Always ask for a copy of everything you sign and keep a copy of everything important you have sent!

This might sound obvious to you as you may already be completely organised and on top of your personal administration. However, people often just collect all their official letters, bank statements, pay slips etc. in a big bag or drawer or forget where they have put them.

It is extremely important to have documentation filed and organised. This might take some time at the beginning but it will be useful in keeping track of your financial situation or when you need to make reference to dates that you have signed contracts etc.

Personal information and the contracts signed by army recruits are sent to Glasgow, where they are stored centrally and difficult to retrieve so make sure you keep a copy.

If you require information in your contract you will have difficulty proving anything if you do not have your own copy.

For example, in Marika's case we have been unable to retrieve his contract. When he joined the army, 7 years ago, he was promised citizenship after 5 years. This might be stated in the contract but we have no proof as we do not have access to it.

Therefore, please insist on a copy of everything you sign, whether it is a loan agreement with your bank, your army contract or insurance papers etc. It is your right and standard practice to receive a copy, especially of your work contract. You should also retain a copy of every official letter you have sent to government agencies or to the army.

For important documentation (e.g. applications to the Home Office or letters to the army), it is best to send it registered mail. This way you can be sure of when it arrives with the intended recipient and they can not claim that they never received it.

If you speak to someone over the phone or in person, make notes. Include a summary of the conversation, the time and date you spoke to them and make sure you ask for their name. This is for your records.