ILR & biometrics query...

We are about to apply for my Wife's ILR (in the next 2 weeks) & something just occurred to me...

I believe my Wife will have to get her biometrics done (yet again!) as part of the ILR application...?
I always understood that, as long as your Visa application is 'submitted' (online) ON or BEFORE the Expiry Date of your current Visa, that is acceptable.
Here's my concern...

If the application is submitted on time, but you can't get a biometrics appointment until AFTER the Expiry Date of the current Visa, is that a problem? TIA

Yes as long as you submit your application on time your immigration status remains the same even if you do your biometrics after the application is submitted and uoto the point of the decision. There is a limit on how long after the application submission you can arrange your biometrics for attendance (think its 28 days)

Thanks @Mattecube - Just looking to confirm what I thought was the case.

As an aside, Sopra Steria seem to have drastically cut back their operations from what it was 2 - 3 years ago when they seemed to have an office within easy reach of every major town/city.
Just searched their site and the nearest one appears to be about 70 MILES away now...!

we only ever got offered Saturday appointments locally and with the scanning not far short of 200 quid, always let them do the scanning and if its wrong blame them, 6weeks nearly now into British citizenship application, nothing from them yet!!!.

A weekend appointment would actually suit us better - no time off work! - even if we do have to travel 70 miles.
Not being a regular rail traveller I will have to research whether weekend fares are more, or less, expensive than Monday-Friday, to decide if we should 'let the train take the strain'?

Our experience on citizenship was heard absolutely nothing and no contact with referees. We applied from overseas so process was bit different, had to send in by post, home office had to organise biometrics for us and seems to take longer. Waited patiently until six month point and then raised complaint, wrote to MP to try and get him to chase, sent in Subject Access Request. Magically about two/three weeks later get letter that had been approved. Interestingly letter that application was successful was sent to my email address as opposed to wife's so I suspect MP query pushed things to happen.

Can do a subject access request which will get you info on what they hold at any time and might see what if anything they are doing.

Wife’s daughters came in about 7 weeks, I would sit tight till week 12 then if nothing heard try to push it along

Weekday office hours appointments are free so it would be
Fee free + week day train fare +loss of pay or a paid holiday
Vs
Weekend fee (£200)ish + weekend train fare

UPDATE: Panic over...! On being redirected to the page for booking a Biometrics appointment, our local office (1 mile away!) IS still operating - so no 70-mile trip! Phew...

As our 'local' office IS still open, we opted for a weekday appointment - Wife works evenings, so is available all day - but it still cost us £139 for the biometrics appointment (so not free, as I had seen some on here mention) (a 'Flexible' (half-day window) appointment is even more!)
Although we are uploading evidence ourselves, as a 'safety net' we added Documents Checking service so the total (Visa fee (£2885) plus biometrics) is an eye-watering £3k+...!

Appointment LocationsThese are released into our booking system at 09:00, 28 days in advance. Non chargeable appointments are mainly available from 10:00 Monday to Friday. Available at all Service Points, these are released into our booking system at midnight.

https://www.ukvcas.co.uk › appoint...
Appointments - UK Visa and Citizenship Application Services

@UKDJ Goodluck on your wife's ILR application.

I do vaguely recall another Post, where they sat watching the clock tick over to Midnight to secure a 'free' appointment...! Never mind, we got an appointment for Thursday week (April 18) so gives us time to upload documents.

Having experimented with our scanner settings, in both Black & White (B&W) and colour, I found B&W scans at ANY resolution 'Dots per inch' (DPI) to be virtually unreadable so - despite the instructions saying upload in B&W (I'm guessing to reduce file size?) - I opted to upload in colour at low resolution (100 DPI) with all results coming out clear and at <100kb per file. Fingers X'd...!

wife had her biometrics done last Tuesday at Exeter at 1200 hours and it was free for change of name. I believe it’s not free for visa extensions, ILR etc. I must admit I’m surprised it was free for her to change her name and thought they would have screwed another glass of blood out of our bank !

Appointments within office hours 10.00 to 17.00 are free.
If you book premium lounge that’s £129 maybe more now on top
Various extra services such as scanning are an extra cost.
Think we have done 6 or 7 now including BC and me being a cost watcher never went for premium or extra and didn’t pay for any appointments

@GJD223 You can still get free biometrics appointment for ILR , Citizenship and any visa application, however it depends of the availability. My colleague from Thailand she had hers free but I paid £135 on mine .

must be the only thing through the 5 years spouse visa journey that’s free haha !

@GJD223 .I had few biometrics appointment that was free of charge in Exeter, but for my BC application I had to pay because most of the free appointment is during my working days. Fingers crossed I will get the result soon .

'Free' appointments are like 'hens teeth'!

emz my wife was about the same timing as yours nothing yet, no questions either which is good, but as to whether its on someones desk or not is another question, hoping to hear something by the end of May.