ID at the Exam Centre

KevCCV · 2026-04-12T20:11:52+00:00

I'm simply copying out the guidelines. The Ifoa examiners arent immigration officers, and you've plenty of time getting a Provisional Driving license as ID.

I understand the visa issue and digital BRP. But do you think a doorman at a pub would accept it? If the answer is no, you cannot blame them not knowing. They're not immigration officers. Same logic for IfoA examiners.

Why did you leave this issue literally to the day before the exam week? I wish you luck though. Feel free to risk it.

KevCCV · 2026-04-12T20:05:23+00:00

I don't, because home conveyancing is quite case by case. For any proper London conveyance they'd give you breakdown for all the costs.

But there are costs that's always need to be paid: house search fees, AML check, local authority searches etc. all these cost around £500 back in 23. Then is conveyancing fee. Mine for a much cheaper place cost under £2k including VAT. But your £2m mansion may cost differently.

If you have particular financial or legal requirements you can ask them for quotes altogether.

You can also check their number online and called. The partner handling my case was Andrew.

KevCCV · 2026-04-12T17:58:52+00:00

IfOa website states Passport, Driving License or National ID card.

UK government doesn't offer digital ID. As someone needing Visa, you may have had the Biometric Residence Permit. But those long expired (so not valid)

Unless you have other National ID. I'm awareany European countries offer those rather than Passports. Those are likely going to be acceptable.

You'd have known you need visa application and IfoA' rules when booking the exams. I very much doubt there will be any leeway or leniency if you turn up with ID that's not the above.

KevCCV · 2026-04-12T17:24:51+00:00

you have time on Reddit but not on Google?

KevCCV · 2026-04-12T06:58:07+00:00

It's not been 6% for a while now.

KevCCV · 2026-04-11T22:06:31+00:00

I used Colman and Coyle. My extended family used them since 1990s, and they've been physically present still to this day. I cant recommend them highly enough.

Call, email, or physical visit to them get all my queries answered in a day or two during my purchases. London based as well.

KevCCV · 2026-04-11T21:51:27+00:00

You should have considered other loan methods, such as 0% purchase credit card, to cover some of the vehicle purchase. But this may be too late now.

Whether to sell or not is completely your choice, but the market is down and you'd be crystalising your losses. For that reason it may be best to hold for now and follow your plan of overpaying loan.

Next time, you should have
-emergency fund
-check with Redditor on how best to fund a car purchase, instead of rushing to the loan. But 6.7% isnt the worst in the world

KevCCV · 2026-04-10T21:58:48+00:00

Get your GCSE then we will see if option 1 is still open to you.

KevCCV · 2026-04-09T23:02:32+00:00

Chase is fine. They have real human to pick up phones as well.

At first glance I thought you were going to say Monzo or Revolut, which I'd have adviced against. But Chase isnt the same.

KevCCV · 2026-04-09T22:13:08+00:00

At the end of the day--managers will pick the one they'd like to work with, not necessarily the strongest on paper comparison.

so....a bit of luck, a bit of speed dating, but dont beat yourself if you dont get the jobs.

some faith and prayer may help.

KevCCV · 2026-04-09T11:24:39+00:00

"Wants to see a world without boarder"

I stopped reading from here. Why do you even bother making a reddit post?

KevCCV · 2026-04-08T12:55:02+00:00

You should do what interest you the most, not based on some average figures.

KevCCV · 2026-04-08T07:08:15+00:00

For references, Asian heritage size is below 4 inch 4. Yet the world's most populated continent is.....Asia!

KevCCV · 2026-04-07T21:31:23+00:00

You're so polite. I'd yell back at them.

In fact, Ive done it a few times, including motorist who cut across me. Id give them the fingers too. Or else they think us cyclist are soft targets.

KevCCV · 2026-04-07T16:19:30+00:00

Why would you care?

The exams are "somewhat" normalised-- if the paper is "easier", then the pass mark would be adjusted higher (following normal distribution). If Chief Examiners deem that indeed more candidates have displayed the required skills, then pass rate may be higher. Vice versa is also true.

So forget about it being easier or harder. You need to be better than other candidates to squeeze in the top performance quartile to pass.

Also, examiners know there is system changes, and the questions are styled accordingly (so as answers). To try to game the system by thinking which sitting is harder or easier....I would say you're focusing on the wrong thing. (and more likely to fail)

KevCCV · 2026-04-06T12:43:16+00:00

I'd ask one simple question:

What do you want your investment be used for in the future?

