Started looking through forms and checklist to see what docs I need to get together.

1. Notarized copies of docs - Do you need to do this?

See here.

2. I don't have copies of contracts for all employers. What do I do? One company for certain is unlikely to still hold my records? Would a letter of reference suffice?

3. Letter attesting I am native English speaker. What format should this take? Should someone else write it for me or can I do this?

4. Will a bank statement do for proof of savings?

5. Original fingerprints - Do I just ink my hands and do these on some paper or get the police to do them?

Thanks in advance.

Muncles

1/ Didn't bother notarising anything and the application went through OK.
2/ We enclosed a short statement, I've copied it for your reference:

Section 8 – Work Experience

Applicant - XXXXX

1/ Organisational chart not available for any post. I have always been an Occupational Therapist, usually within a small team of up to 7 therapists working in a hospital setting. Each Occupational Therapy department I have worked in has consisted of a Head of Department, therapists and assistants, of which I have been one of the therapists. It is not possible to show this within a chart as all of the NHS Trusts, which I have worked for, have been reconfigured within the past five years and no longer exist in the same structure.

2/ As I currently work on a self-employed consulting basis, organisational charts are not available for XXXX and XXXX.

3/ For the same reason, employment contracts are not available. I have contacted the personnel departments of all my previous employers and have been informed that this information is not accessible due to the reconfiguration of the Trusts and archiving procedures.

4/ I have not enclosed a reference of employment for my work with XXXX; I have not informed the company as yet of my visa application as to do so would severely constrict the amount of work that will be allocated to me, resulting in financial hardship. I currently work with this company as a self-employed consultant.




Applicant – XXXX

1/ Reference not available from employment with XXXX as this business no longer exists.

2/ Reference not available from XXXX as this post was a seasonal temporary post.

3/ Organisational charts were not made available to me despite requests from personnel departments at the same time as requesting references.

3/ We didn't bother with a letter stating that we are native English speakers.
4/ Bank statement with attached statement explaining any other regular income outwith employment,eg. pensions, etc. should be OK. We highlighted salary payments on bank statement.
5/ Fingerprints?? If applying to London from UK don't bother - police checks are sufficient. I think fingerprints are required if you apply in US or Canada.

I'm not saying any of this is definitely the right way to do it, it's the way we have done it and we got our passport requests on Saturday, so CHC London obviously thought it was OK!

Hope this is helpful.

As a matter of interest, when did you send off your application?

December 03, got AOR 13th Feb 04 and did medicals 08th August 05.
I believe the waiting time on the AOR has gone up to about 36 months now, so it will be much quicker for you to submit you application for PR and then start job hunting and get there sooner on a work permit!