Literally--I had a ticket to Malaga for 8am this morning.
And no, I didn't miss my flight (although I have done so in the past). I was told by the UK Border Agency not to leave the country.
Ironically, they said this as they were granting me residency status in the UK.
So that's the good news: I am no longer on a work permit, and I can live in the UK as long as I want (although I still can't vote).
I was actually quite worried, because they've continually changed the rules since I've been here -- the last major change just three weeks before my appointment -- and I honestly wasn't sure if it would be granted. Five years ago I had to pay around £250 (US $400) and prove a certain education and salary level to come to the UK. Today I had to pay over £1,400 (US $2,200) and prove a significantly higher education or salary to stay here. I just squeaked by on the salary, but only by including my bonus. (They also asked for a letter from my employer, but the company would only verify my salary without the bonus, so I didn't submit it.)
So it was with a great deal of relief when I was told my application had been granted. They then told me my "biometric resident permit" would arrive in the mail in 7-10 days, and not to leave the country without it. I said I had a plane ticket for Spain in 6 days and they shrugged and told me I could leave the country, but I wouldn't be allowed back in.
I looked at postponing the trip, but the ticket was £124 and the change fee was £100, so there wasn't much value there. I also checked my travel insurance but on page 3 of the list of exclusions was, "17. You not having the correct passport or visa." Plus they had a £50 "excess," so I still wouldn't have gotten very much back. In the end I just let it go, and I'll go back to Spain another day.
So now I had a three-day weekend in the UK (this being the early May bank holiday) and nothing to do. Worse, on Tuesday I had to be in Workington at 10am for a meeting, which is in the north-west corner of England. Going home would involve at least 9 hours of commuting, and I'd have to come back Monday afternoon anyway, so it certainly wouldn't feel like a three-day weekend.
I looked at several options, including the "Victorian Extravaganza" in northern Wales, taking the ferry to Belfast, or lying on the beach at Blackpool, before finally deciding on an itinerary:
Saturday: Train to Leeds (£20, 2 hours), Armouries (free), Leeds art gallery or city museum, comedy show at hifi club (£10 advance, stay at Holiday Inn Express
Monday: Bus to Hadrian's wall, Cathedral, Tullie House Museum
Tuesday: Train to Workington (£9, 50 minutes), get a ride from co-worker to Liverpool
Even better, by staying at the corporate hotel Friday night I can get my company to pay for it; I can charge them for the hotel on Monday as well; and I can use reward points for the hotel in Leeds, so I only have to pay for one hotel night. In addition, my company pays me about £127 for commuting, so I'll get to see some spectacular scenery and have a lovely weekend essentially for free!
Not counting the £124 I spent on the plane ticket to Spain...
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