, here on this land that has become my home.
Today, I have been informed by Home Office that my application for Indefinite Leave to Remain has been successful.
Tears filled my eyes, and words escape me to express the profound happiness I feel at this very moment.
15th of January, 2014, the day I first set foot upon this isle. Clutching a student visa, and carrying dreams of a new life, I sought to abandon all my past which I deemed as failure.
In my homeland, I had always been a good student. However, due to various factors, such as the insufferable bully and family issues, I underperformed in the decisive University Entrance Examinations and consequently found myself in a University that was far beneath both mine and my parents' expectations.
Time henceforth became a nightmare. Night after night, I questioned myself, and hope seemed but a distant star. After a year of relentless struggle, I made a bold decision to find a new life abroad, in a totally new country, where I could prove my worth once more.
Indeed, this was no trifling decision. Neither I nor my parents had any experience of living abroad. They failed to comprehend my determination to leave behind a degree in my home country, which they believed it would suffice for a peaceful and affluent life, thanks to their network.
Yet, I managed to persuade them to support me financially. I knew, not every person could have this fortunate and aware that I must make it worthwhile.
Desperate for change, I threw caution to the wind and utterly ignored all impending challenges. Life in Britain, initially, did not align with my expectations. My focus on reading and writing when I was in my home country left me with lamentable spoken and listening English skills, causing no small amount of trouble. The studies were more arduous than anticipated, and the living costs were considerably higher than in my home country. Money, which I once viewed as a fortune, was rapidly depleted.
Moreover, I was desperate to prove myself, a task only achievable by securing a good job and Indefinite Leave to Remain. This sounded like an insurmountable mission, as even the voices from the social media in my home country proclaimed, "Forget about it! Even the top students from Ox-Bridge struggle to find a job in the UK. The UK is not traditionally an immigration country!".
Fear returned, now intensified, and I felt like a burden to my parents, with no escape in sight. I cannot begin to convey the turmoil of those days; studying hard, day and night, was my only recourse. A welcome offer for a master's degree temporarily eased the pressure, but it was short-lived as failure after failure in job applications ensued.
Rejections piled up, and with the expiry date of my visa looming, despair set in. The fear of returning home, defeated and judged by my family, friends, and old classmates, weighed heavily on me.
However, after much torture, I finally received a job offer from a prestigious accounting firm for their graduate programme. Hope was rekindled, and life began to improve.
In the following 5-years, I passed all the ICAEW exams on the first attempt, qualified as a chartered accountant, and was promoted, I met the criteria and merely needed to wait until I am eligible to apply for the Indefinite Leave to Remain.
But life wasn't without its trials. A serious mistake at work, just a few months before I met the 5-year qualifying rule, led me to believe I would lose my job and, thus, all hope of remaining in the UK.
To my horror, I was dismissed and escorted out of the building by HR. But I did not surrender to despair. With only two months to find a new job, I began my search anew. It was an arduous journey, but eventually, I found employment with another prestigious accounting firm. The HR lady and the partner expressed empathy with my situation. Redemption was at hand.
Surprisingly, my appeal against dismissal succeeded, and I returned to my former position. Nobody knew what happened, except the HR, and My privacy was protected. it’s been also written in very clear details that how this incident would impact my career here. No vague words, I could have the second chance for improvements.
Feeling guilty for declining the offer from the new firm, I left a box of chocolates and a thank-you note, expressing my gratitude for their kindness.
From that time, my desire to stay in the UK strengthened, and it was no longer just to prove myself, but because I truly resonated with the value here.
I felt the kindness and empathy, from the HR Lady and the Partner who were willing to offer me a new job despite learning about the mistakes I made.
I felt the fairness, and respect for my rights, from the whole detailed and robust disciplinary and appeal process conducted by my current employer.
I was so desperate, to understand the reason for all of above, and the opportunity soon came.
To apply for Indefinite Leave, "Life in the UK" test is required.
Unlike many who only view it as a formality, I found it an enlightening experience, which made me understand the reason why I was treated in that way.
Queen Boudicca, Magna Carta, the religious reform, the struggles during the Stuart period, William of Orange and Queen Mary, the Industrial Revolution, the Suffragettes, Dunkirk, the Blitz Spirit, the Battle of Britain, Clement Attlee, and the Swinging 60s…
These historical events helped me understand the values that had shaped modern Britain, and I realised how they had saved me: the Rule of Law, Democracy, Freedom of Speech, Individual Rights, Redemption.
After the test, all that remained was to wait for the qualifying period to end.
I submitted my application, attended the biometric appointment, fingerprinted, and shortly after informed of my success.
Thus begins a new chapter in my life, here on this land that has become my home.
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