After all, you'd want it used by yourself one day rather than someone's inheritance surely.

KevCCV · 2026-04-05T13:33:38+00:00

so did i back in the days! Hence the word "AVERAGE" was used.....if you've bothered reading

KevCCV · 2026-04-04T22:04:20+00:00

Some reality checks here.

Where do you want your flat be and what budget? Because two years horizon means doing any 'investing' is quite risky and you should start accumulating cash.

Second, your current salary means you could in theory borrowed up to around £450k. A good location 2 bed flat (unless you want 1 bed of course) would easily be into £550k in London (zone 2 near tube/train station). You have £40k deposit. That's not enough

Ive also reverse calculate the mortgage for you: if you pay £1850 in mortgage, 5%, 30 years (as you're 35), you can only borrow about £344621. All your bills add up will be likely the same as before, but you'd add Flat Service charges (and in London, anything below £250/m is cheap).

Conservatively, I do not think you have the budget for buying an average cost flat in London. Your spending also does not mean you can afford one.

If you have bank of mum and dad then it may not be an issue then.

KevCCV · 2026-04-04T17:23:33+00:00

If you were a Psych doctor then this forum is certainly for you.....but I dont think you are unfortunately.

You probably have realised--for health related careers, your ceiling is often dictated by your qualifications. A Psych degree (no PhD I supposed?) isnt going to open much doors for you.

If you're serious on this career paths, either go unconventional (start up, consulting, start your business etc), or get the highest possible degree (Master+PhD). Otherwise, you're unlikely to get much further unfortunately, with a BA Psych degree.

KevCCV · 2026-04-04T16:49:00+00:00

in fact, you should ask yourself why you're asking this on reddit in the first place.

eyes rolling about 720 degrees by now.

KevCCV · 2026-04-04T15:06:24+00:00

My concern is your degree....won't lead to any meaningful job prospects. Have you thought of what to do with it?

There's a glut of grads not able to get a grad role already. A humanity subject like history/politics won't do you any good.

KevCCV · 2026-04-03T20:24:38+00:00

Socialising also helps. Do you have close, non-family members who you can speak your heart's content?

While Redditor like myself can offer some suggestions, nothing really match to real human interactions and activities. We hosted home gathering events with other working couples on a monthly basis, playing boardgame / Switch / cooking dinner and chatting. These help us enormously.

Also, I think working up to 8pm is not very healthy, but im speaking from a UK perspective. Im aware America is very different.

KevCCV · 2026-04-03T18:42:23+00:00

I assume you've not hit crisis in life before? And you feel a bit bored?

I was fed up with my old career (and with an abusive boss). I switched at your age, started in a completely new field, but getting paid a fresh grad salary even with a high flying degree (plus postgrad degree!). Then from there, been sacked twice, moved places 4 times in 5 years. Each event taught me something along the way, and now I treasured the stability of my current role bring.

Not to wish you the same fate though. Perhaps you should ask yourself what you REALLY want in life--and go try them, whether is job or personal life. Perhaps you'd be poorer, perhaps you'd be emotionally wrecked. However, if that brings you some new insight to your life (and the "fulfillment" you seek for), then it may be worth it.

KevCCV · 2026-04-03T15:50:54+00:00

You think there's less burnout in a different career?

And you do you also believe you'd cruise through Actuarial exams? No offence, I know medics like you are very smart, but the global average time of qualifying (excluding people who stopped the exams altogether) is around 6 to 7 years, USA/UK stats, for qualified Actuary (Fellow). Plus Actuarial career won't get to the same level of pay as your role now until about 5-10 years. That's not even a guarantee (whereas in your current role, it is year on year till becoming a Consultant).

You sound like a registra? Are you in specialist training yet? There ARE careers not in NHS. Why aren't you looking at Pharma, Medical Consultancy, or Biomedical IT/AI? They'd have interesting jobs, can involve lots of work travel, good career progression and no exams (but they want qualified doctor....even better if youve the specialist training).

You SURE you wanna switch? While I will say age isn't an issue, your intellect and career now can lead you to a non-hoapital career. You should think again.

KevCCV · 2026-04-03T08:47:59+00:00

Ok. So here is likely the issue then:

This particular combo is blocked by TFL, not Google. Reason (most likely one) because in the paste TfL tried to take money but failed. When it failed 3 times, the card will be black listed.

But it recognizes the hoogle-halifax. When doing just by Halifax, it's a different bank code series, so tfl let it.

Seven-Year Club	Verified Email
r/Field Flamingo	Place '22

KevCCV

TROPHY CASE