Patience

Today is 28 of September 2006. I went to the solicitor’s office to get the copy of the application he has forwarded to the Home office on my son’s behalf.

It was some time in mid June while I was on training in our office that I found out we could apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain under the Seven year concession for my son. The lady who was training us on the “Nationality and Citizenship” mentioned something about it. After the session I went to her and asked for more details. She talked a bit more about it and gave me the address of few solicitors who I could discuss the case with.

I came away and with the help of a friend of mine looked for more information on this subject and found out that if a child has lived in the UK for more than 7 years and still is a minor, can apply for ILR outside the immigration rules. I was so happy to know this.
I contacted the lawyers but they couldn’t take on the case and some of them thought that this was not possible! I tried few other lawyers with no luck. I was losing faith in my findings until one day when I was talking to one of children panel advisers, I mentioned it and she said she knew a solicitor who I could contact with and she said that this lawyer is an expert in dealing with children’s law and immigration matters. She gave me the number and I called him straight away. He was so aware of this matter and he said that there have been few similar cases, which have been presented to the Home Office, and they have been successful. As soon as I heard he was eager to challenge our case, made and appointment to go and see him as soon as my husband came to the UK.

On 19th July we went to see him. He was so positive and promising and he even said that if the Home Office accepts the case then he would be able to take the case on person and we would get the results in couple of weeks time. We were so delighted to hear all that and seeing that how easy it was to get ILD in this country made our souls jump out of our bodies! But we were not aware of the whole story and the rest to come!!
Two weeks passed and we did not hear anything from our lawyer, three then four then five weeks and two months passed with no news. I decided to phone him to find out if anything was wrong. He said that the Home office has not accepted the application in person so it needs to be posted and he couldn’t tell us how long this process would take! So much of getting the result in couple of weeks eh!
On 19th September when I called him he said he had just finished the application and his manager is checking it out and it would go to the post that night and I would be receiving a copy of it in two days. I waited for a few days and when the copy did not come, I called him to see if he really did the application. As they say “Once bitten, twice shy!”. I had started doubting him now, as whatever he told us did not go to that direction! His secretary answered my call and said that he is busy. I got so frustrated. I left him a message to call me back when he was free. It was half three when I called him and there was no reply. I told his secretary that if I don’t receive a call from them regarding my case I would call them before five and this time he had to answer the phone himself even if he is busy with other client. It was only few minutes after my call that he called me back and he apologized for not doing the paper work and he would send me the copy soon. I was honest and told him that I was not sure anymore if he really was entertaining our case. He said that he had done it but hadn’t have time to sent me the copy, but he would sent it tomorrow. I told him that I was going to his office to get the copy myself – thinking that even if he had not done it, he needed to do it that day at least-. We arranged for 2 o’clock the next day – which is today- for me to go and collect the copy. I went there and he brought me the copy of the application and kindly explained the matter and apologized for the inconvenient. I felt really bad about the whole thing and I apologized too and I explained that the time is very important for us and when I thought that he is taking this case lightly I was frustrated. The sooner we get the result the better for our family. He said that he understood the situation. We said bye and I came home.

Now when I look back, I see that if I was a bit more patient and had a bit more faith on him was better. I need to start trusting people. Not everyone is untrustworthy!

"The twin killers of success are impatience and greed"

Rohn, Jim