ILR Status with Expired Passports Allowed to Work in the UK

Added: (Fri Sep 03 2010)

Pressbox (Press Release) - Manila, Philippines. 04 September 2010--UK residency permits with indefinite leave to remain (ILR) status are now allowed to work even if holders have expired passports. Such ILR status already constitutes evidence of the right to work.
Nonetheless, the UK Border Agency in a recently-issued news advisory this month suggests to the employers to continue doing the necessary checking of these expired passports using the same procedure employed for checking valid ones. It further advises the employers to require evidence of the ILR status in a valid passport during the course of the employment.
Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) is a status allowing a UK resident to settle permanently in the country. It is usually written in the holder’s resident permit, which in turn may be affixed either in an expired or a new passport.
For residents who are holders of an expired passport, they are required to apply for a “no time limit” (NTL) stamp in order to obtain a new passport bearing the same status.
Application for an NTL stamp can be done by filling-out an NTL form while still in possession of said status. Note must be taken that the resident must be present in UK during the application; a detailed guide in the NTL application form must be read first; and the latest version of the form downloaded.
The NTL application form must be accomplished using a black pen and the writing must be in block capital letters. All dates must follow the following format: dd-mm-yyyy (date-month-year).
A joint application may be submitted by the applicant, together with his spouse or partner and their dependent children if any. Children below the age of eighteen (18) years old are considered dependents.
After accomplishing the NTL application form, it must be submitted either in the address written in the form itself or personally through the public enquiry office. These personal submissions however, must require no further inquiries since the entire processing is designed to be completed in a day.
Submissions by post may also be made but this entails a longer processing period which is usually uncertain. Applicants coursing their applications in this manner are advised not to leave the country unless their new passports are returned.
A fee is charged for every application form and the rate is usually higher for those availing of the same-day-service at the public enquiry office.
For more information about UK visas, log on to www.manilavisa.com.
VALID INDEFINITE LEAVE TO REMAIN (ILR) IN AN EXPIRED PASSPORT CAN NOW BE ACCEPTED BY UK EMPLOYERS AS EVIDENCE OF RIGHT TO WORK
Holders of Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) may now be allowed to work in the UK even if their ILRs are affixed in an expired passport.
In a news advisory released August 2010, the UK Border Agency explained that it has recently reviewed its policy on the issue and resolved that an Indefinite Leave to Remain in an expired passport can now be accepted by UK employers as evidence of right to work.
According to the advisory however, the prospective employer should, “…undertake the same checks in relation to expired passports that you currently undertake in relation to valid (in date) passports.”
It further disclosed that, “under the current legislation it is still correct to advise you that, in order to have a statutory excuse, you must see evidence of your prospective employee’s leave to remain in a valid passport.”
The UKBA added that they are considering an amendment of the 2007 Order pertaining to the matter, and will also be issuing the proper guidance in due time.